Getting a kid started

[TheVisorGuy]

My 6 year old nephew is starting to get the itch. He wants to shoot a deer but I've explained to him that he needs to learn how to shoot and all that kind of stuff. Long story short, I let him shoot my gamo air rifle today but between the eye relief being too much for him and the gun being overall too long for him, saying it was awkward would be an understatement.

What weapons / technique should I proceed with? Maybe the gamo is the best thing, I don't know. I've never thought a kid to shoot because mine are 22 months and 11 weeks old. I want to help him I just want to make sure I do it in a way that's is going to be effective and fun for him.


Ps his dad is scared to death of guns

Thanks in advance

[DoubleSprig]

Red Ryder.

[Cdnredneck]

Youth model red rider from Walmart because its cheap and will fit little kids. Get some cheap diet drinks and targets mix them up and let the kids have some fun first blowing things up and hitting targets. Go over safety fundamentals first and treat it like the real thing. That's what I did mine. Plenty of time later on for things that go bang.

[cajunwannabe]

Red Ryder.

Yep.

[bigtimeduckhunter]

The Red Ryder "Buck" model. It is the smaller of the red Ryder models.

[GreenHeadRocker]

Ps his dad is scared to death of guns

First you need to kick his dad in the twat.

[billyjack]

I got my 6 yo a Savage Rascal .22 to learn. Single shot. It will take .22 short if you want to keep it tame and quiet for him. Good rifle and good fit. The sights are great but a bit of a pain to adjust. Think the synthetic stock runs ~$150.

[billyjack]

Biggest problem I have is getting him situated to shoot so he isn't always trying to adjust his body and getting worn out holding his position. Benches at club are too big and I've had to try to rig up a rest on the fly.

[MKW]

Where are you? If you are ever in Murrells Inlet, I'll let you borrow my CZ 452 Scout .22 that my kids learned on. They are pricey for a kids .22, but IMO, the best. I'd let you keep it till he was comfortable or till you got him something.
But, I agree, a Red Ryder is a great first step.

[Saltydog235]

Started mine at 3 on a Crikket .22. Hrs now 8 and has graduated to a Mossberg Patriot Bantam in .243. He shoots a 70grn load I had worked up for another gun and is starting to put it together. He got bit by the scope early on and was gun shy. Hardheaded that one, gets it from his mother. Anyway, he's got it going pretty good now and I'm going to have to teach him to reload the way he's always wanting to shoot. Next year if the progress continues I'll let him shoot a deer.

[Gregory]

STOP! The very first thing you want to do is determine his dominate eye. Then, from the very beginning, teach him to shoot off his dominate eye. Both of my boys are right handed, but left eye dominate. I started them with Red Ryders and now they are natural left hand shooters. For wing shooting, this is critical.

[JBK]

STOP! The very first thing you want to do is determine his dominate eye. Then, from the very beginning, teach him to shoot off his dominate eye. Both of my boys are right handed, but left eye dominate. I started them with Red Ryders and now they are natural left hand shooters. For wing shooting, this is critical.

As a right handed shooter that is left eye dominant. Please listen to this! Then go the red ryder route!

[MKW]

STOP! The very first thing you want to do is determine his dominate eye. Then, from the very beginning, teach him to shoot off his dominate eye. Both of my boys are right handed, but left eye dominate. I started them with Red Ryders and now they are natural left hand shooters. For wing shooting, this is critical.

Agreed...1000%. That's the first thing I used to check when instructing. VERY important. My son is in that category...left eye dominant and right handed. I checked and started him off shooting left handed.

[DoubleSprig]

The importance of eye/hand dominance will show itself with a black eye when shiooting with a scope. Stage one is learning eye>hand. Eye dominance is what rifle shooters must learn first. Otherwise they will get beat up by Bushnell\Nikon/Tasco every time. (They dont take it easy on rookies)

All that being said, gun safety is step one. Then move on to target acquisition. Step 3 confirm target and what is beyond the target. THEN become a marksman.


Shotgunners make do. Cant reasonably teach that shooting in the same lesson to the student as rifle.

[tprice]

Red Ryder.

This is best thing

I also found that if you have 22 rifle that is a bolt action let them take a few shots with this. I use ear muffs and all so that when you get ready to move them up to a centerfire rifle they will be comfortable and not think much about it

The noise seems to be the big issue with larger caliber guns, the 22 will be a lot of fun to shoot, cheap and will get him used to hitting targets .

[Palmetto Bug]

The best way I've seen to test eye dominance is to get your kid to stand 20+ feet away facing you. Tell him to keep both eyes open and with a straight arm, point directly at your dominant eye like he is going to shoot it with his finger gun. Then have him do it with the other hand. Do it several times over and over and you will see exactly where his dominance is. Some people don't have a strong side and are actually partially dominant on one side or the other. When wingshooting, they can have problems with the wrong eye trying to take over.

Teach your kids to shoot with both eyes open from the beginning.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[BigBallin]

If u can get him to the bonneau area I have several kid appropriate weapons u are welcome to let him test drive. My boy 9 had a bad experience and I pushed him too hard so he hates shooting. I built him a couple as well as some starter guns and a single/double revolver and he was awesome with them all....all .22lr....not to mention he destroyed the squirrels with a 22wmr....thank God he recently started back into it with a bb pistol...he'll come around...the little girl at 6 though is surgical with the pink gun in 22lr....
I guess I'm just saying I got a options if yall wanna swing by and waste some ammo...some time

[TheVisorGuy]

Thanks guys.

And MKW I have a place at surfside so next time I'm down I will try and get up with you. I didn't even consider the dominant eye deal. I just assumed he was left eye dominant since he was left handed, I should have know since I am left eye dominant but I shoot right handed since I am right handed.

Looks like I may start with the daisy for now. My sister doesn't like the whole idea

[Palmetto Bug]

Another thing that helps, especially if using a scope, is to teach your shooter to learn to watch where he is hitting through the scope. In other words, keep his head down and on the stock and concentrating on the target. It will help with his follow-through but also help distract him from the recoil and report.

[Gregory]

Another easy way to identify his dominate eye is to hand him an unmounted scope and look through it. He will place it on his dominate eye every time. An old fashioned camera works, too.