ak47 Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 what age do you think is ok for kids to start shooting i took my lil boy out target shooting to day and he loved it he's only 5 i thought it would be ok cuz i used to shot my unkles air rifle and my borther old air pistol at that age.we got 2 woodys aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak47 Posted June 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 im thinking about getting him a little gun one of them buddy 1702 pump action bb guns for plinking.i'll get him a propper air rifle when he's 8 or 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamebag Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 I was started off at 10 by my uncle I then learned to shoot small bore & centifre at 13 with the cadets. That was about 15 years ago now in this day & age I dont know what woud be classed as socialy acceptable & what would be seen as acceptable in the eyes of the law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Personally, I feel that 5 is a little young to be handling guns, albeit low power and supervised. Accidents can happen all too quickly. I would think that 10 or 11 is a good age. My own son only showed any interest when he was 16 or so, he is now a good shot, but is more interested in 4x4s, women and expensive holidays. My friends son started to join us when he was 10 with a shortened stock .410, but the lad was a bit weedy, and even this was too much for him. A year or so later he was not much better. He has now got the fishing bug. Which means no old buck; no lip; and more pigeons for me. I feel that at 5 years of age it would be good to involve the lad with all the perifferal matters, but no weapon contact. Too early an intrduction could easily induce a flinch etc that could put the lad off shooting for life. You cant be too careful especially with younguns. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTaylor2k4 Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 i think 10 / 11 is a good age to start. 5 is a too young. Thats when he starts primary school lol Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 I started when I was 8 with an Investarm .410 O/U, I then got a Master 12g sbs when I was 10 and shortly after shot my first ducks, a left and right at Mallard. At the time I was the youngest person in Strathclyde to get a shotgun certificate. 18 years later I'm still going strong. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak47 Posted June 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 it was just one of those bb guns that fire plastic balls i wanted to get him ,as i have a bb pistol that him and me shot for hours in the garden and he loved it when he shot my air rifle i had to hold it obviously and i was always 1 ft away when he was using my pistol. maybe i'll wait till he's 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 ak47 What if he shoots himself in the eye? I dont know enough about BB guns to comment further; other than at a young age familiarity breeds contempt. A dangerous cocktail with kids. Just my thoughts. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak47 Posted June 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 what if i shoot myself in the eye? why would he shot himself in the eye? i think he knows not to shoot himself in the eye! he aways point it at the ground! he'd be wearing googles if i bort him a bb gun! im not getting him one until he's 8 or so now anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled_cky Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 for an air rifle around 10-12 depends on size and strength. and shotgun's i wouldnt go for a 12 until 14/15 depends on size. Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Personally, I would not let any child under the age of 11 (secondary school age) handle a gun, even with very close supervision. I shot my first shotgun at 11, and it was with my great grandad's rickety 12 bore hammergun and it about knocked me over backwards. I broke a clay with my very first shot, and I will never forget that moment! I do believe that shooting teaches youngsters responsibility and discipline, and that many of them are more consciencious than some adults. Much depends on the maturity and the upbringing of the individual concerned. I think BB guns and kids do not go together. In fact, as my parents and their parents before them did, I do not believe that kids should have any toy guns including cap guns, or be allowed to play pretend shooting with each other (except maybe water pistols). My grandad used to go crazy if anyone so much as pointed a stick at anyone else, and he was right to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcatcherreed Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 i started usin me grandads crappy rifle at 11 just at targets but hey was borin soooooo i got a co2 bolt action rifle to go huntinm with livin things are much more fun than targets (dont mean to sound sick or anything i meant woodies n rabbits not people by the way ) n now im 16 n i shot a few 22 rimmies n a shot gun n found them much more fun....im hooked on hunting for life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 'what if i shoot myself in the eye? why would he shot himself in the eye? i think he knows not to shoot himself in the eye! ' theres an old saying that goes "if it can happen it will" ak47 never be the one that allows it to happen ,i would listen to the advice of HG 11 is the earliest age i would let any child handle a firearm, it would be a sad day if your next post started "on the way to the hospital........." saftey always comes first regardless. safe shooting all martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled_cky Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 as HG and Last Engineer both said. i was using a very old .177 at the age of 11 and 12. just got plinking in the garden.. it was only 5ft/lbs. Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squintshot Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 To reiterate what Last Engineer said Theres another good quote I heard once and it's stuck with me and it's "Well thats never happened before". It's a shame most people learn the hard way. I look after an 11 year old once or twice a month and have done some plinking with him on numerous occasions which he thoroughly enjoyed. After a bit more gun awareness and and safety training for wont of a better word took him along to the clay traps on the estate I live, after a bit of a chat about the gun etc I let him have a shot of my 12 with a light load. Poor little ****** landed on his ****, so we're sticking to the plinking now. Don't worry there was only one cartridge in the gun when he fired so no chance of accidental discharge!! Squint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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