I’ve taken my nearly eleven year old range shooting a few times in the last year and he really enjoys it (perhaps because he’s actually pretty good) So! do I buy him his own gun. My partner (not his mum)says I shouldn’t. I haven’t consulted his mother yet but she would probably say no as well but that could be because it’s just her stock response to anything think about doing for him. I’d like to think of it as supporting something he enjoys and something we could do together but there are a number of other things that also fit that criteria. His school next year (starts in Feb) also has a shooting club as part of its sports options)
Interested to know what do folk think?

So your partner says no. His mum will say no. How do you think they’ll feel if you ignore them and do it anyway?

if you like guns then think it appropriate then do so.

Its clearly going to be a divisive topic of things to get a child
Personally its a no from me but its clearly your call.

All I can say is that my mom wouldn’t let me have one when I was a kid and as soon as I moved out I bough an armoury. Including air rifles, pistols, catapults and knifes. May be best to get it out of the way now and teach him responsible use.

I got my first Weihrauch for Christmas when I was 7. If anything youre starting late. A little Gamo, a good backstop and some targets – do it.
Ive taken it upon myself to make sure the CCF wins the 10m match at summer camp this year.

So, I guess he’s not into bikes? 😐

If you both enjoy it, I would. It could be a great way to learn responsibility, patience, and other things.

And he will be more useful in the zombie apocalypse! 🙂

I’d say yes, I was around that age and I think that its a great way to learn to take on reaponsibility for your actions among other things. Providing you and / or the shooting range drum in the essentials of course.

Can you take your partner and his mum to the range to show how controlled it all is?

Buy him a gun but keep it locked away with yours and make sure he knows he only uses it when with you, no showing his mates etc.

You don’t say if he lives with you or his mum but same goes regardless of which. Just make sure you clear it with all concerned. I assume you have your own already so your partner is okay with that?

No, buy yourself a new gun….and let him use that, or your old one.
You do know you can’t buy him one as a gift don’t you, although you can supervise him using one. (Sorry if that sounds like telling your granny how to suck eggs)

revs1972 – Member
You do know you can’t buy him one as a gift don’t you, although you can supervise him using one.

Which always makes me chuckle, given you could quite lawfully (once he has a ticket*) buy him a shotgun as a gift!

*Minimum age 2 years old – because someone has to vouch that they have known you for 2 years!

Which always makes me chuckle, given you could quite lawfully (once he has a ticket*) buy him a shotgun as a gift!

*Minimum age 2 years old – because someone has to vouch that they have known you for 2 years!

Apparently not. http://content.met.police.uk/Site/firearmslicensingagerestrictions
Holiding a license is not authority to possess.

Through personal experience I would recommend an s200 (air arms)
Really accurate light wee rifle, suitable for those of a smaller stature, my son (11) had minor issues with the weight of the rifle when shooting hft type courses, but a decent glove sorted that out (anschutz from intershoot)

My son got lessons and is (as expected) permanently supervised when we shoot (at a range). We don’t do plinking in the garden, and the rifles are all stored securely when not in use.

He’s not too young but it really needs clearing with his mum. If, after getting him one regardless, he sees conflict over it with the adults he might be scared/hesitant of using it.
Obviously, it should be stored with you as his mates will almost definately urge him ‘for a go’ of it.

There are some springers built smaller and lighter for the junior frame but you’ll never beat an ‘air’ airgun for lightness and recoil.
Cocking a springer repeatedly for an 11 y-o might become tiresome.
PCP’s aren’t cheap, but if it’s gonna be a long term hobby …

Good luck.

I’d say an S200 too.

My 10yo daughter has had a .410 bolt action shotgun with the stock cut down since she was 6, ignore the fact she didn’t shoot it until last year or it was simply a case of g+1 for me.

I had the classic when I was around that age: BSA meteor (.177).

As others have said, if you are very clear about the rules of use then an additional gun that he is able to shoot at the range would be ok in my view.

Kinda puzzled as to why he’s “allowed” by the mothers to go to a range with you so long as he uses loan equipment. What’s the difference?

Well his school has a shooting club so it kinda stands to reason that anyone in the club could have their own gun. I say get him one if he has a genuine interest in shooting as a sport, not just to dick around shooting sparrows from a neighbours roof.

Nope, I *never* did that myself. Ahem. 😳

Best thing is probably to get him a lightweight rifle, but obviously keep it yourself.

All my kids learnt to shoot air-rifles safely, and the youngest went on to small-bore shooting as well. I can trust them all not to dick around.

It’s a good sport to learn, as it teaches discipline and safety, and irrelevant what the haters say – it’s not dangerous, although others will disagree:

http://basc.org.uk/basc-scotland/airguns-in-scotland/airgun-licensing-in-scotland-frequently-asked-questions/

1. How easy is it going to be to get an airgun licence?

The simple answer is that it is going to be as easy, or as difficult, as it is just now to get a Firearms Certificate. The standards expected for an air weapon licence will be the same as for a Firearms Certificate.

It will in fact be easier to get a Shot Gun Certificate than an air weapon licence.

I got my old rifle down to ‘scare off’ some magpies. My boys went mad for it.

For about a day. So it’s gone back in the attic.

They are still waiting for me to get my bow down. That’s what they really want to let loose with.

What sort of use do you expect from the rifle? If you want to train a young lad to shoot properly, and with discipline, could I suggest a proper target air rifle? Lower powered, equipped with diopter sights and designed to punch paper at ten meters would be my suggestion. This helps gets past the maternal hurdles, as it doesn’t imply the indiscriminate slaughter of songbirds, and would do him more good if you want him to learn target shooting. Learning to shoot with diopters rather than a scope will prepare him better for the school club and competitions.

If and when he is ready to move onto field target shooting, he’ll already have learnt about range safety, backstops, control and discipline- attributes that will stand him in good stead.

As for recommendations, you won’t find better than a BSA for the money. If your budget can stand it, a PCP is accurate and recoil free, but you’ll need expensive filling kit on top of an already expensive rifle. My son has a BSA Ultramax SE, ten shot groups about 1/4 inch centre to centre off a bipod at 15 meters. The Ultra with a tactical stock weighs less and is no less accurate. He started with a springer though, a BSA Lightning Tactical, which in the right hands is no less accurate. They do a target version of the Ultra I believe

EDIT The target version is the Scorpion Cadet. .177 only, 6.5 ft/lb c £500.

My dad bought me an air pistol against my mums wishes when I was 11. He was just being an arse because they were divorced and fighting over access.

I loved it. Went to ranges, did a bit of match shooting, made a little range in the back garden. I liked the trust given, and the jealousy of mates who didn’t have one.

Would I buy one for a kid? Maybe, but only if it was an extension of a hobby I was already doing and an interest was shown.

At eleven, he’s likely growing so fast that it’s not worth getting him one to fit, so he might as well use yours.

Then at fourteen you can get both him and you FAC’s and a semi auto Ruger .22 (with an adjustable stock) 😀

I got one for Christmas when I was 9. The only problem was getting it off my dad to have a go myself!
I still have it 41 years later, a Relum .22

Kinda puzzled as to why he’s “allowed” by the mothers to go to a range with you so long as he uses loan equipment. What’s the difference?

Big difference going there to shoot and rifle getting locked away again when he leaves, and having one in the house where he may use it unsupervised etc.

If its going to be secured under lock and key, only allowed out when you are there and mother not too happy then I think its not the most sensible idea.

Funny age 11 – possibly physically too small for the proper ones (especially if its target shooting).

Can’t imagine he’d be allowed to bring it into the school shooting club unless you rig up that fake guitar case for it.

Think I was 13 when I joined the target shooting club, was a couple of years before I could get the Walther but they had a couple of decent loaners ones at the club anyway.

I’d say see what Feb brings in terms of commitment, and what actual kit they are using.

I got one for Christmas when I was 9. The only problem was getting it off my dad to have a go myself!
I still have it 41 years later, a Relum .22

I’ve still got the Weihrauch HW55 I got at 14, now 50. And I use to cycle across town with it (in a bag) to the shooting club 🙂

Thing is the law has changed. When I was 14 I could carry my Airsporter around as long as it was in a case. An U18 isn’t allowed to carry one in public anymore, and good practice suggests an air rifle should be locked away where it cannot be accessed by an under 18.

In our household I kept the two air rifles in the rifle cabinet with my S1 rifles. Since he was 15 my lad has had a set of keys to the shotgun cabinet, and his cert shows we share several shotguns between us, so that he could have access to his own. He passed his driving test in the spring, and was entitled to take a shotgun with him to the clay ground, to our partridge shoot and to go rabitting, but wasn’t allowed to take the air rifle with him unless I or another adult was with him until he turned 18 last week. If ever legislation needed an overhaul by someone with some sense, the Firearms Act is it.

Same age as you br, it’s a changed world and not for the better when a child can’t go about with a rifle on their back.