Grandsons and guns

[reddogge]

My three grandsons will be 11, 9, 6 this year and they have always been heavily involved with many sports and fishing but not guns. Their dad was never into guns as a kid or adult and my daughter never bothered with them either althoug neither has anything against guns. My son in law is curious about them and I'm sure he would learn if I taught him.

We have been staying with the boys for 6 days while their parents are on a vacation and I noticed they are all talking about guns lately and were watching a channel on guns last night. Then they started asking me about my guns and I showed them a few on photobucket.

I have plenty of .22s for them when they get ready and if they take an interest in military guns they may inherit a mother lode when they become adults. I haven't pushed guns on them because I want to first teach their dad how to handle guns safely, clean and store them before I let them have any. They just all seem to spend most of their time running to games and practices all year long.

Any one else faced with this?

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Any one else faced with this?

I've got one grandson that will be 10 this coming Monday. He loves to come to "G-gaddy's" and "burn some powder" as he says. His sister has no interest.

He has his own (Dad supervised of course) Remington 870 20 gauge, Henry .22, and Rock-Ola M1 carbine. In addition, when he visits, he likes to shoot my Glock 19, S&W 908, Colt OP, Colt New Frontier, SIG P220, Winchester 94AE .44mag, Marlin 39A, etc., etc.

First pic was last summer...second pic probably a year before.

 

[Cobroller]

My grandsons do not have trigger fingers. They use their thumbs on the game controllers. The older one got a bb gun for Christmas, but doesn't seem too interested in it.

 

[11B Lifer]

It's a challenge

Grandma starts-by having the little ones sit her lap and shoot hr AR15. Then we give them shotguns when the reach 9 years. I take dad-and mom out and instruct on safety. My daughter is a safe shooter.
For fundamental marksmanship they start with BB guns.
But, yes its a challenge to rip tem away from digital games-get them outside. Especially when dad loves digital games, and watching sports.

 

[justsumstuff]

Air guns, kids, adults & safety rules!

I started with a BB gun @ about 10. Never "burned powder" until after I was married. Currently, we have to travel about 50 minutes up the road to fire gunpowder. We too, were running up & down the road for sports & such too. Anyway, air guns (low velocity) were a good compromise for us. Not expensive, but still provides the safety training before they get "real" guns. And we don't have the cleaning up-keep required with gunpowder.I have 3 children (grown now). They all received BB/Pellet guns long before they shot "real" guns. We supervised all shooting, taught them gun safety & they even had to wear safety glasses when shooting! We live in a neighborhood, but we can shoot the air guns in the back woods. Last year our grandchildren & their friends were introduced to the air guns. Ages 10 to 5. Everyone had a blast! The younger kids were timid, but no loud noise and no recoil were perfect. We set up the cans & swinging target. It might seem "tame" to a lot of you, but it is shooting. More importantly, the kids learned the safety rules. The younger kids only shot a few, but it was an opportunity that the parents refused to let go by without teaching the safety rules to all. I am currently looking for an air rifle for me. I still like hearing the ping on the swinging targets & cans, and I only have to step out the door.

 

[oldfella]

I would’ve loved to have had a gun when I was a kid. A distant cousin used to come to visit from the city, with his .22 rifle - he never let me shoot it - man, how I hated that kid; but I was much better with my trusty sling shooter at short distances than he was with his rifle, he didn’t like that.

Pete

 

[Cherokee Slim]

I started our 2 girls and all our grandkids at about 4 years old. The NRA Eddie Eagle book gave them a good start. Now with grandkids at 16, 15, 13 and 12 three of the four are shooting Cowboy (SASS) twice a month with me. The oldest girl is more interested in boys and likes to shoot if she doesn't get dirty or sweaty. It's all good at this stage!
The boys are shooting 200 yard long range buffalo, Rhinestone Rachel is holding the chickens we used to start a shooting stage.
Cherokee Slim

 

[truckemup97]

Don't have any grandkids yet, and won't for a while. (My daughter is only 14 ) But I have my nephew. My sis is neither for or against guns. BIL has a .22 of some kind that I've never seen. I suspect it might be at his Dad's house. But lil Jeff is really, really interested in guns. I asked last year if I would be stepping on any toes by teaching him proper gun safety, buying him a .22 rifle, and taking him to the range. Sis said she would love it if I did that, so I did.

When I saw him Sunday, he looked up at me with those big blue eyes and asked, "Uncle Robbie, when are we going to the range again?" Soon, Jeff, really soon.

 

[SWBigBang]

.22 rifles and pistols are the best way to start off any new shooter whether they are 10 or 100 years old.

 

[ditrina]

Grandsons.... what a concept...
I had three Grand Daughters.. then HE arrived.. on the same day I bought this model 29-2 6 1/2" ..

It may take some time for us to fire it.. but I can wait.. so now it sits in the safe with a letter from Mr. Jinks in his name.

 

[BillBingham2]

What a great grandpa!!! I should have been so luck.......

My father made a pellet trap out of a half a sheet of plywood for our basement. I spent many hours shooting my old Crosman 760 and 38T in my basement as a kid. Sadly I said it was OK for my parents to give away my old wood stock and grip 760. Still have my 38T though it needs a new set of seals. He did a lot of shooting during his European walking tour of WWII so we never went any further than that.

Sadly my father-in-law is too old and not in good enough health to do too much shooting with my sons. He was Captain of his high school rifle team in Chicago many years back and still loves it. Not many ranges around in the Chicago area that allow kids but we found a few up in Wisconsin. We (my wife, me and him) took the kids out a couple of times before he and my mother-in-law got the boys (then 9 and 11 then) each a 10/22, their first guns. He really introduced them to shooting so I thought it was important that their first gun was from him. We got them a Rossi 20 gauge a year later. My younger son (now 13) has a SMLE, 91/30, SKS and wants a 1903 and LOVES shooting. The older likes it but is still finding what he really loves. It’s a great way to bond, I’m hoping that my older enjoys photography the same as my younger is with guns so each can have something special.

It was funny during the Chanukah celebration when they got their 10/22s the rest of the family was a gassed even the one who had a son who went out with Granddad a few times. We control the keys to the gun safe and ammo box. I’m still working on my better half about my getting two rifles and two pistols but that is another story.

Ask the parents about giving a 10/22 for birthday, Christmas, just for being a good kid. The low cost of ammo and timelessness of the design makes it perfect. Ifs/ he wants to s/he can trip it out, keep it stock, it’s a great starting place for a lifelong hobby that teaches critical life skills. Another wonderful option would be to pick up a couple of 38T Crossman pistols, fix them up and have a blast picking off some soda cans in the back yard together. Perhaps first the pistols (one for everyone, even the other adults) and the 10/22 for Christmas.

B2 (;->

 

[BEARMAN]

Great pic's and stories y'all...way to mentor!

Here's a few pics of my grand-daughter and a couple of my grandsons living the outdoors lifestyle. They have really enjoyed learning the shooting and hunting safety rules, and all have made excellent hunter's/shooters. They really love comming to Maw Maw's and Paw Paw's.
And, yes indeed, I love it too!

-Bearman

 

[ohiococonut]

I had 3 daughters but that didn't stop me from teaching them to shoot and they loved it. I wasn't sure who I would leave all my guns to and along came my first grandson! He's two now but his first Christmas he was 10 months old so I ordered him a Cricket with a laminate stock and stainless barrel. Here he is..

His dad likes guns so the Cricket stays with me until he's old enough to start shooting. I don't want dad to have it worn out by then.

 

[BillBingham2]

OK all you Granddads out there

You got the grandkids starter stuff, get something for your son-in-law a good used 10/22 and work on it with him. Great bonding time and teach him all he needs to know!!!

B2 (;->

 

[Snowbandit]

My son-in-law came from an anti-gun family and pretty much got a shock the first time he showed up here. He's been a good sport though. He has already bought a couple of rifles, a pistol for himself and a revolver for my daughter. I taught him how to reload a couple of years ago and now he wants his CCW too. He's my best shooting buddy and wants to try deer/elk hunting, maybe this year if we can work it out. The grandkids love to come here and burn powder now even if they're still quite young. I'm the only one with any .22's so far.

 

[Hondo44]

My son-in-law came from an anti-gun family and pretty much got a shock the first time he showed up here. He's been a good sport though. He has already bought a couple of rifles, a pistol for himself and a revolver for my daughter. I taught him how to reload a couple of years ago and now he wants his CCW too. He's my best shooting buddy and wants to try deer/elk hunting, maybe this year if we can work it out. The grandkids love to come here and burn powder now even if they're still quite young. I'm the only one with any .22's so far.

Congratulations on ending an anti-gun perpetuation by winning over your son-in-law! It's mostly about educating with anti-gunners

 

[Hondo44]

My three grandsons will be 11, 9, 6 this year and they have always been heavily involved with many sports and fishing but not guns. Their dad was never into guns as a kid or adult and my daughter never bothered with them either althoug neither has anything against guns. My son in law is curious about them and I'm sure he would learn if I taught him.

We have been staying with the boys for 6 days while their parents are on a vacation and I noticed they are all talking about guns lately and were watching a channel on guns last night. Then they started asking me about my guns and I showed them a few on photobucket.

I have plenty of .22s for them when they get ready and if they take an interest in military guns they may inherit a mother lode when they become adults. I haven't pushed guns on them because I want to first teach their dad how to handle guns safely, clean and store them before I let them have any. They just all seem to spend most of their time running to games and practices all year long.

Any one else faced with this?

Grandpa, times 'a wastin'!! Get them with or without their dad to the range NOW and open a whole new world to them. If they're talkin' about guns and have no knowledge of them or safe handling of them, they are in a danger zone!! They need some correct exposure and training, and you're the best one to do it. Even if they never get into it, at least they will have a foundation of proper handling and safety training. But I bet they love it at their age.
Later they will find girls and cars and may drift away but if they got the genes from you, they will be back to it and big time. But in the meantime your training will keep them out of trouble with guns and they will educate some of their untrained friends who only know about guns from what they see in the movies! A scary thought.

Take it from me; grandfather of 5 girls and one grandson who all know how to shoot and be safe with guns.

 

[Pasifikawv]

I think it is wonderful to see grandparents sharing responsible gun ownership with their grandchildren. Unfortunately that exercise of freedom and family tradition is under attack the gun grabbers who want to end private transfer (aka "close the gun show loophole" BS) and make it illegal for grandpa to give Billy a squirrel gun. Heck, giving the squirrel gun to the adult father for safe keeping would even be illegal if the gun grabbers have their way with private transfers.

 

[BillBingham2]

.... It's mostly about educating with anti-gunners

I have to agree but with the note that some folks are just too "educated" the other way to understand the wide range of options that shooting sports (or just plain throwing some lead down range) opens up.

IMHO it's more a thinking sport than golf, equally as physical in some styles, can bring more than four people together at a time and scarry as it sounds less expensive. Perhaps some of us have made it as expensive but I bet you will find golfers who have spent more time and money with a lot less to show for it.

Hard to bring home a dinner when all you have are clubs and a little white ball or two.......

B2 (;->

 

[JTA]

I've got to say that time spent with my grandfather and father going shooting was time I will always treasure. Go out now, take your kids and/or grandchildren out shooting today. You will not regret it.

 

[Hondo44]

I have to agree but with the note that some folks are just too "educated" the other way to understand the wide range of options that shooting sports (or just plain throwing some lead down range) opens up.

B2 (;->

You're right! And I spell "educated" b-a-m-b-o-o-z-l-e-d by the left regarding gun laws having anything to do with safety as opposed to the real agenda of disarming the public!

 

[BillBingham2]

.... b-a-m-b-o-o-z-l-e-d ......

I hate to use the label "Left" as in many ways I lean very far that way, but I have to agree that side seems to focus on things as the problem either way too much or way to little. The other side seems to focus way too much on programs and people trying different approaches as the root cause of all evils. The key is really teaching our children to listen, read, to look at issues for all sides and to ask good questions to help you find out more information. Teach them to dig into all aspects of what looks to be the problem, not just the surface. We need to teach them to make up their own mind base upon strong, broad and as complete information as possible.

When you look at shooting sports you have dozens of different aspects. Sometimes I think we (shooting sports advocates) miss out by the way we try to try to communicate the fun that is tossing lead at skeet, targets, soda cans and water melons. We don’t show them how hard it is to shoot 5 rounds inside half a MOA or hit 20 skeet in a row with a 20 guage.

It’s interesting that I see a Skeet and Trap club at ISU (I live down the block) and we are bringing home a few more metals from the Olympics for shooting sports, perhaps that’s something we should think more about rather than focus on registering (read NOT CONTROLING OR LIMITING) what we want to buy.

But back on topic, get out with the kids, grandkids, wives (ok, wife, one is more than enough for me) and get them excited about plinking, contests, learning and having fun.

B2 (;->

 

[Hondo44]

BR,

Well said. I once compiled a list of the shooting sports other than hunting and shared it with my left leaning or liberal friends, yes I have many liberal friends and many are gun friendly so one can't generalize.

The list was so voluminous, not only did I create a complete awakening amongst them about all the legal, socially acceptable and numerous shooting sport activities there were, I surprised myself with the several dozen on my list! The blinders placed on the non-knowing and non-shooters by today's media and movies borders on criminally negligent!