Five Year Old Shooting a 20ga

[red rick]

This little thing shot a 20ga about 16 times Sunday with low brass #6 shot out of a Remington 1187 youth shotgun that my nephew used for rabbit hunting . His name is Gunner and he is living up to his name . He went rabbit hunting with us Saturday and took his BB gun . I took along a few cans for him to shoot and he was hitting them regularly , better than me . I think that he is right handed but shoots left handed . I tried to get him to switch , but he said that does feel right . Sunday he asked his dad if he could shoot his gun . He is not big enough to hold it yet so my nephew rested the forearm across the seat of his 4wheeler . His momma sent me a video of it and it made him take a step back when he pulled the trigger , but he wanted to shoot it more . My nephew said that he was nailing cans from about 30 yards away , now he wants to get him a 410 , or a tripod for his 20ga for turkey hunting . I told him that is not a good idea , because a turkey load is going to kick a lot more than those low brass #6 shells .

 

[Armored farmer]

Condolences.....he has the curse.
Y'all are likely buying ammo, guns, bows, permits, tags, and licenses for the next 20 years.
(We wouldn't have it any other way! )

 

[1KPerDay]

He’s probably left eye dominant but right handed like me. Figure it out for sure before you try to get him to switch to his right shoulder. Is he’s hitting stuff and using the appropriate eye for the shoulder he’s using,

 

[red rick]

He’s probably left eye dominant but right handed like me. Figure it out for sure before you try to get him to switch to his right shoulder. Is he’s hitting stuff and using the appropriate eye for the shoulder he’s using,

He missed when he switched to right handed . I forgot to notice what eye he was using shooting right handed . He was using left eye shooting left handed .

 

[Armored farmer]

He missed when he switched to right handed . I forgot to notice what eye he was using shooting right handed . He was using left eye shooting left handed .

Most of my family has been cursed with left eye dominance. My grandfather. #1 son. Sister. Nephew (usmc).
All shoot left handed and very well I might add.
Looks like #1 grandson too
!

 

[Miami_JBT]

My old man gave me New England Pardner 20ga back in the 80s when I was five. I still have it to this day.

 

[red rick]

My dad was right handed and he shot a shotgun left handed . That was all I ever saw him shoot .

 

[Barnfixer]

Looks like a youth trap candidate !

 

[red rick]

After his boy shot his 20ga multiple times he ordered a cantilever scope mounted for his 20ga and mounted it on his shotgun and took a red dot scope off of another gun and mounted it . He also got a Bogg Death Grip tripod . He wants the boy to kill his first turkey at 5 years old . I told him that he was too young for turkey loads . IMO he shouldn’t even be shooting a shotgun yet . But he is starting him young on everything . He was driving an electric car at 2 and a gas powered one by 3 and driving it good . He also started riding an electric motorcycle when he was 4 and before he was 5 he is riding a gas powered one .

 

[Show Me]

This little thing shot a 20ga about 16 times Sunday with low brass #6 shot out of a Remington 1187 youth shotgun that my nephew used for rabbit hunting . His name is Gunner and he is living up to his name . He went rabbit hunting with us Saturday and took his BB gun . I took along a few cans for him to shoot and he was hitting them regularly , better than me . I think that he is right handed but shoots left handed . I tried to get him to switch , but he said that does feel right . Sunday he asked his dad if he could shoot his gun . He is not big enough to hold it yet so my nephew rested the forearm across the seat of his 4wheeler . His momma sent me a video of it and it made him take a step back when he pulled the trigger , but he wanted to shoot it more . My nephew said that he was nailing cans from about 30 yards away , now he wants to get him a 410 , or a tripod for his 20ga for turkey hunting . I told him that is not a good idea , because a turkey load is going to kick a lot more than those low brass #6 shells . View attachment 1196828

That 20 will make the little fella cry. Then try to get him to do it again. Especially, especially if he's a timid or sensitive kind of fella. Slow down . Just advice from a not always right paw paw of many.

 

[Show Me]

His daddy sent me a picture last of his 20ga . After his boy shot his 20ga multiple times he ordered a cantilever scope mounted for his 20ga and mounted it on his shotgun and took a red dot scope off of another gun and mounted it . He also got a Bogg Death Grip tripod . He wants the boy to kill his first turkey at 5 years old . I told him that he was too young for turkey loads . IMO he shouldn’t even be shooting a shotgun yet . But he is starting him young on everything . He was driving an electric car at 2 and a gas powered one by 3 and driving it good . He also started riding an electric motorcycle when he was 4 and before he was 5 he is riding a gas powered one .

He may be rough and tough like John Wayne toilet paper. If so we need more like him to run the country

 

[HB]

His daddy sent me a picture last of his 20ga . After his boy shot his 20ga multiple times he ordered a cantilever scope mounted for his 20ga and mounted it on his shotgun and took a red dot scope off of another gun and mounted it . He also got a Bogg Death Grip tripod . He wants the boy to kill his first turkey at 5 years old . I told him that he was too young for turkey loads . IMO he shouldn’t even be shooting a shotgun yet . But he is starting him young on everything . He was driving an electric car at 2 and a gas powered one by 3 and driving it good . He also started riding an electric motorcycle when he was 4 and before he was 5 he is riding a gas powered one .

Why can’t he shoot a turkey with a trap load?

 

[red rick]

He’s pretty tough . He teases the rooster all of the time , by run by it and getting the rooster to chase him . Luckily for him that the rooster is not a normal size rooster , he is about half the size of a normal rooster . He fell yesterday and the rooster got him . That did make him cry and I gave him I told you so .

 

[shooter1niner]

That rooster better watch himself...

 

[Show Me]

Most of my family has been cursed with left eye dominance. My grandfather. #1 son. Sister. Nephew (usmc).
All shoot left handed and very well I might add.
Looks like #1 grandson too
View attachment 1196869!

One tough guy grandson did this. A proper fitting stock and proper height cheek pad. Eye dominance only counts with both eyes open. I fixed a problem like this. "Cheek on the pad boy" He is now 17 and a good shot.

 

[red rick]

His dad got the red dot mounted on the shotgun and put it in a Bogg Death Grip tripod and set up some Turkey targets at 30 yards . He was using a #5 turkey load . He said that the tripod took all of the recoil and it did bother him at all . If his daddy can call in a turkey I think he will get one .

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Good for him!
I don't think I touched a shotgun until probably 12 or 13. Never went hand to hand with a rooster either....

 

[Show Me]

Some are little dare devils. Some are timid and sensitive.

 

[jmorris]

Some are little dare devils. Some are timid and sensitive.

Some start out on one end and end up on the other, depending on what they learn from experience.

 

[silicosys4]

Ability does not necessarily mean wherewithal. Overconfidence and lack of knowledge coupled with raw physical ability led to many unfortunate accidents in my youth.
Count me in the "too young" camp. Not because of physical ability, but because of the general lack of understanding for life changing consequences at that age. A 5 year old would have to demonstrate more to me than just an ability to correctly take the shot. They would have to demonstrate an understanding of the gravity of the consequences that can happen with even the simplest of mistakes.

 

[HB]

Ability does not necessarily mean wherewithal. Overconfidence and lack of knowledge coupled with raw physical ability led to many unfortunate accidents in my youth.
Count me in the "too young" camp. Not because of physical ability, but because of the general lack of understanding for life changing consequences at that age. A 5 year old would have to demonstrate more to me than just an ability to correctly take the shot. They would have to demonstrate an understanding of the gravity of the consequences that can happen with even the simplest of mistakes.

If the kid is sitting between your legs or out a blind and a tripod is used, I can’t see a lot going wrong if caution is used. Especially on private land thats well scouted where the tom’s approach is known. I would load a single round and have the gun in my control until the moment presents itself.

5 is pretty young but I was dove hunting by 7 which is much more dynamic. Long guns are much safer than pistols. Anymore if a kid isnt hooked on the outdoors by 8-9, he might be lost the videogames.

 

[Riomouse911]

I remember the first bird I killed while hunting mourning dove with a single shot .410 when I was 9. The doves would land on the ground and pick up the milo the songbirds would knock out of the feeder my Grandfather strung under the skinning rack just past the concrete driveway. I sat on a milking stool around the corner of the garage waiting for a dove to land.

One eventually did land amongst a couple other birds. Probably suffering from ”dove fever”, I pointed the gun around the corner, aimed at where I thought the dove was feeding, drew back the hammer and fired.

I missed the dove completely and killed a sparrow. I felt terrible, as the little bird died needlessly and the whiff was 100% my fault.

That lesson of the damage that guns can do, and the responsibility that comes with using them, was burned into my memory that day 47 years ago. (I did ultimately bag 3 (4?) doves and a few squirrels in later days that year, taking more time to properly aim and be sure of what I was aiming at before firing.)

Hopefully Gunner has better luck than I did the first time he goes hunting.

Stay safe.

 

[sparkyv]

Some of us got the recoil tolerance, some of us don't. Looks like Gunner does!

 

[Cypress]

I was definitely shooting a .410 and 20 gauge at 5. Couldn’t wing shoot or hold them up for that matter but resting on Dads shoulder at a sitting dove was pretty easy. First deer at 6 with a .270 which I was made to sight in properly. I don’t ever remember being afraid of the recoil. It moved me instead of just hurting like it does now. I say these guys are right on track as long as the adults do their part!!!