Kids Today & Gun Safety

[SmeeAgain]

With the current trend of "guns are bad" I see a huge problem farther down the line.
I grew up in an era where firearms were common tools, that required respect & proper handling. We had the advantage of being taught early in life what to do and what not to do.
The few simple, standardized rules are easy to follow.
Today the rule is... "If you see a gun, don't touch it! Tell an adult!"
That's all well & good but what about the kid who grew up with that exact same rule, who now is an adult... that doesn't have the slightest clue how to safely handle a firearm?
Some kid sees a gun & goes to the adult for help. Then what?
I've also seen a difference between city kids and country kids. A country kid is very likely to be quite familiar with firearms, knows what they can do and handles them accordingly.
The city kid instantly thinks of power, shooting someone etc. While that isn't politically correct, it's reality.
If people are truly concerned about gun safety... education is the logical answer.
Why is it that such a simple & effective solution isn't thought of?

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

I'm doing my part by working with my 14yo niece as time allows.

I'm a huge proponent of teaching the youngins (and really any age) about basic gun safety.

I'd provide classes at my home if there was a enough of a demand.

 

[SmeeAgain]

I'm doing my part by working with my 14yo niece as time allows.

I'm a huge proponent of teaching the youngins (and really any age) about basic gun safety.

I'd provide classes at my home if there was a enough of a demand.

Make the time if necessary! Then after the safety part is done, teach her to be proficient with it.
As a retired peace officer, I can testify what response time is IF you have the chance to dial 911. And it's not good even under ideal circumstances.
If you are serious about teaching others, contact local boy & girl scout troops & offer your services.
You will find that teaching kids is MUCH easier and rewarding than "trying" to teach adults who know it all.
You only need to save one to make it worthwhile.

 

[.308 Norma]

I'm doing my part by working with my 14yo niece as time allows.

My wife and I did our "parts" (at least the best we could) with our two daughters when they were growing up. Then we did the best we could with the oldest daughter's three sons, the youngest of which is 21 now.
However, our youngest daughter has lived in Missoula (300 miles away) for 15 years, so there's not much we can do as far as teaching her 11 year-old son about guns and gun safety. We'd like to think his mother (our daughter) is doing her part, but we kind of doubt that. She never was into guns, hunting and shooting as much as her older sister still is.
On the other hand, in the last 10 years or so my wife and I have both noticed the trend of more and more adult women getting into guns for self-protection, and we like it. It's Mrs. .308 Norma they usually come to for advice though. In fact, just a few months ago, a rancher friend of mine asked me if I could talk my wife into coming over to their place and teaching his wife "a thing or two" about guns for concealed carry - and maybe "let her shoot some guns."
My wife didn't mind a bit, and I didn't either. It's a good thing I went along though. My wife didn't catch it when our rancher's friend's wife wrapped her left thumb over the top of her right thumb when she was about to shoot my wife's Smith Shield. I did catch it and yelled out - saving the lady from a nasty slide bite.

 

[Mn Fats]

Today the rule is... "If you see a gun, don't touch it! Tell an adult!"
That's all well & good but what about the kid who grew up with that exact same rule, who now is an adult... that doesn't have the slightest clue how to safely handle a firearm?

Then he doesn't touch it. It's not his/hers. Like saying if a person came across a Peterbilt but didn't understand double clutching. Then leave it be. You can always take classes as an Adult to learn how to properly operate equipment.

I've also seen a difference between city kids and country kids.

Absolutely a difference. What I do when my city boy comes up north with his friends is ask permission from thier parents to shoot some bb guns or even 22lr's. I've never had a parent say "no" yet, and it's an educational experience that the city kids love. So that's one thing we can do to keep the sport alive.

The city kid instantly thinks of power, shooting someone etc. While that isn't politically correct, it's reality.

That's not the reality I've experienced. The city kids (Minneapolis) that have been up here just seemed greatful to plink at cans.

 

[SmeeAgain]

With logistics being what they are it's likely difficult to determine if the "kid" has the right mindset to be introduced to firearms... yet.
It's a tough call... everyone is different.
I was extremely fortunate with my son... he has always behaved more mature than expected for his age.
I exploited that & spend many hours with him preaching safety & actual shooting from a VERY young age.
It paid off! I just happened to be present when his scout master was teaching kids how to shoot.
He tried handing my son a .22 rifle and my son refused to accept it. The scout master said "take it, it's not going to bite you!" My son replied... "I know that, it's that you're not doing it right!" Shocked, the scout master asked what he meant. My son said... "When you hand a weapon to someone, you verify it's clear first AND lock the action open."
My chest was so puffed out with pride I couldn't see my feet!
Not bad for a Cub Scout!

 

[SmeeAgain]

My older brothers and I grew up in the same environment, same lectures on gun safety etc.
So silly me thought it was OK to give my brother a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
He was about 30 years old at the time & we were visiting our parents in their backyard.
After briefly examining his new "toy" a gopher pops up out of the ground & runs across the grass.
Without a 2nd thought, the idiot starts shooting at it! While it happened so fast, I couldn't say "STOP!" fast enough but it played out in slow motion in my mind.
As he was leading the gopher, he didn't notice the brick wall backstop.
Yep. A bullet hit the wall, bounced back & hit my brother's ankle.
He's instantly on the ground yelling "medic! I've been hit!" All while having the nerve to act surprised that he shot himself.
I'm sorry but I couldn't help but laugh. He was going to live... maybe, if our dad didn't get a grip on him.
He's bleeding pretty good. Far more than I'd expect. Then he yells for someone to take him to the hospital.
Our dad said... "You aren't bleeding all over my car! If you are smart enough to shoot yourself, you should be able to figure out where the hospital is."
Then he jumped all over me for giving him the gun & "letting him shoot himself!" As if somehow I could have seen that coming.
It's still funny over 40 years later.
No gophers were hurt in this story.

 

[jmorris]

The city kid instantly thinks of power, shooting someone etc. While that isn't politically correct, it's reality.

That’s incorrect. I was once a kid in the city and that’s not what I thought of.

That said, I was taught and shown the effects. That part I agree with 100%. Ignorant people do ignorant things, not because they don’t have the mental capacity rather simply lack sufficient knowledge to act appropriately.

 

[Armybrat]

My youngest grandson, a city kid, shooting his brother’s S&W Model 63.
Since he enjoyed it so much, I gave him a new Ruger Bearcat for his 11th birthday last year.

 

[SmeeAgain]

That’s incorrect. I was once a kid in the city and that’s not what I thought of.

That said, I was taught and shown the effects. That part I agree with 100%. Ignorant people do ignorant things, not because they don’t have the mental capacity rather simply lack sufficient knowledge to act appropriately.

Obviously some took what I wrote out of context considering city kids Vs country kids.
To clarify... MANY city kids haven't had the same opportunities to be exposed to firearms other than TV & movies and respond accordingly.
Again, many, not all possess greater intelligence than their peers & understand the difference between theater & reality.
That's not to say that ALL farm / ranch kids have it together either.
As mentioned previously, my own brother shot himself in the ankle! Another kid in grade school leaned his .22 rifle on a wire fence to climb through. His gun fell over, went off and made a nice hole through his calf. And of course the one in high school who stood his chambered 12ga up behind the seat of his PU. Naturally it fell over & blasted a hole in the cab.
There are exceptions!

 

[buck460XVR]

If people are truly concerned about gun safety... education is the logical answer.
Why is it that such a simple & effective solution isn't thought of?

Comes down to the fact that young children are not capable of cognitive thinking. It's biological, and it develops in children at different paces, like puberty. Most children cannot think "logically" until at least the age of 7, many not til they are 11. Thus they are taught to walk away and tell someone with cognitive thinking capabilities, instead of handling it improperly. Similar to why most states prohibit children without cognitive thinking capabilities to hunt alone, without someone with those abilities. While they can shoot and handle a firearm safely within certain parameters, it's when things fall outside those parameters that there are issues.

 

[herrwalther]

Not every child is on the same level with firearms. The Eddie Eagle program of "Stop, don't touch, tell an adult." was to keep all kids, regardless of what they have been taught by parents, safe from unsecured firearms. It is not designed to instill a life long fear of firearms in children that goes to adulthood. I would rather have programs like this than have the guessing game of which kid has been taught safety with their parents game.

My son is 8. Because of his cognitive disabilities, he is nowhere near safe with a firearm. And likely won't be until he is a late teenager. I teach him trigger discipline and muzzle awareness on unloaded cap guns. He is not on the same level as other 8 year olds I have seen in this area. That is fine, he will learn at his own pace as long as I am around to teach it.

 

[SmeeAgain]

Not every child is on the same level with firearms. The Eddie Eagle program of "Stop, don't touch, tell an adult." was to keep all kids, regardless of what they have been taught by parents, safe from unsecured firearms. It is not designed to instill a life long fear of firearms in children that goes to adulthood. I would rather have programs like this than have the guessing game of which kid has been taught safety with their parents game.

My son is 8. Because of his cognitive disabilities, he is nowhere near safe with a firearm. And likely won't be until he is a late teenager. I teach him trigger discipline and muzzle awareness on unloaded cap guns. He is not on the same level as other 8 year olds I have seen in this area. That is fine, he will learn at his own pace as long as I am around to teach it.

Unlike some, you wisely chose the "hands on" approach and recognize your son's temporary limitations. THAT is impressive.
At least when he is an adult, he will have been taught what to do & what not to do when some kid finds an unattended firearm & goes to him for help.

 

[0ne3]

You are only, as good as the people that teach you.

 

[buck460XVR]

You are only, as good as the people that teach you.

That is why, "It takes a village...."

 

[luzyfuerza]

The key is just to get out and do it!

I just led a safety orientation for a group of 4H kids this week. We're shooting rifles together next Saturday.

Today, I'm heading out to attend a 4-day defensive handgun class with my son, daughter, and DIL, who are all new to handguns.

The opportunities are there...you'll probably need to initiate things...you might need to get some credentials or pay some money...but just do it! Its worth it!

 

[PWC]

20 yrs ago 4 other parents and I ran a NRA junior shooting progran for the state assn. The juniors had to be 9 yrs old with parents written consent, and at least one parent must attend the same safety class as the juniors, and must help (set up/takedown act as line safety ofcr, after more training) in the program. No parent participation, kid didn't shoot. No drop off kids.

First night was all safety lecture and demonstration. Second night, and thereafter, kids had to answer safety questions verbally as they were issued their rifle. There were 50 firing points, and most nights, they were filled.

These were all city kids; it was easy to tell which ones had prior instruction and those starting at week 1- day 1. Never had any pushback from parents. Any family observers had to stay behind the fence behind the firing line. Only "wokers" and shooters allowed in front.

Many parents were single moms, one was a mom that had been held up at gun point twice, at work, and was afraid of guns, but wanted her son to learn to shoot safely. She was a great mom and helper.

We emphasized safety first, then fun. We graduated several hundred kids with their patches from pro-marksman to expert. Only one time did I have to send a kid home. Shooters were down range, and they went forward and picked up their rifle to adjust sights. I told the parent why I was taking that action, and they agreed.

Last year I went to the range to see if the program was still alive and maybe volunteer. It's not the same...only kids with $$$ equipment. Program manager said they could not get general participation, so the program became precision shooting.

So, I guess the liberals have been successful in scaring parents away from true gun safety programs for kids, at least here.

 

[SmeeAgain]

20 yrs ago 4 other parents and I ran a NRA junior shooting progran for the state assn. The juniors had to be 9 yrs old with parents written consent, and at least one parent must attend the same safety class as the juniors, and must help (set up/takedown act as line safety ofcr, after more training) in the program. No parent participation, kid didn't shoot. No drop off kids.

First night was all safety lecture and demonstration. Second night, and thereafter, kids had to answer safety questions verbally as they were issued their rifle. There were 50 firing points, and most nights, they were filled.

These were all city kids; it was easy to tell which ones had prior instruction and those starting at week 1- day 1. Never had any pushback from parents. Any family observers had to stay behind the fence behind the firing line. Only "wokers" and shooters allowed in front.

Many parents were single moms, one was a mom that had been held up at gun point twice, at work, and was afraid of guns, but wanted her son to learn to shoot safely. She was a great mom and helper.

We emphasized safety first, then fun. We graduated several hundred kids with their patches from pro-marksman to expert. Only one time did I have to send a kid home. Shooters were down range, and they went forward and picked up their rifle to adjust sights. I told the parent why I was taking that action, and they agreed.

Last year I went to the range to see if the program was still alive and maybe volunteer. It's not the same...only kids with $$$ equipment. Program manager said they could not get general participation, so the program became precision shooting.

So, I guess the liberals have been successful in scaring parents away from true gun safety programs for kids, at least here.

I've seen a steady decline as well but it doesn't appear to be from lack of interest with the kids... it's the parents falling for the liberal hype.
Something can and should be done.
Those against firearms are a tiny fraction of the population but they have big mouths and are determined to get their way.
Well... I have a big mouth too. And I'm not giving up without a fight.
We have "right" and pure logic on our side. The opposition has only BS & emotion... and huge financial backing.
This is how we do it... Mr Nobody safety instructor isn't going to approach a school board & successfully promote firearm safety / shooting classes. The enemy is already well embedded there.
What we need is our county sheriffs & city police chiefs to back us up. I believe most will.
We get local law enforcement to contact the parents via direct mail, advertising etc. stating the necessity to educate our children on fitearm safety / proficiency.
Then together as a team, City / County Officials, Parents and Instructors (maybe even press) approach the school boards and present the proposed instruction program(s). Then let them squirm trying to get out of it.
They can't possibly claim that forced ignorance of firearms is somehow safer for our children & the general public than professionally taught safety classes.
Then keep the pressure on just as they do.

 

[buck460XVR]

So, I guess the liberals have been successful in scaring parents away from true gun safety programs for kids, at least here.

In the Hunter Safety classes that I have helped with since the mid-eighties, we have not seen any, if much, significant drop in numbers. While parents are having fewer children, there has been a big increase in female shooters that has made up for the decrease in available male shooters. When Wisconsin made so the basic Hunter Safety course was all that was needed for their new CWC license, we had to have more sessions so new youth hunters could get a license. What we have seen is the decrease in actual hunters, even with the new addition of female hunters. Has nuttin' to do with liberal parents scaring their kids from guns, but parents not having a good spot for their kid to hunt. Shooting sports has increased around here to the point we even have Sporting Clay leagues at the Middle and High Schools. But between the cost of ammo and the cost of what most youth today consider a decent gun, those numbers tend to be limited. Add to the fact that so many parents push their kids to participate in athletic sports year round and many kids don;t have time for hunting or the shooting sports.....and this is in a rural area where there are opportunities to shoot somewhere. Unlike urban areas where one has to travel to shoot or pay big bucks to shoot indoors. Used to be hunting/shooting was a poor man's sport. As a kid I worked loading the traps in the shooting houses at the local Sportsman's club. Most every adult male in he town and surrounding area shot on Sunday afternoons or Tuesday nights. No one dissed them for using Dad's old SxS or their 870 grouse gun. No so much anymore. Even the kids shooting High School league think they need a Citori or better. Their shooting vest and glasses alone, cost more than my go to Turkey gun.