Good time with the kids

[mainjet]

My son and daugher went with me to my parents house this last weekend to work on our shooting range that we are going to build. We had planned on working a bit and then shooting a little. But after an hour or so of working my son remembered that he had a meeting so he had to leave.

I wanted him to be a able to shoot a little bit first so we suspended the work and did a little shooting. Once he left I worked with my youngest daughter a bit since this would be only her second time shooting.

I started her with my Beretta because I decided to load it one round at a time so I could instruct her with each shot. So we were back about 12 yards and I loaded one round up for her. I showed her how to stand and how to aim the sights. The gun was really large for her so we had to work on her grip, as well as, disengaging the safety and pulling back the hammer.

Once we had this to the point that she was ready to go I said "okay, aim and shoot". The hole she is pointing at below is her first shot! The ones to the left and right are her 2nd and third shots (yes, the target is upside down so don't worry - your not upside down)

As you can see from the picture of my Beretta, the grip is really large. So she had her difficulties keeping a firm enough grip for the gun to function. In fact, it would FTE, SP and FTF with each round. So the only way she could fire it was one round loaded at a time and then manually eject the spent casing. But she did great!

Next she shot my sons M&P 9c and that functioned excellent for her but the front sight is drifting. So that one has a call tag on it's way from S&W for repair.

Then just for something different - so she would see how the revolver would not have the same feed issues - we tried my S&W 642. Her reaction... - Ouch, that hurts my hand! Well, I knew it would so she only fired 5 rounds and she was done with that.

Later that night in front of my wife I tried saying to my daughter "so you think you need a smaller thinner gun huh?" (I am trying to break it to my wife that I want to buy an M&P Shield and I am using my daughter as a "shield") So far my wife is ignoring my attempts...

Anyway... We had a good father/daughter time and she did great.

Oh, and my son got to learn to drive the John Deere 5210 and do some bush hogging... Good day.

 

[BlueEagle]

Good day out on the range!

 

[K9stang]

Always a good with the kids. Be careful though, I took my daughter and ended up having to give her my .22 rifle and then paint it pink! Well worth it I guess.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/img0914zp.jpg/
couoldn't get the picso here is the link.

 

[Belt99]

I am looking forward to having range time with my two daughters as they get older. I bought them a Pink BB rifle this year, so I could begin to train them on the basics of gun safety. They are 7 and 9 years old. I think they still have a little time before I put a real gun in there hands but hopefully that day will come soon.

Now if only I can get my wife out to the range also!!

 

[jmdavis984]

There's a dad doing it right. Keep your kids busy, and keep them learning. Hard work with great rewards keeps kids in school and out of trouble better than anything else. I can't wait for the day that I can introduce my kids to my hobbies.

 

[netsecurity]

That is excellent shooting at 12y for any age! Prodigy?

 

[mainjet]

hahaha, thanks guys. Not exactly a "prodigy" but it makes me proud

She obviously has lots to learn but so does her old man. I am just really proud of her for being willing to try it and have fun with it.

I find it somewhat difficult to get my girls to take a more aggressive stance when they are shooting. But we will work on that later. Grip was also an issue but that will come along in time.

Here is a picture of her first time ever shooting. She is shooting the XD40 a willow slough.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Awesome. I never get tired of these threads. Good looking form on that shooter in the pic. Yer gonna have to invest in .22 pistols to keep 'em happy and not break the bank!.

 

[williamnewman1]

i second the 22 pistols , i think i saw some walthers that were pink i while back

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I find it somewhat difficult to get my girls to take a more aggressive stance when they are shooting. But we will work on that later. Grip was also an issue but that will come along in time.

Here is a picture of her first time ever shooting. She is shooting the XD40 a willow slough.

Don't worry right now about her stance... That'll come.

Generally, women will stand this way as a counter-balance to help compensate for a perceived lack of upper body strength.

If anyone can/should be able to adopt a better "aggressive" stance, it should be women - who, in general, carry their center of gravity lower to the ground than men do. It SHOULD be easier to bend the knees and lean forward a bit.

-J-

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Something I think helps new shooters to lean into the weapon is what I call "putting your nose over your toes". It helps them visualize.

 

[mainjet]

Awesome. I never get tired of these threads. Good looking form on that shooter in the pic. Yer gonna have to invest in .22 pistols to keep 'em happy and not break the bank!.

Oh, I got the .22's covered. That's what I started her on. I don't like to take someone who has never shot a pistol or rifle and scare the daylights out of them right away. I like to wait on that

Thanks for the comments and tips folks. I find that with the women, it's not that they don't know how to get into the more aggressive position if you show them, it's that they feel a little self conscious about being that "commited" to the stance. So they tend to let their upper body lay back a bit. Kind of - "I'm doing this but don't laugh at me".

 

[eatdessertfirst]

mainjet: nothin' better than bein' with the kids, guns, and tractors. (except maybe with the Frau). Sounds like you're a good dad!

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Good job. Only get to do that with my oldest right now but soon will be starting my younger ones too.

 

[tdosha]

Sunday evening I took my wife out to shoot a couple of new .22 rifles we picked up. Our youngest is 2 years old and he couldn't wait to go. We put his ear protection on him and let him stand in the truck with the windows down. His words were "Daddy's gun, don't touch" Eventually I'll pick up a Cricket for him to start out on but until then at least he likes to watch.

TO

 

[mainjet]

Sunday evening I took my wife out to shoot a couple of new .22 rifles we picked up. Our youngest is 2 years old and he couldn't wait to go. We put his ear protection on him and let him stand in the truck with the windows down. His words were "Daddy's gun, don't touch" Eventually I'll pick up a Cricket for him to start out on but until then at least he likes to watch.

TO

Kids are great fun aren't they.