Kids,Guns and Teaching

[ccleroy]

I've been to quite a few youth shoots over the last 2 years and have witnessed more than I like to the below concerns. Parents, it is our responsibility to pass down safe traits to our kids and teach appropriate gun handling/safety.

Unsafe Gun Handling - teach your kids the proper way to carry and handle a gun and to treat them all as loaded! Break action guns should be broken and carried over your shoulder. Semi-autos should be carried barrel up, action out and open. Always be aware of your muzzle!!

Inappropriate Gun Fit/Size - Nothing makes me cringe more than watching a kid who is leaning back to compensate for a gun that is to heavy or not properly fitted. Get them a gun that fits them, not something you have been clamoring for.

Break Action guns - Please show these kids the proper way to handle empties out of a break action gun. Nothing is more annoying and unsafe than a kid that pops open a gun after a pair and slings shells either directly behind him, into their face or into the face of a teammate or coach standing behind them. It's annoying and flat out rude.

Please feel free to add to this list.

[FULLCHOKE]

Yep, great post.

Only thing I would add as a parent or coach to be strict on separating 12 and 20 ammo.

Especially with multiple shooters shooting similar guns but different gauges. Usually the kids are great about it, but it is too easy to hand a kid with a 12guage a 20gauge shell and then create a dangerous situation. I know I have almost been guilty of it a couple times, it's too easy.

[FEETDOWN]

All that, and as an addition to your second point, introducing them to shooting too early. I've seen kids at some of these youth shoots that were getting absolutely punished every time they pulled the trigger, and not hitting anything. You're not doing them any favors by starting them before they're ready.....

PS - No kid weighing less than 110-115 lbs has any business shooting a 12 gauge 100 rounds at the time.....

[Gander]

For the most part, most of the kids do a great job at handling the guns safely. Probably more so than the more experienced shooters I see waving an over/under around with a closed action.

I do agree with Feets, don't rush your kids into shotguns until they get a little weight behind them. And don't start them on a light break open shotgun. Once they get past 100 pounds look for a gas operated auto in 20 ga and get them some light recoiling loads to begin with. 7/8 ounces at 1200 fps or less.

And this goes for anyone shooting a break open shotgun, while standing with the gun broken over your shoulder, the barrels should be pointed forward. Less of a chance of hitting someone or their gun with the barrels pointed forward. And nothing says I'm an idiot more than standing there with the barrels pointed behind you.

[CYPRESNEAK]

For the most part, most of the kids do a great job at handling the guns safely. Probably more so than the more experienced shooters I see waving an over/under around with a closed action.

My oldest son is definitely guilty of correcting my experienced/complacent hunting buddies.
I've always had a zero-tolerance gun safety policy with both my boys.
Anything unsafe = gun cased and watching the rest of the hunt from the sidelines.

[willyworm]

Agreed on all points.

Giving the kid a gun they can properly handle and doesn't give them an irrevocable flinch or fear of recoil is greatly overlooked. Handing a kid a firearm that is too light, too heavy, too long, etc are problems seems majority of adults tend to overlook. The adult likely don't understand proper gun fit themselves.

Hell I melted an entire pound of lead shot into a form I made and dropped it into the stock of my 686 to balance it out. Gun was bad muzzle heavy. Setting a kid up for success in a similar manner, for either adding to the overall weight to help reduce recoil or a basic balancing, isn't hard just takes some time.

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