Little feller recently turned 7 and I told his Dad: "Remember when you turned 7?"

Pulled a little Chipmunk rifle out of storage (after about 30 years) and put him to work.

Big step up from his BB gun and fit him perfectly just like it did his Dad.

Very few days to work with him in the back yard in the heat of summer but he stuck with it. Became proficient quickly like his Dad did... seems like just yesterday. Shot targets each evening in the shade of the house with me moving target out a few yards each night. He never noticed they were getting farther away until we reached the fence and could go no further. Hitting the target became monotonous to him. I slipped in a few aerosol paint cans as well as some Barbasol for a little enticement. Worked like a charm.

Today I moved him out to the 100 yard range and he was not intimidated by the distance.

Methodically started ringing the old steel plate.

When we finished up on the 100 yard plate as he was carrying the little rifle back to the house I asked him if he wanted to learn to shoot a revolver one day. You can guess the answer. I was 11 before I was allowed to shoot a revolver unsupervised so it will be a while before he touches off the first round from one. There is a shiny, old, like new, Ruger Single Six waiting for that day. I hope to also be there.

Dad picked him up after work and took him home.

Wonderful day.

I pray the Lord blesses us with many more.

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Great times together. He will remember the experience for the rest of his life.

***

Lucky Grandson.......and Grandfather!

Thanks for sharing this. Along life's path, it's the memories like this that stay with us. Spend all the time you can with them while they are young. We get to treasure them while we're here, they will get to treasure them even longer.

I always enjoy good stories that start off 'My father taught me how to...", or, my Grandfather taught me".

I really can't recall anyone I knew that turned out bad who had stories like this to tell about their Grandfather or fathers.

Murphy

I have three now and the oldest is 6. He's right at that age. I made the mistake of starting his dad out on a Ruger 10/22 I bought him for Christmas. I figured out real quick that you have to load the magazine one round at a time until they learn the discipline of careful shot placement!!! It was "Shoot one round carefully pulling the trigger and watching your sig....BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM....Ok, this loading the magazine thing ain't gonna work!!!" After that it was loaded singly until he got the point.

Way too many kids growing up without that guidance and direction in their lives today.

I can't believe I forgot to mention this and I know all of you have experienced the same thing.

Early on, when I started taking the little guy out on the back porch and he had touched off a few rounds he commented:

"Papaw... I like that smell."

I haven't thought of it in over 60 years but that was the first thing I noticed when I was a kid around my father and older brother shooting guns...

the smell of burned powder.

He's bit.

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Nothing like the wonderful smell of the old paper hull shotgun shells on a frosty morning. How many of y'all remember that from your childhood?

My twin grandgirls will start with their own Chipmunk rifles next year, when they're 6. I'm looking forward to it. Good on you for taking charge of his training.

My twin grandgirls will start with their own Chipmunk rifles next year, when they're 6. I'm looking forward to it. Good on you for taking charge of his training.

I did not know Chipmunks were still made.

Have fun.

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I could sniff fresh fired shotgun hulls for hours and not get sick of it:) The smell of H110 in a magnum pistol case is a close second. You've got a good'un:)