Kids And Guns In The Home

[jestal]

del

 

[DrEvil777]

Amen to that!

Interesting that someone who can't speak a word of english suddenly understands that Remington 870 Pump sound! "Cha-chunk!"

 

[Coyote]

I'm pissed off I can't buy hand gernades legally. :assasin:

$80 each for you guys on an FJR group buy (minimum 40 buyers). I'll post pictures next week on how to mount them inside the fairing.

 

[Geezer]

I'm pissed off I can't buy hand gernades legally. :assasin:
$80 each for you guys on an FJR group buy (minimum 40 buyers). I'll post pictures next week on how to mount them inside the fairing.

Handgrenades might be good for an entertaining diversion, but not in the fairing. They need to be more convenient to get to.

 

[Bounce]

ATLANTA - About 1.7 million U.S. children live in homes that have loaded and unlocked guns,

The solution is to teach the children how to behave when they see a gun. Remove the taboo. Introduce them to the capabilities of firearms and let them see first hand what they can do (shooting a cabbage with a shotgun makes the point). When too young to handle a gun they should be taught to to not touch, tell an adult, etc. The Eddie Eagle program.

As soon as they are old enough to safely shoot they should be introduced to the rules of safe gun handling and allowed to shoot, supervised, whenever they ask to. As long as the mystery and taboo are removed the carelessness associated with the combination of ignorance and natural curiosity are also removed.

Regardless of what any individual thinks about guns, there is no way to guarantee that a child, your child, will never see one in someone's home and have the opportunity to pick it up. The smart thing is to make sure they know what to do when that opportunity arises.

BINGO!

I raised 2 girls and from the time they first asked about my guns, I talked them through safety.

1. ALL guns area ALWAYS loaded.

2. NO gun is a toy.

3. If you see a gun and there are no adults around, stop, don't touch, go get an adult.

From that point forward, I just enhanced those basics as they got older and could make them a part of their instincts. I always kept my guns locked up, but I never shied away from showing them what I was doing if they asked about one when I was cleaning it. I would show them the mechanisms and explain what each part did. Each time I restated the above 3 things. As they got older I taught them the basic firearms safety rules and took them to the range (when they wanted to go; never forced them).

They are now adults. They don't impart magical powers to firearms. They understand that firearms are "power tools" and the operator is responsible for the outcome. They also understand that no firearm ever did anything under its own volition; it always took the outside influence of a person. And firearms don't emit mind controlling thought waves that change the nature of a person who touches one.

 

[red2kcbr]

I second that, Bounce. My kids were taught gun safety from the first time they saw a gun. All three are familiar with firearms and understand the destructive potential. One of my daughters took the Texas concealed carry training with me. We both carry everywhere except to work. My son is planning on taking the CC training, and our oldest daughter bought a shotgun for home defense.

Two of them are particularly good shots, and the oldest daughter is improving.

Rule 1: A gun is ALWAYS loaded. Even after you just unloaded it. It's still loaded.

Rule 2: Never point a gun at something you aren't willing to see destroyed.

Rule 3: See Rule 1.

Rule 4: Never pull a gun unless you are going to use it.

Rule 5: If you pull your gun, use it.

Rule 6: Avoid confrontation; walk away.

Rule 7: If Rule 6 is unavailable, see Rules 4 and 5.

Rule 8: If you sneak into my house when I'm there, you better hope I don't wake up, because then we go straight to Rule 5.

 

[Coyote]

I took a four day handgun course covering not only using a handgun, but the psychological, criminal and civil aspects of using deadly force. The civil liability exposure is friggin frightening. After that, I know I would only pull the trigger to the save the life of myself or a family member.

Those *******s can walk away with anything they can carry. I'll call the cops.

BTW - Don't believe a small child is safe around loaded weapons just because you taught them the right stuff. I've seen the sad results of that mistake.

IMO --- Lock-em up.

 

[twowheelnut]

Kids and Guns? Wasn't that the name of an 80's rock group? Further, if you leave kids with guns they'll eventually be quiet, at least...

 

[RonC]

One activity my son and I enjoy together is going to the range and putting holes in paper with 9 mm, 40 S&W, 38 sp, and 45 ACP.

I started training him long ago with the cardinal rules of handling firearms. We shot 22LR into D cell batteries and 45's into water filled jugs. The little hole in the entry to the battery was small and cute. The exit damage out the back of the battery was - well, there was no back of the battery. He was duly impressed and learned the rules well. Now, at 23 years old (him, not me), I've given him my Ruger Mark II because of his demonstrated responsibility with guns and his knowledge and execution of gun safety.

When he was younger, I did have an unlocked 1911 in easy access. The magazine was full, but no round was chambered. I periodically tested to see if he was strong enough to draw back the slide. He couldn't until he was a teenager and then the gun was put into a gun safe next to my bed.

Now, an 18" barrel Winchester Ranger 12 gage represents the main home defense weapon. I concur with those above and the subtle hint made to the bad guy with the cha-chunk of chambering a round.

I also agree with Coyote about the liabilities and implications of using a gun. I, too, will only consider it if my family and I are threatened. Figure a minimum of $50,000 if you shoot someone even in self defense, just for the cost of attorneys and the civil case when the bad guy's family sues you.

Ron