When do I give my oldest his first gun?
Warbirds
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How do I know if its time to buy my oldest his first gun?
For context in my safe, one day my kids will each be well armed.
I take shooting seriously, I have had the good fortune of teaching my boys to shoot using the same single shot 22 that my Dad bought and used to teach my brothers to shoot with.
I still have that little rifle. In my safe today, I already have a rifle, shotgun and pistol for each of my boys, but I haven’t given one of my kids their own firearm yet.
So thinking maybe this Christmas is the year to give the gift of a weapon, formally.
I think my boys are level headed, safe and intelligent kids- So I will ask what is the right age to “give” a kid their first gun?
the caveat being, I know I am among the most hardcore shooters and I want my kids to shoot for their own enjoyment, not because I force it on them.
Comments
Physical age is not really the point. Maturity, responsibility & trust are more important factors.
I bought both sons a bb gun very early on and safety training then gave them both a ruger 10-22 when they were around 12 or 13 years old but they access to one any time just like I had as a kid . They were shooting with me from the time they could hold a gun
Every kid is different age is a factor but how they respect what a gun is capable of is also important to consider and taught and hammered home safety
It's one thing to "give" your child their first gun, so it's really theirs and theirs alone. It's another thing entirely to "give" it to them so it lives in their closet and they decide when to take it out shooting.
BB guns is a great way to start. "Give" it to them so it's theirs and it lives in their closet and they decide when to take it out shooting, then observe how they do that. How they handle it when they don't think you're looking is what matters. That tells you when they're ready for something more potent.
Then, give them chores to earn their .22 ammo. There's a whole 'nother bunch of lessons to be learned there.
A good friend of mine gives each one of his grandchildren a Henry Golden Boy on their first birthday. He didn't realize kids were going to be quite so prolific. He's purchased 12 of them so far.
I got my first firearm the day I was born- really. Single shot H&R .410. (Thanx, Grandad!)
As said, no one magic age- depends on the maturity of the kid. I know some 45 year olds that should not be allowed out without a keeper. Our kids- at around 10-12 years old had a gun that was theirs, and lived in THEIR closet. But they had been shooting with me for a few years by then.
Have been privileged to spoil grandkids, including teaching them to shoot, and follow their parents advice on gifting guns to grandkids. If I make it thru another year or too, plan to start corrupting our great grandkids.
got my 22 at 12
Give it to them after you have let them shoot it and handled the firearm safely .
I've raised a truck load of boys. Give him one when your ready for him to have it. There is no set age.
None asked for advice:
Safety is important we know that so that's not the advice.
This is: Keep it fun. Guns are serious but if he isn't enjoying it he won't keep it up.
You probably already done this but check eye dominance. I've started more than one right handed youngster shooting left handed because they were left eye dominant. They do just fine especially if they haven't shot before.
I've never been a part of a gun club or programs. But I have started dozens of kids shooting, I enjoy it and have several guns just for that purpose.
,,,I tihnk age does matter to a degree...a 9 year old is not as capable of reasoning, staying focused, as a 16 year old, not saying that at 16 everyone is... my Dad bought me a Berretta .410 when I was 5...TOO YOUNG! Obviously there are some "grown" men that should NEVER be around a firearm...everyone is different...
My son grew up knowing guns in the safe were his from the moment he could pull the trigger on anything.
He got old enough to load and keep things pointed down range without a lot of instruction pretty quickly even when he was really young, but we still kept his guns in our safe until he was around 16. When he was as young as 9 he could come and ask us for them and take them out back to shoot whenever he wanted, but they weren't in "his room" where all the idiot friends of his could get their hands on them. He got grounded for shooting birds off of our bird feeder with his CZ around 10 years old.
He graduated high school and was working when he finally asked to keep his guns in his room....and I let him, but kept finding loaded mags in guns so I'd take them back away from him because that was my only rule (they couldn't be loaded in his room.) He shot the house one day with an "unloaded" gun and we took it all away from him again.
My son lives on his own now and has all of his guns at his house. Being old enough and responsible enough isn't really something that just happens or stays a certain way once they reach that level.....its a constant thing you work on until they are adults and even then you'll find yourself asking them questions about how careful they are being.
Something only you can answer. Every young person could be different in showing responsibility.
My boys wanted BB guns at an early age, Nope, when you get old enough or careful enough you will get the real deal.
I think they were about 15 when that happened. Boy did the ever become deadly accurate with a bow and arrow at a young age😲.
Think the oldest received a M-700, 7mm magnum and youngest a Special field 20 gauge.
Both have a motto, if is brown it is down and if it flies it dies. Pretty good at it to. They are close to 50 years old.
As said above every child is different......
Each son’s first range trip was around at age 4......At that time they were able to sit in a little lawn chair and watch. I made a big deal out of buying them a pair of their own ear protection and safety glasses before the trip. On the first trip I sat them in a chair and shot a 2 litter bottle of colored water with a .44 Mag. They were surprised at the sight and that was when we had our first real discussion about the fact that guns are NOT toys and safety is very important at a level they could grasp....
Then it was their turn....we would shoot their sling shots, nerf guns, and their first bows as they got older. We did this many times as they grew older. I would shoot something while they watched from their little chairs and then it was their turn. We moved on to BB guns and bows generally in the early years...
At age 7 or so each son shot a .22 for the first time. By then we had gone over safety rules at each outing....I cut down the stock of a Ruger 10/22 so it fit them....I also built a small frame that kept them from aiming too high or to the left or right...We started with one round, load and use safety and fire....moved on to two rounds the next trip all the way to 10...focus on safety, sighting etc.
As they were strong enough and were following safety rules, we added .22 revolvers and a .410 shotgun.....These items were all kept in the safe but they knew we could get them out and look at them whenever they wished...As their skills and maturity allowed they fired different rifles and handguns..
The Christmas nearest their 13th birthdays, they received their first rifle, a Ruger 10/22....They each received a 20 ga. 870 youth model when they were ready to deer hunt with me, later upgraded to a 12 ga when they were able to move from a youth gun to a full size shotgun. At age 21 I bought them their first handgun.
All of these firearms were kept in my safe due to the climate of how things were in Illinois where we lived....they were both in College when they received the handguns so those remained with me until they graduated and moved into their own places...
They can both outshoot me most of the time now....I likely took it more slowly than necessary but it worked out well for us...
My son was 11...his rifle stays in my safe...he is currently 12.
Had one just like that. Got it for Christmas one year. From Sears and Roebuck. Sure had great times with it.
whenever YOU want, thats why you are the DAD......
I think you can give it to them at any point they will respond with glee to the gift, just advise them that until they demonstrate responsibility with it, that its use will be only under your supervision and guidance. If they are good kids they will understand that. If they aren't or don't, well, I guess your supervision extends for a longer period of time. :)
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
😀