Advice for Kids

mtncowboy · Mar 13, 2018

I have a little boy who will be turning four this summer. I want to get him a gun to start shooting, what do you recommend and Why? Now let me clarify, I'm not looking for his first big game rifle, I am thinking Red Ryder BB Gun, a pellet gun, .22, etc. For those of you with kids, or your own experience, what was the first gun and what age did you start? Thanks, I'm looking forward to summer camping and fun with my little guy!

ridgetops · Mar 13, 2018

I started shooting a red rider type Daisy BB gun when I was seven. Then moved on to a crossman pump pellet gun when I was 10.
(Get ready for change because it's going to happen!)

elkhunterUT · Mar 13, 2018

I have a 15, 12, and 9 year old who have now all passed Hunter Safety & started hunting. I started them all on a smaller Crossman BB/pellet gun & then moved them to a Savage Rascal .22 which I highly recommend as a starter gun. It is a small & compact single shot bolt action and has the accutrigger.

It worked great for all 3 of my kids to learn the basics of shooting (trigger squeeze, sight alignment, etc) and is easy for them to handle safely so it made shooting fun for them & for me ?

Captain_coues · Mar 13, 2018

I don't have kids. What worked for me was getting a 22lr. I can't remember how old I was, 4 seems kind of young but I wouldn't argue about someone doing that. I think it's better than getting a BB gun or pellet gun. There's a lot of value in learning with the real thing.

huntin50 · Mar 13, 2018

I think a BB gun is enough gun for a 4-8 year old. Even those tuff WY cowboys. Yehaa! Good luck in the draws.

Muleman1 · Mar 13, 2018

B.B. gun for sure lever action daisy

Deerlove · Mar 13, 2018

NEVER to early to talk about and use gun safety.

Tristate · Mar 13, 2018

Buy them the red rider put a knight force scope on it and tell him to start practicing 200 meter shots.

And weapon safety too.

Hawkeye · Mar 13, 2018

I agree with Tri, and if 200 meters is too close, have your guide back your kid up to 1000 meters.

-Hawkeye-

Soj51hopeful · Mar 13, 2018

I have 3 boys ages 7, 5 and 3. On weekends we get out the red Ryder and shoot soda cans or balloons. I have 1 shoot a few times as the other 2 sit back and pay attention. It's a short time I can make my young uns practice patience, paying attention and most important gun safety. They love it.

schoolhousegrizz · Mar 13, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-18 AT 06:53PM (MST)[p]Lever action BB gun for sure. I would say a 22 is still a ways out.

CPAjeff · Mar 13, 2018

My son turned five last week and wanted a "hunting" birthday party. I picked up one of these - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Daisy-Youth-Air-Rifle-Buck-2105/19341880 - and we shoot it every night at pop cans or targets (silhouettes of rabbits, squirrels, elk, deer, etc. from the internet).

He was very quick to pick up muzzle control and always having the safety on - to the extent that he'll do it before I can get the words out of my mouth to remind him!

hunter · Mar 13, 2018

When my boys were that age I made then some pistols and rifles out of 1"x 4" pine. They packed those guns every where we went. Even on atv rides. Then they moved on to a daisy red rider. They are hard to beat. They killed a lot of cans with those guns.

springvilleshooter · Mar 13, 2018

My son is 4 and he has been shooting a Henry mini bolt for a year. He can hold and aim it on his own now. Amazing how well he does with the safety rules. I let him shoot milk jugs filled with water at about 15 feet. He will go through 50 shots .......one at a time if I will sit there and load them for him.??-SS

littlebighorn · Mar 14, 2018

Developmentally, a 4 year old has difficulty knowing the difference between fantasy and reality. So whatever you choose be sure like Deerlove, you start with the dangers of any weapon. If you get anything other than maybe a bb gun I think he will have a hard time understanding what the consequences of misuse, esepecially if you call it "his" gun.

So I'd introduce him slowly to a daisy.

Just so you know, one of my best friends growing up lost an eye to a bb gun.

hossblur · Mar 14, 2018

My oldest had a new BPS the day he was born((long story).

At about 4 he got a pellet gun.

At 6 he got a 10/22. He "took over" one of my .17hmr.

At 7 he got a cute little .410 single shot.

At 9 he passed hunters safety, so we started the search for a small frame 20 ga. Mossberg killed his swan that year(with a 22" barrel).

At 11 he mowed all summer, saved b day money, bought himself a AR.

He is 12 now. Just bought himself a .30-.30. Santa got him a .50 muzzy for Xmas. He will be "borrowing" dads 7mm-08 for big game this fall.

His 7 year old brother is on the same course, only his 10/22 had to be red so it wasn't like his older brother.

Point is this. I don't live where I can hand them a bb gun and let them run like I did as a kid. But I like to shoot guns, so we shoot, A LOT. Neither of my boys have any conscience about burning up my ammo, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Couple bricks of .22, or $70 in .17hmr is a very cheap investment in time spent with them, and a chance to hopefully steer them away from some of the crap headed their way in the future.

One piece of advice. Since I'm not your mother I'm not going to lecture u on safety. My advice is make it fun. We shoot a lot of golf balls. With 10/22 you can "chase" them after the first hit. Helps to aim fast. We shoot dollar bills at 200yrd with .17. First one to hit 2 $1 corners keeps it. Make it a fun challenge.

Sorry for the novel, but I'm a HUGE believer in starting them early, shooting a ton.

From the party of HUNTIN, FISHIN, PUBLIC LAND.

Houndsman77 · Mar 14, 2018

I bought my oldest daughter a 22 cricket when she was 2 and now she is 8 I got her a 20 gauge for Turkey's. It's never to you to start teaching.safty

Life ain't about waiting for the Strom to pass.Its about learning to hunt in the rain!

Tomichi · Mar 14, 2018

Hearing protection. Hearing protection.
Hearing protection.
That is the only mistake
My old man ever made.
Check out Ruger American
Ranch Rifle in Wilde chamber5.56/.223.
Short lite accurate.
And since you didn't hear me the first 3 times I'll
Say it louder make them use HEARING PROTECTION!!!

mtncowboy · Mar 15, 2018

Thanks for all the replies. It is fun to see the different recommendations. I know that each kid is different and ultimately I will make the decision of when, but it is nice to know what others have done.

onemoreridge · Mar 15, 2018

When my boys were little I got them a savage rascal 22lr. It is a bolt action single shot like the cricket. My boys were 4 when they started shooting it and have done fine. When they started I had tripods they used to help them hold it steady so they could focus on aiming.

feddoc · Mar 15, 2018

I started off with a Colt single shot .22 when I was about 8. Still have that gun.

RyanT · Mar 19, 2018

>B.B. gun for sure lever action
>daisy

This is my vote too. Give him something to graduate up to when he's 10 or 12 (22LR).

My biggest worry is that after I'm dead my wife will sell my hunting gear for what I told her I paid for it!
https://GearLobo.com

Castnshoot · Mar 19, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Mar-19-18 AT 05:49PM (MST)[p]4 might be a little young,, only in that he may have a hard time cocking a BB gun.

But ye I would say get him going. Fun to see little farts wondering around the small towns in Utah with their BB guns , and no body even blinking an eye.

Sad to say that in a lot of places now days the kids and the parents
will be going to jail for that kind of good holism fun.

Get him into killing Starlings when he is a little older. Nothing like a live target to make a sharp shooter.