For a 5 year old starting with a 22 crickett how would you set up a range and targets?
Beginning distance?
I have a nice range just not suitable for short distances and crosses a ravine so simply moving closer is not an easy option
Thanks
For a 5 year old starting with a 22 crickett how would you set up a range and targets?
Beginning distance?
I have a nice range just not suitable for short distances and crosses a ravine so simply moving closer is not an easy option
Thanks
For any new shooter, no matter what age, big targets at close range. Safety first and always. Eye and ear protection. Since short range is not an option, the bigger the target the better.
Balloons stapled/taped to a target backer work really well!
Paper targets aren't your friends. They won't lie for you and they don't care if your feelings get hurt.
Reactionary style targets up close. A target that gives visual feedback holds their attention since hits are seen when it jumps pops of splashes. Targets need to be sized so that they are easy to hit and also still a challenge. Ballons are good and size can be adjusted. clay pigeons work well. tennis balls will jump and roll as they get farther away they become more challenging, OLd candy suckers shatter when hit. as skills progress golf balls can replace the tennis balls. The plastic eggs filled with flour or other powder give a nice cloud when hit
Pop bottles filled with water. Same with empty soup cans. Anything that reacts when they hit it! Potatoes and oranges work great too, you can fun later on watching the critters clean it up. Todd/3leg
That was exactly when I started with both of my girls. Shooting from a bench will be a must at first, they do not have the strength to hold up rifles yet. I used 2 liter pop bottles filled with water, balloons, and conventional targets. They need to see something happen at first. Limit the sessions based upon them, if they are happy and want to shoot 20 then shoot 20, if they only want to shoot 5... that is good as well.
Safety is a must, eyes, ears and muzzle control. If they make a mistake, stop all action and address it immediately. Serious infractions (muzzle control) costs them the shooting session that day. Drag out something bigger, give them a demonstration... Think watermelon with a big hollow point! That drives home the danger of a firearm more than anything.
Most importantly.. Have fun with them!
I made a movable target stand out of PVC pipe with 2x2 shoved in the end of the pipe. I put some spring clips to make it easy to hang a 2'x2' cardboard backer to and picked up some of those splatter burst targets with some cover dots. Got the idea off the web. Just put in Target stand and it should pop up.
Yes, it is very exciting to save ones-self from hoards of invading balloons. "Here they come pick them off ". With the crickett rifles with their short 16" barrels I used the CCI quiet loads to keep the noise down. I had one youngster that was really freaked out by loud noises and she would tolerate the quiet loads well. Any reactive target is good except steel plate. Ricochet at close range is not a good thing as the bullet might just come right back at you.
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I still don’t know how many feet is “close range”
Close enough for pretty sure hits. 10 yards or a bit less to start.
Paper targets aren't your friends. They won't lie for you and they don't care if your feelings get hurt.
check goodwill for china plates that nobody wants, they are big enough to see and break like clay pidgins when hit.
if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead
One target that gets a great reaction from young shooters(those under 100) is a can of shaving cream. I get them at the 99cent store.
Remember the Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Thanks again for all the input.
Greg
I guess if there no hits on the target , it is too far away or possibly too small. Positive reinforcement is important for kids, target too small or too far away works against that.
Quis Quis Quis, Quis Liberat Canes
/////////BREAKING NEWS////////////
Millions and millions of American shooters and sportsmen got up, went to work, contributed to society in useful and meaningful ways all over the nation and shot no one today! How do they controll themselves?? Experts Baffled....
I LIKE IKE
Another are the fun hard targets. Snuffing out a candle, splitting a bullet on a knife blade to hit 2 balloons. And such throw something like this in the mix at some point thru the session. You'll be surprised how the young ones rise to the challenge. Keep the sessions short and start with them on a bench as they will tire easily and they need to build the muscles needed. Mix it up and use different targets
Taught our granddaughter at 5 with a pink cricket. Kids need a payoff or they will lose interest. Ballons are very good
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