For many of us, our first shooting experience was with a BB gun. BB guns can be an excellent way to introduce youngsters to the fun of shooting. There is minimal noise, no recoil and no need for a trip to a live fire shooting range. A basement, garage or possibly a back yard can be set up as a range to shoot a BB gun with proper supervision.
Although giving a young person a BB gun for Christmas and letting them go out and shoot it, a la A Christmas Story, is a charming and heartwarming Hollywood trope, it’s probably not the best way to introduce a child to shooting. Fortunately, the NRA Education and Training Division has a Home Air Gun Program that adults can use as a guide for introducing children to BB guns and pellet guns. A PDF booklet and an instructional PowerPoint are components of the program and are available online at no cost.
The NRA Home Air Gun Program does not require certification as an NRA Instructor. The program is designed for parents and group leaders to introduce children to the pleasure of shooting and the shooting sports. “The intent of this guide is to provide parents, teachers, activity leaders and club leaders with information and guidance on the exciting world of BB gun and air gun shooting sports.”
The booklet is 22 pages long and has five chapters. It gives an overview of how either an individual or group program could be organized. Some of the suggestions for a group program are more detailed than a parent would need for teaching a son or daughter. But even in the mentoring role, it’s good to have a structure for beginning the process.
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Parents’ Role in Shooting Sports
- Chapter 2: Types and Uses of BB and Air Guns
- Chapter 3: Selection of Equipment
- Chapter 4: Constructing an Air Gun Range
- Chapter 5: The Next Steps
The PowerPoint is called BB Gun /Air Rifle Home Course Instructions Course Outline & Lesson Plans. It consists of 71 slides and provides an explanation and presentation of marksmanship fundamentals, shooting positions, safety, and scoring among other topics. Many of us older shooters probably would have benefitted from such a thorough grounding in marksmanship and safety when we were starting out.
If it’s more convenient, the PowerPoint can be printed as a series of slides and used as a training aid. Many younger folks are used to visual images as learning aids. The PowerPoint gives an extensive array of visuals to foster a good learning experience.
When teaching someone how to shoot a BB gun or pellet gun, a component of the shooting fundamentals that cannot be emphasized enough is follow-through. This fundament is critical in air gun shooting because of the low velocity of BB and pellet guns. Due to the projectile’s low velocity, it spends more time in the bore than a bullet from a firearm. Consequently, lack of follow-through with an air gun will always throw the shot off. Learning proper follow-through with an air gun will ingrain this fundamental in a young shooter and serve them well when they graduate to an actual firearm.
Safety Considerations
Due to unique aspects of spring-powered air guns and steel BBs, certain safety aspects of gun handling are paramount.
- BB guns require a specific backstop.
- Steel BBs bounce. Eye protection must be worn by anyone in the area.
- Trigger finger discipline must be observed due to the cocking position required of spring air guns.
A Christmas Story repeats the “mother’s meme” we’re all familiar with; “You’ll put your eye out with that thing.” Unlike most common firearms memes, this one has a ring of truth to it. Steel BBs are hard and do not deform when they hit a solid surface. Consequently, they bounce off in a way that other projectiles do not. They also have considerably more mass than airsoft BBs. The NRA materials provide guidance for constructing a proper backstop for steel BBs. In addition, there are numerous YouTube videos about how to construct a functional backstop for steel BBs. Whatever method used, make sure it is appropriate for steel BBs and not just plastic airsoft BBs.
Due to the potential bounce of steel BBs, proper all-around eye protection is mandatory at all times. Not just the shooter and coach but also for anyone within the potential bounce area must wear eye protection. While this seems obvious, since BB guns can be shot in and around the home, bystanders need to protect their eyes just as much as the shooter.
Spring powered air guns require a cocking motion that places the muzzle in a position that would be considered unsafe with an actual firearm. That characteristic means that rigid trigger finger discipline must be observed when cocking a spring air gun. This is actually a positive because it sets the proper mindset and automaticity for a new shooter from the very beginning.
Once the BB gun is picked out and the range set up, the next step is to decide what the actual shooting course of fire will consist of. Laying a proper marksmanship foundation for a new shooter is an important part of the process. A good candidate course of fire is the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program for 4-Position Rifle Qualification. It can be shot indoors or outdoors, either by BB gun shooters or pellet rifle shooters! This course of fire is the perfect way for beginners or parents to introduce their children to the practices and challenges of rifle shooting. How to do that will be covered in a future article.
A BB gun can be a wonderful introduction to shooting and the shooting sports. Mentoring a young shooter in the process is a fulfilling experience that any seasoned shooter will enjoy.
