Getting started in youth shooting?

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SiGArmed

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Not sure where to post this, so just going to throw it up.

Got a kiddo that's 9, 10 in May and likes to shoot, so I've wondered about getting him into youth shooting, but not sure where to look, or how to start, so just looking for some info on ways to get started in it. We live in Midwest City. As far as discipline, if we can get going in it, he would probably be interested.
 

JeffT

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Not sure where to post this, so just going to throw it up.

Got a kiddo that's 9, 10 in May and likes to shoot, so I've wondered about getting him into youth shooting, but not sure where to look, or how to start, so just looking for some info on ways to get started in it. We live in Midwest City. As far as discipline, if we can get going in it, he would probably be interested.
Steel Challenge is a great way to get young people involved in shooting.
It allows the use of .22LR rifles and pistols.
It is non mobile, you stand in a 3 foot square and engage 5 steel targets, you shoot the same targets for 5 different strings. dropping the slowest one and the sum of the best 4 strings is your score for that stage.
Oklahoma City Gun Club (OKCGC) has a match every month on the 3rd Saturday.
We always have several young shooters at the match.

OKCGC Website
https://www.okcgunclub.org/

Steel Challenge Website
https://scsa.org/
 

Okie4570

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Shotgun sports, join the ATA/AIM trap, they shoot at el Reno, Shawnee, Duncan, Ada. 4H has shooting programs too, it's become a political mess at the top but the kids still get to pull the trigger.
 

Glock 40

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All good suggestions listed above. There are tons of different shooting disciplines. Just about all of them will probably have people that are excited to see a child and to help them. First and foremost make sure you have taught your child proper gun safety and make sure they know that is priority one no matter what they choose.

After that I would suggest taking your son to see multiple types of matches pistol, rifle, shotgun, cowboy action whatever is available in your area. Check out the ranges in your area and see what they offer. More than likely at most matches when people see new folks they will offer to let him try it out with their equipment. There are kids or junior divisions in all the stuff listed above along with NRL, SASS, NRA, CMP just about every organization wants to pull in youth shooters to try and keep the sports alive.

I shoot military combined matches and my 10 year old who will be 11 this week shoots them also with me. He enjoys any type of shooting but what he really enjoys doing is cowboy action shooting. I don't shoot SASS but take him to 1 or 2 matches a month. A couple suggestions one realize shooting isn't a cheap hobby but don't go overboard until you know what the kid likes and are sure they want to really stick with it. Once you find a discipline your child likes. There will more than likely be folks that know what they are doing that are willing to teach and mentor him. Let them do it and enjoy watching your child improve. Just focus on safety being priority number one. People routinely comment on how well my son handles weapons and how safe he is. That didn't happen by accident, no pun intended. That means more to me than if he is top 3 or not. For me time and money prevent him from being able to shoot other disciplines but I also don't want to be at the range both days every weekend. This is supposed to be fun not a second job.
 

rawhide

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He may like an Appleseed event also. You can shoot with him for the weekend. There was a post on OSA recently for events in KS. There are usually several in OK as well.
 

dennishoddy

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Just get them into shooting. Pick what is good for your area, get involved with those that put them on and then contribute to the range with helping with setup and teardown.
Teach the kids that you can't do an event without volunteer help to set up and tear down that will contribute to the match they enjoy to continue.
I've seen lots of matches fail because when shooters finish, they go to their vehicle and leave before the match is over and the range course of fire needs taken down and put them away that takes hours after the match when some volunteers could have taken that time down to 30 minutes or so.
Range volunteers keep ranges open for matches is the bottom line. Don't want to do it, then don't whine that there is not a match in your area.
 

Hangfire

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Just get them into shooting. Pick what is good for your area, get involved with those that put them on and then contribute to the range with helping with setup and teardown.
Teach the kids that you can't do an event without volunteer help to set up and tear down that will contribute to the match they enjoy to continue.
I've seen lots of matches fail because when shooters finish, they go to their vehicle and leave before the match is over and the range course of fire needs taken down and put them away that takes hours after the match when some volunteers could have taken that time down to 30 minutes or so.
Range volunteers keep ranges open for matches is the bottom line. Don't want to do it, then don't whine that there is not a match in your area.

@blake711's post above pretty much nailed it.

Being a Match Dir. for four years straight in IHMSA I also completely agree with everything Dennis posted......no help with setting up for the match, not volunteering to call the line long enough to let the Match Dir. shoot the match and not helping to tear down after the match at the end of the day gets old pretty quick when you are doing it alone.

Volunteer to help prior to (set up) or after the match (tear down) at whatever shooting sport that you and your son get involved in.
 
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