My 9 year old grandson has expressed a LOT of interest in shooting competitively (rifle). As most grandfathers will say "he's a hell of a shot", and basically he is. He is lights out at 150 yards (as far as we can shoot at our place) with his 22-250 and my 6.5 CM, both Savage hunting rifles.

I am thinking target 22 shooting but have no idea where to start, or what kind of reasonably priced rifle I could get him to get started. Anybody here have kids that have done this or know where I could reach out for some info?

Contact the CMP and see if any clubs in your area are affiliates and sponsor or provide for a shooting team. Back in my day it was called the DCM and our local sportsmans club sponsored and trained a great rifle team. We traveled all over the region and the nation shooting indoor rim fire competition. Several of the kids that started in the 9-10 year old range progressed all the way to distinguished expert by their teenage years. Good luck I hope you can get him involved in the competitive side of the sport.

Thanks! I am going to look into the CMP. He has a insatiable appetite for shooting whether it's an air rifle or powder fueled, his parents are both on board so I think I am going to do all I can to help him along.

Thanks again 10ring

http://collinclover.net/county-clubs/field-and-stream-4-h/

This is the 4H page for the Collin County field and stream club... When my neighbor was involved, they practiced at a range out near Sanger.

If your grandson is not in that area, perhaps there is a similar club close to him.

He is in Corinth so that's close enough. I appreciate it

I would definitely go the 4h route. I wish I had stayed in it. I did it for 2 years. Shot skeet and .22. And I was about his age. (4th-5th grade). I don't remember now why I quit doing it.

Also consider a local air rifle program.

I'm not talking BB gun stuff, I'm talking $3,500 air rifles you can shoot in the Olympics with.

It goes right along with .22 small bore competition and if you kid wants to shoot in college (there are 34 NCAA rifle teams with scholarships) he will need to be shooting both air rifle and smallbore.

The CMP, NRA, and USA Shooting are good places to start looking for a local club. Also may VFW, American Legion, and 4H run air rifle programs.

If he wants to shoot rifle, look into 4-H. I would always recommend USPSA, as I enjoy it more and feel it has more of a practical application.