I was a junior NRA member at 12 and was a member of a junior rifle club (22 target shooting). I had my own .22 magnum rifle and a .22 pellet gun. So, good training. I was familar with “A Christmas Story” because my father was a big Jean Sheppard fan. Anyway, I once shot my .22 pellet gun at a dead tree trunck at about 20 feet away. The pellet hit the tree and came straight back and hit me in the far head. Well, I was more careful after that. And, I immediately thought of the radio version of “A christmas story”. Sheppard would tell that story every christmas on the radio in the 1970’s (WOR, NY). I will let my son have a bb gun when he’s 12, but I will also get him good training. But, acidents do happen and some time you get lucky.