I've got a question for you guys.

[Molly]

I gave a young boy a brand new 22 rifle yesterday, and it got me to wondering about the rest of you guys. What are you doing to pass your love of shooting along to the next generation? We should ALL be doing something. You wouldn't believe the number of fatherless youngsters in our neighborhoods and churches. Me, I keep an eye out at the gun shows for well used .22 rifles, and give them a good reconditioning with Oxpho Blue, some fine sandpaper, mebby a little stain, and some urethane spray semi-gloss. They generally come out looking pretty darn good, if I say so myself. The new rifle was a sort of exception, as I didn't have any used at the moment, and the kid was hanging on every word of our deer hunting plans.

I take a lot of kids out to give them some very basic safety instructions, and teach them how to shoot. Girls, young and old, are a special delight to teach, mostly with 22's that won't kick them. I usually have to break the older boys from an attitude of "I know all about this because I've seen it on TV." The ladies approach it a bit more carefully. They take the attitude that "I don't know anything about this, so I'm going to pay attention and do EXACTLY what he says. That way, if anything goes wrong, it'll be HIS fault!"

When I get a kid that shows a bit more enthusiasm than usual, I let him try out one of these reconditioned 22's. If his (or her) interest seems to grow, I make them an offer: The gun will be theirs (their mother's) as soon as they can put five shots close enough together at 25 yards that a nickel will touch them all. And they can try for as long as it takes, and as many trips to the range as it takes. There's not too many that can't train themselves up to the necessary skill level, given some time, some gentle instruction and a bit of encouragement.

That's no mean feat, but it's not too hard for a kid with good eyes and real interest. It'll give them their very own REAL gun and the skill to keep up their end of a squirrel hunt. More to the point, it produces kids who know the safe way to handle a gun, and it produces women who won't go into hysterics when they see a gun in their husbands or sons hands.

Hmmm. If I can do it, so can you. Anyone got a 'back of the truck seat' grade 22 rifle laying about they'd like to see put to good use?

[pietro]

I find that, these days, it's fairly difficult to get the Mother to accept a firearm, gift or not.

NIMBY, ya know........................

.

[451 Pete]

:-DMolly,
Way to go! Your doing it right! We need more folks out there like you.
I usually hang out on the Muzzle Loading forum here but this morning while drinking my coffee I spent some time surfing this site and came across your post. Glad I did.

I work with the NMLRA, not too far from you, over in Friendship Indiana. I help run the Youth Range during our two national shoots and help out at our annual Youth Shoot there in July.
Although we are a muzzle loading oriented organization we run a beginners bench that allows youngsters to be introduced to shooting not only with muzzle loaders but also with air rifle and .22's. Kids or thier parents do not have to be members at the beginners bench to be able to shoot.

I could tell you some wonderful stories (and I am sure that you could too ) about how much these kids enjoy the experience of shooting a rifle. In many cases it is thier very first shot. The smiles and laugh's of pure fun from the kids and parents at the beginners bench more than compensate the work of putting it all together and setting it up.

What always amazes me is that we have a hard time getting volunteers. I think shooters don't know how much of the fun they are missing out on. Give a kid a "High Five " for a job well done and watch thier face light up. Invite the mom or dad that has never shot a rifle to shoot on the bench next to thier son or daughter. To me, that holds the same amount of self satisfaction as a well shot competitive target on one of my good day's.

Keep up the good work. If the shooting sports has a future it will be because of the efforts of folks like you.

Take care ..... Pete :awesome:

[jh45gun]

I gave a 22 semi auto to a friends young son once it was a beat up 22 that had some strange pit looking marks on the outside of it almost looked like some one took a pipe wrench to it with a cross hatch design but every thing was straight on it nothing bent and it shot fine. Just was kinda beat up looking. He was happy and I had gotten the gun for next to nothing. Felt good to give him his first gun even if it was a bit ugly.

[Olevern]

Have given many guns away to boys I have mentored over the years. I once gave a Ruger #1 in .223, TC hawken in 45 caplock, Ruger 77-22, Ruger single six and a Win. model 70 heavy barrel 7mm mag to a boy in Texas over a period of about six years....his mom left his dad and took all his guns with her and sold them.

But I have not let that sour me, I still give guns to select boys (those whose caregivers are responsible enough to have them in the house and properly supervise them).


Gave an 11 y.o. a Rem. 870 pump in 20 gauge last year, hunted with him just a couple of weeks ago.

[Jim]

I'm not financially set up to give firearms to young men, but I do believe in the mentor thing. I took on a coupla' young fellas a year or so ago and they are really enjoying shooting.

I'm about to 'adopt' another fella that's 9. I used to work with his mother and she recently told me he wants to go hunting in the worst way. I asked him if he wanted to go 'coon huntin' with me and the guys and I thought he was gonna wet his pants.

I asked the hunt master about this and he said "Sure! Bring 'im!" Soon as the H/M calls me, I'll go pick this boy up and take him with us.

I found a pair of heavy Navy issue cold weather pants for him to wear, a heavy watch cap and a $10 rechargeable pistol grip flashlight from Family Dollar for him to carry.

If we kill one while he's with us, I'll let him hold the kill and get a photo of him.

[Olevern]

I'm not financially set up to give firearms to young men, but I do believe in the mentor thing. I took on a coupla' young fellas a year or so ago and they are really enjoying shooting.

I'm about to 'adopt' another fella that's 9. I used to work with his mother and she recently told me he wants to go hunting in the worst way. I asked him if he wanted to go 'coon huntin' with me and the guys and I thought he was gonna wet his pants.

I asked the hunt master about this and he said "Sure! Bring 'im!" Soon as the H/M calls me, I'll go pick this boy up and take him with us.

I found a pair of heavy Navy issue cold weather pants for him to wear, a heavy watch cap and a $10 rechargeable pistol grip flashlight from Family Dollar for him to carry.

If we kill one while he's with us, I'll let him hold the kill and get a photo of him.

Way to go, Jim
vern

[LGH]

I gave a young boy a brand new 22 rifle yesterday, and it got me to wondering about the rest of you guys. What are you doing to pass your love of shooting along to the next generation? We should ALL be doing something. You wouldn't believe the number of fatherless youngsters in our neighborhoods and churches. Me, I keep an eye out at the gun shows for well used .22 rifles, and give them a good reconditioning with Oxpho Blue, some fine sandpaper, mebby a little stain, and some urethane spray semi-gloss. They generally come out looking pretty darn good, if I say so myself. The new rifle was a sort of exception, as I didn't have any used at the moment, and the kid was hanging on every word of our deer hunting plans.

I take a lot of kids out to give them some very basic safety instructions, and teach them how to shoot. Girls, young and old, are a special delight to teach, mostly with 22's that won't kick them. I usually have to break the older boys from an attitude of "I know all about this because I've seen it on TV." The ladies approach it a bit more carefully. They take the attitude that "I don't know anything about this, so I'm going to pay attention and do EXACTLY what he says. That way, if anything goes wrong, it'll be HIS fault!"

When I get a kid that shows a bit more enthusiasm than usual, I let him try out one of these reconditioned 22's. If his (or her) interest seems to grow, I make them an offer: The gun will be theirs (their mother's) as soon as they can put five shots close enough together at 25 yards that a nickel will touch them all. And they can try for as long as it takes, and as many trips to the range as it takes. There's not too many that can't train themselves up to the necessary skill level, given some time, some gentle instruction and a bit of encouragement.

That's no mean feat, but it's not too hard for a kid with good eyes and real interest. It'll give them their very own REAL gun and the skill to keep up their end of a squirrel hunt. More to the point, it produces kids who know the safe way to handle a gun, and it produces women who won't go into hysterics when they see a gun in their husbands or sons hands.

Hmmm. If I can do it, so can you. Anyone got a 'back of the truck seat' grade 22 rifle laying about they'd like to see put to good use?

Thats fantastic! I have taken a few fatherless kids under my arm so to speak, and brought them to the range with my kids and I. Cant afford to hand out guns at the moment, but I did buy one boy his first bow, and set it up, and he was bowhunting with us. Never seen a bigger smile in my life, what a great feeling. I commend you, and what you are doing. :drinks:

[Maven]

Molly, I didn't see your post until today (12/4/11), but I donated a single shot 16ga. shotgun (Stevens) and Remington Target Master single shot .22cal. rifle to my gun club's youth training program. Here's a link to my gun club: http://www.marbletownsportsmensclub.com/Home.htm

[gnoahhh]

thank you. It got me to thinking about an old Winchester M67 I have laying around, and a young kid who could put it to good use...

[Molly]

You guys are all right! I'm glad to see that there are a few of us with the same ideas about giving back for what we've been blessed to enjoy in our lives. And it needn't be expensive either. You can still buy clunker 22's for as little as 20 or 30 bucks, especially if you explain why you want it. The real investment is a few hours refinishing it with some sandpaper, touchup blue, a little wood stain and a can of spray lacquer. The payoff is the look on a kid's face when you ask his or her parent for permission to take them shooting. And the fireworks is the look on the kid's face when you tell him that - provided the parent agrees - the gun is his or hers for keeps as soon as they can show they know how to use it.

Ya can't buy that kind of warm glow anywhere else for a crummy 20 or 30 bucks.

One thought for anyone else wanting to try this for the first time. It's easy to say "Squeeze the trigger", but I've found that most shooting novices have no idea what that means. Some of them will just yank the trigger, some will try to twist the gun in half at the wrist, etc, etc. I've found that I can teach almost anyone how to squeeze a trigger in just a few seconds by taking their wrist in my hand. I'll tell them "This is NOT a trigger squeeze" and give their wrist a full hand spasm. Then it's "This isn't a squeeze either" as I try to drive my trigger finger suddenly into their hand. Then I say "THIS is a trigger squeeze" as I very slowly press their wrist with my trigger finger while I keep the rest of my hand motionless. Everyone gets it, first time out.

Give it a try.

[Fishman]

Molly, I had to laugh at your observations of girls vs. boys. A small (but favorite) part of my job is teaching kids how to fish. The typical boy will grab the pole and immediately tangle something up or whack the tip into the ground. The typical girl will observe thoughtfully, then carefully execute the cast, often perfectly. After teaching several thousand kids, this generalization is more often true than not. I enjoy the heck out of it, but am glad to leave the event when it is done, let me tell you.

As for me, my little boy keeps me real busy. I am grateful to have him and will likely seek substitutes when he is grown. Maybe my daughter who is getting married in may will have me some grandkids by then! :)

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i am a 4h shooting sports instructor , air rifle , rifle, muzzle loader, and picking up new certifications each year. this is in addition to my own kids and my cub scout den.

our program (county 4h)owns the guns although we instructors often bring some of our own.
the kids can also bring their own if they want to , we also offer reduce cost air rifles thru the cmp to 4h shooting sports club members.

we are less than unpaid volunteers , each of us has hundreds or more dollars and many many hours ties up in training for and participation in the program, we do it because we love the shooting sports and want to see them continue to grow and help young people.

yes often girls make better students , and come with fewer bad habits

[gnoahhh]

Well Molly, I made good on my comment above. I dug out the old pre-war Winchester 67 and spruced her up. I stripped/sanded/refinished the wood using my own blend homemade blend of oil (pure tung oil/Epifanes spar varnish 50/50 + a couple drops of mineral spirits to thin it slightly), then a coat of Butcher's Wax. The metal got sanded/polished to 400grit and then a week's worth of rust bluing cycles. Bolt handle, wheel polished to a fare-thee-well. I swear the wood and steel look exactly like the original finish on another mint Winchester of the same vintage I have. The bore is mint.

The rifle was bought by my grandfather at a country auction in the late 60's, for a couple of bucks. It was in pretty sorry shape. He then had me "refinish" it for him, which I did to the best of my 15 year old abilities. Cold blue on the barrel and Linspeed on on the stock. It turned out sort of ok. It then spent the next few years wrapped in a blanket, somewhat, in the trunk of his Pontiac in amongst the tire chains and bumper jack. It was his "trunk gun" for the occasions when he needed to put injured animals out of their misery. Fast forward over the decades, and I have owned it since my dad passed 20 years ago. I haven't used it, and frankly never would have, so I figured what the heck. It'll go for a good purpose as a kid's first rifle.

I put it back together this afternoon and handed it to the boy's father who will give it to him for Christmas. I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see his expression when he opens that gift!

[Molly]

Well Molly, I made good on my comment above. I dug out the old pre-war Winchester 67 and spruced her up. I stripped/sanded/refinished the wood using my own blend homemade blend of oil (pure tung oil/Epifanes spar varnish 50/50 + a couple drops of mineral spirits to thin it slightly), then a coat of Butcher's Wax. The metal got sanded/polished to 400grit and then a week's worth of rust bluing cycles. Bolt handle, wheel polished to a fare-thee-well. I swear the wood and steel look exactly like the original finish on another mint Winchester of the same vintage I have. The bore is mint.

The rifle was bought by my grandfather at a country auction in the late 60's, for a couple of bucks. It was in pretty sorry shape. He then had me "refinish" it for him, which I did to the best of my 15 year old abilities. Cold blue on the barrel and Linspeed on on the stock. It turned out sort of ok. It then spent the next few years wrapped in a blanket, somewhat, in the trunk of his Pontiac in amongst the tire chains and bumper jack. It was his "trunk gun" for the occasions when he needed to put injured animals out of their misery. Fast forward over the decades, and I have owned it since my dad passed 20 years ago. I haven't used it, and frankly never would have, so I figured what the heck. It'll go for a good purpose as a kid's first rifle.

I put it back together this afternoon and handed it to the boy's father who will give it to him for Christmas. I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see his expression when he opens that gift!

OUTSTANDING!!! Ya done well! Welcome to the club. Now all you have to do is find another junker at the next gun show and repeat, repeat, repeat. The glow of a kids face will warm you far more than it costs you.

[gnoahhh]

You know what Molly, I'm going to do just that!! I have enjoyed the fulfillment offered by the shooting sports for over 40 years now and frankly haven't done much toward helping young newbies. Not having any children of my own, I never was exposed to much of that. It shall change! (In a way you have acted the part of Ghost of Christmas Future to me and turned me down a different path. Thank you!)

[Molly]

You know what Molly, I'm going to do just that!! I have enjoyed the fulfillment offered by the shooting sports for over 40 years now and frankly haven't done much toward helping young newbies. Not having any children of my own, I never was exposed to much of that. It shall change! (In a way you have acted the part of Ghost of Christmas Future to me and turned me down a different path. Thank you!)

You're more than welcome gnoahhh. A suggestion or two might prove useful though. When you find a suitable youngster, tell him or her that the gun is really to be his / hers, but for legal reasons, you have to officially give it to a parent, who is to keep it until the youngster is of legal age to own it. That will keep down the ghosties, goulies, lawyers and other things that go bump in the night.

Also, don't stop when the kid has earned the gun by developing sufficient skill to use it properly. Keep on keeping on. Show them how to load ammunition, and let them shoot some of the stuff they load (but set the powder measure yourself for a while (!!). The results of letting a responsible youngster play with 'POP' loads in a revolver can be simply amazing. Take them hunting or to the range with you. Treat a youngster like a responsible fellow or lady, and you'll not only earn their respect, you will go a long way toward developing their own self respect, and they'd rather die than do something to injure that respect.

I was at my grandmothers one day, when she had a visit for an old friend. Said friend had a young boy about 12 years old, and he tagged along with me when I went to cast up some bullets for a .38 special. I guess he thought I might be more entertaining than listening to a couple of old ladies chatting. But he became all eyes, ears and questions when I explained about reloading ammunition yourself. I explained how I was going to use the cast bullets, and he asked for a demo. I told him I'd do better than that, and (with his momma's permission) allowed him to load two or three dummy rounds with bullets he'd cast himself, and he got to keep them to show his friends. No big deal, right? Shortly therafter, momma departed for another state, and I didn't see or hear anything about the kid again for about 15 years. But when I did, he had converted the entire basement of their home into a casting / reloading / arrow fletching sports paradise. "Cast your bread upon the waters ..."

[felix]

The act of giving oneself pays unsurmountable dividends. Some of us do it with genuine advice, some with physical gifts, and others with just being there at the right time and place with someone in need. Sometimes the return is immediate, but a higher satisfaction comes when you've heard the payback went to someone else unknown to you. As well, the payback might not have been from the one you gave to originally, but deep in your heart you know it all started with you based upon your faith in the fruitfulness of giving. In short, it's contagious and is to everyone's advantage. ... felix

[BeeMan]

Boy Scouts is a great way to further the shooting sports. When my son picked a local troop to join, the shooting sports program there needed fresh adult support. Two years ago I took every NRA instructor course required by BSA to lead the program. My wife did the same so she could lead the companion Venturing crew. We also took the plunge and joined a great local gun club so we would have a first class place to take the youth.

Since then we have taken the troop on several shooting sports camp-outs. We are also starting to rebuild our Venturing crew around shooting sports because the boys want more opportunity than the Troop can give us on their calendar. Venturing include pistols, which is another big draw. Plus, Venturing is open to girls so we have worked with several young ladies.

It goes without saying that the youth enjoy these outings. What is more interesting is how many parents have come up to say how much their boys enjoy it.

All this has opened up larger opportunities. We have already worked several Council level Scouting events. Our biggest event so far was our 100th anniversary Council Camporee this spring, where we had several shooting sports venues. My wife co-ran the archery event. I helped run the shotgun event where the Scouts went through several thousands shells and clays in about 6 hours.

Beside the direct rewards of seeing the youth have fun, helping train our next generation of shooters, etc. we also get other benefits. I have come home with a few prizes from fund raisers in the last year.

Passing the passion for shooting to our youth can be very rewarding. Find a way to join in, whether one on one as Molly posted or as part of an existing organization.

BeeMan

[Molly]

... Passing the passion for shooting to our youth can be very rewarding. Find a way to join in, whether one on one as Molly posted or as part of an existing organization. BeeMan

Good sugestion Beeman, but truth to tell, it generally isn't one on one very long. Kids being what and who they are, they HAVE to tell their friends "Guess what I did ..." and it isn't too long before someone asks can I come too if I get permission?" I can't really turn them down, but I usually don't know the other kids so well either. When it isn't one on one, I take only ONE gun (rifle, shotgun, pistol, what have you) and they take turns. That way, I can still keep focused on the kid with the gun.

Safety instructions are simple and easy to understand.
Rule one: The gun gets pointed THAT way (toward the backstop) ONLY! (unless it's unloaded and cased, with the case zipped / locked.)
Rule two: You do not pick up, handle, or load the gun until given permission. Refer to rules three and four if you do.
Rule three: Forget a rule even for a moment, and you're done for the day. I don't care that it wasn't loaded. I don't care that you were putting it in the case. You were told rules one and two.
Rule four: Forget any rule a second time, and you're done period. You have demonstrated that you aren't yet sufficiently mature to be trusted with something dangerous. Maybe we'll try again in a year or so.

[303Guy]

I initiated my nine year old great nephew into hunting then taking his first shot with my 22. My nieces partner has done the rest. We gave him an old spruced up single shot I found in the internet which I shorted for him. He can now shoot off-hand. He had already shot a few rabbits and a hare - that's him holding his first hare in my avatar. Yesterday he bagged his first rabbit with his new rifle. He is so passionate about hunting.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/CalebsRiflesmall.jpg

Here he is being trained to 'fetch'. This was before he shot his own.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/IMG00946-20110819-1631-1-1.jpg

His mother is in on it too.
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/IMG01170-20111013-1622-1.jpg

Talk of girls being easier to teach - she's a natural. Very little instruction needed with her and can she shoot!:Fire: