How do I get my 7yro interested in shooting?

kbuddy said:

All good advice here especially the ones that said:
1) Just take him.
2) Make it fun, kids have short attention spans.
I’ll just add that you and your son are welcome to come shoot with me and my boys at our place. They’re 8 (twins) and I have a Cricket rifle you can use.

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I'll agree 100% and what a generous offer. I started my son with a crickett now he has a ruger american rimfire.

And add to:
Clean/ handle let him handle real guns to take the mystique away. You have him check or you show him you're checking that the gun is unloaded and safe to handle.
Don't force it. Stop when he wants to then ice cream, sno balls, whatever.

Also have you considered a bb gun? Hang ballons on a line and you 2 take turns popping them.

He's 7 and you are competing with some pretty realistic video games. poking holes in paper is boring. Get cool zombie dog targets to blast. Go kill some martians. dinosaurs. zombie clowns. spiders. arcades. These are all fun targets that are an upgrade from black on beige paper. Cans, steel, things that pop, etc. are a lot of fun too.

I started my daughter out at 6 only because I felt she was mature enough. She is now 13 and shoots better than I can most of the time.
I would be happy to give you any advice you need. PM me if you need any additional info.

We started with air soft and Red Ryder BB guns. Shooting Dixie cups and empty cans was satisfying. When I took the oldest out to shoot a .22 I got a case of cheap WalMart soda and hung the cans with a thin wire after shaking. He had a blast blowing up the cans. His problem was that he was getting iron sights. We talked and talked, and tried multiple times, both of us were frustrated. I decided that the point was to enjoy things and so went to my 10/22 with a scope. It worked fine and he had a good time. He seems to have picked up iron sights now.

I started The Boy with BB guns. Specifically, he helped me rebuild my Pumpmaster 760 (from the 1970s,) so he learned about the internals and how these machines work. It was a bit difficult for him to charge, so I purchased a Daisy BB rifle that has a longer pump handle. It's not great, but he had fewer issues operating it. Eventually, we moved up to a Rossi 22/410 combo single-shot youth rifle, and we have sent may rounds downrange with it. It's a simple and inexpensive training firearm, and required that he go through all of the motions on every shot. For new shooters, adult and youth alike, it's my go-to tool.

My son started shooting at about age 8 ... he's almost 12 now. We have worked our way up to 22LR pistols, and he's having a blast. He went to a Boy Scout camp and qualified with a 20GA pump shotgun. He out-shot most of the adults on that trip.

Take your time. Read the body language. Find a path to success.

Start with a .22 as everyone else mentioned. Loud noises scare kids, double up hearing protection(foam inserts and over the ear protection).

I purchased a suppressor to introduce new shooters.

Reactive targets are fun for kids. 2 liter bottles of soda the you just shook up, hearing the bang on cans, milk jugs full of water, etc.

I really like the pay for score incentive, I'll have to try that next time. Attention spans are short, if you spend 5 minutes and they are ready, leave. Always end on a happy note, pizza/ice cream.....they will enjoy it.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'd do some backyard shooting (I have a shed which would make a good backstop for BB guns), but my part of MoCo treats shooting a BB gun outside like shooting an M249 outside, so that's not gonna work. Will consider the airgun basement range advice further... I learned to shoot on a BB gun at 4H camp way back when, so maybe he'll be similar.

I started mine off as a spotter. I always knew where they were going but let him tell me where they hit. Then I would ask him which way I needed to correct the shot. It involved him in a fun way without being scared of the bang.

Now he loves going to the range and shoots 17 HMR from a Mossberg International and .22 from a Remington Speedmaster.

He was 5 in this Pic

erwos said:

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'd do some backyard shooting (I have a shed which would make a good backstop for BB guns), but my part of MoCo treats shooting a BB gun outside like shooting an M249 outside, so that's not gonna work. Will consider the airgun basement range advice further... I learned to shoot on a BB gun at 4H camp way back when, so maybe he'll be similar.

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Since you are thinking about BB Gun here are some specific resources:

NRA BB Gun Rules
http://rulebooks.nra.org/documents/pdf/compete/RuleBooks/Bbgun/bb-book.pdf

Daisy Avanti Book see page 49
http://www.dwightwatt.com/ibbgcm/Ten_Lesson_Curriculum_for_Shooting_Education_2013.pdf

NRA Qualification program see page 16
http://trapleague.org/qualbook.pdf

4-H BB Gun Activity Book see page 7
https://www.uaex.edu/4h-youth/activities-programs/4-H Gun Safety and BB Activity Guide.pdf

erwos said:

This is such a weird question for me, but here goes.

I have a 7yro son who I would like to get interested in shooting, as he's now responsible enough to keep the gun pointed down range and taking things seriously; maybe start him off with a 22lr. But when I bring up the topic of doing this, he seems completely disinterested. He seems to enjoy shooting his Nerf rifle at targets, but doesn't seem to want to take it up to the next level.

On one hand, I don't want to be pushy, but on the other hand 1) I think he'd enjoy it and 2) it would get me out to the range more if I could take him. I am kind of pondering just making him handle my 10/22 some evening to remove the mystique from it further, but I don't even know if that will be enough.

Has anyone else had this problem? What did you do to move things along? Should I be thinking basement air gun range?

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Keep him shooting the Nerf gun. Turn it into a game with him, you against him. When he beats you, remember this is nurturing, he gets a reward, trip to the cream shop,
McDonalds, whatever interests him. Grow his interest in the sport.

I got my first 22 rifle for Christmas when I was 11, The problem was my dad wasn't as interested in shoot as I was. When he bought the boat we ended up going water skiing every Saturday and Sunday morning for several years until I found babes and beers. Some of the best times with my dad were water skiing. We did quite a bit of fishing.

iH8DemLibz said:

Your initial parental instincts are correct and are the ones you should go with.

If he's not interested in real guns, he's not interested in real guns. The last thing you should do as a parent is force what you want from him on him.

Many times, kids are 180 degrees out from their parents.

They're little individuals. That's a good thing. And his choices should be respected.

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Exactly. Especially when you are dealing with something deadly. Every kid is different, but bring it up if he wants to go. Maybe show him some YouTube videos of “fun” things like busting clays with 22s or something that might interest him. Try an air gun and basement range. If you do take him, find something fun, like a self healing spinner, or busting clays on the berm or something. Supposing you can.

My oldest is 10 now, but I took him when he was 8 for the first time. Trap shooting. He shot 4 shots and was done. Took him to the range to shoot my 10/22 twice after and he did well and ran through a box each time, but was happy enough being done. Father’s Day I took him sporting clays and he chickened our on shooting the youth 20ga with low recoil shells at the last second and then tagged along for a bit and watched.

He loves video games and nerf guns...but real ones, meh. He has expressed a bit of interest in going again for the summer is over. I ama member of a private range now, so I can take home when almost no one is there, stick out a spinner or two and some clays and let him have fun. I think he will enjoy it a lot more this time.

His younger brother I took 2 weekends ago and he really liked it as his first time. He put 3 boxes through my 10/22 and the youth single shot I borrowed from a friend. Shot a bunch at paper and at a self healing spinner. He’d like to go again soon.

My daughter is too young (in my eyes and my wife’s) at 6 to go for her first time yet.

I talk safety over with all of them and I’ve let them handle several of my guns to teach safety and dilute out a bit of the curiosity.

My oldest I suspect is probably never going to be big in to real guns or hunting, but he might be okay doing both occasionally. My younger son I suspect is going to really be in to both. My daughter, don’t know. For now she wants to do everything her daddy does.

MeatGrinder said:

We started with air soft and Red Ryder BB guns. Shooting Dixie cups and empty cans was satisfying. When I took the oldest out to shoot a .22 I got a case of cheap WalMart soda and hung the cans with a thin wire after shaking. He had a blast blowing up the cans. His problem was that he was getting iron sights. We talked and talked, and tried multiple times, both of us were frustrated. I decided that the point was to enjoy things and so went to my 10/22 with a scope. It worked fine and he had a good time. He seems to have picked up iron sights now.

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That is my 8yr old. The old Marlin Youth 22 I borrowed from a friend is a bit heavy for him, it probably is 6lbs, which is as much as my 10/22 with scope and a bit more muzzle heavy. But notch and blade...hard for a kid to learn. Of the 3 boxes he shot, about 120 of it was through the Marlin. At 10yds he was about 35% on paper. It was a 16” paper and maybe half of that was in a 4” group near the center. He was improving near the end, but maybe only 50% on paper. It was an awkward bench height, hard to position the rifle and he just couldn’t figure out a good sight picture even with showing him examples.

But he was enjoying himself and with the 10/22 and scope he put 20/20 in less than a 1” group and on the spinner put all 20 on target.

I’ll probably get a savage Rascal around Black Friday. I’ve had a lot of people tell me peep sights are a lot more natural for kids to learn and the gun itself is about half the weight of the Marlin old youth gun. That should help handling immensely.

Great question. My answer may seem a little weird, too, but it centers around investment.

On his next birthday, or for Christmas, buy him a .22lr revolver. Not too big. Not too heavy. And make it his.

Every time he wants to see it (it has to be in your possession), get it out. Together inspect it to ensure it's unloaded and safe. Take him out to the range and let him shoot it, andmake him clean it. I recommend the gun be a stainless model as it will keep that "new" look until he can take full legal possession of it. (And make sure it has a holster so he can carry it.)

Often investiture in something makes all the difference. The gun is HIS, and he can look at it any time he wants with your supervision. And when the class assignment is to write, "What present did you get for the holidays?" you can help him write it. I'd make sure he got a holster, hearing/eye protection and a box of CCI ammo. As you go shooting, it not only will strengthen the bond between you and him, it will create a feeling of ownership...of investiture. He won't be shooting your gun, he'll be shooting his gun.

As for a gun, it can be a nice 3-4-inch revolver that won't be too heavy. I have a friend who was a Treasury agent, and when his kids wanted to see his guns, all they had to do was ask and he'd get them, make sure his kids knew how to unload them and, under his supervision, watched carefully until he had all the ammo. Then, under his watchful eye, he'd let them satisfy their curiosity. After awhile the guns lost their mystique. He then gave his kids some of his guns when they were older and his son also became a Treasury agent!

..

Bought my son a cricket .22lr and went out to the range. First we went over all the safety rules, then I showed him how to load it, aim it and shoot it. Afterward we headed over to Sheetz got churros and wings. It was a fun day and he now he comes with me all the time.

Get him a bb gun. Start shooting aluminum cans and different sizes of soup/corn/potatoes can hung up on tree limbs. Stab a hole in the bottom and hang them upside down so they don't fill with water in the rain. It also sounds like a bell when hit.
Go out there and start teaching him/her some skills and making memories. Both my son and daughter started at 8 years old like I did. Now they both have their own AR 15.22. Skill improves with experience.

Don't push, don't make it into a "thing". If he says no, I don't want to today, still do something fun with him in that time period you sat aside for the range. Keep trips short so he stays interested. Nothing worse than boredom for a little kid. The early range trips are going to be all about him. You may not even get to shoot. I'd go for some.kind of reactive target at super easy distances. No one likes something they aren't good at. The basement air gun range sounds like an awesome idea. Have 20 minutes in the evening whenever the mood strikes. And again, don't push it! If you do, it will guarantee he won't want to.

Don't force it. if he decides he wants to go, take him and be prepared to pack up and leave after 15 minutes. Their attention spans are very short at that age. Either it'll be his thing or it won't.

Get a Savage Rascal and a few boxes of .22 CB short (Walmart) and don’t look back! Everyone will enjoy it and it works just like the gallery guns of yore. Just did this today with my 5 year old and 7 year old and what a blast (no pun at all - they’re quiet)!

.22 CB short into a stack of MDF sheets doesn’t fully penetrate the first one with the other 4 boards only there for when I shoot .22 LR suppressed. I’ve got a little makeshift 10 yard range now and the .22 CB shorts are about as loud as .22 subsonics through my suppressed pistol (quieter in a 19” Model 60 barrel, slightly louder in the 16” Rascal) and not only hearing safe but quiet enough that nobody nearby can hear you shooting.

My air guns from my childhood required too much strength to pump or charge and just didn’t have the same feel and manual of arms of a “real” rifle. My Model 60 wouldn’t feed shorts and the LOP was way too long for the kids. Checked out other bolt action .22’s and the LOP and OAL were just way too long for the youngsters and I’d have to take a hacksaw to both ends.

Enter the Rascal. The kids love it, I love it, my wife loves it. The Crickett at Walmart was a little cheaper at $115 but the Rascal at $150 (ok $120 because I opened a store card I’ll never use) was much nicer and worth every penny. We can shoot it whenever we want, any time of day, rain or shine. The LOP and OAL are perfect for youngsters and the single shot with feed ramp design is absolutely perfect for teaching the basics.

After putting about 20 rounds through the Rascal my son then saw my suppressed .22 pistol and had to put a few rounds through that.

EDIT: Just burned through a little over 100 rds. My daughter is a much better shooter than my youngest son and now wants a pink Rascal of her own. They both took to it immediately but my son would rather shoot my suppressed pistol and was really just doing quiet mag dumps so I had to cut him off and put him back behind the Rascal. No mag = no mag dump!

A week on, I can't speak highly enough about the Savage Rascal and how perfect it is to teach youth shooting. For it's intended purpose, it might actually be the most well thought out and perfectly designed rifle ever made as I've seen no other firearm that performs so well for its intended mission. After going over the basics of weapons safety, it takes about one minute to teach the kids how to use it and after that they just take to it naturally. The tiny size, light weight (<3lbs), simple bolt action that's been miniaturized, easy peep sights, light-but-safe trigger, and single shot design with feed ramp (just drop the round in) are all ideal for youth shooters.

I was hesitant at first because I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the money on what seemed to be a single purpose gun but after seeing how well kids take to it I now see that buying a MKII, Savage 64, or 10/22 would have been an absolute mistake and no better than trying to use my Model 60. Even if I were to have cut down an old Model 25 at both ends it still would have been heavier and harder for them to use. The kids just pick up the little Rascal like it's second nature and go to town.

My kids now love shooting and are keeping everything inside of a 6" circle (about 50% inside of 3") from the standing at 7 yards. That doesn't seem like much but for little kids who just started it's not bad at all. This is also with very minimal, almost no marksmanship coaching as my primary focus right now is safety and weapons handling. I'm not calling out flinching, muscling, or trigger pull: Because of how well the Rascal fits for them I'm watching them figure all of that out on their own and just giving little tips now and then.

I also can't speak highly enough about how well the .22 CB Shorts work for teaching kids to shoot. I'd use .22 LR at a real range (and they've done a few LR subsonics) but for indoors or backyard shooting they're super easy, super quiet (quieter than a hammer), no flash, no smoke, and just all around easy and fun to shoot at close range. The kids have no issues just picking up the Rascal and a box of .22 CB Shorts and plinking away.

The "range" we use is in front of a large cinder block wall backed by earth with overhead cover that's capable of stopping .22 LR. Distances range from 7-10 yds so the idea is to keep the targets small. The 4' x 4' backstop is made from two layers of 1.5" boards I had laying around covered with some old leftover shingles that are intended to begin expansion/fragmentation of the soft lead early to limit penetration depth. The backstop will stop .22 subsonics no problem and will stop .22 HV from a pistol, haven't tested HV from a rifle yet but it isn't intended for constant abuse, just to catch flyers so as not to tear up the cover of the cinder block wall behind it (which will need to be replaced anyway due to age). In front of the backstop are a few MDF boards that we use to catch the bullets as to not degrade the backstop. The MDF boards work quite well but I may upgrade to a trap at some point. The commercial traps with steel sides present a ricochet problem (likely 90* from an impact to the edges) so I'll likely make my own or do a sand trap which would cost about $5. Lighting is via an LED workshop light that I turn to face downrage.