Giving rifles to children a bad idea?

[jon_berzerk]

I have my grandfathers Remington Wingmaster 16ga which was his bird gun, and It came to me when he passed in 1975. He was an avid sportsman in Shreveport La. It was the first gun I ever shot at 12 years old. Then Christmas the next year my parents got me a Topper Jr 20 gauge and a 410 for my little brother. I still have that one too.

Guns have been a part of my family like the clock that passes time. I learned to respect them, and so have my kids.

It's a deep thing with us and I pity the poor SOB that would ever need to try and take those treasures from us.

It will be a long day for all involved

-Geaux

i think that is so hard for the anti gunners to understand....when gun people are discussing guns...sure a lot of it...is.....you should fire this sob.....etc and so forth...but much of it is...this was my first .22....it belonged to my granddad one day it will belong to my son or daughter....our guns go back generations and we plan to hand them down for generations...truth be known...i bet most of us ...keep our guns oiled and put up...after my father died...my mother paid someone to come in ever year and clean and oil all the guns...they are in mint condition to this day....and that reminds me...it is time to clean and oil the guns....i make son do it...to them they are 'weapons of destruction' to us...they are memories that go deep

true and in some cases

with the early departure of one of the children

the firearms go back to the fathers and mothers brothers and sisters

 

[shikaki]

I got my first BB gun at 7, my first real rifle at 12. The BB guns we were left alone with to do as boys do (shoot cans and bottles), the rifle I only had access to when my dad was with me.

Nothing wrong with giving guns to kids, they need to learn proper shooting techniques and safety. These grieving parents will never forgive themselves, but you can say the same for parent's who accidently leave the pool gate open or leave an open bottle of rat poison in the garage. **** happens.

Same here. Not only that, I was a boy scout. We learned/earned merit badges consistent with rifle use/safety/technique adn accuracy. I'm an eagle scout from many moons ago who owns rifles. Teaching kids proper safety, handling etc is an absolutely great idea.

Wow we do have common ground. I'm an Eagle as well.

 

[shikaki]

I got my first BB gun at 7, my first real rifle at 12. The BB guns we were left alone with to do as boys do (shoot cans and bottles), the rifle I only had access to when my dad was with me.

Nothing wrong with giving guns to kids, they need to learn proper shooting techniques and safety. These grieving parents will never forgive themselves, but you can say the same for parent's who accidently leave the pool gate open or leave an open bottle of rat poison in the garage. **** happens.

No five year old needs a gun, nor should have one. Period.

Every situation is unique, so let's break it down with this case:

1) The weapon was not secured.

2) The gun was loaded & not secured.

3) The parents had no idea the gun was loaded.

Good gravy, are these parents utter morons? This is clearly a case of irresponsible gun ownership & makes it worse for us who are responsible gun owners. Yes, they are paying a huge price in terms of grief, but really? Personally, I would not give a weapon to a 5 year old a weapon since I think that is pushing the envelope of reason. However, if a family wishes to do that, then the requirements for doing so need to be strict. By this, I am referring to the following:

- Parents/Guardians need to take a state-mandated gun safety course & pass a written exam. This license is renewed annually until the child reaches the age of 12.

- The child will be required to attend a gun safety course that is age appropriate & demonstrate proper gun handling/gun safety techniques.

- The parents/guardians also agree that the weapon(s) that the child is given is to be locked up at all times when not in use.

- Furthermore, under no circumstances will said child handle the weapon without the parent/guardian in direct view.

- If the situation that occurred happens, the parents/guardians are legally responsible & can be criminally prosecuted for the actions of the child up to negligible homicide.

These restrictions do not violate the 2nd Amendment since they apply to the kids & not the adults. Kids really do not have Constitutional protections until they reach the age of majority anyway. Plus, it is a long established legal precedent that a parent can be held responsible for the actions of their child.

Great points, but how do you protect the rest of us from the Morons that get to carry weapons? There is no test when you purchase a weapon to sort out whether you are mentally capable and responsible enough to own one.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

I got my first BB gun at 7, my first real rifle at 12. The BB guns we were left alone with to do as boys do (shoot cans and bottles), the rifle I only had access to when my dad was with me.

Nothing wrong with giving guns to kids, they need to learn proper shooting techniques and safety. These grieving parents will never forgive themselves, but you can say the same for parent's who accidently leave the pool gate open or leave an open bottle of rat poison in the garage. Shit happens.

No five year old needs a gun, nor should have one. Period.

Every situation is unique, so let's break it down with this case:

1) The weapon was not secured.

2) The gun was loaded & not secured.

3) The parents had no idea the gun was loaded.

Good gravy, are these parents utter morons? This is clearly a case of irresponsible gun ownership & makes it worse for us who are responsible gun owners. Yes, they are paying a huge price in terms of grief, but really? Personally, I would not give a weapon to a 5 year old a weapon since I think that is pushing the envelope of reason. However, if a family wishes to do that, then the requirements for doing so need to be strict. By this, I am referring to the following:

- Parents/Guardians need to take a state-mandated gun safety course & pass a written exam. This license is renewed annually until the child reaches the age of 12.

- The child will be required to attend a gun safety course that is age appropriate & demonstrate proper gun handling/gun safety techniques.

- The parents/guardians also agree that the weapon(s) that the child is given is to be locked up at all times when not in use.

- Furthermore, under no circumstances will said child handle the weapon without the parent/guardian in direct view.

- If the situation that occurred happens, the parents/guardians are legally responsible & can be criminally prosecuted for the actions of the child up to negligible homicide.

These restrictions do not violate the 2nd Amendment since they apply to the kids & not the adults. Kids really do not have Constitutional protections until they reach the age of majority anyway. Plus, it is a long established legal precedent that a parent can be held responsible for the actions of their child.

I call bullshit on having to take any kind of safety course.

Good common sense is all that is required when dealing with firearms and children.

 

[KGB]

No five year old needs a gun, nor should have one. Period.

Every situation is unique, so let's break it down with this case:

1) The weapon was not secured.

2) The gun was loaded & not secured.

3) The parents had no idea the gun was loaded.

Good gravy, are these parents utter morons? This is clearly a case of irresponsible gun ownership & makes it worse for us who are responsible gun owners. Yes, they are paying a huge price in terms of grief, but really? Personally, I would not give a weapon to a 5 year old a weapon since I think that is pushing the envelope of reason. However, if a family wishes to do that, then the requirements for doing so need to be strict. By this, I am referring to the following:

- Parents/Guardians need to take a state-mandated gun safety course & pass a written exam. This license is renewed annually until the child reaches the age of 12.

- The child will be required to attend a gun safety course that is age appropriate & demonstrate proper gun handling/gun safety techniques.

- The parents/guardians also agree that the weapon(s) that the child is given is to be locked up at all times when not in use.

- Furthermore, under no circumstances will said child handle the weapon without the parent/guardian in direct view.

- If the situation that occurred happens, the parents/guardians are legally responsible & can be criminally prosecuted for the actions of the child up to negligible homicide.

These restrictions do not violate the 2nd Amendment since they apply to the kids & not the adults. Kids really do not have Constitutional protections until they reach the age of majority anyway. Plus, it is a long established legal precedent that a parent can be held responsible for the actions of their child.

I call bullshit on having to take any kind of safety course.

Good common sense is all that is required when dealing with firearms and children.

I agree that good common sense is all that is required, but clearly that did not occur in this case. We as law abiding gun owners have a responsibility to teach our kids the proper use & handling of fire arms. These rules are merely the common sense spelled out for the idiots who don't have any.

 

[KGB]

No five year old needs a gun, nor should have one. Period.

Every situation is unique, so let's break it down with this case:

1) The weapon was not secured.

2) The gun was loaded & not secured.

3) The parents had no idea the gun was loaded.

Good gravy, are these parents utter morons? This is clearly a case of irresponsible gun ownership & makes it worse for us who are responsible gun owners. Yes, they are paying a huge price in terms of grief, but really? Personally, I would not give a weapon to a 5 year old a weapon since I think that is pushing the envelope of reason. However, if a family wishes to do that, then the requirements for doing so need to be strict. By this, I am referring to the following:

- Parents/Guardians need to take a state-mandated gun safety course & pass a written exam. This license is renewed annually until the child reaches the age of 12.

- The child will be required to attend a gun safety course that is age appropriate & demonstrate proper gun handling/gun safety techniques.

- The parents/guardians also agree that the weapon(s) that the child is given is to be locked up at all times when not in use.

- Furthermore, under no circumstances will said child handle the weapon without the parent/guardian in direct view.

- If the situation that occurred happens, the parents/guardians are legally responsible & can be criminally prosecuted for the actions of the child up to negligible homicide.

These restrictions do not violate the 2nd Amendment since they apply to the kids & not the adults. Kids really do not have Constitutional protections until they reach the age of majority anyway. Plus, it is a long established legal precedent that a parent can be held responsible for the actions of their child.

All of the items apply to adults, and still have 2nd amendment issues.

actually no to both counts. If an adult wishes to buy a weapon for themselves, they are free to do so. None of this applies to that situation. What I am referring to is buying a gun for a kid (under 12). When I grew up in PA, you had to be at least 12 before you could get a hunting license. You also had to pass a hunter safety course. That is why I picked 12 as the age in question. None of this prevents someone from buying a kid a gun, but it makes sure the kid is properly trained. It also makes sure the adult has a clue as well. My dad drilled these rules into me at the time which is why I have a healthy respect for fire arms to this day & never had a problem growing up with weapons in the house.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

Every situation is unique, so let's break it down with this case:

1) The weapon was not secured.

2) The gun was loaded & not secured.

3) The parents had no idea the gun was loaded.

Good gravy, are these parents utter morons? This is clearly a case of irresponsible gun ownership & makes it worse for us who are responsible gun owners. Yes, they are paying a huge price in terms of grief, but really? Personally, I would not give a weapon to a 5 year old a weapon since I think that is pushing the envelope of reason. However, if a family wishes to do that, then the requirements for doing so need to be strict. By this, I am referring to the following:

- Parents/Guardians need to take a state-mandated gun safety course & pass a written exam. This license is renewed annually until the child reaches the age of 12.

- The child will be required to attend a gun safety course that is age appropriate & demonstrate proper gun handling/gun safety techniques.

- The parents/guardians also agree that the weapon(s) that the child is given is to be locked up at all times when not in use.

- Furthermore, under no circumstances will said child handle the weapon without the parent/guardian in direct view.

- If the situation that occurred happens, the parents/guardians are legally responsible & can be criminally prosecuted for the actions of the child up to negligible homicide.

These restrictions do not violate the 2nd Amendment since they apply to the kids & not the adults. Kids really do not have Constitutional protections until they reach the age of majority anyway. Plus, it is a long established legal precedent that a parent can be held responsible for the actions of their child.

I call bullshit on having to take any kind of safety course.

Good common sense is all that is required when dealing with firearms and children.

I agree that good common sense is all that is required, but clearly that did not occur in this case. We as law abiding gun owners have a responsibility to teach our kids the proper use & handling of fire arms. These rules are merely the common sense spelled out for the idiots who don't have any.

Unfortunately there will always be idiots among us.

First rule of firearms....treat every firearm as if it was loaded.

Second rule of firearms.......see first rule.

 

[Ernie S.]

About the same here. I have 5 guns from my dad. The last time I saw him, he told me to take them home with me. I bought cases for the ones without and carried all 5 with a couple hundred rounds back to Florida from Connecticut on the Harley. 2,000 miles, the rout I took. Came through your neck of the woods, Bones.

 

[Steven_R]

So lets have the schools give courses on gun safety, what to do is a kid sees a gun, how to unload a rifle, store it safely, the 4 rules of gun safety, etc... We already make kids learn about safe sex, safe driving, what to do about chemicals in the home, fire, drowning, etc. This would just be an extension of that.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

So lets have the schools give courses on gun safety, what to do is a kid sees a gun, how to unload a rifle, store it safely, the 4 rules of gun safety, etc... We already make kids learn about safe sex, safe driving, what to do about chemicals in the home, fire, drowning, etc. This would just be an extension of that.

When a kid sees a gun the first thing he/she should do is NOT FUCK WITH IT and report it to the adult supervising them immediately. IMO

 

[Steven_R]

And we all know kids do exactly what they should, right? I mean kids shouldn't have sex, so why the need to instruct on condoms and abortion and STDs?

 

[KGB]

I call bullshit on having to take any kind of safety course.

Good common sense is all that is required when dealing with firearms and children.

I agree that good common sense is all that is required, but clearly that did not occur in this case. We as law abiding gun owners have a responsibility to teach our kids the proper use & handling of fire arms. These rules are merely the common sense spelled out for the idiots who don't have any.

Unfortunately there will always be idiots among us.

First rule of firearms....treat every firearm as if it was loaded.

Second rule of firearms.......see first rule.

same rules my dad taught me. What we as good responsible gun owners need to do is to show the gun grabbers & the bed wetters that we know what we are doing. Remember, they think only with emotion versus logic. However, they are quite good at latching on to the morons amongst us & the problems they cause. I personally would love to see every school in America adopt proper gun handling & safety courses as part of the curriculum. Teach kids early on how to properly & safely use a firearm. Might just teach them some respect for a change.

 

[KGB]

So lets have the schools give courses on gun safety, what to do is a kid sees a gun, how to unload a rifle, store it safely, the 4 rules of gun safety, etc... We already make kids learn about safe sex, safe driving, what to do about chemicals in the home, fire, drowning, etc. This would just be an extension of that.

agreed.

 

[KGB]

So lets have the schools give courses on gun safety, what to do is a kid sees a gun, how to unload a rifle, store it safely, the 4 rules of gun safety, etc... We already make kids learn about safe sex, safe driving, what to do about chemicals in the home, fire, drowning, etc. This would just be an extension of that.

When a kid sees a gun the first thing he/she should do is NOT FUCK WITH IT and report it to the adult supervising them immediately. IMO

this is what the NRA's Eddie the Eagle program stresses.