Reloading EverythingMidSouth Shooters SupplyLee PrecisionInline Fabrication
Load DataRotoMetals2WidenersRepackbox
Titan Reloading
Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Took my grandson to the range....

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Omaha, NE
    Posts
    1,625

    Took my grandson to the range....

    I took my oldest grandchild (7 years old) to the range for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was a good start. I brought along a Cricket .22LR for him to shoot. I also brought the gun I intend to give him when he is old enough and responsible enough, a Marlin 39 Mountie with a peep sight. The Mountie is a little bit big for him to hold up steady enough to shoot, but I figured it would give him a goal. I also brought along the BB gun (a Red Ryder lever-action) we had been shooting in the basement of my home for the last year, just for demonstration purposes.

    We went over safety and gun handling, particularly sight picture. Then I showed him that a .22 was NOT a toy. I put a cheap can of pop on a post about 7 yards out and had him shoot it with his BB gun. It punctured the near side of the can near the center and it slowly drained out the hole. Then I put another can on the post and loaded the Cricket with a hyper-velocity, hollow-point and exploded it. The remains of the can were flat and the top was blown clean off. We were both hit with droplets from the pop. He was impressed.

    I put up a target and he missed it with the Cricket. And he kept missing. Nothing I did or said could get him to hit the target. I put the BB gun back in his hand and he hit the target close enough to center, several times. Back to the Cricket on a sandbag rest and back to missing. In desperation I decided to have him try the Mountie. Since he could not hold it up, it was put on the sandbag. First shot dead center. The remaining 9 shots in the center or just below, well within the 9-ring. He did that a few more times, with the same accuracy, and then he finished off (by exploding them) the remaining cans of pop. That was his favorite target.

    The Cricket shot well for me. The only reason that I can figure out for him missing with it was that the stock of the gun is pink. My grandson did not think much of pink on a gun. I bought it that color because it was $40 cheaper than the ones with the black stock (I think the guy I bought it from could not move it).

    Since then, the weather had turned cold, but I intend to take him back (along with his cousin) next spring. His cousin (a girl) likes pink, so I doubt that she will have a problem with the Cricket. Just in case, I will be bringing along the gun I bought for her, a Browning .22LR lever gun. You never know how a kid will take to a gun.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    1,436
    Does the cricket have a peep rear site? Mine does.
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Omaha, NE
    Posts
    1,625
    Quote Originally Posted by jdfoxinc View Post
    Does the cricket have a peep rear site? Mine does.
    Yes it does. The sight picture is the same as with the Mountie with the peepsight.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Butler, MO
    Posts
    9,020
    Well gee whiz Harry, the boy doesn't like a pink gun, go figure.

    Even the cheapest Walmart spray paint will recolor the stock, with enough left over for future touch ups.

    Seriously, it sounds to me like you have some nice guns in store for your grandchildren, with the Cricket as a short term teaching aid.

    Good Luck,

    Robert

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy WarEagleEd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    152
    Should you desire to change the color of the stock, Krylon Fusion spray paint would be a good choice as it is specifically made for painting (and adhering to) plastics. I have not used it on gun parts/stocks, but did use it to repaint a lower front valance panel on an '04 Ford Ranger with very good results, durability has been good so far, too.

  6. #6
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,334
    Nothing wrong with a boy disliking a pink gun. Get him his own or paint that one a "boy" color. I can't wait to teach grandkids to shoot! My first one is 8 months old already- it'll be time soon.....

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    1,091
    I think I've set a record for the youngest grandchild at the range, my 5 mo. pregnant oldest daughter wanted to shoot with her dad and oldest brother at a CBA match, so I set her up with a 1903 NRA sporter {her brothers favorite rifle}, and let her shoot a match. She has not shot since shooting with the 4H BB gun program, but she did very well, and really seemed to enjoy it. Any fun shooting experiences at a young age will be beneficial when they get hear all the anti gun bias in their future.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    England,Ar
    Posts
    7,687
    Sounds like a great time was had by everybody! Good on you for spending time with your Grandchildren.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Omaha, NE
    Posts
    1,625
    I have three granddaughters and one grandson, so I think the gun will stay pink. The youngest one is 8 months old. I have a Ruger 10-22 for her with a Nikon scope. The last granddaughter is three and she has a Browning 22LR semi-automatic in store for her. All they have to do is prove they deserve them.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master


    foesgth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Tustin, CA
    Posts
    516
    That is a fun day. My oldest grandson (he lives nearby) has been my shooting buddy for the last 8 years or so. I can't get him out much these days however. He has discovered that half of the human race is built in a different fashion. Evidently these female humans are a bit more interesting than grandpa. Enjoy these great days.
    Remember the Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Kaneohe, HI
    Posts
    5,561
    So good to hear of kids learning a life skill.
    Computers and cell phones are not life skills.
    More and more kids here just don't know anything.
    Parents are worse.
    You would think, living on an island, you would want to be able to be self sufficient.
    Feel sorry for the younger generation.
    Maybe we can name them the "useless generation".

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Piedmont (Conover) NC
    Posts
    5,429
    Don't sell the youngsters short. Remember the antics we pulled at their age? If we had, had the dope, sex, and violence, common at every corner like they do, would we have been any different?
    I'm proud of today's youth and take every opportunity to praise them. I have three granddaughters that I expect to become the leaders of their generation. All three have their heads screwed on strait and are top of their class while making the best of every opportunity, plus they shoot.
    Information not shared. is wasted.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
    Posts
    13,617
    Quote Originally Posted by mold maker View Post
    Don't sell the youngsters short. Remember the antics we pulled at their age? If we had, had the dope, sex, and violence, common at every corner like they do, would we have been any different?
    I'm proud of today's youth and take every opportunity to praise them. I have three granddaughters that I expect to become the leaders of their generation. All three have their heads screwed on strait and are top of their class while making the best of every opportunity, plus they shoot.
    I don't know about you but I grew up in the late '60's and early '70's - we had the drugs and sex - perhaps more than this generation does. We learned from the previous generation, the '60's generation, that Speed kills, not to touch it. Somehow that lesson did not get transmitted. I at least learned to respect myself - something else I think is lost - and to not do those things to myself.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master



    shooterg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,699
    A little Chopmunk started my grandson out. The Cricket looks same same , except for the plastic cocking piece. I love that they have an aperture sight.
    But I'm too cheap to use full drink cans ! I use empties , refilled with water, as the can explodes from the pressure, the jagged remains are a very good visual aid showing what even a .22 can do. You made a really cool memory for both of you - he'll carry that with him long after you're gone.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Omaha, NE
    Posts
    1,625
    Quote Originally Posted by shooterg View Post
    I use empties, refilled with water, as the can explodes from the pressure, the jagged remains are a very good visual aid showing what even a .22 can do. You made a really cool memory for both of you - he'll carry that with him long after you're gone.
    I did the same with both of my sons when I first took them to the range about 28 to 32 years ago. They still remember it. My son told my grandson that story before I took him to the range. He could hardly wait to see it. I think the difference between the damage the BB gun would do compared to what the .22LR would do really impressed them all.

  16. #16
    In Remembrance Reverend Al's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Victoria, B.C., Canada
    Posts
    1,899
    At least you are lucky enough to have a grandson who is interested in shooting. I have two grandsons, one of which is about 29 years old and he will shoot with me occasionally (once every 2 or 3 or 4 years) and one who has absolutely no interest at all (about 22 years old). I took the younger grandson out to the range one day with 2 of his teenage friends several years ago and his 2 friends had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed themselves while my grandson wasn't in the least bit interested and kept asking when we could quit and go home. His older brother would be welcome to come shooting with me at any time and I'd happily supply all of the guns and ammunition, but his life seems to be too busy with his many like aged friends to ever want to take the time to come along for a shooting day. (Both are just part of the new generation with different priorities than us "old timers" I suppose.) I have 2 much younger grand-daughters who live back East (they are 7 and 10 years old) and I really hope that one day I'll be able to get them out to the range with some .22 rifles when they are out here to visit with us. Maybe they will show an interest in shooting ...
    I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check