Head's up on incoming newbie

[Jim]

In a few days, a new member will be joining. His name is Jarrett and he's 10 years old. He killed his first buck last year with a .44 Mag break open rifle.

Jarrett is one of four children in a family that Janet and I have gotten close to. He loves to shoot his rifle but has no one to help him or teach him about it. I'm going to take him on as an apprentice caster and handloader and help him join the forum.

I suspect he'll be slow in posting. This is a lot for a ten year old boy. If he does post, remember, he's only ten years old, so cut him a little slack. What he needs right now is encouragement and praise for advancing. Let him know you're proud of him and that you KNOW he can do this.

Oh, and if you wanna rag me a little bit for his sake, that's fine. It's all part of the fun, right?

I 'preciate y'all understanding, guys. This young man is the grandson I don't have. He's very special and this means a lot to me. I can't wait to post a photo of him at the bench or casting his own boolits or a clover leaf target that he shot!

[hoosierlogger]

Look forward to having him around. I think he will help keep us in line knowing there is a young impressionable mind in our presence.

[.357]

heck yeah! Great to have the younger kids addicted to something healthy.

[jcwit]

Good to hear. More folks should do what you're doing. Only 10, more than likely he'll teach us old timers something, he's not bound by experience, or oid minds stuck in the past.

[Hip's Ax]

I look forward to his arrival.

[Bloodman14]

Outstanding! Welcome aboard, Jarrett!

[onondaga]

I bet he will have fun. My grandson is 14 and has been shooting and reloading and casting with me for over 2 years. He has a ball. He mostly shoots my NEF single shot .500 S&W Mag. He casts and reloads for it. It is actually a cheap gun to shoot with cast bullets and WC852 surplus powder. We both had rifles up 3 times each this year but couldn't get clear shots in the brushy area we hunt. Stay close!

Gary

[Wayne Smith]

Remember, guys, Arisaka99 is just about to turn 16. Driver's license and all. We gotta keep in mind we are not all old folks!

[shdwlkr]

Jim
looking forward to your young friend and hope he does post and ask questions. Will make us old timers think and that isn't a bad thing, Well sometimes anyway.

[mooman76]

Looking forward to meeting him. I wasn't much older than that when I started to cast slingshot pellets. They didn't have to be near perfect to work.

[DeanWinchester]

Jim, looking forward to hearing from him.

[TCLouis]

I think lots of time we O. Fs. forget that we have had years (for some at least) to gain knowledge and so some newcomers ask questions that may seem trivial, but they are just trying to learn.

I started casting (429215) and shooting pistola with a Ruger flattop when that was the only 44 mag they made. I wish I still had that gun, but the 219 Donaldson Wasp caught my eye and it was a time of 22's.

I still learn a lot hanging out here. I am glad to lean from others errors and save the powder, or just learn from others.

I have launched a pound or two of lead from 44 Mag, but the SPL is something new to me so I come to the well of Pb to gain knowledge. For instance on my 44 SPL quest, someone recommended Skeeter's load for it and I have no idea what that is.

Send him in and let us know if he might need anything to further his 44 shooting career, after all .430 is what Colt would have used if he had just known better!

[geargnasher]

Jim, you ought to be ashamed of yourself pushing such a young man into this addiction, in a few weeks he'll be hooked so hard it'll haunt him for the rest of his life! Oh, the ruination!

We'll take good care of him

Gear

[HeavyMetal]

Jim:
I think what your doing is great, the young men and women of this country are tomorrows shooters, lawyers and members of Congress! How nice to start one out knowing guns are not criminals!

Being a member of this site, and the shooting community in general, can only be a good thing for a growing youngster.

Now I'm going to make a suggestion and, I hope, it meets with everyones approval: I'd like to send Jim 25 dollars tomorrow and start a fund for getting Jarrett an NRA Life membership.

Nothing like having mail come to your house with your name on it when your 10 and I think the American Rifleman might be, almost, as good as that 5 bucks from Gramma on your birthday.

Jim if this idea works for you send me your mailing address in a PM.

[Jim]

Heavy,
That's a wonderful idea and it's very thoughtful and generous. Let me make a return suggestion.
Talk to some of the other members here. If you can spearhead this and get enough promises to cover this bet, THEN let me know and we'll do this.
I will personally see to it that Jarret not only knows you made this happen, I'll make sure he puts up a post of thanks to all the guys that contributed to this.

Just so we're all clear, I want to make it known that the reason I'm palling up with Jarrett and taking him under my wing is multifaceted.
One is, I love doing what we do here and I want to share it with him. I want him to experience the math, science, chemistry and physics that makes this happen.
Two, Jarrett is the grandson I don't have. At the risk of getting mushy, I want to do for some young man what my Great Uncle did for me. He taught me how to hunt, shoot, fish, track, read the stars and all that is part of enjoying the outdoors. I don't wanna die and never have done that.
And another is, this is as much fun for me as I hope it will be for him, maybe more so. I get a child like excitement seeing a person his age put three in a quarter. Or turning out a handful of boolits that I could defy one of y'all to beat. Man, I'll be goin' downtown to brag!

Heavy, if you want to take the point on this effort, why not start a thread toward this goal. I'll keep track, of course, like most everybody here will. When you get enough pledges to make this happen, then we'll pull the trigger.

Thank you, buddy. You're a good man.

[Jim]

I didn't find out until yesterday that Jarrett is staying out of town with his grandparents this week while his parents are in Houston. I hope to get him over here by early next week to get things started.

When he gets registered, I'll have him put up his first post here in Shooters.

[300winmag]

Hats off to ya Jim, that is great when people take the time and be patient with the young ones. I have raised 7 children, they all shoot, 3 of the reload and 1 of them cast.now the grandchildren are up to bat.

WELCOME JARRETT AND GOOD LUCK

[shdwlkr]

Heavy metal
PM me when you get things rolling on the NRA membership and I throw in some bucks
Jim I totally understand where you are coming from. I have two little guys I don't see very much because of and on going issue between their mother and me. Hope to get things worked out someday so I can have time but until then I really do understand what you are doing. What a great thing for that young man and for you stepping up and doing it and for his folks to allow you this time with him.

[shdwlkr]

Just looked at the price for a life membership in the NRA and it is $1000 or 40 members chipping in $25 each, doesn't seem that hard when you break it down like that.

[Blammer]

I'd rather see him get a lifetime hunting and fishing liscense.

I may have a few 44's he may want to try.