Which prompts me to ask another question with Christmas quickly approaching: Why not get your kid a BB gun? I had one, my kids each got theirs when they were younger, and I'll bet most Gun Rights Examiner readers remember theirs. Contrary to worries expressed by some of the fearful adults in the film, none of us shot our eye out.
"You're Not Going to Shoot Your Eye Out" is today's Gun Rights Examiner column.
12 comments:
It's illegal to discharge a BB gun in Northern VA. Got one for my kid anyways when he was younger. You're right; he didn't shoot his eye out.
I never got a BB gun as a kid. I'm wondering, at what age is a BB gun appropriate? Or what characteristics are we looking for to determine our child is sufficiently responsible to own one? Someone said I should give one to my four-year-old, and I thought that was a little ridiculous.
Yeah, lots of municipalities have discharge laws. There are still places you can go. And good thing about a BB gun is you can build a safe indoor range quite easily and do as you please.
Four is not too young, Nezumi--you don't just hand it to him. You hands-on teach him--starting with the basics and safety before you hand it to him and allow him to fire it--which should be done the first time with you holding onto him and the gun until you're sure he's got it. And treat him like a little man --you might be amazed at what he can rise up to if daddy believes in him. And withdraw it if he's not ready or interested, and try again six months later.
You'll know when he's ready to use it without you hovering.
Thing is, a Red Ryder will probably be too long for him to hold properly. Size up something like a Daisy Buck for his first.
Don't forget to snap the lever back into place after cocking. It didn't break my fingers, but I only made that mistake ONCE! lol
I was at the local Bass Pro Shops last night with my 7 and 3 year-old daugthers. Santa arrived and they opened their Santa Wonderland. Part of the wonderland is a Daisy Red Rider laser arcade for the kids and they are pushing a commemorative Daisy Red Rider gun during the Christmas Season. I plan to get one for my oldest daugther for Christmas.
get him a break action, once he's used to lever --- put some muscles on the boy.
a few months' experience and age 11 or 12 is probably suitable. i like the gamo cadet series. good solid synthetic; no cheap plastic.
in fact, just buy it for yourself, and eventually he'll be begging to try it.
If memory serves, NJ deems them 'firearms' and requires a FOID, complete with state/FBI criminal/mental health record check, to purchase.
Here, hotlinked...
Don't shoot your eye out!
What could go wrong? ;)
Open in new window for best results...
Not to provide *ahem* ammunition to the antis, but my brother did nearly have his eye shot out by an idiot 'friend' who aimed a BB gun right at his face and pulled the trigger.
After surgery to remove the BB, he has since had tripple vision in that eye and has about 5 blind spots instead of the usual 1.
But *all* the four rules were broken to cause the injury. The gun did not 'go off' by itself. The moron holding the gun is lucky my dad didn't break that trigger finger.
That's why I was careful to qualify things in terms of safety, training and knowledge.
I got my first safety lesson at age four. Definitely not too young. This lesson did not include touching any weapons, and I didn't want to for many years after. There was no forbidden fruit scenario; the lesson was solemn and quite intimidating.
Probably better to put the Fear of Dad into a kid at that age rather than wait until he's a teenager. (They know everything at that age anyway, right?)
Post a Comment