How young is too young?

[1911KY]

I have been thinking about getting my daughter out to the range to learn how to shoot but I still think she is too young yet at the age of 3.

My buddy has a daughter of similar age, just turned 4 and he let her shoot his sons .22 pistol with assistance of course.

I know she would love it as she always wants to go shooting with me but she isn't to fond of loud noises yet.

What do you all think?

[Xbonz]

That's a tough one. I'd begin teaching her about guns, safety, danger. Let her handle them. show her how to take them apart. But to me 3 is just too too young..

[sdmc530]

I agree, 3 is too young. My 3 year old is a good kid but even if I stand over him I don't think I would let him shoot. Doesn't understand enough about it. My wife and I have had this conversation a number of times, I was shooting BB gun at 5 or 6. My son already has three guns thanks to grandpa but won't get to shoot them for years. We meaning my wife said no bb gun till 7 and .22 till 9. I am ok with this but will see how he gets older....3 would be too young in my opinion.

[milkmanjoe]

Two boys and a girl, of mine, started with a .22 Marlin bolt at age three. Yes, I hovered. Yes, I taught the destruction a bullet can do. Yes, all three can break down the Marlin, Glock pistols, Mossberg500, clean, lube and assemble correctly. If you get anywhere near the line while one of them is sighting for a shot if the gun has a safety it is flipped on and the gun laid on the table. If it is a Glock they will lay it on the table and yell "COLD RANGE".
They are now 13, 11 and 10.
Kids pick up the most and retain before the world infiltrates their brains. TV, video games, all that crap. Teach the young minds and keep on teaching over and over. What you teach will be retained. Once a kid starts thinking about the nonsense they are exposed to at pre school and beyond you will lose the window of retention.

[Sheepdog]

I started my girls at 5. I bought them a Chipmunk 22, kid sized very safe bolt action.

[sdmc530]

Chimpmunk is good, I got Kaden a Cricket .22. Same deal, bolt action single shot but you have to manually pull the bolt back every time before it will fire....good kid rifle....