Son's first BB gun

[Mr J]

Hi all,

Just want to get some advice, I am giving my 10 year old son a Dasiy BB gun for Christmas. I never had one as a kid and want to set down some rules for him. Visions of “you'll shoot your eye out” are in my mind, lol.

Background:
My son just stared Cub Scouts and during October Fest he got to shoot on the range, the scouts did an excellent job of teaching safety protocol and procedures. He is very sensitive and I don't want him afraid of firearm but respectful of them.

[Carl]

If he does not wear glasses...get him a pair of COOL shooting glasses to protect his eyes as the spring powered guns lack the power for can killing and often bounce back towards young eyes.

[CPT Morgan]

Never was given a BB Gun and in-turn never bought my own kids one either.  My dad said (and I paraphrase), "kids don't respect BB Guns enough and mischief always happens as a result, teaching kids nothing about gun safety".  He was right, really.  I couldn't tell you how many friends I had that shot out windows and just about everything else they shouldn't have been shooting.

I was given a .22lr at the age of 10 and was taught how to use it properly and what the results were when not used properly.  My kids got the same.

[Alan Georges]

Glasses, and some supervision.  We set up a "range shed" on the back porch and they shot in a safe direction at tin cans to their hearts' content.  I kept an eye on them, and they always handled their bb guns like the real thing, so it was never a problem.  By the time they were ready to graduate to .22s, it was just the same old drill.

I never let them roam the neighborhood to have a chance to shoot out windows though.  Knew plenty of kids who did this while I was growing up though.

[Bolomark]

buy some bulk BB's shows your support.
wrap around shooting glasses and if he likes it some of the plastic reactive targets instead of plain old paper. even saw star wars targets where they can shoot storm troopers and aliens.
 check the power of the gun on milk jugs full of colored water.
"if dad had one you could shoot together."
Yes i still have my first BB gun! crossman 760

[David in MN]

Dad made me build a BB trap with him. That way I had to learn how powerful it could be. It also gave me pride in using the trap I built safely.

He tricked me into using safety glasses by buying a few different colors and telling me that the different colors would make me a better shot depending on light conditions. While not entirely untrue he greatly exaggerated the effect causing me to believe that by wearing safety glasses I would perform to a higher level. Even as an adult I still prefer a light tint when I shoot.

Any dollar store toy became an instant target. Once a kid starts hitting the bullseye with regularity the head goes on a swivel looking for other targets. So he'd come home with anything from balloons to little green army men to checkerboard patterns (hit all the red and none of the black). We'd put up playing cards and shoot them to make poker hands and he'd even hang dollar bills telling the kids we could keep it if we could hit the 1 in a certain corner. We even filled water balloons with paint and hung them over a paper to make our own Jackson Pollack.

I still shoot airguns. My father in law got into some fancy target pellet pistols and rifles a while back and they're every bit as fun as when I was young. Modern reactive targets are a lot easier too. I've lost a few hours to this one.

http://www.gamousa.com/product.aspx?productID=112

[Alan Georges]

Old computer CDs make good reactive targets for bb guns.  The way they chip off when hit is entertaining to kids.  Not as common as they used to be, back in the day when we'd get a couple of them a week in the mail from AOL.

OTOH, 22's just sail cleanly through, so that's kind of a bust.

[mgw44]

my 8 and 6 year old have daisy red ryders.  The 8 year old can handle the lever pump but it is too tough for the 6 year old.  They also have airsoft handguns.  These go in the gun safe with my guns and are treated the same way.  We hit the back yard range with the same rules I live by.  We use boxes, balloons (thick balloons won't pop with airsoft), and other targets.  They both have safety glasses and they know the four rules of gun safety.  I also use it as a reward for good behavior in school and at home.

so far so good.

mgw44

[Carl]

  For TARGETS, it is hard to beat a box of crackers and you leave no glass,metal,or even paper behind.
Just cut a groove in a 2 x 4 or other wood for use as a cracker stand...critters benefit from your low cost targets also.
Graduate to animal cookies and pretzels or even spaghetti noodles for more action (drill holes in your board) 

[archer]

  For TARGETS, it is hard to beat a box of crackers and you leave no glass,metal,or even paper behind.
Just cut a groove in a 2 x 4 or other wood for use as a cracker stand...critters benefit from your low cost targets also.
Graduate to animal cookies and pretzels or even spaghetti noodles for more action (drill holes in your board) 

good idea! i gotta try those with my old bb rifle..