First time shooting -- how old?

[TakDwn]

I would like to begin to introduce my son, who is 9 yrs old, to firearms. Not just shooting a weapon but safety, awareness, etc. Something a lil more formal than my conversations with him at home.

In late fall with his Cub Scout group he went for a day's outing and took part in bow-arrow and BB gun target. This part only lasted about 10-15 minutes but was the most exciting part of the day camp for him.

How old were you the first time you fired a weapon?
What did you shoot? BB/pellet gun, 22...

I have not been successful in locating a local class that teaches about firearms safety for kids. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Can you remember being a boy and how much fun/exciting it was the first time?

[headcase]

You are his best teacher. I just started my son who is nine. I take him out in the woods, set up a target and we go over the safety briefing, then plink away. We use a daisy powerline pump. He is now able to pump to ten.

[Brown-Bear]

I guess I was around 10 or so. Did the boyscout thing also. I think I was 12 when my dad bought me my 1st "real" gun, a New England break action 12g, then he enrolled us both in a hunter safety class. Good to hear there is still a new younger generation out there interested in sporting arms and traditions. Have fun and keep the kid safe.

Dave

[mikepro8]

I was 12 when my dad got me my first "real" gun... a model 881 Marlin Bolt Action tube fed .22 LR. Still have it, same scope and all, still use it for groundhogs (its original intened puropse). I'll be 31 in June. The only thing that ever needed worked on was an ejector spring. Not bad for a rifle used every year for the last nearly 20 years.

[Packerfan]

My oldest is being taught the basics with his toy guns. Never too eary on safety. Mainly right now, no pointing at people and check for no bullets. He knows never to touch my stuff unsupervised. We ask him what is the first thing you do. He now always says, make sure there are no bullets in it. He shows interest in hunting, will wait to take him shooting. The noise will probably scare him off now, he's only 4.5 years old.

[sluggie24]

I was 9 or 10 when I was given my first BB gun. I learned on that and then my father moved me to .22 and so on.

[dogngun]

11 or 12. I learned in the Cub Scouts. Shot a Mossberg .22 single shot bolt rifle with iron sights, still the best way to learn, IMO. That was nearly 50 years ago, and I have enjoyed rifle and handgun shooting ever since, still own a couple of .22's
Later went on to earn a marksmanship merit badge in Boy Scouts, using their rifles and ranges.

Don't know if they even do these things any more.

I have been a safety conscious shooter all my life, and I am happy to credit the Scouts for that.

mark

[Lycanthrope]

I started shooting .22 around age 6. 12 gauge and the .243 came into the scene around age 8. I lived in the country and nothing was safe from my Daisy 880 with 4x scope in those days.

I may have known a kid who filled his dad's doe tag with a 7mm mag at age 11, but that's just internet rumor.

Lycanyougottabaseitonmaturityandtrustthrope

[BenningBoy]

About 8 years old. Thompson Center Contender in .44. Yeah, I was a tough guy back in the day.

[jdpate]

Started shooting a Daisy BB gun when I was six or so, moved up to an H&R .410 when I was about eight.