How do you teach a child to shoot?

[Goosebuster]

My daughter is 12 years old and she has shot my pistols with no problem and she has plinked around with a BB gun since she was little. Anyways, I got her a 20 gauge and we went to shoot it for the first time today. Im not real sure how it happened or what she was doing wrong but the recoil really scared her and hurt her shoulder. I don't think she was holding the gun snug to her shoulder and keeping a good grip, she was standing up to shoot. The first shot wasnt bad but it scared her and the second shot was a giant flinch and that made the recoil even worse for her, she had big tears in her eyes and didnt want to shoot it anymore after that. What do I do now, I dont want her to hate shooting shotguns. Should I get a .410 or a .22 to get rid of the flinching and to teach her to shoulder the gun properly? How do I explain to her how to properly shoulder the gun and hold it? I was shooting a 20 gauge at 8 years old and it didnt phase me. should I try the 20 gauge again and put her on a bench instead of standing?

 

[the_great_white]

Should I get a .410 or a .22 to get rid of the flinching and to teach her to shoulder the gun properly? How do I explain to her how to properly shoulder the gun and hold it? I was shooting a 20 gauge at 8 years old and it didnt phase me. should I try the 20 gauge again and put her on a bench instead of standing?

Bench shooting will cause her to feel more of the recoil. It may be worth doing what you already have the idea to do and start her off with a .410 and various loads until she has a handle on the "boom" and recoil.

 

[hikingthehills]

Get her comfortable with the .22's first. Once she go's to step up to larger guns get her a limb saver with it pulled in close to the shoulder. Make sure she leans into it to help mitigate the recoil.

 

[Gixxer]

You may already be aware of this but just in case you arent, some 20 gauge shotguns are so light and handy that they have nothing to absorb the recoil and kick harder than a heavy built 12 gauge.

So that could be a contributing factor to the impulse shes getting with it.

Other than that you sound like you have the solution covered. The hardest part is convincing her to give it another chance.

If you can tuck almost any gun tight enough into that shoulder pocket, standing squared with the shoulder forward, it shouldn't punch the shoulder but just give it that solid push. Give it any gaps or spaces and it'll let her know it. But like I said, you probably already have thought of that.

 

[Goosebuster]

Bench shooting will cause her to feel more of the recoil. It may be worth doing what you already have the idea to do and start her off with a .410 and various loads until she has a handle on the "boom" and recoil.

it was only 2 3/4" 7/8 oz 8 shot that we were using 26" barrel pump shotgun. I never in a million years would have thought there would be noticeable recoil. I feel so bad now, she is tough as nails and when I saw those tears I knew she didnt like it at all.

 

[the_great_white]

it was only 2 3/4" 7/8 oz 8 shot that we were using 28" barrel pump shotgun. I never in a million years would have thought there would be noticeable recoil. I feel so bad now, she is tough as nails and when I saw those tears I knew she didnt like it at all.

The trick is going to be make sure there's nothing construed as negative criticism and try to keep her excited to want to try again. It's ok that she got scared as it's something newer and bigger to her and not everyone reacts the same. Suggest the idea to her to step down and work her way up so that it's "her decision" to try and let her feel like she is in control of the situation. Positive reinforcement and having input in those decisions goes a long way at that age.

 

[Goosebuster]

The trick is going to be make sure there's nothing construed as negative criticism and try to keep her excited to want to try again. It's ok that she got scared as it's something newer and bigger to her and not everyone reacts the same. Suggest the idea to her to step down and work her way up so that it's "her decision" to try and let her feel like she is in control of the situation. Positive reinforcement and having input in those decisions goes a long way at that age.

I probably need to do something zero recoil so she doesnt develop a flinch, she hit on her first shot but second shot she completely missed the target at 15 yards because of how bad she flinched. Shooting comes natural to me but she looks awkward holding the gun and I cant put my finger on whats wrong with her form. Maybe the gun is too heavy or too long.

 

[the_great_white]

I probably need to do something zero recoil so she doesnt develop a flinch, she hit on her first shot but second shot she completely missed the target at 15 yards because of how bad she flinched. Shooting comes natural to me but she looks awkward holding the gun and I cant put my finger on whats wrong with her form. Maybe the gun is too heavy or too long.

Maybe buy a youth stock set for her to put on the 20 to help it feel less cumbersome to her when she decides she's ready to try again?

 

[Goosebuster]

I can hand her a .40 cal or 9mm and she will shoot it all day and she is a very good shot. she rarely ever misses with her BB gun, I think she is naturally talented when it comes to shooting.

 

[Goosebuster]

Get she comfortable with the .22's first. Once she go's to step up to larger guns get her a limb saver with it pulled in close to the shoulder. Make sure she leans into it to help mitigate the recoil.

I did tell her to lean into it but I think she went back to standing straight up before she shot.