Semi-automatics, revolvers, long guns... ask questions and offer tips on safe, accurate shooting here.
 #100343  by Red Alert
 
I've always pondered with the idea of getting my girls into shooting. I want them to like the sport and know how to use a fire arm if needed. Not say I leave a fire arm loaded around the house unlocked or anything so please lets not get into a heated debate about that.

But I've always wondered when would be a good time to get them started and how would I go about doing this. My oldest will be 10 in September but she is very small for her age. She weighs about 50 pounds. My youngest is 8 and she is bigger then her sister. I was thinking of starting them and the wife out on a .22?

Is there a course the three of them could take to make them and myself feel comfortable with them using a fire arm?

I didn't do much research on this topic and I don't even know if there is already a thread on this subject so if so I do apologize. Any advice would be much appreciated...
 #100349  by NCC
 
Great idea RA. I think my brother and I were about 12ish .when mom bought us single shot .22 rifles.

On my own kids, my younger son has no use for shooting and his older sister took to it like a duck to water. He was a teenager when he tried it, and her an adult.

Good luck!
 #100356  by Surface Dragon
 
I don't have experience teaching children about firearms but I do have lots of experience teaching them how to play guitar and piano.

Kids are surprisingly smart and capable. But when you teach them your going to have to break things down and teach them in a language that they speak and see if they actually want to learn what it is you are trying to teach them before you start throwing big words and ideas at them.

I think kids are usually too young to take in everything from a single defensive firearms course so I would recommend that you take a defensive firearms course, take lots of notes and ask lots of questions, then teach your kids what you have learned through multiple lessons and trips to the range.

Humans usually learn through repetition and those without a passion to practice will never learn.

And move them up to a 9mm pistol as soon as they are feeling confident with the 22 rifle. I feel that it is important to practice with an instrument of the same type as the one that you are actually going to use.
 #100361  by Kuntryboy816
 
Have fun with it while teaching!! The boys and I have nerf gun battles! They don't like daddy's uncanny accurracy and they take off running if they hear the nerf gun cocking or they try and ambush me. We also take time to practice some rudimentary target practice. I hung a small windchime from the ceiling that they could shoot at. This way they get used to having to make adjustments for different distances, take into account the ceiling fan blowing, the chimes spinning, etc. It's pretty difficult to properly "aim" with a nerf gun but I believe it's creating instinctual behaviors that are showing now when they shoot the air rifle. I just bought them an air rifle for their birthday last month. They love it and are constantly begging me to go out and shoot (not that I mind at all). My oldest can make minor adjustments if he's off. Learning 'em sum Kentucky windage, I is.

Proper safety & technique are key but most important is that they're kids, so make it fun.
 #100364  by Owen
 
I started my oldest at 6yrs old shooting 22s at silhouette at DSPC on Fridays. They also have a Sat. morning youth rifle program that includes rifles and ammo, just add new shooter. I know I hawk DSPC a lot but it's the truth. :D
 #100375  by Dugan
 
Red Alert wrote:I've always pondered with the idea of getting my girls into shooting.
Yes!

My cousin just placed 6th nationally in one of the youth 22lr. rifle comps. I havent seen her in awhile, but ive heard shes pretty damn good haha.

and my gf loves the sport. Def get them involved!
 #100401  by Lfod/Dtom
 
Owen wrote:I started my oldest at 6yrs old shooting 22s at silhouette at DSPC on Fridays. They also have a Sat. morning youth rifle program that includes rifles and ammo, just add new shooter. I know I hawk DSPC a lot but it's the truth. :D

I wish we had something like that downstate. I am also looking to get mine started, a 9 and 8 y/o
have been looking at single shot bolt action .22's but wonder if I got a .22 conversion kit for one of my AR's might work too. Anybody tried one?
 #100403  by Owen
 
Lfod/Dtom wrote:I wish we had something like that downstate. I am also looking to get mine started, a 9 and 8 y/o have been looking at single shot bolt action .22's but wonder if I got a .22 conversion kit for one of my AR's might work too. Anybody tried one?
I had the CMMG drop in bcg conversion for my AR but I found my barrels high twist rate 1/7 made 22s spin to fast and were not as accurate. If you have a 1/9 twist rate then you could do well with the drop in conversion.

I ended up with a Chiappa upper but it is finicky about ammo. Someday I may try different mags. Because my barrel doesn't like light bullets if I had it to do over again I'd either get a CMMG dedicated 22 upper or a dedicated 22.