THE MOMMY FILES: Should kids be allowed to play with BB guns?

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/29/9 | Amy Graff

[Gilbo_3]

I cant resist askin how many A-10s the 'USN' has ever launched 8^}

Blessings to both, Merry CHRISTmas [belated], and a heartfelt "Thank You" for yer service...

[SmithL]

Brushing off this major category in such a vague way grossly undermines the validity of the article/opinion.

A child molester shot his stepson, and the article asks if kids should be given BB guns. There never was any validity to this piece.

[Gilbo_3]

once again, I seem to be the only poster that pulled a Ralphie and managed to put a BB ricochet in my eye at 13 ...hurt like hell, but didnt blind me, much less kill me...

and yes I always try to use eye protection these days...

[Jeff Chandler]

I cant resist askin how many A-10s the 'USN' has ever launched 8^}

Yeah I posted before thinking -again.

[TLI]

Allowed? Boys should be required to begin learning to shoot using BB guns.

Amen.

Dad was a Marine, Korea.

I started shooting so early I do not recall how young I actually was but it was before school. First was bb, then .22 rifle, then a H&R 8 shot .22 revolver. Only then did I go to a shotgun, a .410 double barrel which was mine on my birthday at the ripe old age of... 8.

To this day I can outshoot damn near anyone that cares to walk up and give me a try. This P.O.'s some of my friends as I never practice. And all because dad had the good common sense to get me started before mom could "make up her mind" as to when I should.

Evidently, "when you should" is about the same time a kid learns to talk pretty well, can understand what a firearm is when it's killing power is clearly demonstrated (actual hunting). For me that was about the same time as when I learned to swim, about four I would estimate.

For boys I would suggest mom is informed, not asked.

[Niteflyr]

Hell no....”you’ll shoot your eye out!” Ha hahahahaha!!!

[Niteflyr]

[nowheretohide]

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.

[FTJM]

OF COURSE.

[jospehm20]

I had one of those Ithaca model 49 for my first .22 too. My Dad re-gifted it this year to my nephew and it is his first .22 now. I had a lot of fun with that little rifle.

[gigster]

As I write this, I am looking at my Winchester Model 02-.22 1899 that I was given when I was ten years old by my father.Forty years later,I have still not shot my eye out.

I also notice, in the Al Gore photo, that the U.S. Army, in it’s infinite wisdom, did not issue him any magazines with cartridges in it.

[Red in Blue PA]

The fact that this is even being discussed as a serious question is disturbing IMO.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

A friend when I was about 6 got a BB gun and killed a bird.
His Father told him if you shoot an animal and it was not a
varmint, he had to eat it.

His Father made him clean, remove the feather, cook it and then eat it.

[MarineBrat]

once again, I seem to be the only poster that pulled a Ralphie and managed to put a BB ricochet in my eye at 13 ...hurt like hell, but didnt blind me, much less kill me...

I actually hit myself in the lip one day. I was hanging out in the woods in a place we called "The Dump", though it wasn't really a dump, but a large open place that had a small natural pond. We used to practice our marksmanship by shooting dragon flies that would hover over the water.

One day I shot a BB at an old car tire that someone had thrown into the water, and I literally watched the BB hit the tire and bounce right back and hit me in the lower lip. It was as if it was in slow motion. I was about 30-40 feet from the tire. It stung! No damage done, but lesson learned. :)

[Shooter 2.5]

To this day I can outshoot damn near anyone that cares to walk up and give me a try.

Where are you in Texas?

[DuncanWaring]

This story brings up a good question: Should young kids -- say, under age 16 -- have BB guns?

I got a BB gun for my ninth birthday, a single-shot bolt .22 rimfire for my eleventh and a .303 Lee-Enfield #5 Jungle Carbine when I was 13.