Teaching kids how to look through the scope and understand the reticle.

My oldest took very little instruction. My youngest is on the struggle bus. I put tape on the left lense of his shooting glasses just to keep him using the same eye for every shot.
 
If you don't want to shorten a stock on an existing rifle you can move the scope a lot further back using a simple weaver rail. There is room to go back another inch on this one with no further mods. This is one I mounted on a Lakefield MKii that was made before Savage bought them out in 1994. Due to its age and the fact the owner inherited it from his grandfather, keeping the gun original was key. Works very well for target shooting off the bench where length of pull is not as big an issue as freehand. Once the 10 year old gets comfortable shooting from the bench, his father will get him a Savage Rascal, or a new Accutrigger MK11 and shorten the stock, for learning to shoot off sticks, off hand etc. In the mean time, his father wants to ensure he really enjoys shooting before spending money on new guns.
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If you don't want to shorten a stock on an existing rifle you can move the scope a lot further back using a simple weaver rail. There is room to go back another inch on this one with no further mods. This is one I mounted on a Lakefield MKii that was made before Savage bought them out in 1994. Due to its age and the fact the owner inherited it from his grandfather, keeping the gun original was key. Works very well for target shooting off the bench where length of pull is not as big an issue as freehand. Once the 10 year old gets comfortable shooting from the bench, his father will get him a Savage Rascal, or a new Accutrigger MK11 and shorten the stock, for learning to shoot off sticks, off hand etc. In the mean time, his father wants to ensure he really enjoys shooting before spending money on new guns.
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Look at you go!! Why did I not ever think of that!!
 
There's a video game for them to learn on 🤣
 
If you don't want to shorten a stock on an existing rifle you can move the scope a lot further back using a simple weaver rail. There is room to go back another inch on this one with no further mods. This is one I mounted on a Lakefield MKii that was made before Savage bought them out in 1994. Due to its age and the fact the owner inherited it from his grandfather, keeping the gun original was key. Works very well for target shooting off the bench where length of pull is not as big an issue as freehand. Once the 10 year old gets comfortable shooting from the bench, his father will get him a Savage Rascal, or a new Accutrigger MK11 and shorten the stock, for learning to shoot off sticks, off hand etc. In the mean time, his father wants to ensure he really enjoys shooting before spending money on new guns.
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I too would of said get them a stock that fits. But you know now that I think of it if this fits them okay then that's awesome. As long as they are comfortable and it works then have at it!
 
Let's admit it, we buy guns for ourselves(youngsters).

In your choices, if you pick a firearm that may have a cheap aftermarket plastic stock that you could cut off, then as they grow, you could put the regular stock back on.

Remember that old trick on establishing the Length of Pull a person needs? Bend your trigger finger, and measure from the bent index finger to the crease in the arm, inside the elbow. This distance on children is between 10" to 12" as a rule.

If the stock is too long, they will not be able to get into the eye box of the scope, NOR will they be able to reach the trigger. They will have to let the stock ride under their shoulder in the armpit. When the trigger is pulled, the scope may cut their face to the bone or they are scared it will on some centerfire cartridges.

In our family, Great Grandpa, dad, and uncles always got the kids their first centerfire when they were 14, safety and gun fit. There are some guns such as Thompson Contenders that make fantastic rifles for youngsters due to their lack of weight in the forearm and weight not to mention the plastic stocks that are available.

Remember for youngsters, a 4.5 lb trigger pull is going to be horrifying. Youngsters need to spend a lot of time practicing with a 22 Long rifle bolt action rifle with scope.

My Great-grandpa got all of us youngsters throwing up Penneys and shooting them with our BB guns, taught great hand and eye coordination. Great Grandpa watched us as he sat on the front porch shooting Carpender bees with his 22 rifle using shorts.
 
Length of pull is definitely big.

I tried starting my daughter off on a Ruger 10/22 with a scope, but then I got her an AR pistol with a 9" barrel and a Trijicon MRO.

I SBR'd the AR, made a form 1 can for it and put a Kahles K16i on it. It's a great little rifle that's grown with her from being about 54" tall to 66" tall from ages 7-11.5.

If your kids are into legos you can even build the rifle with them. She's a little stronger and less recoil sensitive now so I got her a Geissele 11.5" upper. She still likes the 22 though.
 
Some of the nerf guns have "scopes" with a crosshair. Have him start with that in the house and it will get him used to looking through the tube. Once they get that down transition to a real scope and have them find the whole picture. Mark that spot and build it up with tape. Have them shoulder and realign that sight picture time and time again. Then remove the tape bump and have them continue it
 
Nurf guns, lego guns, paint ball guns, air rifles etc are all good ideas but instill deeply the idea this is a replacement for a real gun. Follow the 10 commandments religiously, especially the one about not pointing them at someone else.
 
Started my son on BB and pellet.Then rimfire, single shot, then bolt 22 mag.He hunted first year and got bear, buckyball.Then he warped right into the 340wby when he was 13-14 yrds old, stole it from me
 

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