8 year old expressed interesting in shooting. BB gun, or .22?

[HardDrive]

My 8 year old girl, who has always been quite anti-gun (thanks to my peacenik wife), got a chance to shoot a bb gun the other day. Loved it. Wants me to buy a BB gun. I'm not so sure. My parents wouldn't let me have BB guns. They didn't like the idea of anything that made a gun seem like a toy. An odd position, but I can see the appeal. When I wanted to shoot a gun, my dad got a brick of .22 shells and would take me to the woods. It was real guns from day one.

What do you think?

My daughter thought this was pretty cool:

[gunlover05]

fwiw, @ 8 yrs i would get her a bb gun, and let her shoot your 22... you can let her do more stuff "by herself" quicker with a bb gun, and then gratuate to a 22

[Hydrocket]

It's a fine idea...but make the child earn it by completing (with you being the teacher) a gun safety "course". You used to be able to get gun safety materials for youths from the NRA. Once she "passes" the safety course, then it's time to get her the BB gun.

It's the way we did it.

[JTO]

I agree. My kids started with a Red Rider, now they each have a .22. My daughter at 14 is learning to shoot the 30-06 and is very good with the AR. Its progressive and needs to start in an unintimidating manner.
My $0.02.
Troy

[cstreit]

On the one hand this rifle is cool in a girly sort of way. On the other, makes me a bit nervous that it looks like a toy.

[VaSteve]

My boy is 7 and did the BB gun at cub scout camp.last month. It was a one ball, cock it and shoot gun. He was good with the shooting but not the loading/cocking. I like the idea of a BB gun first. Based on the fishing near disaster the next day, I would be leery of actual firearms.

FWIW, i dont think i have ever fired a real gun myself. Parents wouldnt let me have one or any gun toys. When i got a little older i had the biggest GI Joe.collection. when my grandma died, i found my dad's old BB gun in her closet. I never figured out why i couldnt have a gun toy when i was younger.

Im thinking of getting my boy a BB gun for Christmas and getting a better one for myself. Then i can shoot it in the yard. We can graduate together.

[romad]

I would recommend a pellet gun, BB's ricochet

[Seahawk]

I agree and then disagree...safety course, get the quals, you by her side.

Then get her, or rent at the range, a .22...you live in a city, more or less, so she is not going to be unsupervised at all. Gone are the days when I marched off with my Crossman .760 in the boondocks of Cali looking for trouble.

.22's are zero impact guns from a shooting standpoint, as you know. They pose no threat to the shooter. In my opinion, "something" goes down range from either a BB gun or .22, or a Crossman, all dangerous and to be controlled. The rules are the same for all guns.

But .22's are, within the boundaries you'll set, a frickin' scream to shoot. Very tactile and satisfying.

I started my kids on .22's, then moved to .410's. Here is a picture of my son when he was 11 with a 12 gauge Browning A-5. Very little recoil and he had worked his way up. Ignore the trigger finger, we fixed that.



Neither of my children have shot anyone...I worry more about my daughter on the back of a horse than shooters.

[romad]

VaSteve..... going to Antietam/Sharpsburg for the 150th anniversary?

[romad]

Also you can shoot pellets indoors with a good trap. Easy to set up a 10 meter in about any basement

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

....My parents wouldn't let me have BB guns. They didn't like the idea of anything that made a gun seem like a toy. An odd position, but I can see the appeal. When I wanted to shoot a gun, my dad got a brick of .22 shells and would take me to the woods. It was real guns from day one....

I began shooting .22s at around that age under supervision at "day camps", and was never allowed to have a BB gun either (but did have a pellet gun later on). Still remember when I shot my dad's 12 ga. shotgun on Thanksgiving day when I was 9 years old, and was given my grandfather's shotgun when I was eleven (also began hunting around that age). So I've basically had guns most of my life. Ironically, although I wasn't allowed to have a BB gun, we did play "army", "cowboys & indians", etc. with "toy guns" ALL the time as kids. Toys are toys, and guns are guns, and I certainly knew the difference. Just my .02 worth...

ps: Like a lot on the board, I'm anal retentive when it comes to gun safety...it's the only way to be. Teach her "the ropes" and welcome her to the club imo

[id10t]

Finger on the trigger in that pic... naughty...

Anyway, either or ... but I would go on where you have to shoot. Can you set up a 15 yard air rifle range in the basement, attic, or back yard (legally) ? Is there a shooting range close by?

I started my kids when they were old enough to pay attention and follow directions. Oldest daughter at 5, son at 6, still waiting on the baby (she'll be 2 in November).

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Ignore the trigger finger, we fixed that.

.

Poor kid...he's gotta get through VMI without an index finger

[chocolatelab]

i asked the same type of question some time back.

Bryce just turned nine and has the bb gun mastered. Loves shooting his pellet gun.

A few months ago we ( still 8 ) went out to the local desert with a friend and his three kids and shot the following.

.22
Ranch Rifle ( forget the caliber ) super fun.
.357
9mm
12 gauge

the kids were amazing, super safe and followed all the rules

I say let her have at it.

By the way the .22 and the pellet gun have nearly the same amount of recoil.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by id10t

Finger on the trigger in that pic... naughty...

The gun is empty, still naughty, though.

Originally Posted by KC911

Poor kid...he's gotta get through VMI without an index finger

That is so GD funny in so many ways, you have no idea. Thanks

[dennis in se pa]

First shot a 22 rifle when I was 7. Training first.

[MT930]

Pretty good advise so far.

I would recommend buying a quality .22 bolt action rifle and do a few controlled range visits when they are able to listen. Safety is the main message. Handling safety first them basics of accuracy. I bought a Ruger77/22 for my daughters it was the best firearm purchase yet. Slow controled fire

Ruger® Rotary Magazine 77/22® Bolt-Action Rifle Models


I have seen yard air rifle exposed kids that have very bad handling habits. Their Folks just bought them a crossmanand let them go.


Kids also like reactive targets to keep things interesting. Gophers Work great.

My daughter is proficient with .45ACP- .308 at 13

[VaSteve]

MT930....how far away is that target in the first photo? Is that typical?

[MT930]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

MT930....how far away is that target in the first photo? Is that typical?

50 +/- Feet or so for small targets with a handgun, pretty typical for a young shooter.

50 Yards with a .22 LR

[bell]

Start with the.22 at the range, supervised, combined with the safety course by you......once the respect for guns is in her head you can let he play with a bb/pellet gun with no worries....
I started shooting my Marlin .22 at 7 or 8 years old and haven't shot anyone, including myself, unintentionally