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Training a kid


JunotFranco

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Hey guys, I have a couple of questions for you.  My son, who is 8, has started to take interest in competition shooting. He has shot 22lr a few times both handguns and pistols.  He is skinny and not as tough as other kids his age, yet he is a skilled baseball player as well as a soccer player so he has the athletism on his side.  What calibe would you use to start a kid like him and what pistol? Thanks for your help guys!!

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If it were me, I'd start with a .22 pistol or carbine (perhaps a Ruger 22/45 Lite or 10/22 carbine just because of the "go fast" stuff you can do to them if you choose) and I'd get him involved initially in steel challenge type games just because they don't require stage planning and movement and also don't require working from a holster.  If he remains interested and has a desire, you can always jump to the run-and-gun games.

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22 would be ideal, plenty of matches to go to, cheap high volume shooting, etc. 

 

Pick any mainstream American 22 auto, but don't cheap out on a base model. Get a good quality one that he'll appreciate when he wants to soup it up and can hang on to forever. (Heavy barrel, stainless finish, factory match sights). One with a manual safety if you like teaching good habits. If you get a cheapie toy-like lightweight one (Ruger sr22, walther p22, thin barrel other something), it won't get him used to the size and heft of a real pistol.

 

Then get him a good 9mm when he turns about 12/13 if he still likes shooting by then.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎3‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 10:22 PM, JunotFranco said:

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions for you.  My son, who is 8, has started to take interest in competition shooting. He has shot 22lr a few times both handguns and pistols.  He is skinny and not as tough as other kids his age, yet he is a skilled baseball player as well as a soccer player so he has the athletism on his side.  What calibe would you use to start a kid like him and what pistol? Thanks for your help guys!!

I actually have a pretty good amount of experience in this. I coached junior Olympic shotgun hopefuls for a long time...and recoil and boom is a lot more intimidating there.

 

my advice is to stick with the 22. this will keep him interested. then  every once in a while let him shoot off a grown up gun. NEVER FORCE IT! I have seen a lot of kids quit because of people forcing it(myself for a while included)

 

otherwise just have him dry fire, practice dot drills, and get him some grip squeezers and make him a forearm roller to get his grip strength together.

 

also, get him involved in something like a local 4H shooting club. this way he makes some friends in the community and actually wants to compete.

 

bench

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7 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Kids LOVE reactive targets ....    :wub:

 

Set up some bowling pins or falling plates, hand them a semi-automatic .22

and they are HOOKED !!!!!    (Come to think of it, so am I, and I'm 72)    :) 

Exactly! Anything that keeps them interested!

 

and the great part about plates every once in a while? You don't have to be pinpoint accurate! It's a great confidence booster for anyone..especially a kid!

 

the bench

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