When I was growing up, the largest purchaser of advertising space in Boys' Life (Boy Scout magazine, target age probably 8 - 14) was Daisy Air Rifles. Somehow a substantial number of us made it.
ML/NJ
29 years ago next month, my then 7-year-old stepson was shot with a pellet gun that had BB’s in it and was pumped as high as it would go. Today, he is brain damaged and his “quality of life” is very limited. The part of his brain that was damaged is the part that controls his behavior and emotions and even though he is highly intelligent, he can’t live a normal life and be around people for any length of time before he “loses it.” It is very sad to see. The BB went in behind his left ear, all the way through the brain and lodged in his right temple.
Kids and BB guns...good question. Let me go down in the basement and ask my 13 year old who is zeroing in his scope on his pellet rifle.
In a proper world, kids should be REQUIRED to at least have gun training, if not outright ownership. But part and parcel of such experience would be education and strict adherence to gun safety practices. Which obviously is a long way from the situation described here....but there’s no better way to instill proper respect for firearms and to nurture the kind of citizenry that will defend the 2nd Amendment and use it’s protection to defend themselves and their country.
Allowed? It should be mandatory!
My outdoor shooting range lets my son shoot his Daisy Buck on the rifle range for free when it isn’t being used by paying customers. I know that my fellow 2nd Amendment supporters and the range masters appreciate the fact that I am teaching my eight year old gun safety by starting out with a spring loaded bb gun and teaching respect for every kind of firearm.
The kid is a crack shot and would try to protect our home with that little Daisy if he had to, I am sure.
“You’ll get yours Black Bart”
My brother shot me in the butt with his BB gun one time while we were out roaming around. I dropped my BB gun and beat him up. That said, a pellet gun is a lot more dangerous because of increased velocity of the projectile, the kid should probably get a whoopin’ and be sent to bed without dinner. That was a stupid move.
If somebody saw two kids in the woods with BB guns nowdays the local SWAT would probably be dispatched. And CPS would get involved, and at least one of the parents would likely go to jail.
What we need are more kids with BB guns and fewer squirrels.
Dad’s little lesson was stupid, but a “huge welt” isn’t that big of a deal. In other words, the BB didn’t even break the skin.
When I was a kid we used to shoot each other with BB guns all the time. Stupid, yes, but boys will be boys.
Of course, the best answer is for responsible parents to teach their kids responsible gun handling and use. But, short of that, getting shot in the butt with a BB is just part of being a kid, whether you’re autistic or not.
If they outlaw bb guns...only outlaws will own them!!!!!!
Yes...but these people are registered nuts to start with anyway.
But laws shouldn’t be based on the desires or stupidity of a few, or some ridiculous situation, no matter how it tweaks your sensitivity button.
That’s liberal thinking.
It makes me shake to think we could have any Americans who believe children shouldn’t have BB guns. Lord help us!
All I can say is....teach your children how to use a firearm.
We have 2 sons and 4 grandsons. Almost all have a couple of firearms.
Only the youngest (10) is without a shotgun or rifle, but he does have a BB gun.
Bless the little patriot. He’ll soon be getting his shotgun though.
“Should young kids — say, under age 16 — have BB guns? “
Don’t know - I had a .22 repeater well before I was 16.
When I was a kid, we all had BB guns. No problems.
I do favor running them thru a safety course first. Something like what we teach at cub scout day camp. They them have at least a passing acquaintance with gun safety and may actually think to put their safety glasses on. BB guns are for the young ones from there they usually go on to shooting one another with air soft pellets and paint balls safety glasses are a definite plus. Pointing at and shooting at other people is generally discouraged unless they are other willing participants in the game.
Proper supervision is the key. yes they should have them. The only way to teach responsibility and decision making is to let them practice.
They should have them much sooner - as soon as they are strong enough to load them, cock them and pull the trigger is about the right age.
By the time they are 16 they should have already had their NRA Safety Training card and their first .22 and .410 shotgun for several years.
We already have more than enough GFW's (Gun Fearing Wussies). We don't need to raise any more generations of youngsters into adults who are afraid of a pointed finger or a pencil drawing of a gun.
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Allowed? Boys should be required to begin learning to shoot using BB guns.
When I was a kid, we all had BB guns. No problems.
At ten I got my first shotgun, a brand-new Winchester model 37 .410 single shot.
Over the next year, I killed about 75 grouse of varying kinds for the dinner table. The following Fall a Caribou fell to a punkin'ball.
The next year, when I was twelve, we moved to the Homestead and that .410 became my constant companion. It put a lot of meat on the table.
I must have had terrible parents.
I assume this term includes paintball guns, which will leave a welt and are designed for shooting at people in competitive fun. Brushing off this major category in such a vague way grossly undermines the validity of the article/opinion.