Being in the midst of mentoring my own son and this year being his 12th he took all the required courses set here and passed and shot his first deer . But to think that he would have done this at the tender age of 4 ? I don't think so , my thoughts mind you , but that is a very young age to put a rifle into a child's .....key word is child here .....hands . I didn't give my son a BB gun till he was 6 , and that was to understand the importance fo sighting etc , plinking was done , but knowing how a gun functions and what it's capabilities are was far more important to me . At seven I allowed him to shot sparrows etc , so he would understand that he could and did take a life there's no taking back once that projectile is in flight , know what your decision is and be able to live with it ! From there I decided what he would use next , being young he thought he was prepared for everything now ....been there ..... an for me I wanted to see remorse , regret even , a compassion for what you shot / kill . Also you eat what you shot ....with exceptions of course .....and he has come along for the journey in grand style if I can say that . He now owns his own pump action 20 gauge ,has shot grouse , wants to go for duck/geese , owns a 30-06 ....not gun shy ....will get a muzzle loader this year for his 13th . The only gun I won't buy him which he wants but will have to do himself or at a later age maybe from me is a 22 . Where we live and with neighbours fairly close by I don't want bullets flying in the wrong direction and although I trust him completely ........it's just not the gun for a small acreage ..........................4 is just to young a young adult yes , a child no !