Thread: Teaching kids to shoot. Archie's first shots with the 223.

I had my young fella (just 7) out shooting my model 7 223 for the first time on Friday arvo after recently picking up a 2nd hand youth stock for it from @Double Shot.

I also made up some light recoil loads to ease him into it, just enough recoil to let him know theres something going on but not enough to put him off at all.

The light load is 14gr of IMR4198 pushing a 55gr Sierra gameking HPBT @ just 2,100, so somewhere between a 22 mag and a 22 hornet but with 55gr bullets.

He's only just started shooting 22lr about two months ago as he hasnt been able to get a sight picture thru the scope previous occasions when we tried.

Worked out hes left eye dominant (but right handed). Ive now got him shooting left handed and he's away. Hes been shooting 22lr subs and shot his first rabbit with my 17hmr a month back.

I took some footage of his shooting/coaching session, where he started a bit rough at 100 yds then after a bit of fine tuning his technique he ended up putting two from two on the bull at 200 yds.

Ive put a Vid on youtube for those that are interested. It's 12 mins long but for those interested here it is.

https://youtu.be/90_GnTr0i9g

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Yep even with the shorter LOP the eye relief is too much for him, all ive done is fitted the shorter stock to a rifle/scope that was set up for me.

I was hoping to be able to simply swap stocks back and forth nice and easy. But i do have a T3 Superlight in 223 8 twist as well, so maybe i do look at moving the scope back for him and i just use the T3 when i need a 223.

Good job GWH, this is cool. A mate sometimes brings up his young fella, only 5, that occasionally shoots with my kids 22. Even tho its cut down etc he still shoots way back from the scope. But kids seem to get away with it, they know that you put the crosshairs on the centre of the target and the target in the middle of the rather small view they get. Look forward to more pic's as he progresses.

Yup, that’s very cool @GWH, good on yer. You never know where that can lead, that’s the great thing, so many directions to take in the shooting sports.

I did the exact same thing with my boys Clint, at about the same age. Stuart would have been around 7, Iain a bit older. I’ve got photos of their first ever .223 shoot in outback Ozzy somewhere, the only problem was I did not have a youth stock! It was a full size Super Varmint, so a bit daft. The only photo I’ve got on the iPad from that day is them holding their trophy beer cans... somewhere there’s more of them on the rifle.



They get quite a bit of time on the .22 LR and .223 Rem now and both can whack a bunny quite happily at 80-90m, and Iain has already shot his first goats and red deer. This Xmas they’ll be back into the deer and goats after a quiet year with all the lockdown and injuries and nonsense, they’re moving onwards and upwards awfully fast. Can’t wait.

Awsome, my boy is the same left eye dominant but right handed. So shoots cack handed so to say. If ya find a savage rascal youth rifle grab it, at his size he should be able to shoulder it and make eye relief better at the scope.

Originally Posted by Magnus

Awsome, my boy is the same left eye dominant but right handed. So shoots cack handed so to say. If ya find a savage rascal youth rifle grab it, at his size he should be able to shoulder it and make eye relief better at the scope.

I have a marlin xt22 youth that hes been using

That's a great start for Archie using the 223. Bit more practice and he will be wanting to shoot a goat or two, great times ahead for you guys,

Love seeing the kids get into it! My boys, 10 and 7 are finally keen to get out and shoot at something bigger than a rabbit! Are there good concentrations of goats in the bay of plenty or Waikato regions? I really want to take them somewhere that’s not too big a mission for the 7 year old. You guys know accessible places with good goat hunting?


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Originally Posted by Soulosurfer

Love seeing the kids get into it! My boys, 10 and 7 are finally keen to get out and shoot at something bigger than a rabbit! Are there good concentrations of goats in the bay of plenty or Waikato regions? I really want to take them somewhere that’s not too big a mission for the 7 year old. You guys know accessible places with good goat hunting?


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Im pretty sure you might even be able to find some fallow up there.

Awesome mate, really cool to watch

Cheers for sharing that GWH enjoyed watching and some great shooting from the little man! You must be very happy.
On a side note I have the same rifle set up. Shoots nicely too. Just curious as to what barrel length your is? did you shorten at all?

Originally Posted by EFriz

Cheers for sharing that GWH enjoyed watching and some great shooting from the little man! You must be very happy.
On a side note I have the same rifle set up. Shoots nicely too. Just curious as to what barrel length your is? did you shorten at all?

Yeah it's great to get them out and getting involved in our hobbies, shooting and hunting is a big part of my life so its cool to see him enjoying it too.

The barrel has been cut to 18" from the factory 20". Ive had the trigger worked and lightened up a fair amount, other than that it hasn't been touched. It shoots extremerly well.