7 replies to this topic

[TheSaint]

So, it was my oldest's sixth birthday on Saturday. And for his big present this year I got him a Crickett rifle. (We waited to give this to him after his party on Saturday, otherwise it would have totally overshadowed the presents the other kids brought.)

On Sunday I took him out for his first range trip. He did very well. He followed all of the safety rules to the letter. (In fact he got a little flustered when we got home, because he couldn't figure out how to put the rifle in the safe while keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.)

Marksmanship needs some work, which is understandable. Even though he is right-handed, he still wants to shoot left-handed, because he is convinced that he can't close his left eye and keep his right eye open, but he can close his right eye and leave his left eye open. He's had some issues with a lazy eye, and his left eye has been patched for six hours a day for the last couple of years, so maybe that has something to do with it. But once we worked out all the bugs, he was a pretty good shot (for a six-year old). He could keep all of the shots in the 9-ring of a 50-yd pistol target at 12 feet. I was using four-inch balloons as reactive targets for him, and on his last string he hit four balloons with five shots at 12 feet.

So, can't wait to go out with him again.

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[TCB Firearms]

My favorite types of stories!

[Flash]

Cute Kid.

About the age I started shooting, too.

[TheSaint]

I started at 5, and I still have the rifle I started on, although I can't imagine how my dad made it work, since it has an adult length-of-pull on it. Jimmy can't hold it right, even if he puts the butt in his armpit. Thus the Crickett.

[azpilgrims]

Awesome, great job Dad!

[dauph]

Cool stuff Saint, I can't wait to take mine out. My three year daughter already shows interest and loves going around the house with a nerf gun. I have two boys coming soon and can't wait to take them out to learn.

[azrckcrwl]

My younger boys, 2 and 3 years, go to the range with us. After everybody else is done i kneel behind them, have them put there hands on mine and dump a couple rounds from my 1911 so they think tbey helped daddy shoot his pistol. They love it.

[TheSaint]

I remember one of the first times I went to the range with my dad, I was 5, and I kept pestering him to let me shoot his 1911. So finally he let me try. He chambered one round and let me shoot it downrange. And I rediscovered Newton's Third Law of Motion all by myself, wound up flat on my ass. Good times.