What advise can you provide for getting an 8 year old started in recreational pistol shooting?

Question

I am looking for some intelligent advise from others on getting my 8 year old son involved in pistol shooting. I am an experience shooter and gun owner, but have not exposed my children to the sport very much. They have been exposed to the world of firearms though, and have been present when guns were out of the safe for cleaning, etc. My son (older than his siblings by many years) has been spoken to about not touching a gun unless I am with him, keep your finger off the trigger, etc. He and I have even been in a few gun shops, and found a pistol that fit his hands pretty well. I'm just not sure how to go about beginning the instruction process. When I taught my wife to shoot, I gave her a bit of verbal instruction on what to expect, then gave her a gun to start shooting. I would be interrested in anyone's advise on instructing a child in the sport of shooting. I would also be interrested in anyone's opinions, or personal experience with this. Thanks!

Answer 1

Well, I'd actually start with a .22 rifle and single fire or bolt action would be the preference. Maybe a Cricket?

Rifles are much easier to shoot for young hands because you can sit them down at a bench with bags and load and then let them fire at the target. Pistols require two hands and a whole lot more control.

Your kid can be spinning those little steel spinner targets in no time with a rifle, which is fun and positive encouragement. Pistols will be much slower to get him on target.

The great thing about firearms, is you can sell in a year or two and not loose much of your investment, then move up to something different.

Answer 2

At 8 years old I would start him off with a nice pellet rifle. Once he shows that he is able to properly handle the pellet rifle then consider a .22 rifle. This is how my grandfather taught my dad, my dad taught me, and I taught my son.

NO WAY should you start him off with a handgun. Far to dangerous and easy to misfire.

I was always worried about this.. I am teaching my son how to use a gun now what if he gets his hands on one when I am not around? I had to stress the dangers of firearms and the only way I could make him understand was by taking him with me on a hunt. I think seeing that a gun can end a life made him have a much greater respect for firearms

Same with power outlets, when he was a toddler he wouldn't leave them alone until I showed him a squirrel that had been fried in the power-line outside lol

Teach him safe handling and also teach him about the true power of fire arms and the responsibility of owning one

Answer 3

Don't get him into the "sport" of shooting too quickly. Unless you are really into it "sport" shooting isn't that fun. He can use a pencil to poke holes in paper, start out with can and stuff that is fun to shoot. Don't bore him or he will never be interested.

Also, let him just get used to the shooting first, let him use a few hundred rounds without any instruction other than safety. After the novelty of it wears off you can begin some serious teaching. Kids need to have fun with it first, then learn. Make them have happy thoughts related to shooting first by just letting them blast away. Then it is in their head that shooting is fun and you can teach them anything and they will enjoy it. Don't correct posture or anything during the first few hundred where they are having fun, no bad habits are going to be formed that quickly. Just go with the flow at first.

Like DJ said, kids need a rifle they can rest. They are too weak to hold up anything for very long and shake while they are doing it. Even with light pistols it is hard for them. Something they can support is good for starters.

Answer 4

Start off with a .22 revolver or semi auto. Emphasize sight picture and steady hold. Tell him that the when aligning the sights, concentrate on the FRONT sight. As a pistol shooter for over 30 + years, I know that even if the rear and ft. sight are not in perfect alignment, if the front sight is locked on the aim point, you will hit very close to where you want the bullet to be placed.

Answer 5

Those little hands probably aren't big enough to safely handle a handgun yet. On the otherhand, a Chipmunk, Cricket, or Papoose rifle would be just the ticket for the little guy. The only handgun with much chance of not overwhelming the little guy is the Ruger Bearcat, and they ain't cheap.

If he's an average kid, by the time he is 10-12 years old, his hands should be big enough to handle a Ruger Single-Six with no problems.

Answer 6

I agree with the 22 rifle first idea. A couple of thoughts though
reactive targets everyone has fun with those.
If you have steel challenge in your area do that when you can trust him.
earplugs and muffs. use both
Make sure you know proper safety.
teach him to sling shot a slide: grip slide with left hand push gun with right. He will be able to cycle anything that way.
Control ammo. Kids attention spans are short that is dangerous
aside from safety have fun.

I don't hang around children and have very little experience with them so maybe I am wrong about everything

Answer 7

As a Youth Shooting/Hunting Advocate and Mentor, I would suggest you introduce you son to firearms with a .22 rifle instead of a handgun. It would be much safer, give him a larger margin for errors and mistakes, that a handgun would not provide. It would also be easier to teach him and easier for him to comprehend the basic's of sighting and shooting firearms in general. That might be a manageable choice for an Aduilt,but not very practicle for a child. There is plenty of time later to teach him how to shoot a handgun.

Answer 8

get some dummy rounds to fit the pistol when you get it. get a light or a laser sight too. these are for training. the dummy rounds are to practice loading and clearing procedures. the light is for muzzle control. you should say that if the light goes in an unsafe direction he owes you pushups or something like that. when at the range it may be wise to start with magazine drills. have a few magazines that are loaded with only 1 or 2 rounds each. this will get him proficient at magazine changes. youre going to have to make his training more structured than an adult's. youll have to be like an additional range master to guide him.

Answer 9

i have an 8 yr old daughter. she has been shooting and hunting under my supervision now for 3 years. last year she shot her first deer, we started with a 22 lever action and a 22 bolt action. the first thing to teach them is safe handling and operation of the firearm. we enjoy shooting targets, spinners cans and clay targets with the 22. i think the clays are her favorite. it is important to be encouraging when your young one starts shooting and not be as concerend with hitting every time as to just having fun and spend time sharing with your child your knoledge and experience

Answer 10

while i replaced into 8 years previous my father took me to a taking photos selection that had haystacks with balloons on them for objectives. I nailed maximum of my objectives the 1st time i shot a gun. attempt to locate a unfold like that, or on somebody's property.