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Old July 29, 2012, 10:46 PM   #1
jimmythegeek
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My boy's first time at the range!

He's been curious about what goes on when Daddy goes to the range to shoot guns. He's a young 9, but very mature and conscientious about anything safety related. In fact, yesterday I saw him exhibit instinctive muzzle discipline when a clerk at the gun counter walked in front of him! And he was already all over Cooper's #4 "Be sure of your target and what's behind it" before he'd ever fired a gun. Just figured out by himself that these things need a good backstop.

We talked about the other rules and he had the concepts down fine. So I set him up with a CZ-455, scoped, which was too big for him but worked out ok anyway. All shots off a rest, various expedients to get him in a good position. Next time his baby sister's booster seat is going with us. We started with a blank sheet of butcher paper. He dug it. After 4-5 rounds, moved him over to a typical target with black rings and a red center. He was kissing the 10 ring with his first two shots, and scoring some in the X by the end of the 90 minutes we had. Good groups, so NPOA probably explained the shot placement as much as anything else. It was 25', not 1000 yards, but I'm still proud of my boy.

We tried my Marlin 795 and CZ-75b kadet, too. Loading one at a time in the Marlin kind of hid its light under a basket, but I might let him go 2 in a mag next time. Even off a rest he found the Kadet heavy. I will demonstrate .45acp, maybe next time. We had the range to ourselves, so the Kadet sounded loud.

Only thing I find I have to keep on him about is trigger discipline. Thinking hard about a Savage Cub for x-mas. Or a CZ 452 Scout. The Scout would be another CZ, which I seem to be drawn to, nice quality and I could go from 1-shot adapter to 10 round mags shared with the CZ-455. The Cub is single shot only, but at least it doesn't have a separate yank to cock and good luck unloading like a lot of youth rifles.

We got home with the same # of holes in us as we started, so that's a win, too.

I am looking forward to the day when he and his sisters start outshooting me. I'll make 'em earn it, but it'll rock my world.

Thanks for reading, if anybody did! :P
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Old July 30, 2012, 12:49 AM   #2
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Man, that's all kinds of great! I got to shoot with my oldest boy a couple of years ago after not really seeing him much for 13 or so years- what a great time it was!

I'm like you, I'm partial to CZ's and think the Scout would be dandy. Did you haul a camera out for photo's? As fast as a father's time slips away- you'll cherish those photographs someday.

Hats off to you my friend for being such a great Dad.

Good read.
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Old July 30, 2012, 10:08 AM   #3
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Best work, you will every do in this life !!!

These days we get too hung up on hanging a price on just about everything. The time you spend with your Kids/Grandkids, is priceless. Currently working with my 10yr. old and he will take his Hunter Safety, this fall. It will be my pleasure to sign his certificate. He knows most of the common calibers as well as the four safety rules. ....


Be Safe !!!
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Old July 30, 2012, 11:30 AM   #4
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I enjoyed reading this post. The first rifle my daughter fired was my pellet rifle (scoped). Our set up was about 10 yards away.... A month or so later I took her to the range and set her up with a scoped .22 rifle and let her shoot at a target 25 yards out. She did so well, and I was so proud of her. We've had many father daughter moments and thats one that I will never forget. My hunting buddy has a Remington 22-250 that he wants to sell. She took a look at it, liked it, and in about 2 months I intend to purchase for her. Good post
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Old November 12, 2012, 09:33 AM   #5
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Amen. I have had both my kids at the range maybe 3 or 4 times now. I think it teaches them disciple and allows them a level of responsibility and thought about responsibility on a higher level then their peers. Good to pass it on!
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Old November 12, 2012, 11:26 AM   #6
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What a great time that must've been. Here's to many more like that.
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Old November 14, 2012, 09:07 PM   #7
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That's a great story and a great time. I like these threads. Uh, where's the pics, dad?
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Old November 20, 2012, 09:25 AM   #8
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Aww lol this made my morning. Good job man! Its nice to hear things like this. You just don't see this kinda of bounding anymore.

I'm glad you had a good and safe trip.
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Old November 20, 2012, 11:31 AM   #9
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So, where are the pics?,,,

Not saying it didn't happen,,,
We just want to share the smiles with you.

Aarond

.
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Old November 21, 2012, 04:53 AM   #10
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Here's the video, short and sweet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsJKP...ature=youtu.be

This is at the pistol + rimfire range, which has lousy benches for what we're doing. The rifle range would be a little overwhelming, I think, and the closest target is 50 yards.

He's excited to go to a former gravel pit where we can set up some plastic jugs full of water and shoot prone off a bipod. Come to think of it, I am, too!

Since this trip, I picked up a CZ-452 Scout for him. It's a better fit. I thought hard about a Cricket or a Savage Cub. In the end, I figured there's no significant safety advantage of a single shot over a bolt action, and particularly when unloading there is a real advantage over a Cricket.
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Old November 21, 2012, 07:30 AM   #11
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Awesome. Some of my best memories are watching the daughter shoot away.
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Old November 21, 2012, 01:50 PM   #12
jimmythegeek
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speaking of which, here's my eldest

Little bit of a backward lean, but I like the grip and extension. CZ75 Kadet.

She shoots a .45acp 1911 pretty well, too.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg small.jpg (104.4 KB, 93 views)
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Marlin 795, 795ss, 39A Mountie, CZ-455 American, CZ-452 Scout, CZ-75 Kadet, AOM160 M1 Carbine, USGI M1 Carbine, M1 Garand, Dan Wesson PM7 1911

Last edited by jimmythegeek; November 21, 2012 at 01:52 PM. Reason: broken link? Attached image directly
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Old November 23, 2012, 08:04 PM   #13
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imho you won't ever go wrong with the cz scout. i,i mean santa, bought my eldest son now 8 yrs old a cz scout with a leupold vx1 2-7x32 two Christmas' ago when he was 6. i need to buy my youngest son which is about to be 2 yrs old in a month a 452 scout before they stop making them. cz has dc'd the 452 action in favor of the 455. i like a couple of y'all gravitate to the cz 452 rimfires myself.
good luck with the little fella and keep spending quality gun powder burnin' time with him as i don't believe that it will be in vain. a boy needs to know how to do certain things and shooting a gun is just one of them. not to disrespect to single moms but i believe that it takes a man to show a man to be a man to quote a bumper sticker that i saw recently.
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Old November 26, 2012, 08:56 PM   #14
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Awesome video and great to see you're getting out with your boy to introduce him to the sport. My nephews come over to my side of the State once a summer for about a week or so and I get the joy of taking them out to shoot. Here's a few pics from this past summer with my oldest two girls and nephews, and you can see we're all having a blast!





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Old November 26, 2012, 10:07 PM   #15
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scsov509,

Dude! Where the hell is the eye protection for the kids?
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Old November 27, 2012, 01:19 AM   #16
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Dude! Where the hell is the eye protection for the kids?
It's sitting at home in a grocery bag that got left on my kitchen table along with the sunscreen I was supposed to be using that day. But honest, it was a one time offense on my part, we're normally really good about ear and eye-pro, and here's my proof from a previous outing.




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Old November 27, 2012, 02:24 AM   #17
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And he was already all over Cooper's #4 "Be sure of your target and what's behind it" before he'd ever fired a gun. Just figured out by himself that these things need a good backstop.
Looks like he is on his way "to Ride, to Shoot Straight, and to Speak the Truth"!
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Old November 27, 2012, 07:08 AM   #18
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Very awesome.
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Old November 27, 2012, 10:55 AM   #19
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Those are some super cool pics.
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Old November 29, 2012, 08:53 AM   #20
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It's sitting at home in a grocery bag that got left on my kitchen table
Then at least give them your sunglasses...
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Old December 2, 2012, 08:01 PM   #21
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Sounds like a good time for you and yours, congrats. I had the chance to take a young cousin of mine shooting this summer and we had a great time. Kind of a troubled kid, I think he smiled and laughed more during that hour and a half than I had seen him do in a couple years.
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Old December 2, 2012, 09:07 PM   #22
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We have a Savage Cub with a 4x rimfire scope on it which works well. My girls are 10 and 13 now and it still is a good fit. We have had it since the 13 year old was 6 or 7. They shoot it near rapid fire now with me holding a box of bullets off to the side.

The Savage Cub is a pretty good gun. It's trigger is a bit heavy and rough, but they can learn it well enough.

A red dot or low power scope is key to fun. Also, shooting at 5 - 15 yards is a good place to start. Aluminum cans are a fun first target after you sight it in.
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Old July 2, 2013, 08:51 AM   #23
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love your artical

Personal note I loved your article bravo, I want to see more like this, I have a daughter 11 and a son 8

My son loves my browning 12 ga, and wants to go hunting with me, But I don't think he's quite there yet, but does go clay shooting with me

My daughter loves pistol shooting and on the range is very good, more to the point loves taking my pistol apart n cleaning it,

have to ask, what size cal do you let your children shoot at the range?
what do you recommend ?
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Old July 3, 2013, 12:03 PM   #24
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Calibers for Kids

Based on my experience with my kids, I'd start with a .22LR rifle, preferably single-shot or bolt action. Then they can move on to a .22lr semi-auto. When they get to the point where they won't just be missing more expensively, a mild centerfire will definitely be of interest. I made mine show they could put 10/10 in an 8" target at 25 yards before they got the expensive ammo. Not a real hard test, but it focused them a little. Good next steps would be M1 Carbine or AR in 5.56/.223. I think they have about the same recoil. I have a video clip of my boy shooting an m1 carbine for the first time... "Woah!" He dug it so much.

At any jump in caliber I start them with a single round for a couple of reps, especially in a semi-auto.

Pistols are fascinating to most kids, but few can hit anything with them. A narrow grip will fit their smaller hands. I found my CZ-Kadet, which is a full sized pistol with a grip large enough for a double stack mag, was too big for my 10 year old. A 1911 fits better. I think bringing the target *way* in, to 10-15 feet, is probably right for pistols. If you aren't on paper, you probably won't learn much from your target.

Since you were asking about calibers and not what I've been talking about, back to the boy: He shot and loved a Ruger GP100 with .357 ammo. I'm not sure what the specs on that ammo were. He did not love the 1911 with 230 grain bullets. Pretty sure the GP100 is a lot heavier and soaks up recoil better.

My 16 year old daughter likes .45acp. .30-06 intimidates her, just not her favorite. I've seen a clip of a 10-11 year old girl at Appleseed hitting a gong at 200 yards with a Garand, and liking it. Her form was great, though. I only saw two shots, so she might have developed a flinch later. I'd probably keep it to a couple of rounds per outing from a big boomer. Maybe the last two in the clip so she gets the "ping!" of the clip ejecting. My daughter also shoots her boyfriend's Mosin once in a while, a couple of shots every few outings. She'll shoot an AR all day.

I'm sure there are kids out there shooting 12 gauge slugs all day, too. I think introducing a heavier caliber a step at a time will let them find the right level of challenge where the recoil is interesting but not overwhelming. This means you have to have a good selection of guns!

It's a lot more fun with kids. Sometimes a bit stressful, I know I don't get to shoot much with all the supervision and support. The malfunction drill is "lay it on the table and get Daddy" at this point. We talk squibs and hang fire vs misfire, but I'm not sure they really *get* it yet. So I handle things while talking them through my process. "You had a 'click', but no 'boom'. Ok, it's been about 15 seconds, so let's eject the round carefully - watch my muzzle discipline and how I keep my face away from the chamber - and see if the bullet is still seated in the case. It is? Good, no squib. Did we get a light strike or did the firing pin leave a deep impression...."

Just my rambling thoughts when I'm supposed to be working. Take care! Safe and happy shooting, all.
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Old July 3, 2013, 12:13 PM   #25
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Pistols are fascinating to most kids, but few can hit anything with them.
Ours must be exceptional, then.....

http://www.weepingwatergunclub.com/pinkids.html
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