Shooting with Tourette’s and ADHD

[Sco77w]

Hi, I’m here hoping someone has had experience of something similar and can advise me. 
 

My nephew has always had a healthy interest in shooting and guns and had an impressive Nerf armoury as a young lad and then progressed into CoD as he got older and now probably has a better knowledge of firearms than me. He’s coming up to his 14th birthday so I’ve been and bought a 10 22 for him. The rub is, he suffers with Tourette’s that manifest itself in physical ticks but he really wants to go shooting. I intend to take him to the range where well shoot a bit to see if he likes it as much as he thinks he will. I’ll start with just loading single rounds and shooting from a seated position but wondered if I’m wasting my time. 
does anyone here suffer with Tourette’s and or ADHD and shoot or have experience with anyone that does. How has that been received by clubs and ranges and more importantly your FLO? 
if your not happy posting answers on an open forum, please DM me. 
TIA. 

[ditchman]

i wouldnt be surprised...if when he is concentrating on handling a dangerous weapon....whilst doing that his Tourettes might disapear into the background

 

any chance of you taking him pigeon shooting first ??

let us know what happens ...might be good for him

(he should fit rightin....some of my mates i shot with...when they miss ...you would think they had tourettes   )

[Sco77w]

57 minutes ago, ditchman said:

i wouldnt be surprised...if when he is concentrating on handling a dangerous weapon....whilst doing that his Tourettes might disapear into the background

 

any chance of you taking him pigeon shooting first ??

let us know what happens ...might be good for him

(he should fit rightin....some of my mates i shot with...when they miss ...you would think they had tourettes   )

😂😂

That was our thinking too, if he needs to concentrate I think he may be too focussed to tick. Time will tell. 
As for the pigeon shooting it’s probably not going to happen. His ADHD Makes him hyper sensitive to the mortality of things. The thought for things dying sends him in to a melt-down. 

[Bobba]

As a general observation I would think that using only air rifles sub 12ft lbs then as no licence is necessary there would seem to be no problem with him plinking away to his hearts content in the controlled environment you describe.

If later on you thought of progressing to firearms and shotguns I would think that very much depends on whether Doctors consider his conditions to fall within the boundaries of those conditions listed on the medical form of the SGC and firearms licence applications and what interpretation the Police Firearms Licensing would put on it if they do.

When next visiting a GP you or your grandson could, perhaps, pose the general question of whether his conditions fall within those listed on the form. You could then plan accordingly.

 

Edited September 17, 2023 by Bobba

[HantsRob]

I have taken people with ADHD shooting, with results of varying degrees. Some people can absorb into listening to instruction and really do far better than other shooters with the same experience. Some "know better" and struggle to take instruction. 

I would certainly try an air rifle range as it's cheap, and you can see how he is with discipline on the range and how both ADHD and Tourettes is affected with discipline of shooting. It also depends how the ticks manifest as an uncontrollable violent movement with a loaded shotgun is a hazard and a half. 

If you speak to your local club and your issue, just ask if they have an instructor willing to take him on a have a go session with either air rifle, or shotgun. The Tourettes as mentioned above will be taken kindly, and I assure you that once people realise it's Tourettes they'll probably make polite awkward jokes like how they fit in with aged experience shooters. 

If you were in the south you'd be welcome to join me for air or shotgun to try. Good luck with your journey. 

[WalkedUp]

10/22 is normally a reference to a ten shot Ruger semi automatic rimfire rifle, most commonly chambered in .22 Long Rifle. 

[Lloyd90]

On 17/09/2023 at 08:49, Bobba said:

As a general observation I would think that using only air rifles sub 12ft lbs then as no licence is necessary there would seem to be no problem with him plinking away to his hearts content in the controlled environment you describe.

If later on you thought of progressing to firearms and shotguns I would think that very much depends on whether Doctors consider his conditions to fall within the boundaries of those conditions listed on the medical form of the SGC and firearms licence applications and what interpretation the Police Firearms Licensing would put on it if they do.

When next visiting a GP you or your grandson could, perhaps, pose the general question of whether his conditions fall within those listed on the form. You could then plan accordingly.

 

 

They absolutely will come under conditions that need to be noted, plus they have a "any other condition" section also. 

It would be down to the ideas of the FEO I would think, and just how severe the impact is of the ADHD and tics. 

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

Definately start with a sub 12ftb air rifle. Treat as if live fire & see if safety rules are understood & followed.

[Sco77w]

Well here a little update. 
we went to the range with my Nephew at the weekend and it couldn’t have been better. We started with single rounds loaded into his 10-22 and every shot was on paper at 25yards. He loved it and was so focused, not a single sign of a tick all day. By the end of the day he had shot his 10/22 mu CZ 455 and even my 15-22 un supported. 
mall in all a success day. Let’s see where it goes from here. 

[Gordon R]

Pleased for your nephew and well done to you.

[Westley]

I would be tempted to stay with the air rifle for 12 months or so and then maybe, as a birthday or Christmas present, an hours 'have a go'  lesson at a local clay ground. He should be more aware of safety parameters after handling the airgun for a while.