paintball for young ones

[Pmr Man]

hi all,
i've got a little brother (6) and he really wants to be like me and go into paintball. of course he can't for a while so i was wondering the best age to start him plinking in the garden. also, should i get him a cheap gun like a brass eagle pump thingy? cheers for the input.

 

[Raffles]

You can start him at any age. My son had his first marker (Ion) at 8. Now he has 4 of them!

I wouldn't suggest a pump though. Well, not unless he is the son of Arnie .

 

[Pmr Man]

i just thought if i got him a "safer" slower firing gun so he could get used to it.
looks like my pmr will go to him in a few years then

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

I wouldn't suggest a pump though. Well, not unless he is the son of Arnie .

To be honest, there's no better way for him to learn the key points of the game. If he has physical issues with pumping the marker, post up here, and we may be able to help you change it.

If you can find him a pump, then i'd make sure to drill the safety aspect into him as early as you can. Once you have that nailed, you can go crazy on technique, but i'd make sure he knows the dangers and consequences of his actions VERY well at the age he is at the moment.

For reference, the age restriction for publics sites is 12+.

 

[Pmr Man]

should i do the grim DEATH DEATH DEATH! kinda thing

 

[Pmr Man]

or keep it reasonable?

 

[Bryan leaver]

dont put it in away that will make him run a mile. but drill it into him that a liftd mask can lead to been blind and the worst case is death ect ect

 

[Kirby]

get him an ion or a cheap electro with a carbon fibre bottle the quicker he gets used to a fast maker the quicker he will be able to shoot as its all practice and practice makes perfect

 

[jester22]

i got my son his first marker at 10 (spyder) even though he had used my cocker for a few years before that. it helped i worked at a site at he time so i could take him up there so it was just me and hiim with no one else around bit of one on one so to speak (but never shot him) few somkes greandes and he loved it.

on the saftey side as he started young i drilled it in to him about not removing the goggles not with loads of shouting or anything just told him straight what could happen and the his mother would kill me if anything happened and never had an issue with him takking his goggle off in the playing area and still not to this day. he now plays tounries.
it is harder getting adults to understand they safety side (just go to a punter day at any site and all you will hear is PUT YOUR GOGGLES DOWN)

you can never start them to young on the sfaety side it seems to stick more. one thing idid do when he got his own marker, was never leave a full air or CO2 bottle in the house just remove the tempation and peer pressure from his mate wanting to have a go when no one is around.

 

[Raffles]

I just explained the safety points to my son - and he readily accepted them (like kids do). He has actually corrected me on a few 'misnomers' in the past .

Adults tend to have the "I know better and I don't care" attitude to safety. So-called seasoned players are even worse!