When do you introduce kids to guns?

[gcmj45acp]

Topic from today's show. We were supposed to have a German television crew in studio with us today but, we ended up getting them connected with other folks. But, they wanted to interview us for our thoughts on introducing kids to guns as young as 5 or 6 years of age. My own opinion is that it's subject to individual judgement. In my experience, kids 5-6 years old are old enough to begin retaining/understanding basic rules taught by the Eddie Eagle program (leave the room, tell an adult, etc). Usually not until they are 8-10 years old are they usually mature enough to handle firearms under direct supervision but, every kid is different. What are your thoughts? How old were your kids when your introduced them to guns? How old were you when you were introduced to guns?

 

[M. Sage]

When they're on my lawn.

 

[kurt]

I had a BB gun at six, a shotgun at ten and a Ruger Single-Six by thirteen.

 

[BIGPAPIGREG]

I killed my 1st deer when I was 7.....had been shooting with my dad for a while though

 

[Dawico]

I was probably 10 but only saw guns on hunting trips. My family still doesn't shoot much besides hunting.

I shoot often and have introduced my kids to guns very young. They have all shot before they started school.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Oldest boy shot his first deer at 7. At age 12, each kiddo got to chose a gun of their own. At about age 8, they were starting to shoot competitively. Had they not been mature enough to handle the gun(s) responsibly, they wouldn't have been allowed to do so.

 

[BIGPAPIGREG]

Oldest boy shot his first deer at 7. At age 12, each kiddo got to chose a gun of their own. At about age 8, they were starting to shoot competitively. Had they not been mature enough to handle the gun(s) responsibly, they wouldn't have been allowed to do so.

^^^THIS.......I played around and goofed off a lot but when it came to firearms it was all business, or the privilege was taken away. I was taught the right way and how to respect it, looooong before I ever went out for a hunt

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

I started hunting and shooting around 5, and I got my own rifle at 8. I was around them all the time growing up because we sold guided hunts for a living (along with cattle).

Living in town is quite a but different, less opportunities to shoot. My older son has no interest, and isn't mature enough yet with his autism anyway. My older daughter likes it. We don't shoot together a lot, but its quality time when we get a chance. She started around 8 yrs old.

My other kids are 3 and 4 so they just get nerfs and water guns for now. They have seen me clean deer so they are starting to understand they're not toys.

I've told my 3 and 4 yr olds the Eddie Eagle rules. The 4 yr old gets it but the younger one really didn't. Every kid is a little different.

 

[RACER X]

Took my daughter(8yo) to the range a month or 2 ago when I bought a 10/22 takedown, she loved it. Everything on getting her own 22 compact

We're not a hunting family, so a gun is primarily for protection and fun. And she knows it.

Have had guns in the house before she was born, so there's always been a gun in the house, shes mature enough to know not to mess w them

I have a 4yo boy, he's not mature enough now or the next few yrs, we have a big box safe and nightstand safe now, lol




sent from my cell phone, far far away

 

[Brains]

My 3yo girl knows the rules and knows that firearms are things only mommy and daddy can touch. They're of course locked away and out of her grasp any time they're not on my person, but if you ask her what to do if she ever sees a gun sitting out she'll tell you the correct course of action. My 14yo boy was trained about basic safety from a young age as well, and I think I started him hands-on with a really cheap airsoft type pistol around 6 or 7.

 

[Southpaw]

Great thread.. Good to here everyone's thoughts. I'm not quite there with my young one. Besides her being around them when I'm cleaning or working on them. She does however always point out the old Marlin 60 sitting in there and refers to it as hers. I said it was hers once and let her hold it to show Mom, and now won't let that fact go.

 

[deemus]

I intro'd my kids at around age 3 or 4. I let them handle a pistol at that age. They saw me gut deer, and I explained the reality of guns to them around that age. They grew up around them, and all shot for the first time at around age 4. Generally a 22 rifle, then at age 6 a 22 handgun. I think the exposure to hunting helps a kid understand that the games are not reality. They get it that if you shoot something, it dies.

My kids would not touch a gun without permission. And they all like to shoot. We regularly have range days together and it makes me proud of how careful they are, and how good of a shot they are. My youngest is the best shot in the house, and has been since the age of 13. He first deer was a 190 shot, and she has shot sub-half inch groups several times. Younger than about 4 is pointless IMO. But its a good age to introduce them to it.

 

[pewter99ta]

This is a great question and one we all have to consider carefully. I think there are a few parts to this which will largely depend on your judgement and the maturity of the kids.

Introduction to Guns
The first part is introducing them to firearms and the respect they require. I started educating my kids on this as soon as they knew what guns were and could understand what I was saying. The first thing they learned was if they see a gun they don't touch it and they go find an adult. I'm very careful about keeping my guns put away but no one is perfect and it's never too early for them to learn to respect firearms. This will be an ongoing lesson for them which will require vigilance on my part until they are grown adults. My opinion is that all kids, whether their parents own guns or not, should learn this lesson early on. Anything beyond this is where you have to exercise your own judgement about how ready your individual kids are.

Touching & Handling Firearms
Any time I've brought home a new gun or if I'm cleaning or working on a gun and they are curious, I take that opportunity to educate them about safe handling and satisfy their curiosity, even letting them "help" with the task at hand. I answer any questions they have and teach them what each gun does. I also let them handle the unloaded firearms in these situations while coaching them on safe handling. They're never out of my reach and I never take my eyes off them when we do this. I also reinforce what I tell them by demonstrating safe handling with my own actions. They both understand that any time guns are out is not play time and if they want to play they need to leave the room.

Shooting
My kids are 4 and 5. Both have their own BB guns but I keep them in the gun safe and we treat them just like "real" guns. Every time we bring them out the first thing I do is remind them how to treat the guns and that there are no second chances. This is fun but, again, it is not play time. I also have a Rossi .410/.22 youth combo which my youngest has shot but not my oldest. He shot the .410 once which was enough for him and he keeps the spent shell on a shelf in his room. (We only shot the .410 because there wasn't any .22 ammo to be had at the time and it was an unexpected trip.) I have plenty of .22 ammo now and plan on taking them both shooting as soon as the opportunity presents itself. The closer ranges I've found around here don't allow kids that young so we'll have to make a trip somewhere.

Hunting
This a completely different situation. Unfortunately I don't do much hunting anymore since moving to the DFW area but I wouldn't hesitate to take either of them with me if I did. Neither of them would have their own gun but they could come with me. At this age they may talk a little too much or not sit still enough but that's fine. It's worth it to spend the time with them and give them the same love of the outdoors that I have.

Getting their own guns.
This one is the hardest one to judge. I had my own guns around 10 or 12 but dad kept them in the safe. Once I was in high school I kept my rifle and shotgun in my room and I would frequently go hunting and shooting by myself or with friends. I plan to follow the same rules with my kids but this could change depending on our experiences between now and then. It could go from them not even being allowed to look at a gun up to what my dad did with me. It all depends on how each kids acts up to that point.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

If people can swing it, I think the hunting makes a difference. It's an eye opener for the little ones when they see you cutting up an animal and realize that's what they're eating. Little kids are really concrete learners and I think it helps understand and respect guns, food and animals.

We almost died laughing when one of the little kids asked, "So do chicken nuggets come from real chickens?!?!?!?"

 

[Pilgrim]

Started my son out at the age of six... about the same age my father taught me. He's been going to the range with us ever since. He's seven now and firearms are no longer a subject of mystery to him. He knows what they can do and that he is not to touch or mess with them unless daddy is right there.

We were the same way growing up. We LOVED to shoot but we knew better than to mess with dad's guns if he wasn't around...

 

[Southpaw]

deemus;749361-- I think the exposure to hunting helps a kid understand that the games are not reality. They get it that if you shoot something, it dies.

If people can swing it, I think the hunting makes a difference. It's an eye opener for the little ones when they see you cutting up an animal and realize that's what they're eating. Little kids are really concrete learners and I think it helps understand and respect guns, food and animals.

We almost died laughing when one of the little kids asked, "So do chicken nuggets come from real chickens?!?!?!?"

I agree. I definitely think seeing what a firearm can be used for and what it will do is really important. Somehow I plan on getting my daughter out as soon as she is able to, if not to take the shot, just to experience hunt from start to finish.

 

[matefrio]

We started here with the basic lesson that an adult always picks up a gun first, checks it's unloaded, and then hands it to the child.

The child who wants to see a gun is always allowed to see it.

There are no mysteries about them. We go over how they're loaded and unloaded, how the trigger works on each etc to the point they get board with them and curiosity is a non issue.

I let my son have a BB gun in his room and let him know it was part of our home defense plan at a young age.

 

[Vaquero]

The hunting matters.
Not so much in the "where food comes from" sense.
More in the " this is the damage a firearm does" sense.
The safety becomes very seriouse for them when they see what happens to bambi when shot.

 

[BIGPAPIGREG]

I was always made to understand that while guns can be, and are fun to shoot they have one purpose, they were made to kill, that is there job. Once that bullet has left the barrel, you cant pull it back

 

[Treyg73]

I have an 8yr old and a 12yr old in the house. Both started with a .22 rifle at around 7 yrs of age so they would learn that guns are not toys. Now at range days the 8yr old shoots a .22 pistol and the rifle but his hands aren't big enough to handle the .357 or the .40 S&W's I have. The 12yr old handles both of those just fine and actually shoots pretty good groupings with them.