Granddaughter starting to shoot. A few questions for those who’ve done this before.

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

My oldest grandchild is seven and has started asking about going shooting with her dad and me.

 

Last weekend we were at my parents’ farm and we took her to the creek with the BB gun that my grandpa bought me when I was maybe her age.  (A real Circle Of Life moment!)

 

After a talk about safety she spent a happy hour shooting at leaves in the water.  I think she’s catching the bug!
 

So here at my questions to those who’ve gone before…

 

What is a good BB gun for her to use?  My old gun is too small for her as she’s tall and lanky for her age.  I’d like a larger gun with a wood stock so I can cut it to fit her and glue back pieces as she grows.  
 

What about a CO2 gun?  She doesn’t have strength yet to cock a spring gun.  I’ve always been biased against having to buy the cartridges, but what is folks’ experience?

 

The last question has nothing to do with BB guns.  She is right handed but left eye dominant. Very dominant.  What’s the best way to teach her?

 

All insight is much appreciated.

[Eyesa Horg]

Henry .22  

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Can’t help with the gun but try opaque tape over the left lense of her shooting glasses. It will fake her brain into thinking the left eye isn’t working and use the right. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

A BB Gun or an Air Rifle?  Check out Pyramyd Air for ideas.  If you have a high pressure compressor, consider a PCP air rifle.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Can you sign her up for a NRA safety course? 

[Cypress Sun]

Since she is young and new to shooting, train her on how to shoot left-handed. Being "very" left eye dominant, I would think that it's easier and more effective to train the limb rather than the eye.

Edited October 27 by Cypress Sun

[Eyesa Horg]

My niece started at that age with a Cricket single shot and quickly went to a 10/22. Now she likes ARs!! Hopefully will get into cowboy, but more interested in school sports presently!

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

For young shooters it is best to teach those with left eye dominate to shoot long guns left handed.  With adult shooters is it easier to have them put a piece of scotch type tape on the left lense of shooting glasses to slightly distort left eye vision and have the right eye take over.  Patching an eye is NOT the way to go as that diolates the eyes differently.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

I'll throw in a quick second on Eyesa Horg's recommend of a .22.

My old police partner asked me to start his roughly five year old daughter shooting.

CCI Mini Caps in a Single Six was my choice -- a tin coffee can (big target up close that goes CLANK when hit) that she packed home in triumph: "Daddy, Daddy, I shot the baby boolits!"

Once Don was done laughing at her delight, I explained Mini Caps to him and he allowed as that's what he'd use now that I'd started her!

 

[Rip Snorter]

I taught both my kids with .22 rifles.  I bought bolt, lever, pump and semi auto over time so they could learn them all.  When we went to handgun, it was revolver for quite a while, then semi.

[Chantry]

3 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

 She is right handed but left eye dominant. Very dominant.  What’s the best way to teach her?

 

I am cross dominant and started shooting when I was 7.  I shoot bolt actions off the left shoulder (even off hand) and I've shot belt fed machine guns off the left shoulder.  Qualified expert in basic shooting a M-16A2 off my left shoulder.  If anything I've found being cross dominant more of a positive than a negative.  Using one's dominant hand to perform manual tasks is easier than learning to use my non-dominant hand to perform the same tasks.

 

Don't force things, if she really wants to shoot, she'll figure a lot of it out on her own.

 

Teach her to shoot off the left shoulder with a long gun.

 

With a handgun use the right hand and she just tilts her head to the right to use the left for the sites.

[Eyesa Horg]

3 minutes ago, Chantry said:

Teach her to shoot off the left shoulder with a long gun.

 

With a handgun use the right hand and she just tilts her head to the right to use the left for the sites.

That's how Ellie does it. She's blind in right eye so shoots long guns lefty and pistols right. Took her a while to get the left-handed thing down but does pretty well now.

[J-BAR #18287]

I understand your pleasure and excitement at her interest.  But don't over do it.  She's a kid with a short attention span.  Keep her eager to shoot with you so she looks forward to it.  If shooting becomes routine, she will get bored with it.  Let her tell you when she wants to go shooting, rather than you expecting to go out on every visit.  Grandpas may have to sit through a few "tea parties" as their girls grow up.

 

Begin each session with a review of the safety rules.  Ask her to teach them to you.  Use eye and ear protection even with a BB gun so they become part of the process.  
 

Keep the targets fun.  Popping balloons, shoot-and-see targets, etc.  Cock the BB gun for her:  it ensures that she won't be going off by herself for awhile.  In other words, don't be eager to eliminate supervision at this age.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I started my son off with a Winchester 9422 and my daughter with a Nylon 66.  Both were big enough for me or my wife to use if they lost interest.

 

My son's gun was stolen ten years later and he graduated to a Winchester 94 in .30-30, and later to  a number of other guns.

 

My daughter kept the 66, but almost never used it until she married a guy with a bolt action Remington  nylon rifle.  She's more comfortable with  her hand guns (I think she now has four).

Edited October 27 by Forty Rod SASS 3935

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Started my girls on a Pink crickett .22 small light and single shot 

I still have it

 

[Texas Maverick]

I helped a friend of mine get into SASS. After a month or so in his daughter who was 11 I believe wanted to do it to. So I lent them my Henry 22 slicked by Slater and 2 Uberti 22 pistols. He had a 12 gauge so he went ahead with it and I gave him some light loads for it. She started shooting and was doing pretty well. After about 3 months she decided she wanted her own guns and wanted 38;s She had been shooting his 38's in practice. So he bought her a full set of guns and gave me mine back. They shot about 4 more months and then she got into barrel racing with her horse and they haven't been back since. So take it nice and slow and make sure her interest is really into guns. Slaughter tunes up the Henry very nice and slick that she could shoot it without any issues. I agree with the above about long guns using left eye and handguns using right eye. Good luck and enjoy what time you do get with her shooting. Maybe you will get lucky and she won't get into boys, cars, horses, etc. LOL My daughter shoots with me but not SASS guns. We have our semi-autos and she is pretty good. She took her class for CHL but never followed through with sending all the paperwork in and now has to start over. She has 2 of her own semi-autos and 1 shotgun and dibs on all my guns when God decides he is ready to put up with my crap in heaven. I think that is why I am still here. He isn't ready for me full time. LOL

 

TM

Edited October 28 by Texas Maverick

[Subdeacon Joe]

Brother Charlie asks about  BB Guns and half the replies say to get her a .22 rifle.  

[Alpo]

I agree on teaching her to shoot a rifle left handed.

 

This is my daughter's nephew.

 

We were up visiting my daughter and we went to the range. He had no trouble shooting a pistol. This is a picture of my granddaughter shooting the 22, but that's him in the background with the 45 in full recoil.

 

Then we have him shooting a 2-inch 38.

 

Again, not a problem. But you see the way he is shooting this 22 rifle?

 

The boy is left eye dominant, and that's how he had to hold it so he could see the sights.

Edited October 27 by Alpo

[Sixgun Seamus]

I know the OP asked about BB guns to start but I ask, "Why not a .22?"

A youngun will graduate to a .22 faster that you think. Yes, a BB gun or pellet gun is less expensive to shoot but give them their choice after shooting a 22 and I'll put my money on them favoring the 22. I started all 3 of my kids (2 boys and a girl) at 5 to 6 years old on .22's. I think my kids got more enjoyment learning to shoot hearing the loud report of a gun. I started them on a bolt action manual cock Chipmunk rifle and a S&W 422 pistol. I have pictures of my daughter at 5 yrs old shooting the 422. I still have both of them. They eventually each had their own Ruger 10/22 and each had a different brand pistol according to what they liked. 

My 9 yr old grandson (Zeke Moregunz SASS #114923) handles 38 Special rifle and pistols with ease. He shoots a cut down Stoeger 12 gauge. My 7 yr old granddaughter was a brass rat at our last match and will start on .22's soon.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Red Ryder sounds about right for a 7 year old.  More opportunities to shoot it without needing to go to an actual shooting range.  A bit safer in case a trigger gets pulled when the rifle is still pointing in the wrong direction.  She may be very intelligent, and I have no doubt she is getting excellent instruction... but she is only 7 and accidents happen.  Just my opinion.

 

Red Ryders have a wooden stock, easy enough to "adjust" for her.

[Jiminy Cricket]

12 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

A BB Gun or an Air Rifle?  Check out Pyramyd Air for ideas.  If you have a high pressure compressor, consider a PCP air rifle.

I second this. I’ve purchased several bb and pellet guns from them.  The easiest to use is the PCP air rifle once you have a high pressure compressor.  You can also fill them with a scuba tank but I’m not a fan of buying air.  

I also agree with the Red Ryder.  I bought an Adult Red Ryder and it’s probably the gun I shoot the most, mostly because of cost but it’s also fun.  Pyramid Air also sells Co2 revolvers.  I bought a couple Schofields from them, for a little back yard CAS fun, less the shotgun.

 

I can’t help with the cross eye dominance, sorry.

 

Regards

Cricket

[watab kid]

im going to join the band wagon on 22s as i was raised on them , rifle and handgun , not that a decent airgun has no place - they do- but thats for the silent stuff in the back yard dealing with pests 0 those should be high quality , that said , starting with 22s is the best to get them used to moise and recoil 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

18 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Brother Charlie asks about  BB Guns and half the replies say to get her a .22 rifle.  

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts including those trying to expand the horizon beyond BB guns.  
 

But BB guns were the question because my shop will be our range for the most part.  A Red Ryder can’t penetrate a plank wall but a 22 sure will.

 

Thank you all for your thoughts on BB guns and first 22s.  I also appreciate perspectives on eye dominance.  We will take it easy and let her have fun at her own pace.  She’s at a stage where she’s exploring a lot of interests. Dance.  Music.  Building stuff with me.  (The shop is already our place!)

 

Much for which to be grateful.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Sir 

 

 I am in the same boat , with the Grandson . as to rifle , I am teaching him , to shoot left handed , same with a bow 

 

 have not dome much with handguns yet 

 

I start everyone out with BB guns , much safer IMO 

 

if ya want to have a bunch of fun , get a shotgun hull , fill it with foam , flip it into a creek with moving water and shoot it with a Red Rider 

 

 be safe 

 

  CB