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Posted: 6/7/2026 12:40:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: HighlanderI][Edited]
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Looking for recommendations or suggestions for teaching my kids (10&12). I haven’t gotten them shooting an AR yet. That’s in the near future. They’re currently ok with irons on a 10/22. I’m leaning toward a 1X red dot. I struggle with explaining or teaching how to position themselves for proper eye relief behind a scope. For those that have taught their kids I’d love to hear from you. Thanks. Edit: I’d probably try both on the 10/22 first. I’ve got two 10/22’s and could set up one of each. |
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Originally Posted By micmac: Definitely start them on a red dot after irons IMHO I concur. Master those irons, both eyes open. |
"Whisky for the gentlemen that like it. And for the gentlemen that don't like it - Whisky!" -Alec Guinness as MAJ (acting Colonel) Jock Sinclair, D.S.O., M.M. "Tunes of Glory"
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I taught my kids on a red dot, because the most important part of "teaching" any new shooter is to make sure that it's fun the first time. A red dot is the easy button, and as you've experienced, takes almost no explanation and keeps it fun. If your kids have fun, they'll ask to go shoot with you again, and you'll have all the time in the world for irons, LVPOs, or whatever else. I'd also add that I built an "AR" in .22LR rather than a 10/22 to keep the manual of arms the same (the safety, mag release, etc. are in the same place) but simply single loaded the magazines so there was so worry about accidental discharges if a kid squeezes the trigger more than once. I got all the right stuff from "borebuddy." Good luck, and have fun. |
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Been teaching kids for decades. Most thread responders got it. A dot is, by far, the most intuitive sight. Minimal parallax, infinite eye relief, equals forgiving. Kids starting out get the most basic concept - eyes direct bullet placement. Interestingly, if you present a bunch of kids with options you'll find they advance as able to magnified optics. Doesn't take long for them to appreciate the advantages, and manage the additional hassles. Dots become boring. This is probably heresy, but irons are the final skillset. Not the first. Most old farts (like me) still feel learning irons is "necessary". In my day that was certainly the case. Dots are just about as reliable as irons nowadays. But I still think kids ought to learn to shoot irons. |
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My son at 10 was ok with my 10/22 and LPVO Next got a Ruger SR22, he did fine with irons. Next AR with red dot and suppressor, M1 with irons, etc. Given regular training / practice kids can learn fast. At 17 I took my son to a Carbine class, his first, my 4th. For fun they time a couple drills like low ready safety on to hit steel at 25 yards. He smoked everyone on time. |
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Red dot is far more forgiving. And while a lpvo helps at longer range, shooting close in helps confidence. I'm all for red dot. Secondly, there's no eye relief issues with a red dot. New shooters often have trouble getting ' into the eye box". It's a complication they don't need Start simple. Use red dot. Focus on mounting and holding the rifle, muzzle discipline, trigger manipulation. Once fundamentals are down solid, then you can introduce longer ranges, and eventually a lpvo... Start simple.. reduce complications. Add complexity as basics are mastered |
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I don't know that stopping at Red Dot is necessary to get to a LPVO. If they've already got irons down, they're good on sight discipline and probably head placement too. Get yourself a toilet paper tube. Have the kid look through the toilet paper tube. Bend the tube a bit down and ask if they see the inside of the tube. Of course they do. Have them look straight thru again. When they put their head behind a scope, they want to look straight through, just like the toilet paper tube. |
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Originally Posted By HighlanderI: Looking for recommendations or suggestions for teaching my kids (10&12). I haven’t gotten them shooting an AR yet. That’s in the near future. They’re currently ok with irons on a 10/22. I’m leaning toward a 1X red dot. I struggle with explaining or teaching how to position themselves for proper eye relief behind a scope. For those that have taught their kids I’d love to hear from you. Thanks. Edit: I’d probably try both on the 10/22 first. I’ve got two 10/22’s and could set up one of each. I used pictures online to give a visual of what should be seen, both correct and incorrect. Started my son at 4 on a 22lr bolt with a red dot to keep things easy and fun. At 7 we moved to a 5-25 on a 6.5 grendel bolt - took us less than 30 minutes to walk through properly eye relief and scope mounting. |
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When even the USMC switched to optics first years and years ago you know it's obviously the way to go. Optics shorten the learning curve and let you see what you are doing more clearly. With a RDS you can see much more distinctly when you flub a shot or are doing something that disturbs the reticle. I would teach handgun or rifle first on a RDS and then move on from there. |
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Originally Posted By King_Mud: When even the USMC switched to optics first years and years ago you know it's obviously the way to go. Optics shorten the learning curve and let you see what you are doing more clearly. With a RDS you can see much more distinctly when you flub a shot or are doing something that disturbs the reticle. I would teach handgun or rifle first on a RDS and then move on from there. Thanks! I’ve got a pair of picatinny rails on the way for the 10/22’s I have and one Sig Romeo5 gen 2 coming as well from a member. I’ll probably pick up another Sig to keep it the same for both kids. After they’re comfortable shooting the 10/22’s we’ll move the optics over to the AR’s I have for them. |
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