9 year Olds and sporting clays?

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cath8r

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I started getting into sporting clays and was wondering if I were to have my 9 year old come out, would it be ok/legal if he shot his own gun on the course?
He's schooled on the safety and shoots at home with my supersvision. I'd be loading his gun and be hands on with him.
Thanks
Rob
 
as long as you are there its legal. The range you are at may take personal issue with because that's how some people are

Why would you load it for him? I think handing over loaded guns is more dangerous than just having him safely load it.

Good on you for teaching them young
 
He can handle loading but I know I'd feel better standing in the box behind him to help load and make sure the muzzle is safely pointed.... at least the first time out.
 
I have never been to any range that did not allow a 9 year old or even younger child to shoot and with or without their own gun. Being of age to hunt has nothing to do with shooting clay targets. It is being of age to hunt, not carry a gun. As long as he is practicing good safety and following club and or shooting association rules there is no issue. And supervised as you are planning is definitely a bonus. Some commenting here be enlightened if they actually participated at clubs or sanctioned shoots and saw whole squads of youngsters shooting their own guns and many of those kids are shooting guns that fetch a mighty dollar.
 
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I have seen more problems with 90 year olds than 9 year olds...

Every kid is different your lucky if yours can handle it so young all the best.
 
JIMMY 808 said:
I have seen more problems with 90 year olds than 9 year olds...

Every kid is different your lucky if yours can handle it so young all the best.
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Sad but true.....a number of years ago I had the displeasure of having to tell a younger member the older gentleman with him would not be allowed to continue to shoot after he finished on station 1 on the skeet field as his motor skills and focus had diminished so much in the 20 odd years since he had last shot skeet that he should not have been handling a firearm period. The junior member was a friend of mine and was quite upset with me until a few other members left the field and told him the man was a danger. He understood then but was still not pleased but accepted the request and honored it. The older gentleman was not upset in the least. I think he went along just to appease the younger guy. You could tell he knew he should not be there.
 
I took my boy out when he was ten ...in a local gravel pit ,hes responsible ,listens very well ...and well, hes MY kid ,he can shoot 15-18 out of 20 now no problem and absolutely loves it ! i'm building a custom LC Smith feather weight ejector 20 gauge for him at the moment ...and hes pretty stoked about it.

Take him out wherever you able and have fun !
 
Ive had my 9 soon to be 10 year old on the skeet field with his own shotgun. No one said anything. I stand right next to him and load it for him since he's new and the gun has a stiff action.

As he gets more experienced I wouldn't hesitate to let him have his own pouch and ammo and load it etc. It's all about what you know your kid is capable of. As long as they are safe why would anyone say anything?
 
The only time I've ever seen a young one do something they shouldn't was when they broke a clay and excitedly spun around to make sure dad saw it. Dad stopped the muzzle before it was pointing at something it shouldn't. That was an example of youthful enthusiasm getting the better of the kid. I've seen a lot more 30/40/50 year old people doing stuff on purpose that's just plain stupid !!! There are those who think the range rules and common sense just don't apply to them. I like to wave good-bye to them (and take a mental guess at how long it will be before they win a Darwin award) when they get tossed ..................

My son started at 8, my brother in law is 57 and I wouldn't let him anywhere near a gun as he's not mature enough.
 
I got my first shotgun that was "mine" when I turned 10 so obviously the Old Man thought I was safe enough to use it. My only concern would be that the formal clay games might be difficult for a kid to pick up and frustration could set in quickly (hell, it can happen with adults just as easily). But if you think the boy is safe enough and that he'll have enough success (or is mature enough) not to get bored/frustrated then go for it.
 
the spank said:
Sad but true.....a number of years ago I had the displeasure of having to tell a younger member the older gentleman with him would not be allowed to continue to shoot after he finished on station 1 on the skeet field as his motor skills and focus had diminished so much in the 20 odd years since he had last shot skeet that he should not have been handling a firearm period. The junior member was a friend of mine and was quite upset with me until a few other members left the field and told him the man was a danger. He understood then but was still not pleased but accepted the request and honored it. The older gentleman was not upset in the least. I think he went along just to appease the younger guy. You could tell he knew he should not be there.
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Hard when we have been around some of the older folks since before we where 9 to have to tell them they can't shoot anymore.
 
Under your supervision and if you believe he can handle the gun safely I'd encourage you to take him out.

I would caution however to pick a time when the course is quiet and do not bring your youngster out to busy club competition where there would be other shooters waiting to shoot. I've seen people bring their kids out to competitions and while it's great to see young people engaged in the sport it can grate on nerves to be the third squad in line while dad goes over the finer points of a particular presentation.
 
It all completely depends on the kid, and his/her attitude around firearms. I have one friend whose 2 young kids (Around 6 and 9ish?) are awesome around guns. They display a better comprehension of the safe handling methods than many adults.This friend has his RPAL and has been shooting for many years. I have another friend who is not a shooter, and his son is interested in guns. I wouldn't trust the kid with a NERF gun, and he's 12? No concept of safety at all, doesn't treat a firearm like a weapon that can kill if misused.

Fundamentally, I don't see anything at all wrong with a 9 year old shooting shotguns/rifles/pistols. I would encourage it, if the kid knows to respect them.
 
Claybuster said:
Under your supervision and if you believe he can handle the gun safely I'd encourage you to take him out.

I would caution however to pick a time when the course is quiet and do not bring your youngster out to busy club competition where there would be other shooters waiting to shoot. I've seen people bring their kids out to competitions and while it's great to see young people engaged in the sport it can grate on nerves to be the third squad in line while dad goes over the finer points of a particular presentation.
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This is the first thing I thought of. Not even a nine year old...it is absolutely infuriating to shoot behind a squad with new shooters who require all kinds of instruction during a busy competition day. Get him good at shooting fun targets like skeet station sevens before taking him on the big-boy course. My 2 cents.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm thinking I'd leave my gu n at home and got us on him shooting if I go. It is annoying shooting behind new shooters when the course is packed.
 
Some little fella, I'm guessing 8-10 years old was absolutely destroying true pairs at silver willow a few months ago. I was really impressed.
 
So how old do you need to be to get a PAL? When you bring someone out to shoot who is unlicensed, I thought you always had to be within arms length of them when they are shooting?
 
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