kids with 45's

[wyohandi]

just got a pistol kit and frame put together so went out to break it in
my 13yr old daughter wanted to shoot also, so i gave her my Rock Island
aka the guinny pig, it has slots cut into the slide and two holes drilled in the
barrel for porting. She had never shot a 45acp before so she was her usual
"does it kick, you shoot it first" but she finally shot it, declared thats not too bad
and shot up about 200 rds of 200gr bullets. While i was dealing with the break in thing
she was just grinning and reloading clips, she outshot me by volume at least 2 to 1
I wasn't keeping track but at 20 yds on a 10" plate she never missed more than 1-2 per clip.
Oh well guess i have to buy another 1911 cause i think i lost that one
She did shoot the non-ported one a couple times said it kicked too much, so i guess it
does help some, the expert said so.

[dla]

Whenever I would take kids shooting, they would always want to shoot the Glock first because they saw it in the movies/tv. After awhile they would get frustrated by not hitting anything. So then I'd ask if they want to shoot the 1911 and they'd fall in love with it. And the Glock would sit. I had one 15yr old girl that was scary good and fast.

[Mikey]

If you really want to see some of the younger shooters who can knock your socks off with speed and skill then just go to a Cowboy Action Shooting competetion.  These kids are incredibly skilled, and very, very fast.  I'm glad they are just shooting at targets...............

[henryb]

The only thing I have had to watch for with my 10 year old son is a flinch.  He does flinch on occasion and he's back to the 22/45 (his call not mine) he's aware of it (flinching) and I have impressed upon him how important focus on the front sight is, breathing control and an even press.  He started dry firing the 45 and has improved considerably over the past year.  He is extremely consistent.  We have saved his targets.  His groups have decreased form 8" to bout 4" at 15 yards over the past year and the flyers are now being called and VERY infrequent.

The only challenge is that his arms get tired.  He's average / a bit chunky for a 10 year old.  Holding the gun over time is what I'm saying.  He's learning to take more breaks "while the gun cools down... " 

He knows how to load, clear, dissasemble ane reassemble the gun too.  I made him learn all these proceedures BEFORE he started shooting it.

Next step is that he's going to  have to reload his own and pay for components out of his mowing money....

I wouldn't want the little fart shooting at me !

[Mikey]

henryb:  teach your son how to rest the 1911 on the bench between shots.  Many target shooters use this technique to rest their arms between shots when you may have almost one full minute between shots.  If you have 5 minutes for 5 shots your arm can get awful tired holding that 45 between rounds. 

The technique I use is to fire the round, engage the slide safety, remove my finger from the trigger and while continuing to grip the pistol, rest it on the bench with the bottom of the slide and the bottom of the barrel bushing as the point of contact on the bench.  It helps with the next shot. 

[Stock02]

Sounds like a great day!  Good for her!

[henryb]

Thanks Mikey !  Didn't really think of that.

The obvious blinds me sometimes.