BB Shooting Prone Supported?

At most ranges is a cub scout, without any physical problems, allowed to use a sand bag or prop to assume a prone supported position to shoot a BB gun?

I ask because my son is having difficulty reaching the forestock to properly support the gun. I'm hoping that with continued feeding he will grow out of this problem

I'm a NRA RSO/Rifle Instructor and BSA Archery/BB gun cert.

Prone is a bit low to prop up, but I don't see why not as long as he has good shoulder contact.

Is this for a competition/award or for fun? From my experiences, sandbags and such are usually available. I even did rifle shooting merit badge with a sandbag.

It's the usual cub scout camp shooting, I guess. Our camps in the fall and spring award trophies by rank based on 10 shots. My son went to his first camp a few days ago and it was the first time he had touched a BB gun. So he had the safety briefing and a description of how to operate the gun and the sight picture he tried for. But with so many kids going through he really didn't get much out of it.

We got a BB gun today to practice with today, Daisy Buck 105, and I tried to work with him. Finally after watching him struggle to support the gun I got him a pillow to do a prone support. He was able to get shots on targets with the support, with some good groups but he still has some trouble with pulling his shots.

At camp he didn't make one hit in 20 shots, so he was pretty happy today.

I've seen this lots and lots with smaller Cubs. Some are just too small to handle it, and end up waving the barrel around accidentally and making the range master very twitchy. They should have some support there to help out kids in his situation already, as it's fairly common.

Cool. I'll just confirm with the range personnel on the day they next go to shoot.

Chris relax.

I understand your trying to help him.... Enjoy your practice sessions with him. Praise him when appropriate, but also plant the seed he many not win.

If your going to make and or take sand bags....Make sure you take enough for all the lanes and provide them to the camp......

It would be very unscout like to show up with a sand bag for your son and then take it with you.

BD- That's an awesome idea and living on the coast we have a lot of sand and saw dust to make bags with. Yeah, I don't care about the trophy. One of my sons likes success to be instant. Mainly working with him on that. BB shooting is just a vehicle for that.

May I suggest using tube socks or Pant legs.....get the pants at the salvation army....

Chris,

My son hated those BB guns at McNeill. They were Red Ryder's and Bucks. Spring air with emphasis on spring.

But they are old and not in the best shape. They have been lacking ALOT of maintainance too.

The triggers are just stiff enough that you pretty much have to yank them just enough that it throws your aim off.

The mats are a bit worn out too.

Funny thing is, my son might hit the target a few times at camp, but we would get home and get out the .22 rifle and shoot targets that were 80 feet away, and he'd get a nice cluster on the target.

I have no doubt that the prop helps your son, but having a nice gun in working condition helps too.

The funny thing is I wasn't hitting the target to well at McNeil either. But I have to put that more down to an unfamiliar weapon and not having shot in the past...wow 15 years. I did buy a Buck 105 exactly for the fact that they are the ones used at McNeil. I hope after a couple of 1000 shots that we can maintain ours in decent condition.

When I was a kid my Grandfather, let me use his pump action BB rifle starting when I was about 7 years old. That thing was solidly built, this Buck 105 we got is more stiff than solid

Chris, here's how to "amp it up" once the boy gets his dead eye ...

We had a cabin on a big lake. We got a five gal sealed container, tied a chain and anchors to the bottom, taped a vertical stick (light weight, balsa) nailed a crossbar to the top, hung cans from the ends of the crossbar. Floated about 100 feet out. Shot from shore, had a blast!!!

Speaking of blasts: mini water bottles, little vinegar, little Baggie, backing soda. Add ingriedients in proper order. Seal bottle. Shake. Aim shoot. (warn your neighbors first.)