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OK,
So my son is almost 4. He absolutely loves to play with my Kimber. He actually threw all of his toy guns in the trash so I would give him mine.

I want to give him the opportunity to do some shooting. My pistol will scare the crap out of him and he does not yet posses the strength or dexterity to operate it safely.

So I am thinking rifle to start teaching him safety practices, range ettiquite(sp?) and the very basics of marksmanship. Am I on the right path? Can anyone recommend some rifles I can start looking at? I would prefer a higher quality piece, something that I can shoot with my grandkids one day in the future. You know, the first family heirloom that will get handed down...

Ruger 10/22 is a gun that can definitely be enjoyed for years and through many skill levels......it is likely a bit long for your 4 year old.

You might want to look at the "chipmunk" 22 rifles......they are nice little guns and not terribly expensive.
Jason

Four seems young to me, but that is an individual judgement.

What's wrong with starting him out with a Red Ryder?

Most of my generation started out with air rifles.

Is the chipmunk anything like a cricket?

jbirds1210 wrote:Ruger 10/22 is a gun that can definitely be enjoyed for years and through many skill levels......it is likely a bit long for your 4 year old.

You might want to look at the "chipmunk" 22 rifles......they are nice little guns and not terribly expensive.
Jason

Quite honestly, Since I was a child, I always found air rifles, "not as much fun" as a firearm... If 4 is to young, when would you start yours?

Mike1951 wrote:Four seems young to me, but that is an individual judgement.

What's wrong with starting him out with a Red Ryder?

Most of my generation started out with air rifles.

Since I am thinking more about your input, what is wrong with nto starting him with a red ryder? :-D

Mike1951 wrote:Four seems young to me, but that is an individual judgement.

What's wrong with starting him out with a Red Ryder?

Most of my generation started out with air rifles.

+1 on the air rifles.

I know that Airsoft guns have the slide-reciprocating action also, though they are sized identically to regular handguns.

I was also going to float the idea of cap guns, but I am not sure if I like the fact that there is no consequence to the trigger pull besides the noise and little puff of smoke.

Get them accustomed to wearing safety googles/glasses young (maybe even little earmuffs, too), have them review the four safety rules before shooting, and have them develop good foundational habits from the beginning.

JM2CW, take it or leave it.

I grew up in a family where guns were present, but no one really an active shooter.

I got my first air rifle at 6 and had to be content with air rifles till 12, when I got a hand me down 12ga. It was another 4 years before I ever got a .22.

Just how I was raised, I guess.

The first firearm I shot was a .22 rifle. It's difficult for a small child to shoot himself with a rifle. The barrel is too long, and you can grab it if the child loses control. Bolt and lever-actions are also safer than semi-automatics for obvious reasons.

Another advantage of rifles is that it is easier to shoot them accurately, and less frustrating than handguns.

- Jim

He threw all his cap guns and water guns in the TRASH!!! lol

He already has his own glasses and wee little earmuffs. We are doing the 4 rules in my lap when he is playing with the Kimber.

yerasimos wrote:+1 on the air rifles.

I know that Airsoft guns have the slide-reciprocating action also, though they are sized identically to regular handguns.

I was also going to float the idea of cap guns, but I am not sure if I like the fact that there is no consequence to the trigger pull besides the noise and little puff of smoke.

Get them accustomed to wearing safety googles/glasses young (maybe even little earmuffs, too), have them review the four safety rules before shooting, and have them develop good foundational habits from the beginning.

JM2CW, take it or leave it.

EXACTLY!!!

I also like the pause to do something other then pull the trigger again with a lever action. Although I think if I go this direction, I will go bolt action, I can see too much of an opportunity for him to swing the rifle around to try to work a lever. I was looking at a single shot today, I definetely want something with a number of rounds in it, he will get bored otherwise...

seamusTX wrote:The first firearm I shot was a .22 rifle. It's difficult for a small child to shoot himself with a rifle. The barrel is too long, and you can grab it if the child loses control. Bolt and lever-actions are also safer than semi-automatics for obvious reasons.

- Jim

IMOP, 4 years old is too young to be shooting.

It is an excellent age for a child to "tag along" and to observe others, but I would not let a 4 yr. old handle a firearm of any type. It is something they need to work up to.

It is imperative that a child first understand that a gun is not a toy...and that the utmost care must be exercised at all times to be safe.

Rare is the child under 6-7 years of age.... that is capable of the abstract thought necessary to be safe with a firearm.

I am the first to encourage kids to learn about the shooting sports and outdoorsmanship, but participation is first limited to observation and learning, until I am satisfied that they can follow instructions without fail.

The actual shooting part....is the culmination of having studied and learned safe gun handling practices. It happens last, not first.

Its your call of course, but I strongly believe that 4 or 5 yrs. old is just too young.

Then how do I tell him, "No, you have to go to the babysitter while daddy goes and had fun..." That is the hard part...

Truth is, I don't see how you can do any shooting if just you and he go to the range. Are you going to lock him in your vehicle after he quickly loses interest?

The attention span of a 4 year old is SHORT!

You can't watch out for him while you are shooting.

BrassMonkey wrote:Then how do I tell him, "No, you have to go to the babysitter while daddy goes and had fun..." That is the hard part...

Don't tell him you are going to the range.

With a BB or pellet rifle, you can teach safe gun handling and basic marksmanship skills in the comfort of your garage or back yard. When I lived in a small apartment we were still able to figure out a way to set up a 50 ft. range.

After he gets comfortable with the air gun, then he can tag along to watch at the range and learn how to disassemble/clean the firearms. At some point, you will hopefully get comfortable with his level of maturity/demonstrated responsibility and then he moves up to a .22 and later the larger firearms.

As a point of reference, most boys learn how to air up the tires, fill the tank and possibly even change the oil on the family car many years before they ever get a license and a set of their own keys.