My father let me shoot his. 22 pistol  with him beside me when I was 5. My mother's. 22 Win.model 63 when I was six.I made my kids a cut down. 22 bolt action,and started them shooting when they were 5.
Lee Gibbs Pres.ASSRA

My youngest grand daughter was working her way towards getting a shooting scholarship at TCU. Unfortunately she became ill and has remained so and unfortunately was no longer able to achieve that personal goal. When she was about ten I bought her a Fienwerkbau 2700 light rifle to help her to help achieve her shooting goals. By shooting but one capable rifle that she could have also possibly have taken with her.

At one point in time I picked up David Mos's personal 25-21 and I believe it was only one of the four or five ctions that he ever made. This for my same Granddaughter who also wanted to shoot Schuetzen Benchrest matches along with me. She could shoot 3/8's groups at 100 yards on a regular basis before she got sick. But unfortunately she wasn't able to move onto 200 yards and being able to compete. She could shoot that rifle allot better than me.

A subject dear to my heart. I had an ASSRA match to attend  when my Wife had to attend a sister that fell ill. that left me watching our 6 year old Son. I had let him shoot a few shots before , so I decided he was going to the match with me . I sat him down at my bench rest at home and explained the elements for getting the shot off . Fired three shots . One X and two tens . We went to the match and he came in second in the match . Got a mention in the ASSRA news letter . He was a natural . He shot on a 3 position rifle team from 10 years old though high school . Won many State and national awards . He was in the top five sub junior's in the US two years in a row . He got to go to the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs for the junior nationals . He was the youngest shooter there his first year . So start them right when they are young,you never know where it might lead.