I am out at the range sighting in my new TC Encore 300 Win Mag barrel (.75 MOA) and there are a father and son on the next bench.  dad is spotting and the kid is shooting.  the kid looks to be about 10-12 and he is shooting a H&R in .223.  the kid was very safe so I didn't pay them much mind.  

the range calls one minute to seace fire and they start to pack up and get ready to head out.  I lean back in the chair and relax.  the kid says "gee MR. that rifle looks just like mine!" (I swear he sounds like leave it to beaver).  I say "yea, it is a kind of like yours."  he says "but the bullets are a LOT bigger!!!"  so I get out of my chair and ask him if he want's to try it out.  he climbs up and get's all snuggled in behind it and I let him dry fire it a couple times and about that time his dad is all packed up and calls him to go.  he politely thanks me and heads out.  

it go me to thinking maybe there is hope for the future.


       

As long as there are people like you, to spark a kid like that, I think there is hope. I know in the short time I've been into this sport I've changed some minds. I've taken some friends to the range that never would have gone without me. I let them meet the people I shoot with and showed them that we aren't the " nutcases" tv makes us out to be. Keep it up!!

That's great to see kids come with adults to learn to shoot.  I belong to two clubs and have had VERY mixed reactions to my bringing my kids.  I have started off my 9 year old son with his own Marlin Youth Model.  He's been shooting for a 1 1/2 years now.  This past summer, he passed his Marlin on to his 7 year old brother.  They are both VERY proud to be able to shoot and recieve one on one training from me (I don't shoot when they are shooting so I can watch/help them as they shoot).  My 9 year old got his first prairie dog this summer in Montana.  To those who look down on kids at the range, who do you think is going to continue the sport we all enjoy?  It is up to EVERY single person to promote it to the next generation (and anyone else who wants to learn).  Bring the kids, have fun and make sure they have fun...or this sport is dead soon.
Sleepy717

Somebody wanna take me to the range?(lives in a anti-house)

[img]http://www.msnusers.com/hk139itho9urujfhc1eriheun2/Documents/Pictures%2FDCP%5F0055.JPG[/img]

Hey Jim!

That could be any one of my kids at at that age!  Good for you!  I started Juggernaut a little older than that, but my girls have gotten an earlier start than Trev did.

Edited cuz I can't spell

Good to see you're "active"

Andy

Massachusettes :(

I bought my son his first gun at the age of 9. He shoots more ammo in a month then the average soldier does during a three year enlistment. At the Great Southern Freedom Shoot he made $5 picking up brass and spent it on his own 9mm ammo. Kids are the future of shooting and if we don't make it interesting and fun for them then we are going to loose. I take kids and non-gun folks to the range every opportunity I get. I believe it is an investment in the future. Check out "my photos" at

http://photos.yahoo.com/gl50bmg

The guy that runs our local IDPA matches (Texas Tactical) has a special class for youth shooters that allows then to shoot a .22. pistol. So far it's just his own son, but I don't see why someone elses kid couldn't compete also. He does pretty good too. He's outscored me on a stage when I had my head up my butt.

Chris

One day last summer I was shooting and a 10 year old kid showed up with his grand dad. The kid had a Marlin bolt 22 and shot prone matches. They had forgotten something and the grand dad took off to get it. The kid is gearing up with shooting jacket, etc. His gun was kind of a poor man's Anshcutz looking rig. He shoots a while and then wanders down to me and we start talking. He checks my stuff out and then I go look at his rifle. It's pretty cool. We've been talking and I tell him he's lucky his grand dad has stuff to give him since it's harder and harder to get anything quality. Then I tell him "They aren't just trying to get rid of guns. They are really trying to get rid of guys like us". He was proned out and when I said that he turned and shook his head "Yes" with a look on his face. Then he fired his round. That look said it all. He knew. He understood what was really happening. And he was working on his trigger control. God bless America.

Red X

It is my goal to get at least two people a year interested in shooting as my way of perpetuating the sport.

I think I added a young lady at the GSFS.  She was there with her mom (employed by the company that runs the range).  Girl was a little jumpy everytime a gun went off - and that was real often!  Encouraged her to shoot .22 Ruger to get over her fear.  By the end of the day she was a decent shot and had fired my M-16 & Thompson, among other FA toys.  She told her mom she wanted her own FA Thompson.  Yep, created a monster!  Seemed like a good level headed young lady of about 15.  She has a wonderful facility there and I hope she uses it often!

We need to interest kids and PARTICULARLY females into the shooting sports.  If we can overcome their fear and teach them the fun and sense of being equal to men with guns we are way more likely to have allies to keep the government off our backs.

Shooting needs to be a regular FAMILY outing.

Picnic at the range, everyone involved, kids earn bonus money to police the brass...

Shooting traditions are a dying culture because it is not being passed on. Part of this is due to the number of range closures and other efforts to separate kids and guns.

The Anti crowd says they are doing it for the children... Preserving there innocence with ignorance. Then they bitch and blame the gun when an A.D. kills a child who [i][b]could have known better![/b][/i]