What age is appropriate to start shooting

NorthCoastBigBore said:
This is exactly the issue I've got with my oldest daughter. Like I say, even my old Lakefield MK 1 she complains is too front heavy. Also I notice that even that shorter stock seems an inch or more too long, causes her an awkward grip.

Rascal sounds like something to look at

Maybe the OP will also be looking for pink .22s so anyone's thoughts on THAT ....off the shelf?
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Rascal comes in pink, and half a dozen other colours. ;) There is also pink camo, called Muddy Girl

Accutrigger for safety and a really nice trigger pull, and made in Lakefield Ontario.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/savage-rascal-22-single-shot-youth-rifle-review/

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Started my kids on my old Norinco .22, flawless for being a 20 year old rifle but it's too heavy for them. So I bought them a Rascal .22 in wood $179, about 3lbs. they love it. Both girls are 10 and 12yr, my oldest will be doing the grouse hunting this year, I think I am going to retire for a year :)
 
My kids and grandchild started at 3. I would hold the gun and point in the general direction of tin can and they would pull the trigger. Around age 5 they were aiming carefully and switched from 22 to "their" BB gun. By age 6 they were shooting 3 p with a 22. By age 10 they were shooting full bore competition with 308 target rifle, suitable cut down and down loaded. they could only shoot to 600 yards, because the ammo would not shoot further.

At age 10 they were handloading their own handgun ammo. (Supervised) It added to their interest level and they appreciated the shot more.

I recall that when dad gave me a BB gun, he said that from now on I always had to practice good muzzle control, and that meant no more toy guns and playing cops and robbers. Over the years I have had a couple of ADs and can say that thanks to good muzzle control, nothing got hurt.
 
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Here's another vote (and some photos) of my daughter and her Rascal in action. As to whether or not it would be a good choice for your situation~when my wife first shot the Rascal, her first comment was "now THIS is a gun I could see myself using!" As ridiculous as that sounds (she's a normal-sized adult)....she is of the opinion that all guns are too heavy. The Rascal is not, so it was appreciated more. Food for thought.

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Before this, I thought a Cooey 75 might be a good choice, but when I got one...I found it was very much an adult-sized rifle, hard to #### (a separate operation)...took longer to load..you name it. My daughter couldn't manage it at all.
 
My girls (aged 10 and five) love coming to the range. The oldest uses a .22wmr all on her own but still gets me to load it. The youngest uses a Norinco woodsman but only with help. I help her hold it and help her aim. Both girls get incredibly excited when the hit their target. My youngest is a boy who is two and he just likes to watch on the other side of the glass with his mom in the indoor range.
 
223 is not too large of a round for many youth , just remember to protect their precious hearing. if they flinch then back off to a .22
 
My boys (9 & 11) each received Red Ryder's when they turned 5. Both spent a year on these learning the safety basics. It only took once or twice of losing their gun for a week (for example sweeping the muzzle across people) and they started to memorize the basics. They then graduated to pellet guns.
Last spring they each received a Marlin XT-22 and spent the summer learning to shoot the irons. For Christmas they received scopes and last week the oldest (11 years) shot a 1.5" five shot group at 100m.
I've been complimented many times at the range we shoot at how safety aware they are.
In truth I've seen 40 year olds I would trust less with a gun than my boys.
 
My daughter is just about 3 and she loves knocking cans over with the Red Ryder. Its still a little too big for her so I have to help her hold it but she knows the 4 rules and is learning to line up the sights. My wife dissapproves but my goal is for her to grow up knowing that firearms are just a tool and nothing more, regardless of whether she takes to shooting or not.
 
I started my kids on pneumatic pellet guns when they were 3-4, they were shooting .22's by 6-7 and .410/20 gauge/.223 by 9-10... we still shoot/hunt regularly even now that they are all grown with busy lives and careers... keep it fun when they are little... we shot everything you can think of, but their favorites were clay skeet, eggs, green army men, small balloons, shotgun hulls etc... when you can't get them to stop, you're doing it right.
 
When they are old enough to understand the resposibilities of having a firearm in their possession.
Until you believe they are old enough to function on their own, it is one on one supervision.
Until then, there are laws covering giving a person a firearm.
And I agree there are some adults who may never qualify.
Even taking an adult shooting, and he does not possess a PAL, then one on one applies until he gets his own PAL, etc.
 
my dad is an anti- but me and my brother both got our first pellet guns when we were 8, and honestly if the kid can hold the gun and safely use it, it doesnt really matter how old they are, only the parents can be an accurate judge of the maturity level of their children
 
my son started when he was 11 with air rifle he is now 15,still shoots air rifle as part of his cadet shooting team.he shoots my 17hmr,22,222 rem,12 gauge,410.wants to try the 30-06 but i do not think he is ready for that,yet.my daughters both started when they were 10(more mature than son at that age).the youngest who is 11 now has sort of lost intrest but the older daughter who just turned 13 just loves shooting.she shoots everything her brother shoots except the 12 gauge.i have a couple of swinging/spinning targets they shoot.they also shoot small pieces of sidewalk/driveway chalk which is pretty neat.if they find it hard to hold the weight let them shoot of a bench or bi-pod,all they have to do is steady the butt stock.myself and my brother where shooting when we were 5-6,had our own air rifles when we were 7-8.had our own 22's by the time we were 10(but were hunting small game with our father/grandfather before that).every kid is different i hunt with a few adults who should not be allowed to handle firearms and i have seen 10 year olds who have better gun handling ability than some adults.but the sooner they get the itch the better.
 
Ganderite said:
My kids and grandchild started at 3. I would hold the gun and point in the general direction of tin can and they would pull the trigger..
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Alas someone else that thinks young is good. My 3 sons and daughter all started in a similar manner; mine just before their 3rd birthday, I used a balloon, the 22 was loaded with bird shot, and I would hold the gun.
 
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