Getting older has it's compensations.

M

MikeH

Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
4,611
I experienced one of the best last Friday. I took my 8 year old grandson to the range and introduced him to his .22 rifle. I bought a Henry youth size .22 lever action a couple of years ago and put it away for him. His mother was not raised around guns, and I told her to let me know when she was ready to let me teach him to shoot. I did not push it on her, and the day finally came.

Just him and me and my sister, who knew enough to remain quiet and let me do the talking. He has memorized Cooper's four rules. I also appealed to his male ego a little, telling him that you could always tell an immature, ignorant person with a gun. They were the ones with their finger on the trigger when they were not actually firing. He was amused by "keep your booger hook off the bang switch" and will not forget it.

I kept it simple and easy so he would have a fun time and not get frustrated. Drew a picture for him of the correct sight picture. Put up a fun-type target (a Shoot-N-See) at about ten yards. Kept telling him to not try to make the gun fire, just start squeezing the trigger and let the gun go off when it was good and ready. He kept several ten-round magazines' worth in the black and put a couple in the bulls-eye, which we made a big deal over. Of course he wanted to take his target home to show to everyone.

The gun will continue to live at grandpa's house for a while, so I'll get chances to take him again.

I hope I made a good memory for him. I certainly made one for me.
 
Great story, a memorable one I'm sure he'll never forget. Good for you teaching him firearms safety and respect. Not enough of that today it seems.
 
That is Awesome....Early safety training and good old fashion Sr./Jr. bonding creates respect for firearms usage...good on ya....:thumbup::thumbup:
 
That's perfect. I don't remember when I was taught to shoot. My wife's father on the other hand never had a gun, at all, ever. I get to teach my boy at some point. He's 17 months now, is that too early?
 
Awesome story Mike!!
You can bet someday he'll be telling his own kids about the first time grandpa took him shooting.
 
Good for you! I'm going to take a few of your tips when it's time for my daughter (and then son a few years later). I'm getting them started with BB guns.
 
This sounds like it was a great time, and that phrase "Keep your booger hook off the bang switch"...WOW! I wish had a clever little saying like that when I was learning to shoot.
 
You seem like you would be a great teacher! Patient and thorough and kind.
 
I taught mine on a Ruger 1022 and just finished teaching him how to mig weld.....He just finished a cord wood rack.................He is 12 and growing...........Congrats and I hope you took pictures............carl..
 
great job Mike.

I still love this pic of Brigham

he was 12 or 13 :)

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That is awesome. I recently, earlier this year, got my two oldest children started shooting and now it is a every Sunday thing as long as the weather permits.

Garth
 
Truly awesome. I have an amazing family that loves to shoot. Learning to shoot will be a great memory that I will hopefully get to pass on to the next generation.
 
I remember learning how to shoot in a similar way with my dad. I'll always remember it as one of the best moments with him. I hope I can share the same kind of experience with my kids and grandkids someday. thanks for sharing Mike
 
Shooting my first gun with my grandfather is one of my favorite memories of him. He also gave me my first knife!
 
Cypress said:
Shooting my first gun with my grandfather is one of my favorite memories of him. He also gave me my first knife!
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I already have the knife put away, waiting for mom to give the ok. It's an A.G. Russell Premium Scout knife, real stag slabs no less. And if he turns out to be a real knife nut, he stands to inherit some nice Busses.

Granddaughter (6 years old) has one of the miniature Hacks waiting for her, also, and will probably get her dad's youth model Anschutz Woodchucker bolt action which I gave him for Christmas at eight years old.
 
That is awesome, I love hearing about people teaching kids to shoot (and more importantly safety). I wasn't taught a super young age to shoot (wish I had been). I turn 21 in a couple months, and so don't have kids yet. I already have a rifle to teach them with though.

Now ya just need to bring his mom out with yall!
 
MikeH said:
I already have the knife put away, waiting for mom to give the ok. It's an A.G. Russell Premium Scout knife, real stag slabs no less. And if he turns out to be a real knife nut, he stands to inherit some nice Busses.

Granddaughter (6 years old) has one of the miniature Hacks waiting for her, also, and will probably get her dad's youth model Anschutz Woodchucker bolt action which I gave him for Christmas at eight years old.
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You looking to adopt a 29 year old IP practitioner? I can cook*!















*ramen :D
 
Great story Mike, it kinda reminds me of me and my Grandfather. I think i was 6 or 7 years old when he let me shoot his air rifle for the first time and about a year later we moved on to a shorty single shot 22 lr rifle and after shooting that for about another year he finally let me try the 30 ought 6 M98 and the 7.92 FB Radom Mauser carabine, of course those guns where a bit too big for a 9 or 10 year old little Lennox but to me shooting those guns was the coolest thing in the world and of course my grandfather was coolest man in in the world for letting me shoot them, my grandfather was my only shooting buddy until my 16th birthday and all the shooting i did with him is some of my fondest memories from my childhood.

Just after getting my hunting licence at the age of 16 he gave me my first shotgun and shortly after he also gave me both the Mausers and the shorty 22, i still use all these guns and even though my grandfather has been gone for many years now it still feels like he is there beside me every time i grab one of these guns to go hunting.
 
I have a youth model Henry lever action 22 just waiting for one of mine to ready to retire their Red Ryder.

Garth
 
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