BB gun from Santa for a 3 Year old

[critta]

Just want to get a few opinions on a possible Christmas gift for my son.

He just turned 3 on October 4th. I bought him a cheap airsoft gun a while back and I take him out in the backyard and he gets to shoot cans down with it – I’m holding it with him and aiming it for him but he still gets a kick out of it. Well we were at Academy the other day looking in the gun department and I took him over to the Red Ryder BB guns. Well now he wants one. Whenever anyone asks him what Santa is bringing him the first thing out of his mouth is a Red Ryder BB gun. Needless to say the wife is not thrilled about it. All the grandparents and most other family members all say he is too young for a BB gun. We went to the doctor yesterday and the doc asked him what Santa was bringing him and of course he replied – a Red Ryder BB gun. The wife was mortified, the doctor said he was too young for one but I disagreed with them both. I keep telling everyone he’s not too young. I say it not like he’s going to keep it in his room to play with. If he wants to go shoot it he can only do that with me supervising him the whole time and when he’s finished with it – back into my gun safe it goes. He can shoot it in the backyard or we always go to my brother’s place in Mississippi every few weeks so we can bring it with us and he can shoot targets out in the woods – so essentially he’ll get use out of it but the wife is pretty much dead set against him getting one.

So am I being stubborn and 3 years old is too young for a BB gun? Or do think Santa should just happen to leave a Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for him to wake up to?



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[103M 95G]

Your kid, your choice.

 

[oleheat]

Buy him that Red Ryder. It's a valuable teaching tool, IMHO.

 

[Expert684]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAwb9ptu9U
He'll shoot his eye out!
Do like I did with my son, buy him a dirt bike. He won't want a BB gun anymore. After years of racing and 30 bike later mine still rides, He's 24 now. Like the bike, it's how you teach him to use what you give him.

 

[Jasarii]

I got mine the Daisy "Buck"(smaller than red rider) at 5yrs old...and he shoots it pretty well at 6yrs old now.


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[rcm192]

Now you know what a bunch of guys on a gun forums reponse will be....get it for the little guy! Its better to ask forgiveness than permission sometimes.

 

[whitsend]

I would be willing to bet you could find a member here who would put on a Santa suit and deliver it directly to your son.

Then what can the "Scrooges" say?
YOU didn't give it to him!

 

[Pas Tout La]

I guess it all depends on the child and only the parent would be the one to know if he's ready for it or not. My son is about to be 3, and its obvious to me that he isn't ready for one yet. Has I exposed him to an air soft like you did, then it would be a big Hell Yea for me!

 

[Neil09]

My son is 3, and shoots my winchester 190 (semi auto .22) with me helping him support the forend. Get him the red ryder, not like you're turning him loose with it. I had some tell me he's too young...like said earlier, my kid, my choice.

 

[Rainsdrops]

Both of my sons had red riders as soon as they could hold them.
They were shooting 40s around 6

 

[Vsotok10]

All the greats start young.

 

[US Infidel]

If no one wants him to have a BB gun, get him a Crickett .22.

 

[A5Mag12]

I doubt at 3 years old he is physically big enough for a Red Ryder. A Buck 105 maybe. But very, very few kids are ready for a BB gun before 5. Maybe yours is one in a 100 million to you but I can almost guarantee with 100% certainty he is not ready and you should have nipped this in the bud when it first came up.

 

[enutees]

First of all it's not like you're buying it and just letting him use it without you. If you're holding it while he shoots (with glasses on please) then why not?

Second, definitely buy the smaller daisy. My kid was six before the red ryder fit him well. The cricket is actually smaller and fit him better.

As long as you're not an asshat and just let him play with it it's fine. I still stand directly with my kid while he shoots turtles or whatever. Muzzle discipline is just not strong enough in most kids.

 

[madwabbit]

why does your doctor even get an opinion is my question.

if you're out there, its your call. Dont look to the internet or someone with a specialized degree to reaffirm your decision as a parent. FYI most doctors I know are 6 figures in debt and can't change their own oil. Get out there and kill some paper plates.



afterthought: as a parent of a 2 year old, mine is still fascinated by things that light up or make noise and has far more interest in my guitars than my guns. But if it was something he enjoyed, I'd be out there you can bet your bottom dollar. My son already "owns" two pellet rifles, a red ryder, and a pair of bearcat .22's. Daddy is ready!

 

[oleheat]

Yeah, that's a point I didn't touch on- who gives a fat bleep what the doctor thinks?

That's hardly any of his/her business.

 

[Rainsdrops]

Like mad was it stated breakout the paper plates.
I started mine kids early. I would clock the red Ryder for them. Help them hold and aim. They had a blast.
My 10 year old is helping my grandson in the same manner.
Teach responsibility, shoot with responsibility and you won't have any problems.

 

[petingrass]

Too young to use unsupervised. A pair of safety glasses should go with it.

 

[headcase]

bb gun for 3 year old

Heck, When I was five years old I was shooting a Stevens single shot, crack barrel 410 with my dad at the camp. Hit and missed a lot of cans with that gun. We still have it in the family. Dad had to cut the stock to get it to fit me. He was always there to supervise me and it was great fun. Get him the bb gun and supervise him every minute he uses it, with eye protection of course. If he's too little, put it away for a year or two. JMO, cause I don't want to start a ruckus between you and your wife. Hell, what do I know? My parents used to let us play with sharp pointed lawn darts and ride my bike without a helmit!

 

[US Infidel]

^^ lawn darts, oh the memories.
I find that kids like to see things break. Use some cans, clays or bottles depending on what your shooting. It's more interesting than shooting at paper for mine.