How young?

skinnylizzy

Well lads, my young lad is 8 and I've been dragging him around the clay shoots with me every weekend. He loves it and he's very keen to have a go. So far I have resisted his requests for a go but then I gpt a thinking, how ypung cam ypu start? I see young Ian O'Sullivan was winning European medals in dtl when he was 11. I know Ian is exceptional when it comes to shooting but surely the lad started before he was 11? At what age is it acceptable to get the young lad a 20ga., get the stock cut down for him and let him shoot some dtl or whatever you're having yourself??
Cheers lads.

Snakezilla

It depends on the build of the young fella to be honest ! I wasnt eh , the skinniest 8 year old in the school yard but I had fired my auld lads shotgun by then. It was a Baikal single barrel 12g, the brother has it licensed now and jesus it kicks like a mule. If your young lad can handle the 20g Id say go for it, to be honest I wouldnt be going customising guns for him as you know yourself before you know it he will be passing you out height wise

I started out myself with an air rifle my father bought for me for my communion , no such thing as a license for them back then, I remember the day he took me in to the hardware shop to pick it up !

Would you consider introducing him to an air rifle or a .22 if he isnt able for the recoil of a shotgun ? Theres always the .410 route too

dazed+confused

I fired 32g no.4's from my father's single barrel Baikal when I was 12 and I think I still have the bruise!

I was so keen though I don't think anything was going to put me off.

I've never seen a gun adapted for a young lad, at home we all just did the best we could with a full size shotgun/air rifle/.22 and we grew so quickly it was no time at all before they were the right size for us.

aaakev

Had my 7 year old out on Sunday for a ramble, we saw a few foxes bit let them walk for now. We stuck a bottle up at 100 yards and he managed to put a 50gr vmax straight through the centre!

bpb101

The club(commercial ) I go to have particular cartridges they use for first time ladies shooters who would be small or light. I think they have only 22gr in in them
They are called eley amber

I would deffently let him have a shot.
Like you mentioned Ian there and yes he exceptional but he is that good because he practices and puts time into it.
When he shot first, he wouldn't have been much physically different at 8 as regards to build.

Deffently give him a few shots but watch him, and maybe put your Hand behind him so he can't fall back