At What Age Should My Child Handle Firearms?

As with any parenting issue, there are a ton of opinions on child-rearing. In the end, much of the decision comes down to how you feel as a parent, and when your child is ready. I do have some pointers that can help you make an informed decision to ease your way into the fun.

     Teaching firearm safety starts from the very beginning! It is hard in today’s society to not allow children to play with “toy” guns with the availability of so many choices. You have water guns, nerf guns, airsoft, paintball, and tons of video games with first-person and third-person shooters. It is an act of sheer determination and willpower to keep all forms of “toy” guns away from your child. I feel that this is essential in the years before you introduce them to real firearms. It helps to prevent your child from developing lazy habits like putting their finger on the trigger before they are ready to fire.

     Once your child expresses an interest in shooting, introduce them to something like a rubber band gun or nerf gun where there is little chance of injury, but they still have the experience of aiming at a target and knocking it down. 

I would not recommend airsoft at this point, though. Use that as a teaching tool. Treat it like a trip to the firing range. Keep it put away until there is parental supervision, and don’t allow them to just “play” at will.

Here are some safety practices to adopt:

1)      Have children tell you the “Three Rules of Firearm Safety” before each session. Watch them carefully. Have them get used to wearing safety glasses.

2)      Have children set up targets down range, and specify a shooting line to stay behind. Insist that if someone is downrange, the gun gets put down.

3)      Only allow children to shoot at targets. (No, the cat is not an acceptable target.)

4)      When the shooting is done, put the “toy” gun away and out of reach. Let children know that they are not to touch it unless they are with you. Maybe even lock it up with your real firearms.

Eventually, you will be able to judge when your child will safely be able to handle a real firearm. Once you are confident in your child, you can either step up to something like an airsoft gun that is slightly more hazardous, or move to something like a .22 caliber.

Whatever choice you make, always be 100% confident in your decision. If you are the least bit unsure, there is most likely a good reason. Trust your instincts. Have your child become familiar with whatever new “toy” gun or real firearm before they use it, and have them show you.

Above all, always be right by their side. It only takes a fraction of a second of inattention for a fun experience to turn into tragedy.