Taking kid to gun range

[cbrunny]

That is the downside. I mean I've killed at most 0 people in the last 30 years of owning firearms. Think about the lives that could have been saved.

You're right. Guns aren't weapons. Silly me.

 

[sourceninja]

...

 

[cbrunny]

No, guns are not weapons until you decide to use them as one. They are tools. Just like a car is not a weapon until someone decides to run down a crowd of people.

I do not own weapons, I own tools for sport shooting and hunting.

There's some serious semantic bullshit. If that's what you have to tell yourself, perhaps you should rethink your priorities.

 

[sourceninja]

...

 

[WelshBloke]

Both this

He should still learn how to shoot a pistol at least himself I would say, before ever taking his kid there.

And this

Have a certified teacher give him shooting instructions, not you. As long as your son respects the firearm for what it is, under the control and supervision of an experienced and trained instructor, he should be okay.

Seem excellent suggestions.

 

[cbrunny]

You're right, my whole childhood was a lie. I'm crushed. If only I had some kind of enjoyable hobby to go do, but you took that from me too! I'd end it all, but I'm anti gun now and I've melted those down.

You have taken everything from me. I'm sobbing right now. I'm not even sure I'll be able to vote for trump.

Well, hey, guns are the ONLY hobby that exists. So I understand why you would feel that way.

 

[olds]

Kids messing up at the range are always the result of a dumb ass parent or instructor. You have to be 100 percent vigilant when instructing anyone, especially a kid.

My daughter started shooting at 5. If there are guns in the house, even locked up, kids should be instructed/familiar with them so they know there are not a toy.

That being said, the OP should not take his kid till the OP becomes competent with firearms.

 

[LTC8K6]

TMJ bullets at the range will reduce the lead problem. Total Metal Jacket, with no exposed lead.

 

[Ackmed]

1. 9 is not too young. Sounds like you don't know enough to take him though.
2. No chance in lead poisoning. You must have heard that from an anti-gun nut.

Enjoy, and it can be a good bonding experience.

 

[olds]

TMJ bullets at the range will reduce the lead problem. Total Metal Jacket, with no exposed lead.

Wan't that a movie with R. Lee Ermey?

 

[PliotronX]

Lead poisoning is not an issue as long as there is adequate downrange ventilation (if you happen to live in CA, that is required by law with indoor ranges). Outdoor ranges are no problem at all. I would start him off with a BB or pellet gun in the back yard and then move him up to a .22 at the range. Only after confidence in operation that you or an instructor observes would I let him try anything more powerful.

edit- another concern is hearing for the young. I like to use foam ear plugs with these on full volume so that I can still carry on a conversation but the protection is doubled. It's not as critical at outdoor ranges.

 

[balloonshark]

Wan't that a movie with R. Lee Ermey?

No, you're thinking about the sequel

 

[JulesMaximus]

Depends on the kid. Personally, with you knowing very little about guns yourself I would probably wait or get training for both of you. Also, ask the range if they have an age limit for children to shoot. Some might. I think 9 would be about the minimum age.

My son is 13 and he has been to the shooting range with me a number of times, he may have been around 10 when I first took him to the range. I've been shooting since about his age and owned guns for decades so I didn't have any qualms about taking him to the range and personally teaching him how shoot.

I'd start with a .22 pistol and/or rifle as his first gun.

My son was 9 or 10 when this pic was taken. My friend's son in the background is even younger.

 

[adairusmc]

I was 5 when I started practicing my rights, with a .22 shooting varmints from my grandfathers porch. 9 is plenty old enough.

 

[cronos]

This guy doesn't know jack about guns, which is why he reacts the way he does. His ignorance has turned into fear. Pay no mind.

See if someone calls me a 'gun ignorant' I would be okay with that. You said it as if it's a terrible thing to be ignorant about guns, but if I had a list of things to be ignorant about, I'd rather be ignorant about guns than a lot of other things. I just don't think it's that important.

So, you seem to think that it's important to be educated about guns, even for people who want absolutely nothing to do with it. Can you explain why?

This wasn't me being snarky, btw. I'm really asking.


Edit:
To be on topic. OP, the age of the kid isn't the issue here, but you seem to not be in the capacity to take him as you are just taking a class and about to learn. You are not in the position to teach him anything. Better wait until you know what you're doing until you take your kid, or have him take a lesson from a professional instructor at the same time. FWIW, I was taken to the range the first time when I was about 10, maybe 11. It was really fun for me.

 

[Ferzerp]

So, you seem to think that it's important to be educated about guns, even for people who want absolutely nothing to do with it. Can you explain why?

Because if you live in the US, they are present, and having an understanding and respect is far more healthy than the ignorant fear of some people.

Lack of education leads to hyperbolic claims like a few people have made above. There is also a massive trend of people who seem to want to legislate from a position of ignorance.

In general, how do you feel about people who have strong opinions of things they don't understand and have no interest in informing themselves?

 

[Ferzerp]

This study, while extremely poorly controlled and thus worth taking with only a grain of salt suggests that ammo type has much more of an effect than indoor vs. outdoor.

However, since it doesn't use standard terminology (in my skimming, I couldn't tell if their jacketed ammo was normal FMJ or TMJ) and is probably only one indoor range, it is hard to get much from it.

 

[Mai72]

Guns scare me.

 

[IronWing]

Back to the lead issue. The area just down range of the firing positions will have the highest lead concentrations and the highest concentration of bio-available lead of anywhere on the range as a result of muzzle spray. As long as your child isn't licking the floor and walls or huffing the fumes he should be okay. Washing your hands when leaving the range and not tracking through the area immediately in front of the firing position would be a good idea.

Hearing protection is also a good idea. You don't want to deprive your child of the pleasure of blowing out his hearing on loud rock and roll music later in life.

 

[sourceninja]

...

 

[IronWing]

Guns scare me.

Guns don't scare people. People scare people. Oh, and alligators, and bears, and hairy spiders, and green stuff in the eggs, and sheens on lunch meat, and nibbly things that live at the bottom of the lake.

 

[cronos]

Because if you live in the US, they are present, and having an understanding and respect is far more healthy than the ignorant fear of some people.

Lack of education leads to hyperbolic claims like a few people have made above. There is also a massive trend of people who seem to want to legislate from a position of ignorance.

In general, how do you feel about people who have strong opinions of things they don't understand and have no interest in informing themselves?

Yeah, I guess there's a difference with being ignorant and simply indifferent (like I presently feel about many things, unfortunately including guns, and yes, it does cause fear, but I keep it inside) vs. ignorant but aggressively doing something without being fully informed. Apparently I'm so deep in my indifference that it escapes me that the latter is an option.

And I get what you mean. I see a lot of people out there who have strong opinions of things they don't understand. Even worse, a lot of these people are loud, and they insist on being informed by their own misinformed group of people, so obviously the misinformation just keeps compounding

 

[Linux23]

Hell why wait until 9 just give them a gun as soon as they pop out of the womb.

 

[z1ggy]

Guns don't scare people. People scare people. Oh, and alligators, and bears, and hairy spiders, and green stuff in the eggs, and sheens on lunch meat, and nibbly things that live at the bottom of the lake.

But are any of those things big black scary looking boom sticks???? Uhhhhh no, so obviously you need not be afraid.

The hell do you think people did 100 years ago in the wilderness? Waited til their kids were 18 (or never) to teach them how to shoot? Shit, if the father suddenly dies and the oldest boy is 9 or 10.... is the family just going to starve to death? No, father will be teaching his son how to shoot and hunt so he's not a useless bag of flesh later on in life.

 

[Tormac]

I have a nine year old son that I plan on starting at the gun range rang next spring. We are going to start with an air rifle until he demonstrates a knowledge of gun and range safety, and then we will move up to a bolt action .22 rifle with a single round in the chamber. The place I go to is outdoors. I do not worry about lead poisoning. Indoor gun-ranges should be well ventilated. If you are concerned talk to the people who run your range and make sure that you are satisfied with their answers. They should be able to explain the danger and what is being done to prevent any danger.

Much of the answer depends on your own knowledge about guns and the type of gun that you want to train your son with, and your son’s personal level of discipline. I was a little younger when my dad first taught me to shoot a .22 rifle. Latter I learned on a single shot 20 gauge and .30-06 with a single round in the chamber. I was not allowed to shoot a hand-gun until I was 15, and I went through the progression again from .22 revolver to .38 special revolver to .22 auto-loading pistol, and then 9mm.

How versed are you with guns and gun safety? Are you very familiar with them, and getting your CCL, or are you a novice as well? Do you know the four rules of gun safety? Do you know how to treat a hang-fire or clear a jam? You should be very well versed in gun safety and range safety before you take your son. In my opinion you need to be confident enough to be in charge at all times, even if it is an instructor that is working with your son. Fire arms are potentially deadly, and no one loves your son more than you do. I would not trust my son’s safety to anyone else. I am not saying I would not trust a professional instructor, only that I would want to be there as well, and confident to step in if I see something that I do not like. If you do take your son remember that you will have to focus on your son that day (at least I would assume that to be the case for my son).

I don’t think your son is too you to start with a long gun, but I would not allow my nine year old to shoot a hand gun yet. The notorious Uzi incident is a good example of what not to do in my opinion. Young children should start with very low recoil rounds .22 or maybe .410, and should only have one round at a time until they have shown that they can handle the recoil without any issue. In my opinion they should not be allowed to shoot a hand gun (including machine pistols/sub machine guns like an Uzi), and allowing them to shoot a fully automatic weapon is ridiculous imho.

If you plan on owning a firearm I think that it is a necessity that your son receive training in gun safety as well, and eventually teach him to shoot, if he is interested. People grow up with a distorted views about the seriousness of firearms, largely because of the way they are portrayed in popular media. It is important to combat this by stressing the potential life threatening nature of guns, and young boys are not known for thinking ahead about the consequences of things.

Needless to say I am sure that if you have a firearm in your home it is either locked in a gun safe or it is secured with a child proof lock, with live ammunition stored safely as well.

My favorite childhood memories are from hunting and fishing and spending time out-doors with my dad and uncle. I hope that my own son will have similar memories. Be sure to always be safe, and remember that you have to take responsibility for your son’s safety. Ultimately I doubt anyone loves him more than you do.