Two Saturdays ago, I took my 8 year old granddaughter, 3rd grader, to our smallbore silhouette range. She shoots her bb gun in her back yard while sitting on the rear sun deck steps at paper plates. It was 42 degrees outside and she still wanted to go to the range and we used our clubs Savage Cub rifle with 4X scope. I set up 4 swingers 30 meters out. On sand bags, 4 out of 4 first time! We had also set up 3 rams and 2 Turkeys at 40m for next challenge. She got the first Ram on the first try! Even though our Silhouette range is tree lined, it was windy making it colder. Both of us were loving every minute together. She is a fantastic listener and did everything right. I wish we had started this sooner. This past Thursday, after school, we shot indoors, 50ft, paper bullseye 1in dia., same rifle.
She is amazing......what can I say........... and she enjoys it! I plan to check with her to see if she wants to go indoor next Thursday after school. I'm trying to make it a fun experience too. It is suppose to get up to 45 today, Saturday, and might give her a call around noon. No wind too. When we start winter indoor Silhouette practice mid Jan, maybe she will want to go. We can have her shoot off sandbags. I know the other fellows will give her all the attention required, too.
She is a real Tomboy. She sure can handle the Savage Cub and full of surprses.

8 years old should be 'soon enough. Don't push her like I have seen some dads do. They don't last very long when they are doing it 'for you'. Keep it fun for her and it will become a lifetime sport.

Congrats as a father that had his 10 year old shoot with him most of this last year I can say you are in for some extremly great times. I wasn't keen on my son using the bags, so I talked with the folks that run our matches and they allowed him to use a trigger stick, I liked this cause it got him standing up and I could help him, with my limited experience, with his stance. I think it was good for him to kept him feeling like he was close to doing it right. I was nervous at first and my scores showed it, but I settled down as he showed he really understood the saftey aspect of it. Good luck hope she sticks with it. When you go to get her a gun of her own I would look at the cz scout they make a pink one I bet she would love.

Yes, the important thing is to keep it fun!! She is quite petite for an 8 yr old as is around 42 inches tall. Runs on her mothers side of the family. With our indoor range this past Thursday, she was standing up, with front of stock on sand bags. Boy, is she ever a good listener.

Temps are supposed to be 45F this afternoon and her dad will be joining us for outdoor plinking. She prefers the outdoors knocking over the animals or hitting the swingers, which I don't blame her. We will let her do what she wants off sandbags, whether sitting or standing at 40m. We will have a really good time.

Yes, the pink rifle would be a good idea as she has a pink golf bag!

GOLF????

Yup, golf too! Started swinging at 6. This year she was not using a tee on fairway shots using her driver. She can hit the irons right off the grass and a pretty mean touch with the putter too. Has new junior set of clubs this year.

I took her out to the club again this past Sunday as was 65 degrees, NOT 45 as predicted.....Indian Summer for us. I had her standing up using the bench rest with front stock resting on sandbags. She proved to have a steady body and keen eye. I remounted one of my Nikon 4.5-14 scopes, w/o turrets, on the club cub rifle which is kept with our jr. silhouette collection. At 40m, the Pigs were flying, even with slight cross wind. She understood right away to aim at the left edge of the body for a little wind compensation. It was nice to see her face beem, and looks like forecast for next weekend will be in the 40's. I will call her and see if she wants to go and if she does, she'll be wearing her moon boots and usual winter gear.