The Red Ryder {A Daisy Story}

Loved the vintage sign!

If you knew at all what my title was, you must already be acquainted with Daisy Outdoor Products and their most well known BB gun. Last Friday I had the exciting opportunity to go behind the scenes and take a tour of a local company that has been in business since the 1800’s! I am a sucker for history and loved hearing their story as well as seeing them in action hand-making their most beloved item: The Red Ryder BB Gun.

The Red Ryder is a tradition in many families as parents give their children their first BB gun and those BB guns are handed down from generation to generation.

As I didn’t grow up in a home that had anything more than squirt guns, a peek into this life was pretty interesting. Ben has a few guns he keeps locked in a safe in our house and to be honest, having guns wasn’t something I really wanted, but once I was educated on them my fears evaporated. That was one thing that really stood out to me about Daisy- their commitment to safety and education, even providing safety classes for children and parents.

MILLIONS OF BB’s!! (2.4 million to be more exact…)

2 Daisy employees explained the different types of pellets and their difference from BB’s.

My nieces and nephews have been shooting BB guns since they were 5 years old or so and all are extremely well educated on safety. They are now 12, 11 and 9 and love to target practice. I’ll admit, this hasn’t been something I’ve done a lot of in my life but after an afternoon at Daisy- and a few bulls eyes!– I’m kinda hooked.

Receiving safety and shooting instruction

 At first I wasn’t so interested in actually shooting the BB guns, I just enjoyed talking to the Daisy employees and hearing their stories, (and putting my hand into a huge barrel full of BB’s) but as they encouraged me to try to shoot and *I WAS AWESOME AT IT*, I got more excited! Daisy has 2 portable shooting ranges that they had set up in their warehouse as well as an outdoor range where they had biodegradable targets that shattered in a very satisfying way when you shot them. I got 4/4 targets and then quit while I was on a winning streak. :)

One of the cool things about the portable shooting ranges is that they are able to travel around and do the safety and education programs all over.

A Daisy Sign

I watched the workers put together The Red Ryder guns in the factory and was amazed at their precision! I love the show “How it’s Made” and so this private, behind the scenes tour of Daisy was especially interesting to me.  Overall I was very impressed. The warehouse was spotless, every employee I met had a genuine smile and the administration is passionate about what they do. It was an honor to get to tour such a prestigious and historical company, Thank You Daisy!

  • http://twitter.com/kidto3moms Sarea Clark

    Oh man! The kids and I are SO jealous! Dad gave me my first BB Gun when I turned 5 and I went pheasant hunting with him! Great post!

  • Katy

    Heidi with a gun?!?! Making grampa proud! :)

  • TheBusyNothings

    ha ha! I know! I felt I was channeling his inner-hunter… I was surprised how good I was! lol

  • TheBusyNothings

    That is so perfect- that is exactly what the Daisy people were telling me, how much of a family experience it was. :)

  • sherryk

    That is awesome!!!! so fun! and I agree… you with a Gun…. heck ya! haha

  • sherryk

    That is super cool… and you with a gun… Heck ya!!!! =)

  • therockieslife

    Great post! It reminds me that I have a little guy who is about that age where I need to get him his own Daisy BB Gun! That’s one Christmas present down…