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How do you guys teach?

4K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  Hovannes 
#1 ·
So, I'm teaching my 12 year old twin nephews to handle guns...over several months I have been doing this a little at a time, before taking them to the range. I'll be taking them shortly at the end of the month. But I've been having them dissassemble, clean, and reassemble my Glock and M&P Shield. They also went to the range with their father once so they know the protocols of the range. With the exception of one of them getting slide bite off of my Uncle's Seekamp all went well. They have not shot any long guns yet, but I've been having them handle mine for the last couple of years, trying to instill the ideologies of muzzle awareness and the like and just getting them comfortable doing so. I plan to take them into the woods to do some dry-fire practice before actually taking them to the range. This got me thinking, how do you guys teach the younger members in your family to shoot?
 
#2 ·
I started my kids off at the age of 3. I started by letting them stand beside me and squeeze the trigger while I held and aimed it. That got them used to the sound and keeping their fingers away from the trigger until ready. Then I went with a 22 or 222 benched and let them do everything while I had my hand on the scope to make sure the gun didn't move. Then they got moved up to 243, then 308 and 8x57. My youngest son(almost 15) got 300 win mag youth loads at age 9. At 10 years old he was shooting full power loads. At 11 he was shooting full power 338 win mag loads.
 
#4 ·
By example, osmosis and assimilation. My boys suffered from a "drug" problem in that I "drug them along with me" about everywhere. I let them become part of the process along with several of the things you mentioned. By the time they were both 5 they were shooting 22's pretty good and helping me load. Children, being generally blessed with that curiosity of mind, they were learning and they didn't realize it.

There is the difference you alluded to. They were my kids so presence was pretty much constant and I didn't have to seek permission.
 
#5 ·
I started taking my boy when he was only 5
At that age you cannot expect them to have enough attention span to stay very long at at
Our first visits to the range were only 30-45 minutes as I recall
If you force them to stay past the point of their span of interest, you can make it a bad experience for them and they won't want to come the next time
 
#6 · (Edited)
I started off when they were very young, cleaning and handling the firearms as though they're always loaded.
My worse case scenario was my kids visiting another kids house and finding a loaded weapon (mine were locked up) I wanted my kid to NOT be curious and TELL SOMEONE that the gun was out in the open, or found.

From there, yearly cleaning with kids, more instruction, and eventually at 10 they attended hunter's education for their respective age.

This photo was taken on a very hot summer day (before we had A/C in the house)

Room Musical instrument
 
#7 ·
My son didn't start shooting until he was about 10. I got him a 10/22 and a 243 bolt gun before he graduated high school and gave him a Thompson Contender with both a rifle and a pistol barrel as well as a Taurus PT99. He sold the 243 to buy a Ruger O/U shotgun. But by the time he was 20 that pretty much stopped any more gunnery for him until he was into his 40's. Motorcycling off road racing totally consumed him (another of my introductions).

Recently he asked for a birthday gift of a Ruger American in 308 and we have gone shooting together several times. Time limits this because of his busy life. But he now wants to go shooting.

I have taught several young people to shoot. Teenagers follow directions well and only need a little guidance once they understand gun handling and safety rules. Younger kids need total supervision. When teaching them do not plan on shooting yourself. Whenever they are handling the gun be there hovering over them. They often forget to follow the rules so be there to make sure they do. Reinforcing those rules should not be yelling. Be aware of their every move to stop any unsafe maneuver by them.

LDBennett
 
#10 ·
Child Play
My kids and now my grandkids work their way up depending on what they show me that they are capable of. BB guns, then pellet, and eventually a single shot 22. After that they can choose their own direction. First and foremost is Safety and safe handling. Of whatever they are using.

My 8 yr old grandson is in 4H shooting sports right now doing air pellet pistol, air pellet rifle and archery. He has helped a little in the reloading room too but mostly depriming. :)

I'm not ready to let him clean my guns though...;)
 
#12 ·
Lots of good ideas here But as an instructor I cannot stress strongly enough the idea of formal classes Most of you have experience teaching older family members and then giving up and turning them over to an experienced friend or a certified instructor because they listen better to someone not so close. My wife who is an novice shooter will be taking a basic pistol at the range where I teach but with another instructor besides myself She will listen better.
 
#15 ·
That is entirely up to their father. I can only influence his decisions in those matters so much. All I know is that he's done little to teach them and there are three firearms in the house. The home has experienced a negligent discharge due to lack of knowledge, so I am inclined to do what I can.
 
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#16 ·
I've gained an entirely new interest in this thread. In the next few weeks, I will be taking my amazing, wonderful, and still to this day surprising wife to the range for some one on one with my pistol. I've worked to impress upon her the importance of gun safety, and the mechanics of gun safety. I'm also hoarding some ammo so she can really get into it. (so I can too!) So, any suggestions.
 
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#20 ·
Be patient with her! I did that with my amazing wife several years ago. I was pretty nervous about being too pushy. I had already taught her gun safety so she stepped up and aimed like I taught her and shot 80% on her first time. Any time she wasn't sure she just asked what she needed to know. Let her be herself, it will go perfectly. And you'll love it. Let her see your confidence.
 
#17 ·
I started my son off at about 13. Unfortunate circumstance, my Dad passed in 2009 when my son was 13, and left my Grandpa's Savage Model 29B pump action .22 to him. I used it to teach my son to shoot. Taught him gun safety, discipline and handling then we went shooting and he took right to it. When he was about 15 he shot my FIL's scoped 270 Winchester and he hit in the 10 circle of a sight-in target 3 times straight. It was awesome, woot woot! Talk about a dad with a pumped up chest, man I was proud.
 
#19 ·
I taught my two Grandsons to shoot. We also let them pull the trigger while we held them. At 4 I bought my oldest grandson a Keystone Firearms Cricket. He saw my 30-06 combo and asked what the scope was, I told him it was to help me aim, he said "I want a aimer on mine". So I put a cheap Bushnell on it. When the second grandson turned 3 a LGS had a tax free weekend so I bought another Cricket with a aimer.
I learned to train shooters in the military on the firing range, and I use those methods when I teach someone else to shoot. Haven't had any problems yet, can't learn the safe handling you can't shoot my guns.
 
#21 ·
I taught my son "gun Safety" The first lesson was do not point it at anything you don't want to destroy (Muzzle control) I shot a pumpkin with a 338 win mag that got his attention. Then we went over and over on checking for a loaded weapon, including the seven different styles of actions on handguns and rifles. i.e. Auto, revolver, pump, break, single shot, lever, bolt. when I felt confident that he knew how to '"Open up a action" and inspect it we moved on to all the different safety's i.e. cross bolt, tang, mauser etc. I showed him grandmas refrigerator that had a hole in it because of a jammed bullet in the tube feed 22 lr. :eek:
 
#24 ·
I have worked a little with my nephew. He's a slow learner because he wont pay attention, so he doesnt get to shoot much. Doesnt help that I dont get to see him much. I let him shoot my buckmark, but his hands didnt fit it well, so I kept my hands on it the whole time.

I like to do the pumpkin or water jug with a larger caliber rifle to impress upon kids how serious it can be and have them recite the 4 cardinal safety rules we are taught and have to recite at work. It is easy enough for them to remember if you use the acronym TANK.

T - Treat every weapon as if it is loaded.
A - Always know your target, surroundings, and beyond
N - Never muzzle anything you are not willing to destroy
K - Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to fire.

If they understand those and get a little reinforcement every time, all should be good and you can focus on having fun.
 
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#25 ·
I started my kids shooting as soon as they could stand up on their own. Stood them on the hood of the car, and I held the gun, they pulled the trigger. Usually shot at the dump where there were a lot of bottles to shoot. They saw what a gun could do right off. My daughter doesn't shoot all that much, but my two boys still do. We've been teaching my two grandsons since last year, they are now 4, and 5 years old.
Table Fun Soil Furniture Sitting

Farrin who is 4, looks like he'll be a lefty!

Table

Quill who is 5. They have shot .22 pistols, and rifles, one bullet at a time. I will be buying both of the boys a Cricket the first of the month. And they have both shot the AK. They don't like the recoil from that rifle, but do like to shoot the AR.
 
#28 ·
When you got started or when you got your first one.
Well I got my first gun when I was about 7 (I have the receipt to it some place. My dad bought me a Winchester 9422. But before that I was allowed to handle our guns when he was around, on Sunday afternoons when they got back from the shooting range, when Starsky and Hutch were on, Adam 12, Beretta. You are probably asking yourself about this time, this kid was 5/6 touching real guns? My parents did not believe in a child to have a fake gun like the old cap guns or squirt gun, it was the real deal or nothing. Its not like I could go outside and run around the house, it was under direct supervision. When I was done touching them they all went back in the gun closet and it got locked up. My dad was the only one who had a key. To me and my brother there was no mystery about guns or curiosity we knew what they were and what they could do.
 
#29 ·
In recent years I've started requiring (most of) my students to memorize, 'Cooper's Four Basic Rules Of Firearm Safety' BEFORE I let them begin to handle guns.

JEFF COOPER'S FOUR BASIC RULES OF FIREARM SAFETY

1. The gun is ALWAYS loaded!

2. Never allow the muzzle to point at - or, even, so much as sweep across - ANYTHING you are unwilling to see destroyed!

3. Never put your finger inside the trigger guard until AFTER you have made a conscious decision to fire!

4. CLEARLY identify your target, the target's backstop, and what is beyond!

+

5. Finally, the frequently unstated fifth rule: NEVER play with a gun - Never!

Don't embellish these rules. They are what they are for good reasons! In order for any firearm safety rule to become truly effective it must stop being just a rule, and become a PROFOUND PERSONAL HABIT, instead.

For novices and young children I might add a few other precautions like:

6. Never point the muzzle anywhere except downrange at the targets.

7. Never turn around with a gun in your hands.

8. Never, for any reason, (like a jam or misfire) turn the muzzle to either side of the firing line.

9. When you're finished shooting, put the safety back on; and always return the gun to the shooting bench with the: magazine out, action open, and breech-side showing.

10. Never touch a gun, or handle ammunition while someone is downrange at the targets.

11. Always stand behind the shooter, and on his gun-hand side. No rapid, or prolonged continuous fire.

12. If you are an Instructor always make sure to stand on the student's strong hand or, 'gun' side. 'Why'? Because a novice shooter's muzzle tends to break, or climb towards his support hand or, 'weak' side. (Which is where you don't want to ever be while the gun is firing, OK!)

NOTES:

A novice right-handed shooter will, also, tend to break shots towards the weakest part of his grasping hand: i.e., To his lefthand side. (Fired bullets will tend to hit the target at between 9:00 and 6:00 o'clock.)

On a public firing line never stand on the lefthand side of the line. 'Why'? Because the first thing a right-handed jerk shooter will do when his gun jams is to turn the muzzle of his loaded weapon towards the lefthand side of the firing line. (Where the other idiots are already standing!)

About two years ago, now, I was standing behind a public firing line watching everyone shoot. A large family group was there; and grandpa had (very thoughtfully) supplied the entire group with: guns, ammo, safety glasses, and ear muffs. (Which told me that the old man was seriously into guns!)

A tall very pretty young lady walked up to the bench, was handed a 1911 pattern pistol by one of her male admirers, and promptly aimed at the targets. Her first shot hit dead center! Delighted she spun around with that 1911 still in a two-handed firing grip, and pointed the muzzle of that fully charged pistol exactly at the middle of my face while she jumped up and down screaming, 'I got it!' 'I got it!'

Man - not to exaggerate, but - I saw my whole life flash before my eyes! That was the first time in my entire long life that I felt like I wanted to kill a beautiful young woman! (Usually, I have something else in mind!)

Fortunately for me one of her boyfriends saw what she was doing; and, very quietly, told her, 'not to move a muscle' as he gently reached underneath her arms and lifted her hands and that C-0 pistol up into the air! Then he put his hands on her shoulders, applied a little pressure, turned her around, and pointed the muzzle back at the targets!

What, the hell, was grandpa thinking? He knew, 'guns'. He had given everybody: a gun, ammo, safety glasses, and ear muffs; but, at the same time, he completely ignored telling anyone in the group a single word about GUN SAFETY!

That was it for me; I was completely done for the day. I immediately picked up my range bag, put it back into the trunk, and went home to see another genuinely attractive (but older) woman I, also, know.
 
#30 ·
We start them out on bb-guns, teach them the safety rules, respect for the gun, each other, animals, and property.

They can shoot on the range if they want, but being country folk, they need to know the 3 dimensional aspect, as well as the range rules; so they can shoot anywhere on the property. They need to know proper muzzle discipline in the field when hunting; and in other environments, as when defending themselves.
To us, guns are tools, to gather food and protect ourselves; not simply range entertainment.

Then, when they deem themselves ready to shoot actual firearms, they have a good idea of what to not do.

Every kid that comes down regularly, has their own bb gun. They don't need to ask to use them, and no one has put an eye out yet.
 
#31 ·
I got to shoot my first time at age 7. A .22 rifle... I was hooked into "The Gun Culture" right then and there. Dad bought me my own .22 bolt tube-fed Mossberg when I turned 12 and pestered him enuff... I worked it off which was probably good training for other things in life. At 13 we did the same with a bolt-action 12 ga Mossberg.. It wasnt exactly on my "cool to have" list but it, like the .22, served the purpose and I still have both of them 50-odd years later. Along with a few others of course, including Dad's firearms... Basically I grew up around firearms and learned to carry early on and while my early "training" was somewhat ad hoc and done mostly in the field by Dad and uncles.. it was effective and covered the basics of safety, care/cleaning and carrying for hunting or defensive purposes. Dunno if people are "born" firearms enthusiasts, but I sure took to it like a seal to water. It's been a life-long process, really, learning about firearms, types, uses, history etc etc. My one unfulfilled dream has been- working in a sho-nuff gun store... what with one thing and another it just never came about...
 
#32 ·
I started mine off super early and we'd play games about the safety rules. We'd do safety drills pick up the weapon eject the Mag clear the chamber over over and then again. Had them draw proper and correct sight pictures. Bought them the guns they asked for with in reason. Made them tear down and put arms back together. They have done good my ten year old is making 600m consistently and my 7 yo his dead on at 400m
 
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