Check6 Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Insanely OT, I know. Couldn't think of anywhere else to ask. What are your opinions on the safety of a BB gun for a 14 year old? I would appreciate it if you could include your age when you post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Heidman Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Yu'll shoot yer eye out! Jeff Heidman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 How about a football, kid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forever Babra Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 It's all fun and games 'til someone loses the rye But seriously, unless you live in a city I see no problem. ------------------ "The whole of Scotland will rejoice if the commanding officer of the Canadian Army could see fit that the taking of Saint-Valery is accomplished by the Highland Division. I am sure that the 2nd Canadian Division will attend to Dieppe satisfactorily." -- General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, Aug. 20, 1944 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hough Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I am 21. I am a pacifist. I am violently opposed to the idea of giving a gun to a kid in a situation that makes it out to be a toy. If you want your kid to be acquainted with guns, take him hunting or something, show him actions have consequences, if you shoot something it'll hurt and bleed and die. That said, if your 14 year old is mature and responsible, it may well be okay. But it may not. If you think the kid won't be a petty terrorist with the thing, and you wanna give it to him, go ahead. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pillar Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I'd agree with John. Take him out and let him shoot a real .30 cal. AaronB was kind enough to let me shoot his, and it really WASN'T a toy. Fun, but not a toy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subvet Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I think I got a shotgun for Christmas when I was 14. I got a BB gun a few years before that. It all depends on the kid really. Some kids can handle that responsibility at 14 and some can't. If you think your kid is ready for a BB gun than give him one. Just make sure that you lay down strict rules and make it very clear that you won't put up with any nonsense. My brother couldn't handle his BB gun (he shot a neighbor kid in the leg) so he got it taken away from him for quite awhile. He obviously didn't get a shotgun when he was 14 either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I/O Error Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 ***DEAD SERIOUS*** Just like with a real firearm, a new student to the skill should ALWAYS undergo strict teaching of the proper care and ESPECIALLY mindset required of a responsible firearms owner. (Notice what I said: That means even full adults should not be handed a weapon they do not have the skills or mental attitude to handle responsibly. Age is not the most important factor) So, to that end, make sure that the child is given a FIRM grasp of what exactly proper firearms ownership means. Just as if the BB gun was real, he should NEVER point them at any living target. In my case, I was first "trained" by my father in the safety and care of firearms with a BB gun. It is a relatively safe way to teach one's son or daughter the skill. Do not just give a child a BB gun unattended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I got my first BB gun when I was about 11. My dad was a gun safety bug, taught by his dad and the Army, and that training has served me well lo these many years. I learned respect for the animals I hunt from the same source. I think the BB gun is the right way to start, provided you accept that the responsibility is as much yours as his, at that age. That's what you have to pass along... no amount of "sorrys" can erase a mistake with a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFawlty Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I agree with I/O and Mark IV, as long as there is some gun safety involved he/she will be alright. That's most of the problem today there is no instruction in the use of firearms and the consequences of their use. I too was given a BB gun at a very young age, but was taught the correct way to use it, like never ever point it at somebody. That said, 14 was the legal age to hunt big game in Colorado. I hunted both deer and elk when I was 14, with a .270 given me by my parents. 14 is not too young, for most kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mace Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Forever Babra: It's all fun and games 'til someone loses the rye <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> We have air rifles in Oz, shoot small metal pellets which I assume is something like a BB rifle. Anyhow, we used to play combat with them in our early teens. You got hit, you'd definitely know about it! Geez we were idiots (hmm, come to think about it, still are)! Mace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JonS Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 **** LIVELY UNSERIOUS ***** BB - that's a battleship right? Why would a 14 year old want a 14" gun? Well, ok, I know why a 14 year old would WANT one, but really ... Can you even buy 14" guns anymore? If so, can someone tell me where? JonS Back from the dead after a 6 month absence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aaronb Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Check6: What are your opinions on the safety of a BB gun for a 14 year old?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Depends on the kid. At his age, I was firing fully automatic weapons - with supervision, but nonetheless... Nothing teaches responsibility like firearms or other projectile devices. It's a good message - you trust the youngster with something that could cause injury (but is _very_ unlikely to do so - just don't point it at anything you don't want to shoot). Treat it like a firearm, and if things work out, show him the real thing. If he fools around, he doesn't get another chance. Pillar did pretty well, by the way. With some practice, he'd be a decent shot. Had a natural feel for the firearm. Hey, you've got time to post - where's my turn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argie Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JonS: JonS Back from the dead after a 6 month absence<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Welcome back, Jon!!! Are you at home or still in another country? Ariel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JonS Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Hi Arial Thanks I'm still overseas, and will be for a while yet ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Bates Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Why give a replica gun to a 14 year old??? Get him a tennis racket or something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mother Theresa Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 I think a BB gun is a great gift for a 14 year old (27yrs of age myself). I had one at a very young age and two older brothers that had them as well, and yes...we did shoot at birds and whatever, and were not always the most 'responsible'. But, I knew how dangerous a gun was, and knew what they were capable of. If you have any other firearms (or not for that matter), I would suggeest putting him through a gun safety course. Contact your local VFW, they usually have the nearest/best place to take him for some gun safety. Educating him on safety, and giving him a chance to do it on his own, is better than a 'friend' teaching him about guns with his fathers pistol (or his own) and will give him a respect for a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffsmith Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 How about a Gun Safety Course first see how he handles that Then give him the BB Gun as a reward for successfully completing the course Not only will he "know the ropes" he will be better prepared if/when he moves up to a real rifle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by M. Bates: Get him a tennis racket or something!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Sure, and start down the slippery slope to blunt instruments. Tennis players have become too violent to serve as role models for 14-year olds, anyway. I recently bought an inexpensive dual-tech Daisy Powerline BB gun that shoots both air and CO2. Pretty cool for living-room practice, and the occasional backyard pest. The Sheridan had some over-penetration issues for indoor use... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaSCa Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Hough: I am 21. I am a pacifist. I am violently opposed to the idea of giving a gun to a kid in a situation that makes it out to be a toy. -John<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Can a pacifist be 'violently opposed' to something? Seems a bit oxymoronic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pillar Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Aaron -- I'm waiting on you! Will resend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MantaRay Posted December 17, 2000 Share Posted December 17, 2000 Remember that you are responsible for his actions with it, so if you convey the proper respect for him owning it, then I don't see a problem. I am 31 and had a BB gun very young and had access to many firearms as a kid. My brother had me target shooting with an M16A1 when i was around 13. I knew how dangerous they were, and if I had a 14 year old son, I would take him to shoot so he get a healthy respect for them too, even a BB gun should be treated with the same carefulness as would a 30.06. Ray ------------------ When asked, "How many moves do you see ahead?", CAPABLANCA replied: "One move - the best one." New CM Site. In process of switching. Brought to you by Hardcore Gamers Daily The Red Army of the Rugged Defense Group Ladder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanonier Reichmann Posted December 18, 2000 Share Posted December 18, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Heidman: Yu'll shoot yer eye out! Jeff Heidman<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> A Christmas Tale was it Jeff? Regards Jim R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Posted December 18, 2000 Share Posted December 18, 2000 I feel the same way about bb guns as I do about toy guns, I feel as though they are misleading for the shooter--that it is possible to end up with sloppy safety attitudes since "hey! its just a bb gun!" (of course it depends on the kid, too) And there's a chance that because of that the bb gun could be employed in all sorts of mischief. Shooting pigeons or something.. With a real gun, something that has serious, deadly consequences, this is much less likely. I got a 12-gauge shotgun for my 14th birthday and went skeet shooting with it nearly every weekend after that for years. If you want to get him a gun, my advice would be to get him a nice .22 or a .410 shotgun or something. That way, you can be sure that the thing is taken seriously and you can do a lot more stuff with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 18, 2000 Share Posted December 18, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mace: We have air rifles in Oz, shoot small metal pellets which I assume is something like a BB rifle. Anyhow, we used to play combat with them in our early teens. You got hit, you'd definitely know about it! Geez we were idiots (hmm, come to think about it, still are)! Mace <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well I'm glad I'm not the only one that played "combat" with bb guns, STRICT rules where followed about NO head shots, we were all VERY good shots, mostly we aimed for the legs and left small brusies if you got hit. I had a pellet rifle (M16 replica) my brother had one and 4 other guys I grew up with ALL had BB guns and or pellet rifles. If you think they are dangerous you should grow up with an apple orchard in your back on the farm, and have apple fights! A 14 year old kid throwing a green apple at your head as HARD has he could from 20 feet or so (some what like a baseball pitch, at you head) actually hurt more than a BB in the leg, I KNOW I've been hit by both and lived to tell about it. We also took our guns out in the back woods and hunted small birds, like sparrows and starlings and robins, and we did hit them and kill them. The BEST shot you could get was the now imfamous, "Ha JFK'd him!" shot that takes the top half of the skull cap of the bird clean off, the ONE shot kill was what we all aspired to. We grew bored with shooting at beer cans as target practice because they were too easy, so we set them on end and fired at there round bottoms, Soon this became too easy and we challenged each other to set the can lieing down with the open end towards the shooter, the object being the winner was the first one to place the round THROUGH the opening and leave a hole or dent in the back end of the can, NOW that's a challege. If you are wondering if we took this seriously, well YES we did, we all had cheap little 4x scopes on our guns, any one without a scope was VERY unlikly to get that "perfect" JFK one shot kill! OK, I grew up on a farm in the country, in Canada where gun laws prevent virutally EVERYONE except Cops, Military and other officials, from owning REAL guns, and no I did not turn out to be a juvenile delinquent. Amongst my brother and my six closest friends none of us every got in any legal or (other wise) trouble from the use of the bb/pellet guns. (Apple fights, however left bigger more obvious bruises and we all got major **** for those but they continued though out or high school teenage years anyway. ) Bottom line, if there is a SAFE place for the 14 year to shoot and target practice with the BB gun, by ALL means give him one, and YES the safety course is a good idea so that he will know the "head shots" are not allowed. (JOKING!) OK, now any one who reads this will KNOW I have absolutely no credibility left on this board . -tom w P.S. I do hope at least some of you ( the north american's anyway) were at least somewhat entertained and for the rest of you, please relax, it was all fun and games and no one ever got hurt or had to go to the hospital, (it was TOO far to drive anyway.) [This message has been edited by aka_tom_w (edited 12-18-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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