What is the best age to teach children gun training? Or, the use of a firearm.?

Answer 1

My father, who is a State Officer, always gradually taught me simple things from as early as I can remember and always reminded me of the old things he taught me before and the new things he was teaching me. I think we started around when I was 5-6 years old.

Never too early to start, in my opinion.

Answer 2

As far back as I can remember ther were always guns in my parents house. I was allowed to handle guns, under supervision of course, at a very young age probably around 6 or so. I didn't get to shoot until a few years later.

Its tough to say what the minimum age is. I have friends my age (22) that I wouldn't trust with a gun. The better gauge is maturity. If the child truly wants to learn and can understand that a gun is dangerous when misused they are probably ready. That's a good time for a safety talk and looking at guns. As soon as they can handle a gun safely and know how to operate it, now it's time to shoot.

Answer 3

Hello there. Well, I am so glad that you are wanting to teach your children to shoot. I feel it is such a good thing anymore. A lot of accidents happen because people/children don't know how to use the guns. We here in Alaska teach our children how to shoot as soon as they can hold a gun up. We start with little plastic pellet guns when they are two years old, already teaching them to never point at anything but at the ground until ready to shoot, then making sure no one is in front of them.. As they grow older, the gun grows with them. Next would be the BB gun when they are big enough to hold it good and steady, then the .22, .222, and on up to the high caliber weapons, including the shotguns and handguns. It is a very, very good thing. One is never too young to learn. I'm a mom and I started my son at 2 years of age. He is now a hunting guide here in Cordova for both brown and black bear, goat, moose and other wildlife. He also keeps our freezer full of meat throughout the winter and saves us from having to buy meat from the store. You're a good parent.

Answer 4

the suited time to start coaching gun coping with secure practices is as quickly as they are in a position to understand what you assert. that's on no account too early to coach them the thank you to handle firearms. once you're asking while to start coaching them to *shoot* firearms...then i think of 6 or 7 is definitely the earliest that's going to possibly be accomplished, looking on the youngsters... some are greater mature than others at that age. in my opinion, i could probable wait till 12 or 13, provided that their interest span is longer then...yet i wouldn't in any respect attempt to tell yet another discern the thank you to enhance their little one...till he shot me by danger... they ought to understand that the pointy end can kill somebody...meaning they ought to understand what lifeless means... it truly isn't a cushty subject for many 7 12 months old females.

Answer 5

It depends on the child's personality, but it starts very young with the simplest of instructions: to stay away from them. Safe handling practice can start as early as age five or six in some kids and needs to wait to at least ten in others. Close supervision and continued training are needed, and letting them out on their own hunting may need to wait to some time in the 12 to 15 range, and of course there are some people who just shouldn't ever have them. Your child's sense of responsibility is the major guide.

Answer 6

If you have firearms in the house you need to start early, maybe 6 or so, to make sure they know how dangerous they can be if not handled correctly. We took our son to the firing range when he was about 12 and taught him how to take it apart, load it, shoot and clean it. You teach them to respect firearms and they will be safer than if you don't. A last note: Your firearms should be locked up and unloaded with children in the house.

Answer 7

I think when they are physically ready to handle the gun. I don't know about in your area, but where I live there are hunter education courses. It is a one week course where they first teach you about guns, the purpose, safety, etc. Then they gradually guide you in the handling of a firearm, letting you and handle an unloaded firearm, practicing safe handling, until at the end of the week they take you to the range where you can actually shoot several different types of firearms and go on a "hunting hike" where you face different obstacles and they have targets set up where you are quizzed on whether or not it is safe to take the shot from where you are. I took my girls when they were 9 and 12 but there were kids as young as 8 in the class.
My oldest daughter passed the class in the top 5 and was very conscientous about safe handling but my youngest flaked a few times so I am going to require that she take the class again before she is allowed to go on a hunting expedition with her dad. Aside from the classes, my husband teaches them safe handling, takes them to the range and allows supervised target practice and teaches them about hunting.
I took the class myself. I had never so much as touched a gun or been in the same room as one my entire life so the prospect of using a firearm terrified me. I was very nervous before the class and decided that at the end I would opt out of actually shooting, but by the end of the class I gained a little confidence and was able to go to the range and try out the different firearms. I don't think that I will be hunting with firearms or using them regularly but I am no longer nervous around them or terrified to touch them. I think if children are given proper safety training and proper supervision- then whenever you see in them the maturity to follow directions, obey safety rules , etc they should be able to handle a gun under supervision as early as 8 or 10. It is never too early to teach them safety and training without allowing them to handle the gun.

Answer 8

AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE....Obviously supervised until hes much older, but my grandfather gave me a bb gun at age 3. He then went inside and left me to shoot stuff. I shot out the garage window. He thought it was funny so I started shooting his chickens. Then he beat me senseless. He taught me the importance of safety and proper use of a gun, and I was hunting by myself at age 9. Obviously the amount of time you put into will have you reaping the reward of your son or daugher being a very responsible person, not only in hunting and shooting sports, but in life as well.

Answer 9

You can start as early as you think acceptable. One way to gauge whether they are ready is to get them a daisy red ryder. The muzzle velocity is measured in feet per minute on those things, so they can't really damage anything, and you can watch them and see if they have the ability to grasp firearms safety and act responsibly.

Answer 10

It varies from child to child. I think it is best to teach gun safety as soon as they are able to understand you. I think that a child should be taught the safe use of firearms when they are mature enough to respect guns and be able to comprehend why it is important to respect them.

Answer 11

I started teaching my kids as soon as they started buying play guns at wal-mart. Which is around 3-5. As soon as they can understand is the best time to start.