Dallas Suburb's Firearms Law Takes Aim at Toy Guns

Wash Post ^

[Stew Padasso]

Police Sgt. Jack Adams shows the similarity between a real gun, left, and a facsimile.

[Stew Padasso]

"If youngsters in Carrollton, Tex., have visions of shiny spurs, fringed chaps and convincing six-shooters this Christmas, they may be out of luck. That is, at least as far as guns go."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24069-2002Dec21.html

[Stew Padasso]

BTW - that cop looks a little psycho.

[I_Publius]

I, my humble opinion, believe I agree with their ruling, at least for right now.

I am an avid gun lover, but feel that these "toy" guns are going to cause more trouble for those of us who want to retain our rights to bear arms. If I were a police officer, and had one of those toys pointed at me, I don't know if I would be able to tell, in a split second, whether or not it was real and to fire or not.

Let the kids play with the old fashioned, plastic looking cowboy six-shooters. At least they look enough like a gun to play with, yet are pretty recognizable by most people as being a toy.

[Protagoras]

His pupils are dialated beyond belief. He has probably gotten into some of the substances he has confiscated.

[Liberal Classic]

If anyone gets shot waving one of these things around, it's their own damn fault. How about just write a law such that if you are shot while pointing one of these toys, you forfiet your right to sue?

[RetiredArmy]

I agree. I played with toy guns as a kid growing up, but you could tell they were toys. Rifles were much smaller than real rifles and pistols looked like toys. These BB type guns look too real and stupid kids can get killed displaying them to cops. Maybe they should be another color, like blue. The military uses blue colors to indicate it is a training weapon.

[wardaddy]

That's a costly non firing replica gun. Any toy gun sold today has that red crap on the end of the barrel. I just bought one yesterday for my 2 year old hellion.

[wardaddy]

Berreta 92 style non-firing copy....not cheap.

[Stew Padasso]

I see your point. At the same time, when I was a kid, we would run around the neighborhood with bb guns and nobody raised a stink. We also were not out waving them at people.

I feel for the police, they are in a tough spot.

[Stew Padasso]

At least his fingers are not on the trigger. He looks like he is ready to explode.

[Puppage]

Officer Henry Rollins, perhaps?

[Stew Padasso]

We have toy guns all over the house. Our 3 year old loves to "shoot the bad guy."

[MeekOneGOP]

BTW - that cop looks a little psycho.

He's probably lookin' fer this fella...

I like your profile page, btw...

[Stew Padasso]

[MineralMan]

"I think we should all live in plastic bubbles so that nothing could ever harm us..especially sharp items...geez what a nation of pu**ies we have become. "

Really? So a kid that waves that replica around and gets shot by the cops gets what he deserves? Is that what you're saying? Seems to me that toy guns that look like real ones are a hazard. I can't imagine a parent buying such a thing and letting their kid run around with it. For myself, I recommend futuristic play firearms...ones that look like some kind of Star Wars weapon. Nobody will mistake them for the real thing.

[brewcrew]

You know, before toy guns ever existed, kids were taught how to handle real ones. Maybe that's why there are so many gun accidents these days - not enough kids are taught the proper handling and use of real firearms. Then, when they're older and find themselves handling the real thing, they have no clue as to the difference between it and a toy.

That's it! Don't buy your kids toys, buy them the real thing! And then teach them the responsible way to use it - yes, morals will be part of the lesson (i.e., NEVER point it at anything you don't intend to kill, treat every gun as though it was loaded and live, etc.). Don't forget the occasional demonstration of what kind of damage it can inflict - a plastic jug of water, a pumpkin, a watermelon, etc.

Age 10 = BB gun

Age 12 = .22

Age 14 = .410

Age 16 = 12 ga. and/or a deer rifle (30.06 or a 30-30, etc.)

Finally, age 18 = a real, honest-to-God self defense weapon like a 9mm, a .357, or a .45, etc.

[Stew Padasso]

Darryl is quite the dresser. You gotta love the homemade wife beater on the top right.

[Boonie Rat]

I played with toy guns as a kid growing up, but you could tell they were toys.

When I was 10 yrs old I had one that was the size of a Colt Commander, the slide racked, the grips looked real, the trigger could be held and the hammer would go to full cock. It fired caps. It would have that cop wetting his pants, however, I didn't wave it around at cops, nor other people. If someone uses a toy gun for a crime and gets shot, good! Hell, let's give all criminals toy guns!!

Evolution stops when stupidity ceases to be fatal.

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[Puppage]

LOL