Sway's First Firearm and Lesson in Gun Safety

When you find out you’re going to become a parent, you begin imagining all the things you’re going to do together with your child.  Memories you’ll soon make.  Oftentimes for the outdoorsman, these dreams include taking your kid on his or her first hunt.  I’ve written about the challenges you can face and the amazing lessons children learn from hunting, but one question I find parents asking quite often is; when is the right time to introduce my son/daughter to their first firearm?

If you’re a parent and anything like my husband and me, you probably purchased a gun or two for your son or daughter before they were even born. (Blake insisted we had to buy a .410 for Sway while he was still in the womb.  He claimed it would be the perfect first firearm for our son, but guess who immediately took it out rabbit hunting after it was purchased? No. Not me. Good guess though.) 

A few months ago Sway turned 5.  I was working with a friend on her shooting technique when Sway approached and asked if he could shoot a little bit.  Up until this point he had shown no interest in firearms, but he was used to watching us sight in our rifles or shoot clays, plus he’s joined us on various hunts since he was a toddler.  That evening Blake and I decided Sway was ready to be introduced to his first firearm.

Rather than the .410 we bought for him before he was born, it was important to us that we find Sway a gun that would fit him right.  After doing some research and visiting our local gun shop, we decided on the Savage Rascal.  This .22 caliber, bolt-action single shot has an 11.25" length of pull and comes with the adjustable AccuTrigger system. 

It’s hard to describe the Rascal as anything but cute when you first lay eyes on it, however, it is a weapon that deserves the same respect as any other firearm and our number one priority while introducing this rifle to Sway was gun safety.  We have been practicing firearm safety with Sway his whole life.  He knows every gun we own belongs in the safe.  Ammo is locked up separately.  We wear hearing protection any time we are shooting.  If he ever comes across a gun he knows to alert an adult. 

However, up until this point in his life he had never shot anything more than a nerf gun and it was imperative to us that he understand his first firearm, know the various parts of the gun and practice safe shooting techniques before we ever agreed to load it and let him shoot it for real.

When Sway first opened the box containing his new Rascal his eyes lit with excitement.  He asked us right away if it was real, and we assured him it was very real.  Before assembling the gun we handed him the separate pieces and pointed out its various parts.  We taught him how the different parts of the gun worked and described the mechanics of it in a way he could understand.  

When you de-mystify guns and help a child understand them better, it takes away much of the temptation they might feel to explore them. 

Once we were satisfied he understood the responsibility of owning his first gun and the mechanics behind it, we decided it was time to hit the range.  We wanted his first time handling the gun, fully assembled, to be in a safe space and one in which he would regularly be going to shoot it.  We weren’t planning on loading the gun right away.  We wanted him to begin practicing handling the firearm, going through the motions of turning the safety off and on, keeping his finger off the trigger, and getting comfortable with positioning himself properly and consistently on the gun. We discussed many of the golden rules for safe gun handling:

1. Always treat the gun as if it’s loaded.
2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to shoot.
5. Never point the gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
6. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
7. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
8. Always use proper ammunition.
9. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
10. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
11. Don’t rely on the gun’s safety to keep it from firing.
12. Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don’t trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.

We preceded to let him practice going through the motions and dry-firing his Rascal.  I know there are some who don’t recommend dry-firing a rimfire, however, from the research I have found, even excessive dry-firing (up to 1,000 times) does little damage to the firearm.  It was important to me that Sway learn to use the gun correctly and feel comfortable with it before we loaded it, so dry firing made the most sense to us and after he practiced for a while we felt comfortable with letting him shoot his first bullet.  We helped him load his gun and stood right beside him and helped guide him through the motions. When he was ready he slowly pulled the trigger like we had been practicing and hit just above the mark we had made for him on the target.  He was ecstatic.  We let him shoot a few more times before calling it a day.  Each of his shots were within a one inch diameter. 

I was very impressed with the way the Rascal handled and loved the pride on my son’s face each time we walked up to the target to see where he had hit.  The gun didn’t kick at all, which is another huge advantage when it comes to a young shooter.  I’m so happy we went with the Savage Rascal, and I look forward to spending more time with my son on the range.

When it comes to kids and firearms, it’s important to note that each child is different.  Some kids may be ready to shoot at a much younger age than others.  The important thing is that you make it a point to talk to your kids about guns and firearm safety.  Teach them the importance of respecting every gun they come into contact with.  Let them watch you clean your firearm and answer any questions they might have.  If you do it right, they’ll learn some important lessons they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Are you raising a young hunter? Check out Allison's new children's book "Chasing Deer"!