Air rifle shooting with my daughters.

[resnikov]

Well we had a go this morning as the weather was OK a bit over cast but not raining.
First things first we sat down at the dining table and went through gun safety which she got very quickly, not sure if it will have stuck for next time but will keep going over it till it does.


We then started to set the garden so we could shoot. Got a table and chair out for her to sit at and then set up some targets at about 5m range. Got an old bucket and filled with with rags and then taped an A4 bit of paper over it with a big circle drawn on it. This was to be the target.


I should point out my eldest daughter does not have the best vision and sees in double without her glasses so I kind of knew she wasn't going to be Annie Oakley first time out.


Got her to sit down and just to hold the rifle and try sighting down it till she was comfortable with it. Then she had a go. Truth be told I don't have clue where that shot went. The bucket is at the base of a large shrubbery so she was shooting down in to it and I did not see a single leaf or twig move and target was untouched. She might have got the shot in the gap between the target and the bucket thus going in to rags and making no noise. She was not disheartened in missing so we reloaded and she had another go and missed again. Same thing 4 more times. The next shot she hit the paper and was very happy. She got a few more and missed a few more.


I did notice when looking over her when she said she was looking at the target the barrel did not seem to be pointed at the target but then this is the first time she has shot so its all new.


I had also got out my CP Sport ( CO2 pistol) which my youngest daughter wanted to use so we loaded that up and had a go. I had to help them both hold it and squeeze the trigger as its very stiff. Both of them seemed a better shot with the pistol then the rifle which could be saying something about the ASI Apache we were using


I also got out my new to me HW77k and wow I don't think I have ever shot something so accurate, again coming from an ASI Apache maybe this is not that amazing. I shot at 5m and 10m (garden would allow more but kids were getting a little bored) but I was quite able to hit empty shotgun cartridges at that distance.


She did enjoy and said she would like to do it again.

 

[HeltorChasca]

Good post. I also heard that real men have just daughters. (Err - maybe because that includes me)

Nice one. My (now 11 year old) has shot my HW97KT (propped up of course) Thing I was amazed at was how quickly she sussed lining up/focusing the cross hairs in the scope. Something most 1st timers struggle with. Not bad little groups either.

Would be nice if she got into shooting but I'm not sure that will happen anytime soon. A mate has a 13/14 year old who wins competintions at a local club. Girls are good shots. Think my 3 year old is more suited to dynamite ................hc

 

[Bowlander]

Sounds like a good day. My little lad loves plinking.

My bro in law bought a HW 97, as he fancied a springer - after 20 shots you're knackered.

Shooting the firing cap of a live shotgun cartridge at 10m is much more exciting!

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

ASI Apache. Wow a blast from the past, this was my first ever gun. Then moved onto a Relum Tornado then HW77k
my daughter had a go with mine last year and couldn't get the hang of it bless her. She wanted to hold it right handed but look through the scope with her left eye.

Give her time and practice and she will hopefully enjoy shooting with you.

 

[WolfCub]

Just speant the afternoon doing my daughters 13th birthday party. A mix of archery, air rifle shooting and a problem solving team work challenge. 4 girls, 2 boys and they had a great a time.

For the air rifles I set up a simple 10 yard range. Big sheet of old plywood with some "shoot-n-c" targets at either end for them to start on. Then a couple of 'shelves' in the middle with some fence wire to hold / stand clay pigeons on for them to smash. Then a length of angle iron with some airflash exploding targets stuck to it that I hung over the top of the ply'.
Rifles were an unnamed Spanish made rifle of some age that I borrowed for the day and a new bought SMK XS68, both .22, with open sights.

Amusing how much their shots improved once they got to smashing clays. Got even more focused and determined when the targets started flashing, banging and making great clouds of smoke

I enjoy introducing youngsters to things like shooting, archery, fires, sharps and the like, even more so when they're my own. Parents of my daughters friends are a bit bemused that a girl has such 'unusual' parties, but it's what she asks for and the friends always seem to enjoy it.

Interesting what you noted with the pistol, my daughter and her older brother both seemed to get on better with a pistol at first

 

[HeltorChasca]

...Then a length of angle iron with some airflash exploding targets stuck to it that I hung over the top of the ply'.
...

Sounds like a brilliant day. I'm interested in these exploding targets. What did you use? When I was a kid I used to use plasterboard, but I don't want that getting into the soil in my garden now. Are they something you can purchase online somewhere?

Cheers............hc

 

[WolfCub]

The exploding targets are made by a company called "firebirdtargets.com". If you google "airflash air rifle targets" several links should come up. I've bought mine direct and also from Solware. The 'quiter' air rifle one still goes off with a nice pop and a big cloud of smoke. They do need a solid back plate as the innitial sharp impact is what ignites them. Any give and they often wont work. The heavy piece of angle iron worked a treat with them evo-stuck to it.
Also stuck them to thick bits of ply and onto archery butts with good effect. Did that at last archery session for the Cubs. Lined up the Leaders to try and hit it. Seriously startled and impressed Cubs and Leaders when it went off !.......... then all windows open to clear the smoke ...

I also use chalk target discs. Current batch are from "Tarian Marks", they have a shop on ebay. These work very well. Shatter nicely when hit, like a clay pigeon or the plaster board used in the past. They are litteraly just chalk so nothing nasty in them. Fairly cheap aswell.
I have some heavy chicken wire nailed to a square frame of 2x2. Hang some bent paper clips off this then the discs off them. These are what I tend to use in the garden.

hope that's of help.

Duncan