Finding training for a young'en

[Stradawhovious]

I am befriending a younger kid (well, his mother actually.....) who doesn't have any real male presence at the moment. Hi mom gave me the go ahead to start getting him into firearms safety, and to the range, as he has expressed an interest in it.

Any advice from the instructors here as to where to start? He is 11 years old, and has already been told that he has to pass a very basic "safety test" to even start with any training.

[DeanC]

He's 11. He's old enough to take DNR Firearm Safety.

[princewally]

I recommend shooting somewhere with no distraction. Shooting fun stuff somewhere that allows shooting fun stuff. Charcoal briquets, lollipops, full pop cans. Cheap and reactive is great.

Don't expect to be there more than half an hour. Don't give him a chance to get bored or tired. Leave while he's still having a great time, so he'll want to come back for more.

[Vlad]

Make sure that the guns fit him OK and that the recoil will not toss him about. Anything in my safe is open to you Strad.

[Belgiboy]

I go to Bills with Ellie, BPR is a little skittish when it comes to younger kids with handguns. I let her pick one of their many targets and for some reason she always chooses to shoot the snot out of Osama Bin Laden with her little P22. I wouldn't call it training what we do, it is more like familiarisation and putting Col Coopers 4 rules into practice. Always keep it fun with youg'ens.

[Stradawhovious]

Make sure that the guns fit him OK and that the recoil will not toss him about. Anything in my safe is open to you Strad.

I knew I could count on you. Besides, you'll be invited to the range with us if you're not too busy........

[Vlad]

Make sure that the guns fit him OK and that the recoil will not toss him about. Anything in my safe is open to you Strad.

I knew I could count on you. Besides, you'll be invited to the range with us if you're not too busy........

SWEET!!!

[1911fan]

I would suggest the DNR program as well, he needs to be 12 to get his cert, but I think they can take it before if they have a companion. Someone who knows will post there.

this does a few things, one, because its a group thing there is the added pressure of peers to keep them on task, and to keep them interested.

two, (this may be tough) it gives him something else besides you to tie guns to. If you and his mom don't work out, then he still has a social aspect to tie it to.

Three, they have a set and well defined program as well as a good track record for teaching safety.

[DeanC]

Someone who knows will post here.

He's 11. He's old enough to take DNR Firearm Safety.

[hammAR]

Someone who knows will post here.

He's 11. He's old enough to take DNR Firearm Safety.

+1............for sure..........

[lenny7]

First go over the safety rules, of course. It sounds like you have that covered. Until I'm very comfortable that my kids knew them as second nature, we'd go over them before every session.

I'd start with an air rifle or BB gun. All training concepts can be covered using one, it's cheap, it's quiet, and you might have the room in your basement to shoot.

When I started out my boys shooting BBs in the basement, I used a box with 3 of the flaps taped up. Then I put several pieces of cardboard against the back flap (middle flap), pushed in a box nail and hung clay targets on them to get a reactive target as suggested above. Behind it all I hung a carpet remnant to catch an strays. The box catches the fragments and most of the BBs.

If you use an air rifle, you can get a pellet trap for $20 or so. I got one from Walmart and it came with a few steel silhouettes hanging from a bar.

When we shoot outside I hang pop cans from a string. They're big targets and make noise when you hit them. By hanging them on a string, you don't have to set them back up, though there is an inherent satisfaction in knocking over a can.

Start with the prone position. It's the most accurate. Get them close enough to ensure success.

Do not allow any friends to watch. You want no distractions.

One tip I got from my brother that I think is a good idea, is when you take a kid shooting, never bring any calibers larger than what he'll shoot. The idea is that you don't want him thinking you get to shoot the cool stuff while he just shoots the toys. When we go to BPR to shoot his .22, I don't bring my centerfire rifles. It's all about him and what he's shooting.

[lenny7]

I would suggest the DNR program as well, he needs to be 12 to get his cert, but I think they can take it before if they have a companion. Someone who knows will post there.

You can take the firearms safety course when you're 11, but you certificate doesn't come into effect until your 12. The DNR website will have a calendar of all available classes, but you might find them hard to come by this time of year.

While it's a great course, there's no reason to wait for him to take it to begin training. My son had been hunting with me 3 or 4 times before he took the course.

[Squib Joe]

Don't be shy about asking to use the quiet side of the range if possible, or come in when you can be by yourself (weekday mornings, etc). Let me know if you need anything as well

[1911fan]

Someone who knows will post here.

He's 11. He's old enough to take DNR Firearm Safety.

I had opened several windows, and by the time I got to this topic, you had posted, but It was not in my window. I was not doubting you. sorry

[ttousi]

long gun familiar and proficient before handgun..........