Teaching children

[ChrisEdu]

My two sons (17 & 14) would both like to shoot. We do archery and shoot airsoft pistols in the garden, but they're desperate to use the airguns. As I'm selling my ProSport, that leaves a PCP and .177 pistols.

What would you suggest? I'm thinking that the best option would be to join the local club, but when I last looked, admittedly a while back, it seemed quite expensive, what with membership plus a fee each time you shoot. Now that I'm facing losing my job / career due to ill health, I'm on even more of a tight budget.

Also, what would you recommend starting them off with, rifle, pistol, or doesn't really matter? As I've mentioned, they already enjoy using an airsoft pistol in the garden. I'm leaning towards letting them have a try with the pistols, because they would be lower powered than the rifle and they already use a pistol.

Sorry if I'm rambling on, I'm not at best in the morning! Anyway, what's your advice folks?

[Big Seth]

My two sons (17 & 14) would both like to shoot. We do archery and shoot airsoft pistols in the garden, but they're desperate to use the airguns. As I'm selling my ProSport, that leaves a PCP and .177 pistols.

What would you suggest? I'm thinking that the best option would be to join the local club, but when I last looked, admittedly a while back, it seemed quite expensive, what with membership plus a fee each time you shoot. Now that I'm facing losing my job / career due to ill health, I'm on even more of a tight budget.

Also, what would you recommend starting them off with, rifle, pistol, or doesn't really matter? As I've mentioned, they already enjoy using an airsoft pistol in the garden. I'm leaning towards letting them have a try with the pistols, because they would be lower powered than the rifle and they already use a pistol.

Sorry if I'm rambling on, I'm not at best in the morning! Anyway, what's your advice folks?

Sorry to lean about your health issues..
As a child I dreamed of airguns. All I wanted was a rifle and a pistol of my own. By the time I was 12 I had a Webley Senior and a BSA Meteor.
More importantly I could roam about many acres with only a quick dodge around a farmer or two.! It seems so complicated getting into anything nowadays from pop guns to mopeds or onto the housing ladder. I would have been delighted to shoot with anything when I started out.

[Rich]

How much does the club charge?

We take on juniors at £15 a year subs plus 50p a time range fee, and they get free tuition from NSRA qualified instructors.

OK we do insist on adult supervision and many times either mum or dad also joins and pays the adult subs, twice the above.

[bullbarrel]

You've got some great clubs down there and they have fostered some superb talent.

Katie Gleeson, probably the top England and GB Air rifle shooter is a member of Aldingbourne

You also have Isabel Moore (Dad is a member on the BBS) who is in the GB Target Sprint team. I don't know what club she is with, but its going to be local to you.

So it looks like the world could be your kids lobster (sic) being based where you are. I can't comment on the price as don't know the clubs.

For more clubs contact the county smallbore association. Sadly they don't have a list of affiliated clubs on the website, which is pretty poor.

[trick cyclist]

You've got some great clubs down there and they have fostered some superb talent.

Katie Gleeson, probably the top England and GB Air rifle shooter is a member of Aldingbourne

You also have Isabel Moore (Dad is a member on the BBS) who is in the GB Target Sprint team. I don't know what club she is with, but its going to be local to you.

So it looks like the world could be your kids lobster (sic) being based where you are. I can't comment on the price as don't know the clubs.

For more clubs contact the county smallbore association. Sadly they don't have a list of affiliated clubs on the website, which is pretty poor.

Isabel is also at Aldingbourne, an incredibly self motivated young lady. Come and check the club out if it is not too far, we shoot pistol and rifle in various disciplines, and encourage all ages to have a go at competition if they want to. And we are a friendly bunch!

[ChrisEdu]

Thanks for the replies folks.

I'll have to have a look into how far Aldingbourne is from Rustington.

I'm off to collect several pistols and other bits later today (Mon), health permitting, including a supply of CO2, targets and ammo.

As my 14 yr old has been so fantastic taking care of me lately, much more so than his older brother, I'm going to give him a pistol to use.

He's such a lovely child that he deserves something nice to enjoy, and I'm hoping that we'll be able to shoot together.

Thinking of clubs, is it normal practice to charge a membership fee and then a fee each time you shoot? If so, how much should one generally expect to have to pay? As I'm likely to be retired off due to ill health, money could soon become even tighter.

[Avalon-One]

My two sons (17 & 14) would both like to shoot. We do archery and shoot airsoft pistols in the garden, but they're desperate to use the airguns. As I'm selling my ProSport, that leaves a PCP and .177 pistols.

What would you suggest? I'm thinking that the best option would be to join the local club, but when I last looked, admittedly a while back, it seemed quite expensive, what with membership plus a fee each time you shoot. Now that I'm facing losing my job / career due to ill health, I'm on even more of a tight budget.

Also, what would you recommend starting them off with, rifle, pistol, or doesn't really matter? As I've mentioned, they already enjoy using an airsoft pistol in the garden. I'm leaning towards letting them have a try with the pistols, because they would be lower powered than the rifle and they already use a pistol.

Sorry if I'm rambling on, I'm not at best in the morning! Anyway, what's your advice folks?

My situation is similar (wife has worsening health issues, i’ve closed my business and i’m now a full time carer, kids are 8 and 10), I’m getting ‘us’ back into shooting as it’s something we can all do together unlike many of the other activities which are child specific - the kids enjoy it, the local range is seated and indoor so relatively wife/wheelchair friendly and my kids learn proper etiquette, unlike when I learnt to shoot. It’s also great to get them out of the house if the weather’s crap and my wife needs a rest. The down side is it’s not really that cheap to get started if you buy your own kit, but then again neither are any of the other sports or groups they do. I often compare Cubs/Scouts to Scientology - as soon as they get a woggle round your kids neck it’s up to three figures a month on trips/activities/membership! The up-side is buying used means you don’t take the hit on ‘new’ kit and you always have some residual value if they decide not to persue it (unlike the £50 football boots they wore twice).

The way I approached it was small steps at a time, I took them along for an hour to our local range using club equipment, while slightly more expensive, it lets them try a number of different options. PCP is great in this respect, as unlike when I learnt to shoot, they don’t need to wrestle a break barrel every shot (again wife friendly as she gets tired very easily). It became clear the youngest isn’t quite big enough for a full size rifle, so a pistol works best for him, the daughter is becoming quite precise with the S400 and now i’m looking to buy something similar.

The other advantage is I have something I can do for an hour during the week that lets me get out of the house, doesn’t require constant mental juggling of medication schedules, hospital visits, being a husband/father/carer, it’s just me, an s400, 100 pellets and some targets without any distractions.

If you’ve read this far then one thing that may help you and the kids is your local Young Carers group, unfortunately as you’re aware kids with adults who have health issues often have to take on more than other children at the same age, Young Carers is about helping them and do everything from days out, to giving them extra support at school and someone to talk to if they need it. I wasn’t keen at first, but they’ve really helped with our two.

[trick cyclist]

I have spoken to the club chairman last night about your situation, who reminded me that you don't need to pay subs initially anyway, particularly if you are just coming to shoot, so just the nightly range fee (£4.50 for the three of you). I have PM you his mobile, and he is happy to arrange for you to come over for a try out, which would probably be a Monday or Wednesday. Hope to see you there.

[ChrisEdu]

My situation is similar (wife has worsening health issues, i’ve closed my business and i’m now a full time carer, kids are 8 and 10), I’m getting ‘us’ back into shooting as it’s something we can all do together unlike many of the other activities which are child specific - the kids enjoy it, the local range is seated and indoor so relatively wife/wheelchair friendly and my kids learn proper etiquette, unlike when I learnt to shoot. It’s also great to get them out of the house if the weather’s crap and my wife needs a rest. The down side is it’s not really that cheap to get started if you buy your own kit, but then again neither are any of the other sports or groups they do. I often compare Cubs/Scouts to Scientology - as soon as they get a woggle round your kids neck it’s up to three figures a month on trips/activities/membership! The up-side is buying used means you don’t take the hit on ‘new’ kit and you always have some residual value if they decide not to persue it (unlike the £50 football boots they wore twice).

The way I approached it was small steps at a time, I took them along for an hour to our local range using club equipment, while slightly more expensive, it lets them try a number of different options. PCP is great in this respect, as unlike when I learnt to shoot, they don’t need to wrestle a break barrel every shot (again wife friendly as she gets tired very easily). It became clear the youngest isn’t quite big enough for a full size rifle, so a pistol works best for him, the daughter is becoming quite precise with the S400 and now i’m looking to buy something similar.

The other advantage is I have something I can do for an hour during the week that lets me get out of the house, doesn’t require constant mental juggling of medication schedules, hospital visits, being a husband/father/carer, it’s just me, an s400, 100 pellets and some targets without any distractions.

If you’ve read this far then one thing that may help you and the kids is your local Young Carers group, unfortunately as you’re aware kids with adults who have health issues often have to take on more than other children at the same age, Young Carers is about helping them and do everything from days out, to giving them extra support at school and someone to talk to if they need it. I wasn’t keen at first, but they’ve really helped with our two.

My children are registered Young Carers and my wife has recently had a carers assessment meeting, or something like that.
The irony is, most people that meet me, especially if I wear long sleeves, will probably not even realise that there is anything wrong.