Recently ran across a thread on a different forum about a guy asking for help loading light loads in mid sized center fire rifle for a 6 year old. If anyone has such a kid.....or younger....that can handle such a piece, I would consider them blessed. I have a 6 year old grandson that can't handle a nerf pistol. Can't (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) it, can't hit a 6 inch target at 5 feet when (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) it for him. Actually have several grandkids less than 10 and I would not trust any of them with anything past a harmless toy.

I wasn't given anything past a toy until I was 8.......and that was a low powered BB gun that would barely put a dent in a soup can. Was probably 9 or 10 before I was allowed to even touch a real gun and that was a 22 single shot and a short. It was on the 4th of July......a special occasion. And I grew up in a family that hunted. But once I demonstrated I could stay out of trouble with the cheap BB gun, I was given a better one. By age 12, I was trusted with unsupervised 22 single shot and shorts. Bigger stuff came after that.

So when do you start em?

Mine were about 10 shooting a shotgun for dove and ducks. I’ve seen 12-13 year olds that couldn’t hold a gun. But mine were raised around firearms and had their own guns with ammo in their own rooms. By 12 my one son was taking trips to Arkansas with me and had killed more species of ducks and geese than most adults I knew back here in GA. He was also turkey hunting by himself and calling in his own birds.
Every child is different. I never once pushed hunting on mine, just told them this is what Dad enjoys and they’re welcome to tag along. They started hunting with me while still in pull-ups, lol. Heck, I used to float Brennan through the swamps on the decoy bag.
I was still deer hunting when Brennan was a baby and killed a deer right after changing a diaper. He actually saw the deer first and pointed it out. I’d given it up soon after and was into ducks more than deer. At 12 one of his friends shot a deer and Brennan wanted to go. I didn’t even own a rifle, so I borrowed one from my Dad. It was a Ruger .44mag I’d started hunting with. Brennan shot a deer with me, then the following weekend shot one by himself. He inherited that rifle after that second kill.
I think 6 is pretty young and more likely to turn them off as they age vs letting them go and watch until they can handle an actual rifle.

Guess that depends on the child and their attitude Basically of a stature and inclination to comfortly handle a gun Started mine with a .22 but deer hunting was where its at so roughly when they were around 14 I hunted with them in turn and for about 12 years never carried or shot a gun Now that was before cellphones so worthless advice Outside the fact that as with all folks there has to be a end result to their actions
My question to you is your parents showed you how its done why ask?

I started my 3 kids young. Probably about 3 or 4 with BB gun or youth 22. The older 2 both harvested deer and antelope at age 10 with 22-250. Zero issues. My youngest is a complete natural with a rifle. The oldest is incredible with a shotgun. Monitor them and lots of practice keep it fun.

started my son on a red Ryder about 4
5-6 22 rifle control at the range , he did try a couple rounds from an AK about this time minimal recoil there again controlled at a bench one round in gun
then around 7 air pistol and then by 8 22 pistol
about 8 he also had his own sporter class competition air rifle and was shooting 3 position
by 9 almost 10 he could handle 22 rifle well and 22 pistol well , and even a bit of 9mm pistol
he was 10 when he bought his shotgun a 20g 500c
we worked with more rifles , pistols and shotguns

at 12 he was running a glock 17 in action pistol , but I didn't let him draw from a holster till much later rehostering a hot gun is where your most likely to have a ND

he is 21 now and a A class shooter in USPSA
a USPSA RO(range officer) has been since 19

he was always on the larger side of kids , this makes equipment that is small adult size work better earlier , the biggest challenge we have in youth shooting sports is guns that fit kids , they may have the maturity but not yet the stature to handle the available equipment.

short , planned , controlled sessions , good instruction build the safety and good habits early
Appleseed marksmanship clinics are good when they have safety and can shoot but need drills and to hear it from another instructor.
NPOA takes some faith until it works , then you are a believer for sure.

Started mine at 4 or 5 with red ryder. Gotta keep it fun and small guns for a while.

Every kid is different.
Size, strength, attitude, maturity, and desire varies greatly.
My son was squirrel hunting by himself and killing limits at 8 years old.
He bow killed a deer by himself at 10.
He was a big strong kid who had a passion for it.
At 8 I trusted him with a gun more than many adults.

that is something common with kids who are ready.
that they have great maturity and proficiency handling a gun these are some maturity , understanding how dangerous it can be if done wrong and not some false belief that it cant' go wrong and some taught traits.

a kid who is ready for that type of thing is the one taught to make the gun safe and secure it before dealing the wasp that just bit them. some of it is maturity some taught , not every kid learns maturity but few learn it if not giving increasingly more for task , responsibility and challenges.

My son is 6 and of average build. He started shooting at age 4. We shoot the heck out of the red ryder bb gun in the back yard together. He was shooting his Henry 410 single shot at age 5 and took his first spring gobbler at age 5 with his 410 on a Bog Deathgrip out of our hay bale blind. This spring at 6 he was able to fill both of his spring gobbler tags with the 410.

All the shooting with the Red Ryder has paid huge dividends in making the whole shooting process instinctive. Being an older parent (53) he gets a lot of time spent with him, but I also don't force the issue. I want him to ask to shoot or go hunting.

Saturday is our squirrel opener and he is super excited. We been practicing the basics all week with the Red Ryder. Sometimes we can even coax momma out for a little "friendly" plinking competition.

We are also working towards this years deer season. I have been working with him acquiring objects through a scope and have a sweet little 223 bolt gun set up for him.

got my first .22 at 4 years oldhad to be supervised until 8 now its too small for me so I gave it to my 4 year old brother got my 20 ga at 12 years old no supervision needed since 13 yo
got my next .22 and bb gun at 14 yo

all mine started with their own youth .22 by 5. when they hit well enough we went for squirrel. when they hit squirrel at 25 yards They went to deer . Both my boys killed 2 deer each when they were 7 with a 243 and 7mm08 suppressed. I think my daughter was about the same age.

my youngest just turned 12 and has killed 16 deer with rifles, carbines and x Bow. my 14 year old has killed 18 deer with rifles, carbines, x Bow and compound bow. neither has lost a single deer. both typically pass at least 16 .

they has .22s and center fire rifles and shotguns of their own before they got an airgun. I got it guns becuse of the ammo shortage so they could keep shooting and doing so cheap and keep out of my stock pile.


Each kid and family is different. Some will be ready early some parents have more time and opportunity to spent taking the little one to shoot and more money to buy the right size gear.

It is very easy for me to let the kids shoot they can shoot out the back door and I have a 500 yard range at home . I had my daughter shooting from inside the house out of the back door at a target 10 yards away with cci longs when it was raining the first day she got her first .22. she shot 146 rounds out of that single shot that first day before she got board at 5 years old. Shooting happend every single day after any and every time she wanted to.


but it is easy for me I don't have to load up and go somewhere to shoot. I'm a gun guy so my kids get into what I'm into. I couldn't imagine not trusting my kids with guns. They can get what they need and take off as long as they let us know and have been able to do so for a few years. They run their own traps, squirrel hunt shoot any pest ect. part of farm life. The worst thing people do is have low expectations of their kids and not give them responsibility, or freedom to fail.

that why so many 30 year olds live at home and grandparents are raising grand kids.

I got this when my nephew was about 5yo. My brother doesn't own any guns.



Single shot Cricket rifle.
Always used with 100% supervision. Taught him responsible gun safety , something his dad couldn't do because he does not own any guns.

Nephew is 25yo currently , I've been thinking of selling this now.

My first gun sat on the wall in my room with instructions not to touch it or I would have to wait another month before I could shoot it. It was there for two years UNTOUCHED!!!!

My youngest killed his first deer with a .375 H&H when he was a few days past his 12th birthday. He had been shooting for sometime before that

no magic age. all depends on the kid.

That is child abuse !!! Must have some tough deer in your part of the country....

are you saying that becuse of the cal. or becuse its to early or late of an age?


I'm betting there was no tracking or if so it was very a short job.

My youngest was 8 and the first to jump up when asked who wants to shoot the 50bmg at my farm. There were adult men that were hesitant but not my youngest. yes it pushed his body back 6 to 8 inches and his response was "well that was not to bad!!" After that the men couldn't back out and let that kid show them up.

some people can handle it kids including.

I will say both of my boys prefer a 338 lapu over the 50bmg.

Using a large caliber, controlled expansion bullet on deer is like shooting them with a FMJ, only legal! Anyone that has shot a .375 knows the recoil feels more like a shotgun than like a high velocity rifle. My son got his first 12guage when he was 10, killed his first coyote with it at 11. The .375 was no problem for him.

some fellas , and some kids I suppose like to get hit in the face and they ask for another.

it doesn't seem to make some a worse shot but I have never seen it make them a better shot.

it's Ok to not abuse yourself with recoil

lots of kids started hunting with a gun that smacked the heck out of them and went on to be fine shooters and hunters

but Lot also left hunting or shooting or were very hesitant and lost years of experiences because some one foolish put way to much gun in their hands.
when you lose a kid like that your happy if they just become a no thanks I don't care for hunting but you could easily be making an anti or at leaste setting them up for the antis to recruit them.
if you keep the experience positive and they are like , I prefer xyz sport more you don't turn them to the dark side.

now I am not going to say I never dun it , my Aunt (3 years older than me and grew up just down the street from each other) was fresh back from officer basic ROTC and I took her out shooting and loaded 2 slugs then 3 round of light trap loads , but I mean , this is like your older sister just came back officer basic thinking they were hot stuff , your going to want to bust that down a notch. that is a little different. the Captain and I are still on speaking terms.

I have never done it to a kid and it should be avoided build all the fundamentals before you go hard recoiling and work up to it

yes by 13-14 I had shot 458 win mag , 12ga , 10ga , 44 mag , 30-06 but I started with a 10/22 and 1100 20ga at 11years old
by 14 I was 6'1" inch 206# on my first day of wrestling I had been 14 for 2 months and had been working construction 2 years with no one having any idea I wasn't 18.

whatever age you start them at , start them right

we have a very successful BB gun program now in 4-H it is rapidly growing and it works because they can as soon as they are 8 years old work the equipment that is the right size for them.
Air rifle was good but very often even the guns we had cut the stocks down on were too long and too heavy. they had to grow into it and that took time and eligibility years.

I would say start any of them on bb or air rifle
I had a young lady this year she is an excellent bb and air rifle shooter like top 5 in the state
we got her on trap this year , she understood sight picture , sight alignment , grip , stance we had to adjust some of those and I had to put a very short stock on my 20ga for her but when we had a gun that fit and got her over the trigger , she was used to a very light trigger and most shotguns are more like 5-6 pounds she was breaking 20 birds the second night. by her 2nd or 3rd round of trap.

if they have all the other stuff down adding a little recoil isn't much of an issue.

but teaching everything with recoil is working a lot harder than you need to.

I started at age 3 with my chipmunk gun.
There wasnt a safe aquirrel.on the place.lol
My dad took me out regularly.

My next.gun was a .410 at 6 or 7 years old