Teaching your kids

[FSCJedi]

Alrighty. So I'm not ready to have kids yet, but I was still thinking about how I'm going to raise them around firearms. I (obviously) want to do so with the utmost concern for safety in mind, and to convey that to my children. And I (again, obviously) don't want to start them off with the biggest baddest gun that daddy owns (which at this point is nothing more than a 9mm... please don't laugh). So I was doin' some thinkin', and here's what I came up with. Now, keep in mind, I'm going to ask for help with some of this as I am not as knowledgeable on some subjects as in others.

For Rifles:

Start 'em off with a .22 short, then move up through .22 LR and .22 Mag. After this, I'm not sure where to go. I haven't had much experience with rifles (I own a .35 remington, and have shot a bunch of others, but have no idea what they were... I'm comfortable with all of them). Suggestions on what to move up to (maybe 3 more steps)?

For Shotguns:

I have a Winchester .410 single shot break action that my grandfather gave me as a kid. I'm going to start them off on that since it's a nice "kid's" round. It shoots straight, and it'll take a rabbit, squirrel, or bird if you do your part. From there, move up to a 20-gauge (I'm thinking side-by-side), then 16 (pump), and finally a 12 (pump). After that, they can make their own decisions.

For Handguns:

I've recently acquired an 1851 Colt Navy Model (.36 caliber cap-and-ball) revolver. I thought, to teach responsibility, patience, and discipline, I would start them with that. I've heard with moderate loads, it kicks no more than a .22. From there, I'd move them up to a .22LR single action revolver (still single action, but cartridge instead of blackpowder). After that, I was thinking something like a .22LR semi-auto (keep moving up into double-action) or maybe a .38 special double-action revolver. Then move them up to a 9mm semi-auto. And finally, the single-action .45 1911. I figure you need to be the most responsible with the last one because it is a single-action semi-auto.

So let me hear your comments. Should I change anything? I am (very) open to suggestions. This will probably be something I copy down and keep for the future. You never know.

 

[dave3006]

Basically a good plan. It's funny, before kids, you will have all sorts of plans. When you have them, the plans become modified.

Teach them safety. Make it as fun as you can. My boy started at 8 yrs. He shot my Mini-14 at 9yrs. My Garand at 10 yrs. It is about the best thing you can do with your boy.

Keep it safe. Keep it fun and they will want to go with you. Reactive targets are good for this.

 

[halvey]

I'd maybe get a single action .22 revolver that shoots shorts too. Very easy basic thing to understand. If they know how it works, I think thats a good starting point.

For the .410, remember to use 2.5" shells to start. I started with 3" shells and there is a felt difference for kids.

 

[MikeT11]

I started my kids off with BB guns. Dirt cheap (~$30 for a Daisy), cheap ammo, and if they do something stupid it's unlikely anything besides maybe a window would get hurt. I even used a CO2 pellet gun for they wanted to move to hand guns.

Other then that I did the same thing you thought of.

mt

P.S. the BB guns also come in handy for when they really want to go to the range and you just can't, plus the fact that I no longer have a opossum issue .

 

[DevilDog]

Safety... safety... safety...

 

[Bridger]

Question: Why start with .22 shorts and go to .22 LR? I can't tell any real difference between noise or recoil, and if anyone was troubled by the recoil from a .22 rifle, well...

 

[Smoke]

It's funny, before kids, you will have all sorts of plans. When you have them, the plans become modified.

Read the above statement. Now..read it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, ...you get the idea.

Teach safety first. Don't figure in a time table, some kids can handle firearms at 5 years of age...some can't at 15. Your kids will demonstrate when its time.

Don't force guns (or any activity) on them. They become burned out rather easily.

Good luck.

Smoke - father of 2.

 

[charby]

The first firearm I ever shot was at eight shortly after my dad bought a Colt Python. 8 yrs old and a shooting .38 special. Shortly afterwards I was downgraded to a k-22 and shot that quite a bit along side dad until I was a little older around 11 and then shot a lot more .38 and .357 with dad.

The first shotgun I shot was around 8 also, being the .410, by ten I was shooting light loads in one of grandpa's 12 guages. 13 I was given a 20 guage by my dad for my birthday and quickly went back to shooting my grandfathers winchester model 97 in 12 guage. I guess I just never liked the 20 guage.

My dad wasn't much of a rifle person, I shot a lot of .22 through a neigbors marlin my dad would borrow from time to time. So I can't really get into that one.

I don't have any kids, not quite sure if I ever will. But if I do I think I'll start them out when they are ready with the a .22LR revolver until they are big enough to comforably shoot larger calibers. Same with rifles .22lr. I think with a shotgun I'd .28 guage when you think the kid is ready for a firearm, i love the .410 but the .28 guage has a bigger pattern with similar recoil and get more positive results down range. Plus how cool would it be to have a .28 guage.

charby

 

[Bravo11]

Has anyone mentioned that before kids you have alot of plans.
Anyway the age thing really depends on your child and what they are ready to do. I took my daughter out to the range couple of years ago to shoot .22 scoped autoloader at 25 yards. She got really frustrated at not being able to see through the scope. You know how it is when your eye is not at the correct distance from scope. We shot a few times then left because I didn't want her to get a bad taste for shooting. You just have to go with the flow and make it all fun for them.

 

[GeneC]

Hello, two boys , 6 & 11. we started out with dry firing. I'm a safety officer with the IDPA, so I did this thing where every night after homework, chores and dinner, we'd be sitting around watching TV and if they could recite the 4 basic safety rules , I'd bring out my handguns and we'd sit there and 'shoot ' BG on TV. If one broke a safety rule, the gun'd be taken, much to their dismay. This went on for several months, 'til they asked to go to the range. So we did. EVERY time, before handling a gun, they must recite the rules of safety, if they break a rule, DQ for the day. I have a High standard .22, a 9mm, .357, and several .45. Surprising to me, the 6 yr old loves the .357 revolver, while the 11 yr old likes the .45 auto and they both love the AK.

 

[Brrlgrrl]

I most likely would’ve raised them the way I was raised, if I had ever given birth. However, since I have only experienced raising other people’s children, there have been some extra challenges.
This time around my SD was 16 and raised solely by her gun-owning father. We’ve now been together for over a year and it’s been relatively easy. She has no interest in firearms, but understands basic safety. I find it eerily similar to having no interest in the lawnmower, but understanding lawnmower safety. Or the dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, and toilet scrub brush, among other tools.
Yes, we raise our children to use tools properly and safely, it doesn’t mean they are interested in using them.
(Only slightly sarcastic in tone, but true.)
I do offer to take her to the range, but I think it interrupts her shopping time.

 

[Don Gwinn]

I wouldn't laugh at the 9mm. Marines and SEALs use those, and they're t3h d34d1y.

 

[Can'thavenuthingood]

Good plan, keep it flexible. Little ones do strange things to plans, planned events and good intentions.

Thought about the politics involved?

Like when the teachers teach things different from your thinking?
Or when teachers start asking your child about things that go bang around the house?

How about the family doctor and his/her staff?

The gun stuff is pretty straightforward.

Gotta keep it balanced.

Vick

 

[38SnubFan]

Can'thavenuthingood

I like your question about the political side of this.

I think the answer to this one is simple though: The doctors, teachers, etc. don't need to know. My children will be taught that the firearms in our home are not to be discussed with ANYONE outside of our home.

As far as teachers teaching their anti-gun prophecy to children, I think the best defense is to explain to your child why police officers carry guns, and that Mommy and Daddy carry and/or keep one in the home for the same reasons. I would also point out to my children that shooting guns is also an Olympic sport.

First and foremost, safety should be taught and practiced. Until they're old enough, if they see a gun they are to get Mom, Dad, a teacher, a police officer, or other responsible adult immediately and NEVER touch the gun.

Once they're old enough and responsible enough to handle a firearm, they should know how to check and unload the weapon.

I plan to teach firearms safety to my children as soon as they are old enough to understand, and take them shooting as soon as they're able to handle a firearm and can do so comfortably, and I think the methods that have been discussed in this thread are all good examples on how to do it, so I'd only be repeating everyone else to state my methods of doing it.

With what you stated so far FSCJedi, I think you'll be a great father when it comes to teaching your children about guns.

Sincerely,
Matthew Webb
Franklintown, PA