There is a hell of a lot of kick to them. If you can reload and get some lower power cartridges, it can be ok to shoot, but otherwise it just kicks too much for new shooters.

And loud

High-powered rifles with steel buttplates will definitely let you know when the shot goes off...

recoil pad on them. my ar leaves a bigger bruise than my mosin w/ the pad. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1115184314/pachmayr-decelerator-recoil-pad-slip-on-3-4-thick-rubber

got one on my 12 gauge pump gun as well.

but as to defending herself, she doesn't have access to the gun safe (and can't, legally). It's about building life skills and confidence so that if someday she chooses to own guns herself, whether for sport or for defensive purposes, she is competent to do so. It will be her choice, but if she chooses not to, it won't be for reasons of ignorance and incompetence.

And if she chooses never to go on to shoot a full-power rifle or pistol and just sticks with the smallbores, that's fine. I took her this weekend because she wanted to go.

...that she would like to hunt, in which case that is only a positive thing for conservation and the environment.

I have never been deer hunting, but have friends who are hunters and they are encouraging me to give it a try this year. If I can get around to jumping through the hoops to get a NC hunting license, I will probably give it a go.

I have come around on my thinking when it comes to shotguns. NOT starting kids with .410s seems a no-brainer, now, as it is a prescription for early failure at bird hunting. The gauge/caliber is really for experts for obvious reasons. A .20 ga. certainly is preferable. Here is where I have changed my views: Action. Most instructors recommend semi-auto as the already mild kick of the .20 is reduced further. Counter-intuitively, the semi-auto action is where a lot of instructors want to start as it prepares a child to use the supposedly trickier (and most popular) action early on. In short, kids don't "grow into" semi-auto (often with no formal instruction or even hunter ed), learning exclusively on their own (less desireable). Frankly, I would seek instruction on the use of a semi-auto shotguns as my weapons are pump action and SxS. God! I'm a Luddite.

...better than sitting in front of a video game or becoming a pokemon go zombie.

Last weekend. They're in their 20s...enjoyed it well enough that we'll do again when we get the chance. Whenever my sister comes down to visit we spend a bit o time on the range too. Shes getting pretty good with her P99.

Once I was comfortable with their handling, I let them shoot one of my Remington Nylon 66s (Apache Black). Very light, accurate and easy for smaller hands to handle and aim.

Simple, fun and all cheap to shoot.

Just about had to pry them out of their hands when it was time to pack up.

On the way home the grand daughter announced to her brother that the Nylon 66 was; "her gun and I was just keeping it for her until she's old enough".

after cutting my teeth on a Daisy BB gun.

The Nylon 66 was a fantastic little rifle, and the nylon receiver/stock was interesting. I ordered a factory manual from Remington so I could take it apart and clean the powder fouling out of it, after thousands of rounds and probably 20 years without a cleaning (disassembly/reassembly is a tricky prospect indeed without the manual!) After that, I graduated to a Bersa .380 pistol (PPK derivative) and a Ruger Mini-14 .223 carbine.

... at least that's the excuse I use for haunting the used racks at the local gun stores. I think the Green ones were only sold at Montgomery Ward way back when?

Very light and easy to handle for the kids, and accurate with plain old iron sights too. I usually put some spare clays out for the kids to shoot at if we don't have a gong handy.

Having a reactive target of any kind, clay, spinner, steel gong, makes it a lot more fun for them.

SKS carbines! Now my 17 year old daughter has declared her affection for my .45! So upon my demise, it's hers!

And we really don't care what the law says at that time.It is simply none of anyones busness, but ours!

you are setting her on the path of be a blood crazed, murdering gun humper.

What kind of parent are you!!???!!???

: : (as if it were needed)

....I got a 2-3/4" grouping at 100 yards, open sights and vintage ammo.