I found it!
Posted on 12/05/2005 3:01:27 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
I must confess that it's probably been two decades since I've done any Christmas shopping for kids. So I was a bit taken aback when I visited ShopKo last week - searching for an action toy for my 4-year-old grandson - and happened upon a black soft air rifle that fires plastic BBs and bears a striking resemblance to an assault weapon.
Yes, the same kind of assault weapon that gangs have used to gun down police.
(Actually, it wasn't a total surprise: Several weeks earlier, a reader had called and suggested I check out some of the sophisticated fake guns now on the market.)
This particular gun was called the Crosman Stinger R34 and, according to a promotional ad I found on the Internet, it's modeled after the "legendary AR-15" assault rifle. Which, it so happens, is one of the many assault weapons that were illegal in this country until last year, when the Republican-controlled Congress allowed a 10-year ban to expire.
So why would a store carry such a gun - especially in Madison, which is having all sorts of headaches with kids bringing BB guns to school?
Jason, a regional manager for ShopKo who happened to be present that day (he declined to give his last name), explained that ShopKo, like many discount stores, carries a wide assortment of fake guns. Everything from the Crosman Stinger R34 and the Crosman Pulse R70 (fires up to 10 plastic BBs per second) - both of which are recommended for kids 16 and older - to the Star Wars Energy Beam Blaster, which is targeted at kids in the 5-to-8 range and shoots something called "silly string."
He pointed out that the Stinger R34, which sells for $59.99, is used mainly for target practice and has been one of the top-selling items in the sporting goods department since ShopKo began carrying it six months ago. What's more, he wasn't aware of a single complaint.
"But there's definitely a level of danger with it," he acknowledged. "I mean, you could easily shoot someone in the eye."
He added that he was almost certain that Target and Wal-Mart also carried the gun. (I checked, and they don't - at least, not at their west-side Madison stores. However, I discovered there are all kinds of fake assault-weapons available on the Internet.)
But what sort of parent, I asked Jason, would buy such a thing?
He shrugged. "I wouldn't buy one for my kid, I can tell you that much," he said.
Now, for all the NRA members who are foaming at the mouth as they read this, I should point out that I'm not an anti-gun guy, that I support the Second Amendment and that I actually did some hunting as a kid.
At the same time, I'll admit I've never had much interest in guns. Probably because my older brother got a BB gun for Christmas one year - just like the dorky kid in the movie, "A Christmas Story" - and actually did shoot a neighbor kid in the eye while horsing around in the yard. (A surgeon managed to remove the BB, but my parents were worried sick for months that the kid's family was going to sue.)
In fact, to be honest,
Mike Hanson, a spokesman for the Madison Police Department, says law enforcement officers have long wondered why stores carry look-alike fake guns. Especially BB and pellet guns that are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. (They do come with orange tips, but police say the tips often are painted or removed.)
The problem, he says, is that police occasionally will be alerted about a kid carrying a fake gun in a public setting. "And because the gun looks so realistic, we sometimes have to make split-second decisions about its authenticity - which could lead to a deadly-force encounter."
He notes that just a few weeks ago an officer nearly fired on a teenager who'd pulled a gun out of his pants on Tree Lane on the west side and aimed it at the officer. It wasn't until the kid dropped the gun and ran that the officer discovered that it was actually a BB gun.
"That came very close to being a tragedy," he says.
Hanson says the department can't discourage the sale of BB guns.
"But we can encourage parents that if they have some compelling reason to buy Johnny a mock assault rifle to make sure that it's kept in the house."
Fortunately, my grandson's only 4, so I don't have to worry about these things yet. In fact, after talking to Hanson, I've pretty much decided to get him something sports-related for Christmas - like, say, his first authentic metal driver.
Junior size, of course. And with a small head.
--no--they won't--
Yes, the same kind of assault weapon that gangs have used to gun down police.
Well, did you buy it for him?? the kid would love ya!!
I'll be darned. you are right... I looked it up and they are not the same caliber.
" Standard BBs are copper or steel with a diameter of 0.177 caliber or (4.5mm). Air Soft BBs are generally 6mm or near 0.24 caliber. "
http://www.mfiap.com/airsoft/airsoft.htm
--not the least bit of politics in either of his statements, of course--(sarcasm intended)--
Freakin' liberal morons bump.
Shotgun News has covered the guns and shooting them pretty well , too
What else would a BB gun be used for if not for target practice? Especially one that shoots plastic BB's. I love how people need to state the obvious for the ignorant.
They really need to bring back candy cigarettes for people like this to have a coronary over.
My Dear Mr. Rob Zaleski
1. assault rifles STILL require a Title2/ClassIII permit and BATFE transfer tax for civilian ownership, dumb-bunny
2. assault WEAPONS were legal under the AWB - including various forms of AR15 rifles.
waitaminnit... why am I trying to explain this to a bed-wetting hoplophobe?
1. If you were smart enough to understand the explanation, no explanation would be needed.
2. If you had any spine or bladder-control at all, you wouldn't be upset about AirSoft... except perhaps by the fact that they aren't capable of firing proper rounds of the conventional, "real", variety.
3. If you had any sense, you'd be irked by Slutz dolls and the alien-phallus "Boohbah" things marketed to children by the same lovely pervs who gave us the rather obviously homosexual Teletubbies (and, no: Tinky-Winky was NOT the only homosexual teletubby - they ALL were quite poofy).
So, ah... nevermind. I suggest you give yourself a "Holiday Gift" of rubber sheets - it is quite evident they'll see frequent use.
Merry Christ's Mass, you pencil-necked Donk.
read article, then see#30 :)
I couldn't tell you how many toy guns I had as a kid. One I remember was the 'Johnny 7 One Man Army'. It fired all kinds of plastic projectiles. It converted into a sub machine gun/pistol/missle launcher. Had a bipod. Also fired caps (those rolls of red paper that had little spots of gunpowder that would explode) I turned out OK, but with regards to the article, I think 4 might be a bit young for a BB gun. I got one at 10. It was a Daisy that you poured hundreds of BBs into and 'hunted' all afternoon. No pesky songbirds in MY neighborhood! Of course, this was 40 years ago.
The dollar stores have any kind of imaginary gun a little kid could want. A couple of years ago my grandson was waitiing in line and talking about shooting birds. The lady behind us got a case of vapers and told him he couldn't shoot innocent little birds. He thought a few seconds and then reassuredly told her it was ok because he was going to eat what he shot.
I'm getting nostalgic. I really liked those candy cigarettes
I found it!
He should wait until his son is at least 5.
*snicker*
I thought they were banned. Camel was my favorite.
Just like the Old Man's?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.