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**JD1969** · 10-17-2011, 12:18 AM

At what age did you start teaching your kids about firearm safety? My wife does not see eye to eye on the whole gun issue, but she has come to accept that they are part of who I am. We have two young kids, a girl age 5 and boy age 3.5. I was raised around guns, hunting, fishing etc. Firearms were just a part of life for us, I got my first shotgun for my 11th birthday. Growing up when and where I did, a gun was not really any different than a fishing rod (except for the safety aspect). Right now all my guns are kept locked up, but I wonder if I should start teaching the kids what they are and that they need to be respected. I fear that if I hide them, don't talk about them, all that will do is create more curiosity and that IMO is a bad thing. I was thinking of maybe teaching my son when he 5 how to shoot a bb gun and move from there to a .22 rifle after a couple years with the bb gun. My daughter is the ultimate girl and has shown no interest, but I will still teach her how to shoot and the basic safety rules. What have you all done.

Kabraxis · 10-17-2011, 12:29 AM

My daughter just turned 5 this month, and since i just got a firearm i figure i need to teach her about gun safety. I just bought her one of those BB handguns from walmart to teach her about guns. haven't really taught her anything about it yet. been working so much but hopefully soon.

fmj · 10-17-2011, 12:41 AM

Teach 'em young....5-6 is a great age to start. Start slow and EMPHASIZE safety. Make it fun and they will be interested and they WILL learn.

If you lock up the guns and hide it from them, that breeds curiosity and in turn leads to tragedy

Kids are naturally curious critters and WANT to learn, you are their parent and it is your JOB, your DUTY to teach them.

Firearms are an inescapable part of life in America. They can either learn from YOU in a controlled environment, the correct way or they can learn god knows how/where.

Rick1967 · 10-17-2011, 01:01 AM

A bb rifle is a great place to start. I like long barrels with kids. If they do something unexpected it is much easier to grab a hold of.

**spittinfire** · 10-17-2011, 01:04 AM

They can learn and understand at 5-6, that is the age I plan to start teaching my kids about firearm safety.

Soliferrum · 10-17-2011, 01:22 AM

hell, dad had me fire the family gun, a mossberg 500 persuader, when i was 3. Scared the hell out of me and never went near it. dad left it all over the house when i was growin up, fully loaded with 00 buck. knowing what it did i never went near it or had the curiosity to play with it. cause i knew what came out the front of it equaled terror and pain.

all other lessons came year by year by the most important gun in my life, the 1911. i knew how to tear that, an AK, and an AR apart before i discovered girls were good.

**trip286** · 10-17-2011, 01:44 AM

I started with "don't touch" when mine was about 3. In the past 2 years since then (he's 5 now), he's had the opportunity to shoot a few .22s and to learn a little more about safety.

**winds-of-change** · 10-17-2011, 04:31 AM

My granddaughter is 5. I started teaching her about gun safety, the parts of the gun, what she should do if she finds a gun sitting out. I let her hold it after we've checked to be sure it's empty. We discuss the various parts of the gun and how a gun works. I think she is too young to shoot. Heck, my two handguns are too heavy for her right now. But I do keep my guns in a safe next to my bed at all times. I don't want to take any chance her curiosity might injure or kill her. I know many others feel differently and that's okay, too. You do what you are comfortable with.

fmj · 10-17-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

i discovered girls were good.

Since when!?!? all I discovered was pain and misery associated with them split tail critters.

fmj · 10-17-2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winds-of-change

My granddaughter is 5. I started teaching her about gun safety, the parts of the gun, what she should do if she finds a gun sitting out. I let her hold it after we've checked to be sure it's empty. We discuss the various parts of the gun and how a gun works. I think she is too young to shoot. Heck, my two handguns are too heavy for her right now. But I do keep my guns in a safe next to my bed at all times. I don't want to take any chance her curiosity might injure or kill her. I know many others feel differently and that's okay, too. You do what you are comfortable with.

You shoot a Mark II or III dontcha?? I would think she could handle that...altho i personally think a cricket would be a better starting point. But i just think starting with a rifle is best.

Yep, yep to the part in bold....your house, your kid (grandkid) you do what you think best.

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