Need your opinions on a young girl learning to shoot.

[cuznjoe23 0]

Hello guys, I'm wanting to start to get my 7yr old daughter into shooting. I basically want to start with very basics and make it fun and teach basic safety. She has always been around my guns and she knows Afew rules. Afew people keep telling me she's to young especially being a girl, my opinion is teach them early and they will learn the right way, not by what they see on tv. What's your opinion?

 

2nd I am debating on should I start her with a BB gun or an air soft gun. What do you suggest? Models of anything would be a great help. I'm also going to have to try to keep the $ down as much as possible, any info would be a great help.

 

Ty in advance,

Joe

 

 

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[djg0770 481]

Only you can make the determination as to whether your daughter is old enough.  In this particular case, age is just a number.  You need to gauge her maturity and ability to follow directions and understand that she might be handling a potentially deadly object.

 

I wouldn't bother with a BB gun, I'd jump right to a 22 rifle, something like a Crickett

http://www.crickett.com/crickett_22_LR.php

[John Fox 5]

I agree with the previous writer. I started my grandson at 7 years with safety primarily and went from there with a 22 Colt single action army and one bullet. He was very mature and did well.

[wink-_-wink 1]

My son is 6 and when he was 5 I could tell how into guns he was.  They fascinated him as much as they did for me when I was a kid.  I knew I did not want him shooting yet so I went the BB gun route.  As of now, he is 6 and a half and knows almost religiously gun safety rules.  Everytime we go shoot, he has to tell me some of the rules.  Those BB guns are locked up with my guns and he has no access to them unless I am home and grant him access.  NEVER on his own.  My brother also has a TON of airsoft stuff so he gets to shoot a variety of things and loves it.  When he hits 7 or matures a little bit more, we are DEF getting a cricket.  They are pretty cheap and a PERFECT started for kids.  He wants to learn to hunt which means I need to learn first before just taking him out.... at least I have a few years to learn lol

[GJC88 0]

You could always consider an air (pellet) rifle if you're looking for something kind of between the BB and the. 22. Don't know much about them but they are now legal for varmint hunting in NJ and might be a good place to start. Low recoil, more power than a BB gun, but maybe less intimidating.

 

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[magnawing 5]

I started with a BB gun @ 5 then moved to a .22 @ 7 was goose hunting with a 20ga @ 9. But those were different times....40 years ago...

 

 

This signature is AWESOME!!!

[Kaiser7 33]

I have a few airsoft guns. I have a bolt-action spring airsoft gun based off the R700 if you're interested. Decent airsoft guns are usually similar in weight to the "Real-Steel" counterparts, and have safeties and such. My JG BAR10 is fairly light, feeds via magazines and stuff, so airsoft guns aren't a bad way to go, especially since .2g bbs are fairly easy to find.

But they're fairly good, that's where I learned, I was originally an airsofter, played the sport stuff like that.

But I'd say given the difficulty of finding .22LR, which is what I'd usually recommend, try an air-rifle, or maybe a gun in .22 short, or something you can still find ammo for.

[jm1827 284]

I started my son on a bolt action 22 when he was 7, and he was fine.  My daughters started a little later but that was only because I didn't have time to start them earlier, if I did I would have started them at 5 or 6 only because they were more attentive than my son (IMHO girls mature much quicker than boys early on).

 

.22 may be scarce but it can still be found at reasonable prices, you just have to look for it.

[Wolfjon 0]

I started my son and daughter out with a BB/Pellet gun 1st.. Why:

We can shoot that in our backyard anytime I have a chance to work with them.

They are lock in my safe since they are REAL guns..

They are single shot and you have to pump them so it teach's them to slow down and take their time.

I do not have to go to a range and worry about other people complaining they are too young.

Once I do get them a 22 they will fully know the rules of firearm safety.

 

Of course if you cannot shoot a bb/or pellet gun in your own yard then I have no issue with teaching them on a single shoot 22 like a cricket. Like a few others have already said only you know your own kid and can determine safety.

[Malice4you 627]

I have a few airsoft guns. I have a bolt-action spring airsoft gun based off the R700 if you're interested. Decent airsoft guns are usually similar in weight to the "Real-Steel" counterparts, and have safeties and such. My JG BAR10 is fairly light, feeds via magazines and stuff, so airsoft guns aren't a bad way to go, especially since .2g bbs are fairly easy to find.

 

But they're fairly good, that's where I learned, I was originally an airsofter, played the sport stuff like that.

 

But I'd say given the difficulty of finding .22LR, which is what I'd usually recommend, try an air-rifle, or maybe a gun in .22 short, or something you can still find ammo for.

Problem with most of the spring-powered bolt actions is that they require a decent amount of force to pull the bolt, might be too much for a young kid.  I've had grown men who couldn't pull back the bolt fully on my (upgraded) VSR10 - at least the first times they've tried to shoot it...

 

Gas powered airsoft guns may be easier since there is no resistance during bolt pull, but will be more expensive to purchase a decent quality one (at least new).

[Kaiser7 33]

Problem with most of the spring-powered bolt actions is that they require a decent amount of force to pull the bolt, might be too much for a young kid.  I've had grown men who couldn't pull back the bolt fully on my (upgraded) VSR10 - at least the first times they've tried to shoot it...

 

Gas powered airsoft guns may be easier since there is no resistance during bolt pull, but will be more expensive to purchase a decent quality one (at least new).

 

The BAR10, which is a 1:1 copy of the VSR10 isn't too bad. I kept the spring stock as it was a back up for field play, and didn't want to drop the money on a heavier spring. I'd say lubed up it's only 3lbs or so (totally guessing). But I found it to be the lightest spring pull on any of my spring-bolt actions. 

 

The difference is definitely price though. A low-level bolt  gas-powered airsoft gun runs$200+, with the gas costing $12 a bottle, and the magazines are more expensive. I usually would say go for a crickett or even a Savage MKII for that price, but with .22LR being a PIA to find right now, going $50 in on a spring airsoft gun is a good way to start, plus you can shoot them on your own property even if you live in suburbia, and can practice fundamentals even if you can't get to a range.

[FishHunter 0]

You may want to contact local gun club and ask about their youth programs. My club OBRPC has a youth small bore rifle league. They will let you use the rifle, teach proper handling and it will cost less then $10. If she likes it and sticks with it, there is scholarship money to be found in shooting sports.

[Night Prowler 0]

If you want to do it on the cheap look at a Red Ryder BB gun. Granted they are pos compared to years ago but for $40 it's light and she should be fine to cycle it on her own. At $40 it's also not a big loss to buy a pink one.

 

 

 

[Smokin .50 1,907]

I started my son at age 4 with a bolt-action single-shot Youth Model Marlin Little Buckeroo.  No mag, just a "tray" built into the gun.  Nice and slow, GREAT trainer.  Fires all .22 rimfire from LR to shorts and CB caps.   20 years later, my Eagle Scout has started his own firearms collection.

 

Start her off with a youth model .22 like the Cricket, from a bean bag rest on the bench, just doing the basics.  Bean bag rest keeps rifle pointed down range and eliminates the weight factor so she won't be too tired to learn and have FUN!  Work up from there, as strength and maturity grows.

[GrumpyOldRetiree 38]

If you want to do it on the cheap look at a Red Ryder BB gun. Granted they are pos compared to years ago but for $40 it's light and she should be fine to cycle it on her own. At $40 it's also not a big loss to buy a pink one.

Just be extra careful with that Red Ryder...we don't want her to shoot her eye out!

[cuznjoe23 0]

Thank You all for all of you time and input. I've got a friend who's son dosent use his air soft anymore so I'm going to borrow that for at home, and I may pick up alil .22 for at the range. Ty for all the help and info.

 

Joe

 

 

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