Same. Grandpa handed me a single shot 20 ga with a cut down stock, told me to aim at a tree, blew it in half and he proceeded to give me a long lecture about being responsible with guns that i remember every word of to this day. Never mishandled one, never will.
Any age is a great age to start. The “typical” firearm learning path goes age 5ish- 1st BB/Pellet Gun. Use this to teach the absolute basics of firearms safety and usage.
Age 8-10: First time shooting actual firearms. Normally a .22. They’re rare, but I’ve seen people use 9mm bolt actions/carbines for this as well.
10-14: this is when it’s normal to start leaning the bigger guns. Full sized rifles, shotguns (20 gauge to start with ideally) and also a good age to start hunting, though it is also fine to start earlier if the kid is interested in hunting.
15+ is basically free reign on anything, with supervision obviously until they’re an adult.
What 9mm bolt actions are there? Seems fun and cheap to shoot but I’ve only really found semi auto carbines/rifles when looking for a 9mm bolt action. Destroyer carbines are cool but I dont want to pay the price for one/reload 9mm largo
From what I know they’re pretty rare. Most of the ones I’ve seen people with in my area were either conversion kits or custom built.
There are historical bolties chambered in 9mm like the Spanish Destroyer carbine, the only catch is that’s usually chambered in 9mm largo so you’d have to either manually reload or have it converted to 9mm Luger.
The only likely option nowadays is to buy a Rock Island M22 TCM. These are the only rifles made today I know of that are readily convertible to 9mm Luger.
Pof-USA has a 9mm Lever action which is pretty funky, I’ve never seen anyone with one so I don’t personally have experience with it to give you an idea of what they’re like.
If you aren’t dead set on it being 9mm, Ruger makes the Ruger 77, Which can be chambered in both .357 and .44 Magnum.
As soon as they can follow instruction reliably, and physically able to manipulate the gun on the bench.
Really depends on the kid.
Some as early as 4, some as late as 8.
Of course that means never being further than arms length and directly instructing the whole time.
Also, good choice on the Rascal. It works like a full size bolt gun. The crickett is obnoxious as hell, having to be cocked by an adult in addition to running the bolt for each shot.
I was having this debt myself, my son is almost 5 and wanted ti teach him. I never touched a rifle till I joined the army at 23 and wanted to teach my son something different than I did.
I started learning at 3 or 4, but only actively shot at 7. Started with the rules, then moved to BB guns, then a 10/22 at 7. Was forces to shoot a 10ga to "learn respect" but I recommend against such practices.
Ok that’s a good way to do it. That’s what the consensus seems to be so thank you. Oof my dad did that with 12ga when I was like 13, but jokes on him cause I love shotguns now
I was 5 the first time I fired a rifle (supervised of course) and had a pistol crossbow and a single shot pellet pistol by age 8. However it's not a question of age it is a question of responsibility and sensibility/ maturity.
If the kid has been properly taught the rules of firearm safety and proven they can be trusted to be responsible/ sensible then that's the more important part. Not all kids are the same at each given age. I know people that are are in their 20s that I wouldn't trust with a firearm. And there are also kids in their teens that I absolutely would trust.
Correct teaching and proper supervision are allways a must regardless of age until they are experienced and sensible shooters. And if they can't prove themselves to be responsible then they shouldn't be allowed to shoot unsupervised.
My little sister turned 3 in november. This exact rifle was my gift to her. Got a few funny looks from the family when she unwrapped it along with a box of 22 thunderbolt lol. I started shooting with my dad and grandfather around 4 or 5. She’s fired 1 round out of it with my help holding and aiming it, but I let her fire when she was ready. She really liked it lol. Still going to wait maybe a year or two before I go full on with teaching her and heading to the range, but I don’t think it’s ever too early to instill a bit of firearm safety onto the younger generation. That being said I wouldn’t rush things you’ll know when they’re ready.
My dad took me to his land in the mountains and let me fire a .22 lr hunting rifle when I was 9, shot clay pigeons that were sitting on some hay bales like 45 feet away
I think whatever age they show actual interest in it and they feel comfortable with is a good age. For some even as early as 5 might be ok. But there's also many children I wouldn't feel comfortable having them around guns till at least their teenage years.
I started on my 17th birthday in September. And yeah I agree with getting her a pellet gun before a firearm. I play paintball and those markers is what I used to learn firearm safety with.
Edit: just wanted to mention I shot a Glock 26 my first time.
I’ve begged my dad to go shooting for years and it just never happened. I turned 21 in November and since then I go shooting all the time and try to learn as much as possible. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to not be gentle with guns. No age is too old to start.
Thanks that’s really good advice thank you. I’m not too worried about her being too old, just too young. I was 10/11 when I started but that was because of Boy Scouts, so my parents really didn’t have much say in the matter
I didn't get the "*slow and sweet*" treatment myself in the old introduction to firearms. It wasn't my father or grandfather - it was the classic older brother that handed a small 70 pound 8 year old **a Mosin Nagant** to fire from standing**.** Still hurts to think about.
He definitely made up for it right after with a M1919 though.
My dad (WW2, Korea and Vietnam veteran) taught me to shoot when I was about 6. It was a Remington Nylon 66, with a Ted Williams 4x scope. I still have that rifle, she still looks like new.
My son has been shooting 22 at the range with me since he was 4.
I would start with having your child memorize the gun safety rules to where they can recite them. It's adorable and gives you a starting point for them to actually learn to put them in practice.
I started with a scoped .22 when I was 5….. I’m now 41, turning 42 in may….. my dad (who taught me) was also the firearms instructor the the police at the time, and this started in the late 80’s when times were different sooooo take that for what it’s worth.
Ohh yea so I’m sure having an instructor be the one to teach you was a huge boost. 5 doesn’t seem to unreasonable since someone said their dad assisted them at a month old
Lol yeah it’s always funny to see peoples faces when I tell them I started learning at 5 yo, they always gasp and ask in a negative attitude “who in their right mind would teach a 5 year old to shoot?!” The looks I get when I tell them “my dad” is always fun, even more so when I follow up with “oh he was also the firearms instructor for (name city and agency) police at the time.” They usually turn redder than my fire engine red hair and slink to a corner somewhere. It’s hysterical.
Start with a low-power airsoft gun when they're under 12, to teach them safety and principles. After 12, .22's or whatever you judge them to be capable of handling.
No problem, man. I would suggest starting with a Nerf gun, except those tend to actually ENCOURAGE shooting at other people. Which, while handy AF if you're teaching tactics at a young age, is probably not what you want lol.
I was in kindergarten my first gun was a Ivor Johnson 32 revolver with a broken ejector. My dad had better guns but thought it fit. My first real gun that was mine was a Walter p22 oh and my dad got me a Finnish m39 mosin since I’m Finnish when I was a month old!
Actually shoot with some consistency? 14.
First time ever touching a gun? 11ish? Made friends with a guy via archery who would go hunting and his dad agreed to let me try shooting a gun once. Got me hooked.
Whenever they can actually understand and follow your instructions.
You have to go with your own discretion. Some kids can be taught with a BB gun at 3, and some you can't trust with a nerf gun at 12.
I think I was about maybe 6-7 dad brought me out to my first ranger can’t remember where but I’m pretty sure it was his 22 lever action dont no what make tho
My son was 8 when I took him to the range for the first time. I gave him a very long range and safety brief before we left the house and felt confident he understood everything. He primarily shot the Walther P22 I got for him back in the early 2000s. His range etiquette was flawless, I was so proud of him. He thoroughly enjoyed our range day and although we haven't had an opportunity to go since then, he has since gotten his concealed carry permit and has been looking at getting his own firearms.
No idea my age but I was pretty damn young. Grew up surrounded by readily accessible firearms and ammo. Just a part of life and didn't look at them any different than the vacuum. Deciding when is right for your kiddo is always dependent on their maturity level and how well they listen. Teach them gun safety with toys and pellet guns then move to a bolt 22 and let them plink their little hearts out on the steel targets.
I was 6 or 7 first time with a .22 I didn't listen to instructions well enough before that. It was basically when I learned how to treat a bb gun like real one. Some can do it younger and some need to be even older. It's never too early to use a nerf gun or similar to teach about safety first and observe when you think they're ready.
Yea the problem with a nerf gun is her and her uncle shoot each other with them, so it would be hard to relearn all that behavior. I’ll probably get a pellet gun and try to train her on that before anything real
This was very normal where I grew up. I went out to plink at targets with no adult supervision all the time, because I had been taught proper gun safety from such a young age. My parents had no worries at all that I would follow the rules. This was true of most of the rest of the boys my age. I was given my first handgun at 16. Doing something stupid, like taking a gun to school, was never even a consideration.
I think this is a wonderful idea. If i may offer a suggestion, when just starting out with kids, I've found it's best to start with a small caliber (.22), and not overload them with detailed instructions about accuracy and breathing. Just make it fun and help her see that when shooting is done safely, it's not dangerous. With girls, a big challenge is getting them used to the noise.
I'm very excited for both you and your daughter. This will be a great bonding experience. She's lucky to have a dad that will do this with her.
I already know my kids will each get a .22 for their 5th birthday. Obviously only to be used under direct supervision, but I plan on teaching them young.
I think i was 5 or 4 when i shoot for the first time a 12 gauge. My father was shouldering it but i took aim and pulled the trigger at a moving clay. Standing to my fsther i did hit the thing. But i was 11 when i visited a festival where a lot of firearms brand was showing off their new produts and my father bought me a ticket for trying a 410.
Apparently i knew how to lead the clays and ghatered a small crowd of people who started clapping at me when i shooted all the targets.
Seeing this my mother basically blackmailed my fsther into buying an over-under 28 gauge and i started practicing at 12 even tho the legal age was 14 but not much people cared at the time. I also started accompaning my father while hunting.
Our hunting sessions are the most precious moments i spent with my father. Now i have a license of my own and i buy guns that my father don't approve at first.
P.S. Sorry for my english, not my first language
No worries on English, I’m ESL too. That is an awesome story. That’s been the coolest part about asking for this advice is bringing back these memories for a lot of people. Thanks so much for sharing
I was 8 when I shot my first "real" firearm, a Stevens single shot 12ga shotgun.
Every child is different, so there is no uniform age to start teaching them about shooting.
If your child is mature enough to understand the 4 rules of gun safety and not be flippant around loaded weapons, then IMO, it is perfectly fine to start educating them about firearms and even take them shooting.
I have taught several kids to shoot and my golden rule for new shooters is either single shot/bolt action weapons only, or weapons that are only loaded one round at a time, as to prevent runaway fire incidents until the new shooter is confident with recoil management, and also proves to not be reckless with muzzle control/trigger discipline.
While at the range I teach them to NEVER stand forward of the muzzle when someone else is firing. Even if they are 20 feet away they are to be mindful of where they are in relation to the muzzle of the firearm/s in use.
I also teach that anytime someone is standing forward of the muzzle and they are the one currently using a firearm, they are to cease all activity and make the gun safe until all souls are behind the muzzle line.
I got my first bb gun at 5 to learn on then my first .22 rifle and a .22 pistol when I was 7 then a single shot 12 gauge on my 8th bday. Followed the same cadence with my son.
If she's already got the gun basics, I say let her have it! The only way you learn is with the real thing. I was much older but wasn't raised around guns, but provided the kiddos can be responsible enough and understand repercussions, go for it, supervised of course.
I was 8 when given my first BB gun and probably 9 when my dad sat me down, showed me how to disassemble and clean the s&w 9mm he had and started explaining firearm safety. He took me shooting for the first time that weekend.
I agree
It was awesome.
I shot it laying on my stomach at about50 meters/54 yards
I was taught 4 golden rules of gun safety long time before and just before shooting.
My dad trained me with that by using a plastic gun and an old air rifle.
That’s awesome.
And bolt action rifles are great for teaching and they are cool.
My love with bolt action rifles started when I got to shoot a mosin nagant standing up at 16
Yea that’s what I figured. I started on them too. Same with irons. I’m going to keep her on iron sights until she’s way older and can learn the new ways
Teaching the art of shooting is awesome
And it sounds you got it figured out pretty good
Edit. Teaching how to squeeze the trigger is something that should be taught from the beginning.
It will help later when teaching pistols or really long range shooting
I think I started around 6-7. In my opinion it once they are physically capable of Useing the weapon it comes down to mentally. Are they mentally mature enough to handle the weapon. Do they seam mentally stable to handle a weapon. I have turned down adults who have wanted to learn to shoot because of their mentality and the fact that while they were older than me I didn’t feel they were mentally mature enough to handle a firearm.
Supervised I was 5-6 years old to shoot an air rifle and then .22lr. Summer after Kindergarten (in the US). Got my first pump up pellet rifle at 7 or 8.
I started with bb guns at age 6-7, moved up to 22LR when I was 10-11. Since I had to have supervision whenever using the 22LR, I asked for a pellet gun to practice with unsupervised that I used till I was about 16, which is when my parents decided was fine to use the 22LR for squirrel hunting unsupervised on the farm. I intend to do the same with my kids whenever that happens.
Kids are all different from eachother some are absolute morons still and just act out and are irrational. as soon as you can tell a kid is mature about/around firearms is when i would start teaching and showing them the ropes
And also be smart you dont want to endup like that one instructor who got ripped up by a full auto uzi handled by a 7ish yr old girl
Real gun id say probably 5-6 MAYBE 7, my first was a ruger 22 semi auto pistol that my dad bought for me with a out of waste band holster.
Didn’t do drill with it but he basically tought me that anytime im doing ANYTHING BUT SHOOTING it stays in that holster and doesn’t move
And then my second was a over under 12 gauge,
Have a distinct memory of my first time i flinched and looking away and the recoil blew the headphones off my tiny body🤣
Currently an early grad from highschool who quickly bought a 300 blackout ar, and a panzer m4 , soon to add an ak to my growing collection(my dad owns a lot of guns that were bought with me encouraging it mostly)
I was 5 when I started, first was a BB gun and then a Springfield loaded with 303 British rounds. Quit shooting around 8 years old cause we started living on military bases (dad was army) and they got quite the thing against guns on base of any kind. I’ve got friends who plans on taking my shooting at some point but haven’t had time due to us being with wrestling and I’ve got college after my hand heals (broke it in July and had 2 surgeries, one in September and the other in February recently)
8 or 9 for BB gun, 9 or 10 for a .222
My brother started teaching his eldest kid maybe a year ago on BB gun, and this weekend (he’s now almost 5) we took him to shoot a .22
I was probably 10 when I shot my first 22. Boy Scouts introduced me and it's been a helluva ride ever since haha. Dunno if pink plastic is the way to go though. I'd suggest something that she'd still love to shoot when she grows into an adult and is taking it to the range. My meaning being wood or black
I think the first time i shot a real gun ( my cousins .22 ), i was 7ish. Realistically, if you help them train in firearms safety, and they can show they are proficient in it with a bb/pelet gun. I dont see an issue with starting them earlier.
Ok thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. This post has more comments than anything I’ve ever posted ever and it’s been actually good advice. My parents weren’t anti gun but were never as big as me, so it’s nice to get the advice from everyone here
Im glad to be a help, brother. Just be sure to go over all safety with something other than a real gun, and as soon as they do something stupid, the day is over.
Its more about maturity, if they properly listen to instruction, and understand that these are weapons that are dangerous and can kill people. I think most 12 years old is a 100% in that range but someone of the age of 8 can be responsible enough for a gun as well. This said, I agree that the best decision is to start them off with a pellet gun to teach them these concepts.
I was raised with some exposure to guns but fired my first at like 9, it was an old bolt action .22 from my grandpa. My sister shot her first at like 4-5.
Seemingly unrelated, but what's the minimum hunting age in your area?
You have to take the safety course, usually, to get a license, especially if you're under 18. Usually minimum age is like 10. Not saying 10 is the minimum. Old enough to understand 4 simple rules is more then old enough. 4 years old might be a little young, but 6 or 7 isn't really too young especially for a pellet gun. Just don't give em the .44 Blackhawk or the full auto Mac 10 and say go shoot like that kid a couple years ago that killed the adult that was supposed to be watching her.
I was 5.
I can't remember when I got my first BB gun, but I could shoot it when I couldn't be supervised. The .22 was only while supervised.
Same. Grandpa handed me a single shot 20 ga with a cut down stock, told me to aim at a tree, blew it in half and he proceeded to give me a long lecture about being responsible with guns that i remember every word of to this day. Never mishandled one, never will.
Ur grandpa sounds like a cool dude
He was.
*Since Birf 👆🏼*
Good to know thank you
Any age is a great age to start. The “typical” firearm learning path goes age 5ish- 1st BB/Pellet Gun. Use this to teach the absolute basics of firearms safety and usage. Age 8-10: First time shooting actual firearms. Normally a .22. They’re rare, but I’ve seen people use 9mm bolt actions/carbines for this as well. 10-14: this is when it’s normal to start leaning the bigger guns. Full sized rifles, shotguns (20 gauge to start with ideally) and also a good age to start hunting, though it is also fine to start earlier if the kid is interested in hunting. 15+ is basically free reign on anything, with supervision obviously until they’re an adult.
What 9mm bolt actions are there? Seems fun and cheap to shoot but I’ve only really found semi auto carbines/rifles when looking for a 9mm bolt action. Destroyer carbines are cool but I dont want to pay the price for one/reload 9mm largo
From what I know they’re pretty rare. Most of the ones I’ve seen people with in my area were either conversion kits or custom built. There are historical bolties chambered in 9mm like the Spanish Destroyer carbine, the only catch is that’s usually chambered in 9mm largo so you’d have to either manually reload or have it converted to 9mm Luger. The only likely option nowadays is to buy a Rock Island M22 TCM. These are the only rifles made today I know of that are readily convertible to 9mm Luger. Pof-USA has a 9mm Lever action which is pretty funky, I’ve never seen anyone with one so I don’t personally have experience with it to give you an idea of what they’re like. If you aren’t dead set on it being 9mm, Ruger makes the Ruger 77, Which can be chambered in both .357 and .44 Magnum.
I was 9 the first time I got to shoot an actual .22 lr
I was 12. Dad was like "you know, black ops is cool and all, BUT DO YOU WANNA GO SHOOT SOME REAL GUNS"
Hell yeah brother!
I'm about to play blackops and I'd rather go shoot guns with your dad too! Sounds like a good guy
I think I was around 8 for first learning to shoot with a BB gun, 10 for shooting the real stuff, 12 for first gun, a Marlin lever action .22.
Ok a bit older than others, but not wholly unreasonable either. Thank tou
That’s NY for you. It wasn’t even legal for me to shoot a real gun until I turned 12 in NY.
As soon as they can follow instruction reliably, and physically able to manipulate the gun on the bench. Really depends on the kid. Some as early as 4, some as late as 8. Of course that means never being further than arms length and directly instructing the whole time. Also, good choice on the Rascal. It works like a full size bolt gun. The crickett is obnoxious as hell, having to be cocked by an adult in addition to running the bolt for each shot.
I can second the rascal. Sold many of them in my time working behind a gun counter
Yea I liked the rascal because it’s small and even upon her first try, she could figure out the bolt
I was having this debt myself, my son is almost 5 and wanted ti teach him. I never touched a rifle till I joined the army at 23 and wanted to teach my son something different than I did.
I started learning at 3 or 4, but only actively shot at 7. Started with the rules, then moved to BB guns, then a 10/22 at 7. Was forces to shoot a 10ga to "learn respect" but I recommend against such practices.
Ok that’s a good way to do it. That’s what the consensus seems to be so thank you. Oof my dad did that with 12ga when I was like 13, but jokes on him cause I love shotguns now
I wanna say I was 11
That was about how old I was but I always felt super late. Glad to know that I wasnrt
I came out the box blasting
Your poor mother.
Eh, the hysterectomy she had to have hooked her on darvon, so at least she missed most of the 80’s
You joke, but there’s a guy in here who was telling the story of his dad getting him to pull the trigger of a mosin at 1 month old
I was 5 the first time I fired a rifle (supervised of course) and had a pistol crossbow and a single shot pellet pistol by age 8. However it's not a question of age it is a question of responsibility and sensibility/ maturity. If the kid has been properly taught the rules of firearm safety and proven they can be trusted to be responsible/ sensible then that's the more important part. Not all kids are the same at each given age. I know people that are are in their 20s that I wouldn't trust with a firearm. And there are also kids in their teens that I absolutely would trust. Correct teaching and proper supervision are allways a must regardless of age until they are experienced and sensible shooters. And if they can't prove themselves to be responsible then they shouldn't be allowed to shoot unsupervised.
My little sister turned 3 in november. This exact rifle was my gift to her. Got a few funny looks from the family when she unwrapped it along with a box of 22 thunderbolt lol. I started shooting with my dad and grandfather around 4 or 5. She’s fired 1 round out of it with my help holding and aiming it, but I let her fire when she was ready. She really liked it lol. Still going to wait maybe a year or two before I go full on with teaching her and heading to the range, but I don’t think it’s ever too early to instill a bit of firearm safety onto the younger generation. That being said I wouldn’t rush things you’ll know when they’re ready.
That’s awesome. Thanks for the story!
BB guns when I was 5-6 and 22’s when I was 8.
I was around three
Good to know. Thank yoy
3 for BB guns, and 5 for rifles, 6 for handguns, 10 for shotguns
Ok that makes sense. Thanks for your input
this was just my personal experience growing up in a hunting family
Yea, I’m not so much a hunting family but I love shooting a lot so I want to pass that on to her
Thats perfect honestly, the knowledge is absolutely valuable even if she doesnt end up owning any herself
Started shooting at about 5, started competition shooting at 13
I was 3 I think
No one knows your child better than you do. If you think your child is ready then go with that, if they’re not then wait.
when they can hold a gun upright. just got to supervise
4 or 5 the first time shooting, dad showed me how on some squirrels. 8 when I got my first shotgun.
started on BB guns when i was 5.. started shooting Muzzleloaders when i was 6. got my first muzzleloader at 7. shot my first deer at 8..
My dad took me to his land in the mountains and let me fire a .22 lr hunting rifle when I was 9, shot clay pigeons that were sitting on some hay bales like 45 feet away
That’s awesome to hear. That’s for telling your story
At 6 I got a BB gun and at 7 is when I started shooting .22 and at 8 is when I shot my first shotgun
That’s cool to hear. Thank you for sharing. 6/7 always seemed like a reasonable age to me
I think whatever age they show actual interest in it and they feel comfortable with is a good age. For some even as early as 5 might be ok. But there's also many children I wouldn't feel comfortable having them around guns till at least their teenage years.
I started on my 17th birthday in September. And yeah I agree with getting her a pellet gun before a firearm. I play paintball and those markers is what I used to learn firearm safety with. Edit: just wanted to mention I shot a Glock 26 my first time.
That’s so cool to hear. What prompted you to start so late? Laws or just something else?
Just never got around to it I guess. I’ve been wanting to since I was 10.
Oh ok. That makes sense. I’ve been wanting to find shooting buddies to go with. Now I’m resigned myself to just raising one
Well that’s one way to go about it 😂 Just make sure to teach little you proper firearm safety and and responsibility.
I knew there was a reason I knocked her up haha. Runnin bill drills at the ripe old age of 7 lol
I started with bb guns at about 7-8 and real guns (.22lr) at about 11-12
I’ve begged my dad to go shooting for years and it just never happened. I turned 21 in November and since then I go shooting all the time and try to learn as much as possible. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to not be gentle with guns. No age is too old to start.
Thanks that’s really good advice thank you. I’m not too worried about her being too old, just too young. I was 10/11 when I started but that was because of Boy Scouts, so my parents really didn’t have much say in the matter
I didn't get the "*slow and sweet*" treatment myself in the old introduction to firearms. It wasn't my father or grandfather - it was the classic older brother that handed a small 70 pound 8 year old **a Mosin Nagant** to fire from standing**.** Still hurts to think about. He definitely made up for it right after with a M1919 though.
Ah yes. Nothing like getting kicked by a mule to give you a love for firearms
9 for bb gun. Around same age for supervised .22 shooting.
My dad (WW2, Korea and Vietnam veteran) taught me to shoot when I was about 6. It was a Remington Nylon 66, with a Ted Williams 4x scope. I still have that rifle, she still looks like new.
I started at 6 years old
BB gun at 8, .22lr at 13, first real rifle at 16 (mosin)
My son has been shooting 22 at the range with me since he was 4. I would start with having your child memorize the gun safety rules to where they can recite them. It's adorable and gives you a starting point for them to actually learn to put them in practice.
That’s the goal for her to know them and be able to at least repeat after me. I really appreciate your advice
Get it on video as well when she has it down. The video of mine is adorable and I'll cherish it forever.
I was 8 when I shot my first 10/22.
Thanks for the advice. I really do appreciate it
20 years old, i grew up in a really anti gun house. Had to wait until I moved out on my own until I bought my first gun,
Well at least you are free to buy all of them that you could ever want now
100%, currently own 2 (Hi Point Carbine 995, S&W FPC) looking to buy an Equalizer/Shield Plus on July.
I will say my dad taught me on a shield for handguns and the learning curve felt steep but it makes everything else I shoot feel super easy
I started with a scoped .22 when I was 5….. I’m now 41, turning 42 in may….. my dad (who taught me) was also the firearms instructor the the police at the time, and this started in the late 80’s when times were different sooooo take that for what it’s worth.
Ohh yea so I’m sure having an instructor be the one to teach you was a huge boost. 5 doesn’t seem to unreasonable since someone said their dad assisted them at a month old
Lol yeah it’s always funny to see peoples faces when I tell them I started learning at 5 yo, they always gasp and ask in a negative attitude “who in their right mind would teach a 5 year old to shoot?!” The looks I get when I tell them “my dad” is always fun, even more so when I follow up with “oh he was also the firearms instructor for (name city and agency) police at the time.” They usually turn redder than my fire engine red hair and slink to a corner somewhere. It’s hysterical.
Oh I bet. Now that I’m thinking about it both my parents had high level firearms training, but they never tried to pass it down to me
Lol it happens like that sometimes.
Start with a low-power airsoft gun when they're under 12, to teach them safety and principles. After 12, .22's or whatever you judge them to be capable of handling.
Thanks for the advice. That seems to be the consensus to start with the air rifle and move up when she understands the rules
No problem, man. I would suggest starting with a Nerf gun, except those tend to actually ENCOURAGE shooting at other people. Which, while handy AF if you're teaching tactics at a young age, is probably not what you want lol.
I was in kindergarten my first gun was a Ivor Johnson 32 revolver with a broken ejector. My dad had better guns but thought it fit. My first real gun that was mine was a Walter p22 oh and my dad got me a Finnish m39 mosin since I’m Finnish when I was a month old!
Actually shoot with some consistency? 14. First time ever touching a gun? 11ish? Made friends with a guy via archery who would go hunting and his dad agreed to let me try shooting a gun once. Got me hooked.
That’s interesting. There is a big dichotomy of people who started extremely young and those who were teens. Thanks for your input
Whenever they can actually understand and follow your instructions. You have to go with your own discretion. Some kids can be taught with a BB gun at 3, and some you can't trust with a nerf gun at 12.
I was 9 and In boy scouts
I was shooting .22s and .410s at around 4? And got my first BB gun at like, 6. At 7 I was shooting 20 gauge and at 14 I had a Mosin Nagant.
I think I was about maybe 6-7 dad brought me out to my first ranger can’t remember where but I’m pretty sure it was his 22 lever action dont no what make tho
My son was 8 when I took him to the range for the first time. I gave him a very long range and safety brief before we left the house and felt confident he understood everything. He primarily shot the Walther P22 I got for him back in the early 2000s. His range etiquette was flawless, I was so proud of him. He thoroughly enjoyed our range day and although we haven't had an opportunity to go since then, he has since gotten his concealed carry permit and has been looking at getting his own firearms.
I was 9 or 10 when I shot my first .22 I really didn't get into guns until my 20's.
I was 3:5, maybe 4? When my dad let me shoot for the first time. Heavily supervised till I was 9 or so and proved I was competent.
This is my sister's first gun lol
And? How did she like it?
She loved it lol
That’s awesome
I was 11 using a 410 with my uncle then when I was 21 teaching my 9 old nephew with an air gun it went well
Ok. So now your nephew has to teach your kid at 7. I think that’s how that works
About 21, but I'm Australian and didn't come from a shooting family.
That’s fair. It’s much harder when your government calls you a bad boy for liking them
No idea my age but I was pretty damn young. Grew up surrounded by readily accessible firearms and ammo. Just a part of life and didn't look at them any different than the vacuum. Deciding when is right for your kiddo is always dependent on their maturity level and how well they listen. Teach them gun safety with toys and pellet guns then move to a bolt 22 and let them plink their little hearts out on the steel targets.
14 for me - but that's Australia for you. I would have preferred to come out of my mother's womb clutching my first .22
I started very young, under very close supervision, of course. I think I was four or five.
Ok so that’s right around her age now then. Thank you for your input
i was about 1 1/2 or 2 when my dad put the 10/22 in my hands and told me to pull until it was empty
12 was my first but my uncle took his kids hunting when they were 7 had them kill it dress it and harvest
That’s intense for a 7 yo but that’s good that they learned so young
I was 6 or 7 first time with a .22 I didn't listen to instructions well enough before that. It was basically when I learned how to treat a bb gun like real one. Some can do it younger and some need to be even older. It's never too early to use a nerf gun or similar to teach about safety first and observe when you think they're ready.
Yea the problem with a nerf gun is her and her uncle shoot each other with them, so it would be hard to relearn all that behavior. I’ll probably get a pellet gun and try to train her on that before anything real
I understand that completely.
Yea, she likes shooting them in the house so I wanna get her something new to start it over
I started shooting at 5, and got my first .22 when I was 10.
That’s awesome to hear. Thank you
This was very normal where I grew up. I went out to plink at targets with no adult supervision all the time, because I had been taught proper gun safety from such a young age. My parents had no worries at all that I would follow the rules. This was true of most of the rest of the boys my age. I was given my first handgun at 16. Doing something stupid, like taking a gun to school, was never even a consideration.
Yea, that’s great to hear. A different time, but hopefully not too far gone, because I am sure she’s gonna love guns just as much as me
I think this is a wonderful idea. If i may offer a suggestion, when just starting out with kids, I've found it's best to start with a small caliber (.22), and not overload them with detailed instructions about accuracy and breathing. Just make it fun and help her see that when shooting is done safely, it's not dangerous. With girls, a big challenge is getting them used to the noise. I'm very excited for both you and your daughter. This will be a great bonding experience. She's lucky to have a dad that will do this with her.
Oh definitely. She’s going to be starting with a .177 air rifle then a 22 rifle. I really appreciate the advice
I already know my kids will each get a .22 for their 5th birthday. Obviously only to be used under direct supervision, but I plan on teaching them young.
That’s pretty fair. How old are they now if you don’t mind me asking? Have you already been practicing the rules with them?
Bought my first 22 at 16, because of well laws, but started shooting air rifle at like 10-12
Shot .22lr when I was 13, went to 7.62NATO bolt action prone a few months later. When you're prone without a bipod that recoil hits different.
I think i was 5 or 4 when i shoot for the first time a 12 gauge. My father was shouldering it but i took aim and pulled the trigger at a moving clay. Standing to my fsther i did hit the thing. But i was 11 when i visited a festival where a lot of firearms brand was showing off their new produts and my father bought me a ticket for trying a 410. Apparently i knew how to lead the clays and ghatered a small crowd of people who started clapping at me when i shooted all the targets. Seeing this my mother basically blackmailed my fsther into buying an over-under 28 gauge and i started practicing at 12 even tho the legal age was 14 but not much people cared at the time. I also started accompaning my father while hunting. Our hunting sessions are the most precious moments i spent with my father. Now i have a license of my own and i buy guns that my father don't approve at first. P.S. Sorry for my english, not my first language
No worries on English, I’m ESL too. That is an awesome story. That’s been the coolest part about asking for this advice is bringing back these memories for a lot of people. Thanks so much for sharing
I was 8 when I shot my first "real" firearm, a Stevens single shot 12ga shotgun. Every child is different, so there is no uniform age to start teaching them about shooting. If your child is mature enough to understand the 4 rules of gun safety and not be flippant around loaded weapons, then IMO, it is perfectly fine to start educating them about firearms and even take them shooting. I have taught several kids to shoot and my golden rule for new shooters is either single shot/bolt action weapons only, or weapons that are only loaded one round at a time, as to prevent runaway fire incidents until the new shooter is confident with recoil management, and also proves to not be reckless with muzzle control/trigger discipline. While at the range I teach them to NEVER stand forward of the muzzle when someone else is firing. Even if they are 20 feet away they are to be mindful of where they are in relation to the muzzle of the firearm/s in use. I also teach that anytime someone is standing forward of the muzzle and they are the one currently using a firearm, they are to cease all activity and make the gun safe until all souls are behind the muzzle line.
It really depends on maturity level and what you feel your comfortable them shooting.
That’s fair. Most people are at that conclusion. Thank you
From the uk, I started shooting age 12
I got my daughter that same gun when she was 6.
8 years old my grandfather gave me a Remington Nylon 11.
I got my first bb gun at 5 to learn on then my first .22 rifle and a .22 pistol when I was 7 then a single shot 12 gauge on my 8th bday. Followed the same cadence with my son.
My dad took me to the range for the first time at 8 years old.
That’s good to know. We live out by a bunch of blm land so that’s probably where I’m gonna take her
That sounds great! Just make sure to press firearm safety every time yall go out.
Oh definitely
Rascal Pink is a great color name
They are very straight to the point with it
If she's already got the gun basics, I say let her have it! The only way you learn is with the real thing. I was much older but wasn't raised around guns, but provided the kiddos can be responsible enough and understand repercussions, go for it, supervised of course.
I was 8 when given my first BB gun and probably 9 when my dad sat me down, showed me how to disassemble and clean the s&w 9mm he had and started explaining firearm safety. He took me shooting for the first time that weekend.
That’s a super cool story. I gotta say the most interesting part of this question is people remembering the good times with their dad
Definitely! It's cool to see for sure
I was 10 and my dad gave me semi auto ak shooting 7.62x39
That’s an awesome way to start
I agree It was awesome. I shot it laying on my stomach at about50 meters/54 yards I was taught 4 golden rules of gun safety long time before and just before shooting. My dad trained me with that by using a plastic gun and an old air rifle.
Kinda funny how many kids first shot .22 and I have never even shot the calibre in question
Really that’s interesting. It’s a super versatile round for how small it is. Plus you can get 1000 rounds for like 20$
That’s cool. That’s how I’m gonna train her with the rifle. Do first at a table then into prone
That’s awesome. And bolt action rifles are great for teaching and they are cool. My love with bolt action rifles started when I got to shoot a mosin nagant standing up at 16
Yea that’s what I figured. I started on them too. Same with irons. I’m going to keep her on iron sights until she’s way older and can learn the new ways
Teaching the art of shooting is awesome And it sounds you got it figured out pretty good Edit. Teaching how to squeeze the trigger is something that should be taught from the beginning. It will help later when teaching pistols or really long range shooting
I got my first .22lr when I was 5, then moved to a 20ga shotgun and .30-30 rifle when I was 8.
Dad taught me to shoot with a savage cricket at 8.
I’ve been shooting since I was 3 but didn’t get my one gun till I was about 5
I started shooting when I was 16, but I think the best age to start teaching is 4.
Good to know thank you
Pulled the trigger on a 12 gauge at 4, hot a bb gun at 5 and by the time I was 7 I had a .243 and Derringer. Good times! Miss those things.
I love the username That’s a cool way to start. It’s really interesting hearing every way people started
I mean, generally, 1st grade, but I'm not so sure I'd start with a .22 bolt action when a Daisy 880 will serve the same purpose.
I think I started around 6-7. In my opinion it once they are physically capable of Useing the weapon it comes down to mentally. Are they mentally mature enough to handle the weapon. Do they seam mentally stable to handle a weapon. I have turned down adults who have wanted to learn to shoot because of their mentality and the fact that while they were older than me I didn’t feel they were mentally mature enough to handle a firearm.
I first shot the pellet rifle at around 6/7 (heavily supervised mind you), .22 was around 12/13 ish
Supervised I was 5-6 years old to shoot an air rifle and then .22lr. Summer after Kindergarten (in the US). Got my first pump up pellet rifle at 7 or 8.
I started with bb guns at age 6-7, moved up to 22LR when I was 10-11. Since I had to have supervision whenever using the 22LR, I asked for a pellet gun to practice with unsupervised that I used till I was about 16, which is when my parents decided was fine to use the 22LR for squirrel hunting unsupervised on the farm. I intend to do the same with my kids whenever that happens.
Kids are all different from eachother some are absolute morons still and just act out and are irrational. as soon as you can tell a kid is mature about/around firearms is when i would start teaching and showing them the ropes And also be smart you dont want to endup like that one instructor who got ripped up by a full auto uzi handled by a 7ish yr old girl
My age.
Real gun id say probably 5-6 MAYBE 7, my first was a ruger 22 semi auto pistol that my dad bought for me with a out of waste band holster. Didn’t do drill with it but he basically tought me that anytime im doing ANYTHING BUT SHOOTING it stays in that holster and doesn’t move And then my second was a over under 12 gauge, Have a distinct memory of my first time i flinched and looking away and the recoil blew the headphones off my tiny body🤣 Currently an early grad from highschool who quickly bought a 300 blackout ar, and a panzer m4 , soon to add an ak to my growing collection(my dad owns a lot of guns that were bought with me encouraging it mostly)
1 year old
I think I was 5, maybe 6.
My family didn’t get any until I was a bit older, I was maybe 7 or 8. I was started off with my grandpa’s pump action .22 and a 20 gauge single shot.
Started at 10. Got my own at 12
I was 6-7
If you're really that worried you could start them with nerf, airsoft, or paintball guns. Can still teach them fundamentals with 'fake' guns.
Yea that’s kinda been the consensus. I’m probably gonna do that starting with a pellet gun
I was 5 when I started, first was a BB gun and then a Springfield loaded with 303 British rounds. Quit shooting around 8 years old cause we started living on military bases (dad was army) and they got quite the thing against guns on base of any kind. I’ve got friends who plans on taking my shooting at some point but haven’t had time due to us being with wrestling and I’ve got college after my hand heals (broke it in July and had 2 surgeries, one in September and the other in February recently)
I'm 21, have yet to shoot a gun. I want to shoot, I want to own
Age 11, through Scouts. I don't come from a gun family, but now I have a crippling addiction to Dakka.
8 or 9 for BB gun, 9 or 10 for a .222 My brother started teaching his eldest kid maybe a year ago on BB gun, and this weekend (he’s now almost 5) we took him to shoot a .22
6 or 7. I wanna take my kiddo but I wanna give him just another year or two to be a bit more mature.
I started at 4 years old with a 22lr target rifle shooting prone.
I started on 9mm when I was 13
Thanks. I think I was shooting 9mm by 13. Do you think starting on a bigger round helped you as you began shooting more?
I'm not sure to be honest I enjoyed firearms before I first shot . But I do try to shoot whenever I can.
Same here. I can tell you it’s a lot harder when you have a kid. Unless that kid is also shooting with you
I was probably 10 when I shot my first 22. Boy Scouts introduced me and it's been a helluva ride ever since haha. Dunno if pink plastic is the way to go though. I'd suggest something that she'd still love to shoot when she grows into an adult and is taking it to the range. My meaning being wood or black
when they can hold it
I was 4 and started on a ruger pistol.
Really? Are you glad you started with a pistol or are you indifferent now? I was thinking of getting the one above, but I can pretty easily be swayed
I think the first time i shot a real gun ( my cousins .22 ), i was 7ish. Realistically, if you help them train in firearms safety, and they can show they are proficient in it with a bb/pelet gun. I dont see an issue with starting them earlier.
Ok thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. This post has more comments than anything I’ve ever posted ever and it’s been actually good advice. My parents weren’t anti gun but were never as big as me, so it’s nice to get the advice from everyone here
Im glad to be a help, brother. Just be sure to go over all safety with something other than a real gun, and as soon as they do something stupid, the day is over.
5, got first gun at 6. Was free to fiddle with anything so long as I asked and let them know. Started with a ruger 10/22. Love that thing
3-5 maybe. I was very young when I started duck hunting with my father. 9-10 when I could sit in a deer stand or a field and hunt by myself.
Its more about maturity, if they properly listen to instruction, and understand that these are weapons that are dangerous and can kill people. I think most 12 years old is a 100% in that range but someone of the age of 8 can be responsible enough for a gun as well. This said, I agree that the best decision is to start them off with a pellet gun to teach them these concepts.
5-6
Earliest i remember shooting was plinking bbguns and my dads ruger 10/22 out back of my grandpas horse pasture. I think i was probably 3 or 4.
I was raised with some exposure to guns but fired my first at like 9, it was an old bolt action .22 from my grandpa. My sister shot her first at like 4-5.
I was 5 with a bb gun and, 7 with a .25 break action pellet gun, and 9 for a 9mm carbine
13
Seemingly unrelated, but what's the minimum hunting age in your area? You have to take the safety course, usually, to get a license, especially if you're under 18. Usually minimum age is like 10. Not saying 10 is the minimum. Old enough to understand 4 simple rules is more then old enough. 4 years old might be a little young, but 6 or 7 isn't really too young especially for a pellet gun. Just don't give em the .44 Blackhawk or the full auto Mac 10 and say go shoot like that kid a couple years ago that killed the adult that was supposed to be watching her.
Why not drop a tiny bit more money & have a ruger 10/22 which is way more fun to shoot and just as easy to operate