Family outing

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olafpfj
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Family outing

#1

Post by olafpfj »

So I just finished prepping my .50 cal Hawken for a range trip and asked my 7 year old son if he wanted to see me shoot it. He said "Yes"... :anamatedbanana

I have the day off on Sunday and will be heading to Elm Fork to shoot the thing off and his siblings, aged 3 and 5, also want to come. Not really a problem.

I just checked the Elm Fork website and it is doesn't seem to have the range rules on there any more. What is the minimum age to shoot there? Only my 7, almost 8, year old would potentially be shooting. Can he shoot his BB gun on the 50 yard line? I'm going to set him up with my 10/22 but he may get a little squeamish and want to warm up with his BB gun. I will be shooting from that line since the Hawken is irons only.

I'm going to try and make a day of it and get my wife to shoot my AR15 but she doesn't like the "evil black rifle" aesthetics of it. She loves to shoot my CZ527 which is .223 anyway so I'm kinda irritated at her spurning of the AR due to its looks. :grumble

If anyone has any insight or advice on how to make a good family day at the range with kids that age I'd love to hear it. I've tried this once before in California but they weren't exactly kid friendly at the Chabot Range in the bay area. My boy did have a good time shagging brass but it was a really uptight range and my wife and boy got barked at for no good reason.

Input and advice appreciated. :tiphat:
"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -Winston Churchill
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olafpfj
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:03 pm
Location: Grapevine

Re: Family outing

#2

Post by olafpfj »

AndyC wrote:Elm Fork is kid friendly - they just don't want kids handling firearms unsupervised, though.

Don't think they wouldn't let him shoot his BB gun; I think they have target-hangers at 25 yards on the 50-yard range as well.
My kids are well versed in gun safety and I tend to be my own range nazi with my guests. My wife also keeps an eye on them and only one of us shoots at a time so the other can kid wrangle.

If anyone is around I'll be the one making big clouds of smoke :biggrinjester:
"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -Winston Churchill

smilner01
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Re: Family outing

#3

Post by smilner01 »

I love my family days at the range, my 7 y/o son has a cricket 22 and loves shooting. My 14 y/o son likes shooting my Glock 34, and my 12 y/o daughter prefers my Remington speedmaster. Most of the time my wife and I just watch the kids shoot, or take turns at a five spot target with them. I love to see families at the range and kids being taught range etiquette and gun safety.
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