Tonight, my son and I went out to the back yard to shoot some stuff.
We set up the targets, and walked back up the hill. He loaded the gun (Ruger 10/22), cocked it, sighted for a moment, then, without taking his finger off the trigger, went to set the gun down. As he did this, the weapon discharged. I immediately declared him "off range" and took the gun, cleared the chamber and told him he was done for the day, after only 1 shot. He claimed that the trigger had stuck and he was going to ask me to see what was wrong.
Well, there was a lot of hysterics as only an 8 year old boy's sense of injustice can bring out, and I yelled and he cried and the guns went away.

Later, after dinner, I spoke with my wife on the subject, and she asked why with every other skill, when you make a mistake, you try again, but when it comes to the rifle range, I am such a hardass and put a stop to the shooting. As an aside, we had something like this happen once before, when he picked up his (unloaded) gun at the gun club range while someone was downrange setting targets, and I shut things down immediately then. I suggested that when you fall off a bicycle, nobody else can be killed or injured, but with guns it's different. She pointed out that we set up a rifle range here with a berm, backstop and other safety measures, and if he can't make a mistake there, how will he learn how to avoid mistakes in the future when it really matters, like when he's hunting with me?

Well, my son and I spoke for a while on the subject and we came up with an agreed-upon compromise. It was mostly his idea.

You start with three "stars". Minor safety violations, you lose one star. Less minor, you lose two stars, Major violations you lose all three stars at once. We agreed that an "accidental discharge" downrange, when the range was clear and you were intending to shoot is worth 2 stars, but firing downrange at any time when the range safety officer has called "cease fire" is a three star violation.

I'm trying to define a general, objective list of one, two and three star violations, and I came up with the following (for which I ask your comments)

1 Star:
- Any safety violation which could create an unsafe situation (e.g failing to check for an empty chamber, failing to check for clearance from others on the range when going down range during a cease-fire, leaving an unfired or mis-fired round on the ground)

2 Stars
An unsafe action that may or may not involve the discharge of the weapon downrange into the target zone. Examples include failing to keep a weapon with a chambered round pointed downrange, discharging a weapon without maintaining control of the weapon (e.g. firing without sighting, firing "blind")

3 Stars
Failing to cease fire when ordered.
Discharging a weapon at anything other than a target
Pointing a weapon (loaded or unloaded) at any person at any time.
Going downrange before a sease-fire is called.
Killing the family dog or cat

The "star system" is interesting. While guns have been a part of my life since I was 12, a demerit system is new to me, so I couldn;t really comment with authority on how beneficial it'll be. That's up to you two I suppose.

I will say this: carrying around a rifle stock in Ohio with my Uncles was my introduction to "range" safety. Also, watching them shoot in the Vandalia (without my participating) was also my introduction. My Dad, when I was 12, gave me a 12 gauge Savage bolt action shotgun. It had a 3-round clip. Before we ever fired a round, I had to "teach" my father "range safety". In other words, after he taught me, I had to be the instructor, explaining how to handle the weapon when loaded, when to load, where to point (and not point) the gun when loaded or unloaded, what to do with the weapon when climbing over a fence, etc etc. This taught me, but I didn;t really understand how well until much later in life. Oh...and then, we didn;t go hunting for my first "loaded " excersize.... we went to the rod and gun club and shot both trap and skeet..... many times over before we went bird hunting.

Later in life, I became a firearms instructor for Texas law enforcement... holding an Instructor's certificate and a Firearms Instructor's certificate with TCLEOSE (any Texas LEO's will know what that is). In 1993, I became a Firearms Instructor wiht the Border Patrol. In both schools, part of our education was "teaching" our instructors: range safety, range commands, how to achieve accuracy and correct deficiencies, weapons breakdown and cleaning, etc. Teaching "them" was the most invaluable lesson of both schools.

Coincidently, my 8-year old daughter is now ready to learn. We'll start out with my 22-gauge pellet gun and move up to a 22 LR, and on from there. It may take several years, but I plan on using the same techniques my Dad, Uncles, and employers used on me.

I think you've reached an effective compromise. Some rules are immutable, some are able to be interpreted, but you as the father must choose what is most appropriate for you and your son.

As a range officer and a Hunter Education/Safety Instructor, there were well defined rules that never changed, that were agreed upon by all the range officers and instructors, and uniformly enforced.

As an instructor, we had a three strikes rule. If the student was caught putting his finger on the trigger when he wasn't on the firing line and about to shoot, or if he could not say what the status of the firearm in his possession was in (safety off/on, round chambered or in the magazine) or if the student handed off or received a firearm without leaving the action open/checking the open action and acknowledging the exchange verbally. If a student pointed the muzzle at any time at another person, they were failed on the spot and the firearm was immediately removed from their possession. If they discharged their loaded firearm before the order to fire was given or after cease fire was ordered, they were failed the same as pointing the muzzle at someone.

At the range, the following resulted in a verbal warning on the first offense and dismissal from the range after the second time:

Handling firearms at the firing line while the range is cold (firearms that are cased and unloaded were excluded, so long as they were left in the case until the range went hot again).

Pointing the muzzle of a firearm anywhere but downrange while the range is hot (canting the barrel of muzzleloaders or to check/clear a muzzle was not a violation, so long as the angle did not break the plane of the firing line).

Reckless/careless behavior at the firing line.

Crossing the firing line while the range is hot.

Discharging a firearm for any reason while the range is cold was an automatic dismissal for the day.

Threatening other people at the range or disobeying the directions of the range officer would result in automatic dismissal for the day, and could have you talking to the sheriff if non-compliance/belligerence persisted. Your name was likely to end up on the black list as well.

Hunter's education groups subscribe to the nearly universal ten commandments of firearm's safety. My recommendation is that in addition to other discipline, every time your child commits an infraction, ask him to recite all ten commandments to you.

As for your wife, I can only say that firearms are a tool that you often only get one chance with. Their use must be held to a greater standard of care than pretty much any other thing your 8 year old will control. Shooting is to be considered a privilege unlike anything else in his life. He holds the power to take life in his hand, and must learn that shooting requires a mature attitude; something beyond simply having his playstation taken away when he behaves badly. His actions at that age must be well conditioned, and I would say your actions at his unintended discharge are germaine and appropriate. After shooting, I would say calm and constructive discussion should follow, and that would be your responsibility to establish that, even if he loses his cool.

Hopefully some of this has helped you.

Martin,

You certainly don't need me or any one else telling you this, but...

... how you handled this situation paints a clear picture of the kind of dad you are. When danger was present and there wasn't time to talk, you took immediate charge and went into "protect mode". Then when calmer heads set in, you talked with him and together came up with a system that works for you both. That may not seem a big deal to you, but trust me that is very rare in the world today.

The question you are posing is a good one, but I think you know that the real power of what you have already come up with together is almost independent of the specifics of the stars. That can always be changed as needed with another talk.

As one dad to another... your son is as lucky to have you as you are him. Kudos.

The violations you’ve listed are the reasons why I stay away from the range 1 month before deer season. Its amazing how many adults don’t know how to conduct themselves on a range.

Personally I don’t see a whole lot of difference between not keeping a weapon pointed down range and pointing a weapon at someone. Like wise I’m unsure what the difference is between “failing to check for clearance from others on the range when going down range during a cease-fire” (One Star) and “Going downrange before a sease-fire is called” (3 Stars)

Putting a loaded weapon on the ground without making the line safe is another biggie.

I congratulate you for teaching your son good safety on the range, however especially at 8 years old IMO you need to have a zero tolerance. It might be beneficial to review the rules prior to uncasing your firearms.

Also, I’d check out either a state DNR hunters safety or NRA program, sometimes hearing the rules from someone other than a parent can help the learning process

Personally, I think your wife is wrong on this one. You ARE letting him try again, just at a later time. You were right on by saying that this skill can kill you. Just like bike riding, roller blading, etc, where you wear a helmet, wrist guards, and so on. Or driving a car, wearing a seat belt. Thing is, you're most likely not making your kid wear a vest and kevlar helmet, right? Your safety precautions were right on, IMHO.

"If he can't make a mistake there..." Um, he DID make a mistake. And paid the penalty. He needs to make these mistakes, and be reprimanded, at the range, NOT while hunting with you. Does your wife have a logical argument here, becuase I'm not seeing it. What "mistakes" is he allowed to make that are OK here?

Interesting compromise you worked out. That being said, if your son doesn't know why he screwed up, you need to teach him that. Additionally, now would be a good time to address how to properly bring a dysfunctional weapon to your attention, as well as keeping his finger off the trigger.

In high school I was the captain of our rifle team, this was especially odd since our high school is based in suburban NJ. It was my responsibility, at the time, to be the range master during practices while the coach was busy going over targets, scoring, talking to the next line of shooters, ect. Basically, It was my responsibility to make sure eight teenage boys with guns didn't hurt each other.

Anyway, in all the years of having a rifle team we never had an injury. The reason being is, anytime someone messed up, even slightly, they would be reprimanded immediately and it would be made sure they understood why.

If it was something serious that could hurt someone (like messing with a rifle why someone was down range) they would be removed off the line, get a talking to by both myself and the coach, and they wouldn't be allowed back onto the line until the next practice (usually they would then get the job of helping score targets or cleaning the range waiting area for the day). It was a very similar practice to what you did. The basic idea was, "you can shoot again after a good nights sleep to help you better focus on your actions." We still had plenty of fun even with such a strict policy.

With firearms you always have to keep safety the number one priority. I definitely think you were in the right. What you did is no different from what any other range officer might do if your son was shooting at a public range.

Just wanted to say that because my father shoots, and he is very strict on range and weapon-safety with me. He told me how to secure a weapon, keep finger of the trigger, range safety etc,etc.. and it has become like second nature to me, because he told me over and over again and let me practice over and over again.. and again..
Heck, I even keep my finger off the trigger when playing a video-game

(waiting for my 18th birthday so I can get my weapons-liscense)

WOW!

Thanks for all the responses, especially from the professional instructors on the list. With the help of the list, I now have not only have some better information, I also have a clearer sense of how to discuss the rules of the range. Just as an FYI, my son is a BIG BOY. You'd look at him and think he's 11 years old, and he's been shooting with me (mostly air guns and bb guns) since he was 6, it's only recently we've moved to real firearms. It's easy to forget he's 8 years old, and 8 year old boys desperately want to be "big boys" so it can be hard as a Dad to lay down zero-compromise rules.

When we use the range, I do the same firearm safety speech (treat all guns as loaded weapons, muzzle direction, etc.) I always do, but it's all about what he experiences, not what he hears.

In response to all the great input (and with due respect to my wife, with whom I tend to agree most of the time), we're going to use a star system from now on - but I've re-jiggered the list so that there's more "class three" and "class one" penalties but not so many class two issues.

Basically, I want to balance the acquisition of accurate, single-shot kill shooting skills (which only comes with firing a LOT of rounds at targets under a LOT of different conditions) with the need to use those skills safely.

Desire precedes ability, ability precedes mastery. There's no other order or learning for any skill you'll seek to have, and it's the transition from ability to mastery that often requires a lifetime of practice, and may never be attained. As a result, I want to make the time on the range both safe and effective. I know that in the fire service I have made any number of unsafe actions in training, in live-burn situations, one of which landed me in the hospital, but I was never banned from training after making a mistake, even a dangerous mistake.

So, I think that this compromise is actually better than the "all or nothing" range safety system I had previously implemented, and it will allow for more shooting practice and better communications.

My only comment is to not raise your voice, don't yell. I may be off-base here, but to me it implies anger and loss of control. When dealing with firearms I prefer to stay cold.

Muzzle discipline and trigger fingers are my main issues. A shooter should always know where the gun is pointed, loaded or unloaded. You never sweep a friendly (defined as anything you don't want to shoot).

The trigger finger only needs to contact the trigger when you have made the decision to fire. Once you decide to not fire or there's an issue you need to discuss with the RO (or Dad), the first thing that happens is the finger comes off the trigger and the safety is engaged. You might want to raise that finger to make the point of where it's not. Then you talk to Dad.

Whatever, I'm not an RO, just a shooter who's never (at least not yet) had an ND or an AD. Just tossing in my $.02