DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,508
- 6,525
I took my daughter and son-in-law and six grandchildren to the range this past Monday. Joining us was a friend from another community with his son. We had seven new shooters to introduce to shooting (two of the grandchildren are way too young, and they would play on the playground the club has provided under the alternating supervision of their mother, grandmother and oldest sister). After an appropriate safety lecture, we broke out the ear plugs and the rifles. I had brought a couple of 22s, a 17 Remington, and for the adults a 270 WSM and a defender with 1 ounce slugs.
The children had a blast breaking balloons and punching holes in paper. Ultimtely, my wife and my daughter wanted to shoot the 12 gauge. My daughter thought that was a hoot. She wasn't bad with it, either. I wouldn't want to stand in front of her. My friend wanted to shoot the 270 WSM, as he is looking for a new rifle. That necessitated giving my eldest grandson, my daughter and my wife equal opportunity. They were surprisingly comfortable with the rifle and shot some pretty good groups. Grandma provided sandwiches and bottled water, which the children thought was just like a picnic. Everybody had a lot of fun, and the grandchildren were certainly on a high afterwards.
I thought I'd share some photos from the day.
My eight-year-old grandson announced this spring that he wanted to shoot a deer. I promised that as soon as he is fourteen and able to get a junior hunting licence, I'd take him out to do precisely that. In the interim, I promised that I'd give him opportunity to shoot when he came to visit. It is a fourteen-hour trip from Vancouver, and they don't come every week, so he has been constantly pestering his mom and dad to come up to visit.
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When my grandson announced that he wanted to come shoot a deer, my ten-year-old granddaughter asked if she could shoot an elk. Well, of course, her grandpa would be proud to take her hunting. Could she shoot a rifle, she wondered. Again, the answer was affirmative. Consequently, that is her sixteen-year-old brother shooting the defender behind us. He isn't particularly interested in hunting, but he does enjoy shooting and fishing.
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Well, of course, if these two are going to shoot, then their older sister also wants the opportunity to shoot rifles.
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My daughter really enjoyed shooting the defender, much to my surprise. Despite trying to talk her out of it, she insisted and shot up a fair amount of my supply of slugs.
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She also proved deadly with the 270 WSM.
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This is a picture of my grandchildren lined up, waiting their turn.
My friend, a former parishioner and hunting partner from a community near Jasper, AB, was delighted at the opportunity to introduce his son to shooting.
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Well, this probably means that I'll shortly be buying a couple of Crickets and begin the search for a decent rifle chambered in a cartridge suitable for deer and/or elk with a youth stock. I'll start looking for something perhaps in 7mm-08, 260 Remington or perhaps 257 Roberts for a starter. I think I'm more excited than the grandchildren at this prospect. In fact, we have promised each of them that they can accompany me on fishing trips. The eldest grandson accompanied me, his father, an RCMP corporal and my hunting partner to the Northwest Territories for a fishing trip when he was eleven. Now we are planning next year a trip to the Yukon for fishing with my soon-to-be eleven-year-old granddaughter. The eight-year-old will be factored in for a fishing trip as soon as he is eleven. Great stuff to take grandchildren (or any kid) to the gun range.
The children had a blast breaking balloons and punching holes in paper. Ultimtely, my wife and my daughter wanted to shoot the 12 gauge. My daughter thought that was a hoot. She wasn't bad with it, either. I wouldn't want to stand in front of her. My friend wanted to shoot the 270 WSM, as he is looking for a new rifle. That necessitated giving my eldest grandson, my daughter and my wife equal opportunity. They were surprisingly comfortable with the rifle and shot some pretty good groups. Grandma provided sandwiches and bottled water, which the children thought was just like a picnic. Everybody had a lot of fun, and the grandchildren were certainly on a high afterwards.
I thought I'd share some photos from the day.
My eight-year-old grandson announced this spring that he wanted to shoot a deer. I promised that as soon as he is fourteen and able to get a junior hunting licence, I'd take him out to do precisely that. In the interim, I promised that I'd give him opportunity to shoot when he came to visit. It is a fourteen-hour trip from Vancouver, and they don't come every week, so he has been constantly pestering his mom and dad to come up to visit.
When my grandson announced that he wanted to come shoot a deer, my ten-year-old granddaughter asked if she could shoot an elk. Well, of course, her grandpa would be proud to take her hunting. Could she shoot a rifle, she wondered. Again, the answer was affirmative. Consequently, that is her sixteen-year-old brother shooting the defender behind us. He isn't particularly interested in hunting, but he does enjoy shooting and fishing.
Well, of course, if these two are going to shoot, then their older sister also wants the opportunity to shoot rifles.
My daughter really enjoyed shooting the defender, much to my surprise. Despite trying to talk her out of it, she insisted and shot up a fair amount of my supply of slugs.
She also proved deadly with the 270 WSM.
This is a picture of my grandchildren lined up, waiting their turn.
My friend, a former parishioner and hunting partner from a community near Jasper, AB, was delighted at the opportunity to introduce his son to shooting.
Well, this probably means that I'll shortly be buying a couple of Crickets and begin the search for a decent rifle chambered in a cartridge suitable for deer and/or elk with a youth stock. I'll start looking for something perhaps in 7mm-08, 260 Remington or perhaps 257 Roberts for a starter. I think I'm more excited than the grandchildren at this prospect. In fact, we have promised each of them that they can accompany me on fishing trips. The eldest grandson accompanied me, his father, an RCMP corporal and my hunting partner to the Northwest Territories for a fishing trip when he was eleven. Now we are planning next year a trip to the Yukon for fishing with my soon-to-be eleven-year-old granddaughter. The eight-year-old will be factored in for a fishing trip as soon as he is eleven. Great stuff to take grandchildren (or any kid) to the gun range.
