I want to take the kids shooting.

You know; firing range, guns, gun safety, blowing holes in things, stuff like that. They're 14 and 13 (still kids?), so there's some sense of maturity there. Any tips?

Besides saying, "ARE YOU berkeleyING NUTS!?!?!?!", I got nothing besides small calibers don't hurt as bad.

Good, do it!!! Just have more sane adults than kids who are preaching the rules and are there to correct them quickly.

Good luck!

Start with a ruger 77/22. Go up to a larger caliber bolt or lever action rifle after learnin' them the basics of gun safety. Wait a couple of years before going to semi-auto rifles and eventually handguns.

Shotguns and trap/skeet are good for those young teens as well, it is how i started.

My kids were both shooting 22s by 4 yrs old (with me holding the gun). My daughter shot her first 12ga at 9 and did quite well. I had my very own .410 when I was 9 and had my own 12ga pump by age 12. Both of them I kept in my own room with the ammo. My dad expected me to be responsible, and I was, and nothing bad ever happened. If you gave a 9 yr old their own shotgun today, I think the media's heads would explode

"Accidental shootings" occur when people don't know what they're doing. Good on you for teaching the kids. Nothing drives home the point of "This thing will berkeleying kill you" like the first time you shoot a 12 gauge...or the first time you get the E36 M3 smacked out of you for pointing a gun at someone without intending to kill them.

Make them take a GOOD range safety class. Take it WITH them, just to show them that you're serious about it and that you can never have too much safety education when dealing with weapons.

Then take them to the range.

Safety before you go. No horsing around, this is the real thing.

I had my step grand kids (10, 13) up here and let them shoot the single shot bolt action 22. First gun they shot. Criminal, as they are from Texas, but now they're broke in. They wanted to shoot the AK, but I told them hey had to be able to lift and aim it safely and work the controls first.

When 4H teaches kids to shoot trap here, they give them a single shell, right before they are going to use it. All the kids have to point the gun up into the air, and not bring the muzzle downward until they have oriented themselves towards the target area....this prevents accidentally sweeping the muzzle across people.

Also, and I'm sure you know this, but they should be able to recite Cooper's rules back to you.

All guns are always loaded.  
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.  
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.  
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

My dad taught me to shoot when I was 10, and somehow I've survived. Seriously, teach them to respect a firearm and everyone will be okay. The rules posted immediately above are right on.

In my opinion, everyone in this country should know how to handle a gun, if for no other reason than to learn what to do should they come across one by accident. That should be taught in schools, but that will never happen.

So far this year, I've taught three adults who have never so much as held a gun to shoot safely. No problems yet.

Coopers rules rules. I learned to shoot when I could hold a rifle up. Single-shot, bolt action .22 that belonged to my grandfather and passed on to my dad. It's now in my gun case along with the Marlin 30-30 lever action and M1 Carbine I also shot as a kid. Proper training and respect taught early can go a long ways. SWMBO wouldn't let me teach our daughters until they were old enough to drive and they turn their nose up at .22's. Keep telling them they're fun, easy and cheap to shoot.

JtspellS wrote: Shotguns and trap/skeet are good for those young teens as well, it is how i started.

I've had a bit of a panic, in that the local gun shop just had the owner of 40 years retire and close the place down. The state of MS, however, has opened up via the MS Dept of Fisheries, Wildlife and Parks, the Turcotte Shooting Range. Bonus? Shotgun classes.

The downside to this is there isn't a good public range. Hm.

Hunter Safety course, first.

My dad taught me when I was 9 or 10. He was in the National Guard, so we could use the indoor range. He gave me all the saftey pointers and fired off a few shots to let me see and get comfortable around a gun. Then it was my turn. We used a .22 rifle. It was a great time. Good luck and be safe!

Much like introducing kids to cars, best to do it in a controlled, safe environment with your help and support like Auto-X . They may go out and experiment in Mom's car on an empty soccer field.

Show them the correct and safe way to shoot. There's a lot to learn but it's also rewarding and has a social component to it.

Locally, three kids (9 - 13) have died in the last two years playing with Daddy's gun alone in a bedroom. Please take this opportunity to quell their curiosity.

Dan

Lots of good advice, the only thing I can add would be to try to go on a day (or time of day) when the range would be "less busy". (or if the range has a private bay, that would be even better). It's easier to keep their attention with less going on around them.

be safe and have fun!

My druthers are to start in the back field of a friend or families place. Teach and practice the basics of handling ans safety in a low stress environment.

I don't care for shooting and many public ranges myself. Populated with squirrels and egos. Doesn't make for a good learning environment or for pleasant experiences.

Private ranges can be better, depends entirely on the people that own and run it. But it's also going to have many more people, creating distractions.

foxtrapper wrote: My druthers are to start in the back field of a friend or families place. Teach and practice the basics of handling ans safety in a low stress environment. I don't care for shooting and many public ranges myself. Populated with squirrels and egos. Doesn't make for a good learning environment or for pleasant experiences. Private ranges can be better, depends entirely on the people that own and run it. But it's also going to have many more people, creating distractions.

I have to agree with that. I don't have kids, so my advice is pointless, but IMO you waited way too long.

This is a lesson I learned when I was 4 or 5. We went out back and set up a watermelon. I sat beside my dad as he shot it with a .357 Ruger Blackhawk. That thing exploded into a bajillion pieces. Dad took out his earplugs, set the gun down and said to me "go put it back together". Straight face, perfectly serious. ME, being 4or 5 looked at him like he had 5 heads. I finally said " I can't, it exploded." That's when he hit me with lesson #1. you can't put that bullet back in the barrel once you pull the trigger. NEVER point a gun unless you intend to destroy whatever you are aiming it at.

I'm 36 now. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

no input beyond that I know several local indoor gun ranges around here will host kids b-day parties... teach them to shoot safely and yadda yadda... I thought it was pretty kewl... but I am in TX

I need to bring my kids out at some point... I'd much rather them know how to treat a firearm... its one thing to shoot something on a video game (even Lego games) vs a real one haha

Airsoft to BB guns to .22 caliber.

DO NOT start with this:

I made my kids learn how to load, clear, break down and clean the rifle before we left the house. I'm not sure if this was necessary for safety - but they get an idea of how it works and what the moving parts do (plus, I hate cleaning guns so damn it if I'm going to clean someone elses mess :) ) While at it I drilled all the safety points into them. The first time we went - we used a single shot .22 and I kept the ammo in my pocket. Lots of "Where is that barrel supposed to be pointing", "Where is the safety set right now" and "get your goddamn finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot". Your kids are 5-6 yrs older than mine were so... maybe not quite as trying on the patience.

I'm with the wack. Have them learn to break it down and build it back up. It's good to understand the mechanics. They'll also be able to help clean as well.

As for me, it's off top the range to qualify with the .38.

My fiance spent several summers teaching young girls how to shot (under-10 with BB guns and over with .22s) at a summer camp. I say go for it. It could save their lives.