I stared shooting at age 9. I think 5 is too young. Kids that age have not reached the age of reason.
It depends on the child. My daughter started shooting at 4 or 5. She never worried me. My son on the other hand was constantly badgering me to take him shooting. He worried me a bit so I did not take him shooting until he was 10.
Got my first .22 as a Christmas gift when I was 5. A Chipmunk single shot (the same gun Crickett makes now) it’s in my 11 year old sons room right now. Been there for years.
Both of my kids by 5 years old were comfortable with and shot both AR and AK platform rifles. Judge how you want, it won’t be my kids who watch their families burn in a ditch.
Started at age 8 with a 1908 Winchester pump .22 short given to me by my grandfather.
I started at 5.