At what age do you believe people should be able to own guns?

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john fisher

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Just kind of curious, what age do you believe people should be allowed to own guns. Also what age were you when you had your first gun in your possession?
 
18 and 18. First gun I bought was a Win 94 in .30-30 when I turned 18.

It’s the age of responsibility in most jurisdictions, so it stands to reason one should be wise and responsible enough to purchase a firearm (any firearm) at that age.

Now we know 14 year olds that are outstanding examples who would be fine buying and owning a firearm, just like we know 25 year olds who are not... but there has to be a bright line somewhere.

Stay safe!
 
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Bought my first gun when I went halves with my dad at age 11. It doubled as the home security gun until after I got out of the military. Dad gave it to me when I moved to Ohio. He is still holding my .45 and 12g.
 
Own guns or purchase guns?
Owning guns should be determined by maturity level not age. As for purchasing guns, if you are old enough to vote or enlist in the military then you should be old enough to purchase a gun. Pistol or rifle.
+1

My thoughts as well. If you are old enough to vote and serve in the military, you are plenty old enough to purchase any firearm.

I was roaming the woods reducing the squirrel population by myself when I was 12 or 13.
 
I know people under 14 I'd trust with a firearm and over 50 I wouldn't. I don't really care much the age but I do think it should be tied to the age of voting/enlistment/sign legal documents/just generally be an adult. If I have to pick one age it would probably be 18 if only because we claim that is the age one is an adult.

Edit: Forgot to add my age when I got mine. 22-23 I think. Wasn't a really big moment for me, just bought a 22lr on a whim one day. Was in the middle of the 22lr drought so couldn't shoot it for almost a year. Never even considered ammo could be in short supply before then.
 
Own guns or purchase guns?
Owning guns should be determined by maturity level not age. As for purchasing guns, if you are old enough to vote or enlist in the military then you should be old enough to purchase a gun. Pistol or rifle.
+2 I "owned "a rifle at 8 my son was 10 or 11.
My cousin & I took our .22 out as teenagers.
More about maturity.
 
Own guns or purchase guns?
Owning guns should be determined by maturity level not age. As for purchasing guns, if you are old enough to vote or enlist in the military then you should be old enough to purchase a gun. Pistol or rifle.
Owning
 
I think 18 is a great age for purchasing a gun, and everything else. You're legally an adult, or you're not.

Owning a gun? That's tough to put an age on. I say let the parent(s) decide, as long as they accept responsibility for the kid.'s actions.

I became a gun owner at age 11, when a family friend left his 22/410 at our house, and didn't want it back.

I was a very responsible kid, due to parental upbringing and supervision by my older brothers.
 
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As other's have already duly noted it's more about maturity than the number of years you are. I would say 18 is a fair number for owning any gun; rifle, shotgun, or handgun.
 
Got my first .22 at 9, my .410 at 12. My dad stored the .22 in his cabinet until I was 12.

My brother and I were getting squirrels and rabbits for the table when I was 10 or so.

If you count bb guns, 5 or 6 years old.
 
I received my first rifle at the age of 12 but I had been borrowing my dad's for years. I had to finagle a little but I bought my first pistol at 16 although state law said I had to be 18. Most everyone I knew had their own gun in their early teens courtesy of their parents and we were allowed to use them unsupervised.

Considering the changes from that time to now I'm conflicted because of the number of irresponsible people including those that are considered adults. I'm going to err on the side of safety due to those considerations and say 21 just like booze. I know I'm excluding some that are perfectly capable of safe ownership and others should never have a firearm. Addressing those that say if you are old enough to die for your country at 18 you should be allowed to own firearms and buy alcoholic spirits., keep in mind that those in the armed forces are very closely supervised and the accident rate soared when they could purchase alcohol.
 
I had my first .22 before I was a teen and got my first 357 at 13. Drove my first tractor by myself at 10 or 11, truck and trailer around 12. Amazing the trust you will bestow upon people when you need help.

I think if you are old enough that the Government can draft you to get killed, you should have every right all others have. Despite the fact there are lots of people 18+ that scare me when they have firearms in their hands.
 
My father bought a Colt Single-Action Army .38 Special on the day I was born. I carried and hunted with it regularly before I was ten, put many thousands of rounds through it. My mother wasn't so sure I was ready, or even wanted me to be that kind of man. She envisioned for me a softer kind of life; so one year for Christmas, she gave me a Daisy Spitting image Peacemaker BB gun. I discarded the BB gun rather quickly but kept the holster because it fit the Colt pretty well. To support the Colt and other guns acquired later, I learned to reload and cast bullets. I still have the old Single-Action, and I suppose it's mine now, as my father has been dead eleven years. I don't carry it much now because I feel a little better with the .44 or .45. A note to collectors: I grew up believing I had one of those rare early .38 Special Single-Actions. Unfortunately, when I was able to buy the Colt books, I learned that mine was one of those pre-war guns sent back to Colt in the early 50's for a new barrel and a new cylinder.

A boy becomes a man when he proves he is up to the responsibility of carrying a gun. As far as a legal age goes, it strikes me as obscene to tell a young man he can die for his country in the military but he can't legally buy a gun. Ownership is a different matter. That's between the boy and his parents. So long as he abides by the laws, the state should have no say in the matter.

Mirroring the experience, I imagine, of everyone else here, I've met people who will never be responsible enough to manage a weapon. To some degree, I think that's the heart of the anti-gun movement. It's more than too many people can accept to admit that while they will never have either the necessary restraint or coolness under pressure to handle a gun, others will.
 
I received my first rifle at the age of 12 but I had been borrowing my dad's for years. I had to finagle a little but I bought my first pistol at 16 although state law said I had to be 18. Most everyone I knew had their own gun in their early teens courtesy of their parents and we were allowed to use them unsupervised.

Considering the changes from that time to now I'm conflicted because of the number of irresponsible people including those that are considered adults. I'm going to err on the side of safety due to those considerations and say 21 just like booze. I know I'm excluding some that are perfectly capable of safe ownership and others should never have a firearm. Addressing those that say if you are old enough to die for your country at 18 you should be allowed to own firearms and buy alcoholic spirits., keep in mind that those in the armed forces are very closely supervised and the accident rate soared when they could purchase alcohol.
Sorry, but I grew up when the drinking age was 18, there waan't any more or less incidents than today; but if you are talking about responsibility, then you better make the age to drive 21 as well.
 
I purchased my 1st firearm using my lawn mowing money at age 12. Walked solo into the local Western Auto, picked out the .22 rifle I wanted along with a box of ammo, and walked home with them. Nobody batted an eye.
How long ago was that?
 
Mom and dad gave me a 22 rifle for my 10th birthday. But even though we lived out in the country, where there were plenty of places to hunt jack rabbits and just go shooting, I was probably about 13 before I was allowed to take that rifle out except under their close supervision.
After that first 22 rifle though, when I was 15, mom and dad bought me a 308 Winchester for big game, and at 16, a 12 gauge shotgun (Model 1100) for pheasants, ducks and geese. I was allowed to take all of those guns out hunting by myself, or with my buddies.
At 17, I purchased my own 22 revolver. But I don't know if it was legally mine...like I say, I was only 17. But I purchased it through mom's and dad's store, and that was before GCA 1968. So other than a receipt, there was no paperwork.
But in spite of my own experiences, I'm in total agreement with jmorris:
I think if you are old enough that the Government can draft you to get killed, you should have every right all others have. Despite the fact there are lots of people 18+ that scare me when they have firearms in their hands.
Our ex son-in-law was one of those people I was scared to be around when he had a gun in his hands, and he was in his mid-40s when he died. He died of a sudden, unexplained heart attack however...nothing gun related.
Besides, our beautiful, 40 year old daughter (who also loves guns and hunting) is engaged again now. And her new fiancé, who loves guns and shooting as much as we do, also has a good head on his shoulders. We've been out shooting with him several times, and never once felt ill-at-ease. He's more into ARs and semi-auto, self and home defense guns than we are. But that's fine...not everybody has to like the same kind of guns, and our daughter took her new fiancé deer hunting for the first time in his life last season anyway.:)
 
I purchased my 1st firearm using my lawn mowing money at age 12. Walked solo into the local Western Auto, picked out the .22 rifle I wanted along with a box of ammo, and walked home with them. Nobody batted an eye.
Wow! You must be old! Yea, I remember Western Auto selling firearms.
Guess that makes me old too.
I believe owning a firearm should be allowed based on individual maturity and perhaps the living situation.
I grew up in the foothills of the Wasatch mountains and my mother bought my used JC Higgins single shot 22 for $8.00 when I was 12 years old.
I had to successfully complete the NRA hunter safety course as part of the deal.
 
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