First Rifle

[darrendbeck]

I'm curious to know how old everybody was when they got their first rifle. I'm having a debate with my wife about getting our son a .22lr and couldn't think of a better place to pose this question. If memory serves me correctly I was 9 when I got one for Christmas. Obviously I wasn't allowed to use it, or even touch it, without my dad or grandpa being around and I remember my mom wasn't happy about it. I know each kid is different and there are a ton of variables to consider, I'm just curious what other people's experiences have been.

 

[Fire_9]

My son is two and I plan on getting him his first bow and .22 by his next birthday...

 

[MO Betta]

I graduated from the Red Ryder and little red compound I believe when I was 7 when I got the 22, and 8 when I got the .410. I'm a little fuzzy on those years so it might be flip flopped.

 

[TN2shot07]

I don’t think I got my first rifle until I was 12-13, but shot my first deer at 8. My dad didn’t believe in youth models, so I shot his 30-30 until I grew some. I didn’t own a 22 until I was old enough to buy it.

 

[TOGIE]

got a .22 at 13

only reason that's when is cause that's when i asked for one - didn't grow up in hunting family

 

[FI460]

I had a .22 designated as mine when I was 5 but don't recall ever being unsupervised with it.

For my 12th birthday I got a 10/22 that I then had open access to.

 

[TJS209]

Bought my son a Savage Little Rascal .22 when we was way too young to shoot. He's 6 now and we went shooting this past weekend. He did real well shooting and understanding the safety aspect of shooting from the bench. He's well on his way.

 

[thusby]

I would say somewhere around 8-9 years old is a good time to get a kid started on a .22. I got my niece going about that age. I think I was around 11 when I got started but my old man never had much interest in shooting or hunting, so that was the reason for the late start. I had to beg him to get me going.

 

[fishing4sanity]

The first rifle that was 'mine' was a 308 when I was 13. Before that I'd been shooting 22s and 30-30s that belonged to family members. I had BB guns and pellet guns that were mine from as far back as I can remember. My first shotgun was around 10 or 11, double-barrelled 20 gauge that I wish I still had.

 

[Oak]

I got a .22 when I turned 9.

 

[gouch]

I got my first .22 at age 11. Still have that gun.

 

[WildWill]

I was given a single shot 410. and 22. for Christmas when I was 5 (only a couple weeks from turning 6). Guns where always in our house and gun safety was driven home early and personally feel I was ready. By 8 I was allowed to take my 22 in the backyard (200+ acres with no neighbors) unsupervised. I have a 3 and 4 year old and have already bought them each there own 22 and I'll give it to them when I think they're ready. Kids are individuals some will do just fine at 6 others might need longer just remember nobody knows your kid better than you. Also I highly recommend the Davy Cricket 22.s for a kids first gun.

 

[Brandon270]

I started shooting around 7, got my first .22 at 10 and a 20 gauge single shot at 11. I think a kids maturity and understanding the safety rules and handling is more important than a specific age.

Case in point, one day at work my bosses 15 year old son was excited to show me his new pellet gun. I lost count how many times he had the muzzle pointed right at me. My boss doesn't like guns or hunting for that matter so his kids lack the common knowledge I grew up with at a very young age.

 

[FranklinME]

In my state you can hunt at 10 yrs old. I got a shotgun at Christmas right before I turned 10. My brother bought my daughter a pink red rider bb gun at 6 yrs old, wife was not happy!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

BB guns, .410 and 22's were always around growing up. I got my first hunting rifle that was my own at 14.

 

[Big Slick]

I got a .22 when I turned 9.

View attachment 141221

Is that a Nylon 66?

 

[Dsnow9]

We got a shared 10/22 for Christmas when I was 8 but My brother got to share it too and he was 5. Always supervised until we turned 12 though.

 

[VikingsGuy]

My son was shooting my ruger 10/22 by 5 yrs old (with me right there). Never was "his gun" and he never cared about such a designation - still doesn't as we share centerfire rifles even now at nearly 17 yrs old. Shotguns on the other hand were bought for him (we do more bird shooting that big game). He got his rem 870 youth compact 20ga 18" when he was 9 yrs old. Has had a few different shotguns as he has grown. He is already shopping for the 12ga I am getting him next summer for his 18th Bday - currently the Baretta A400 XPLOR is leading the pack with the Benelli Ethos a close second.

 

[mtmuley]

Technically I had my first rifle the day I was born. My Grandfather had a Remington 721 in .30-06 ready for me. First elk rifle I used till 1999. I still have it 54 years later and kill stuff with it. mtmuley

 

[MTLabrador]

Had my own .22, a Marlin, at 9. My Model 70 .22-250 was my 12th birthday present, and it’s killed a lot of stuff.