What should be minimum age to own firearms, 18 or 25?

[.455_Hunter]

Having seen today's youth, I have to agree with their thinking at this point in time. Back several decades, it was different; however the last 20 years have shown the opposite to be true

With what youth of today do you interact on a personal level?

There are some damn fine kids in my son's social circles- Scouts, baseball, rifle club and school band.

 

[FL-NC]

There are thousands of US service members between the ages of 18 and 24 doing some pretty amazing things every day- things that most of the population would never think of doing. And we, as a Nation, are very lucky to have these men and women doing these things. I sure as heck don't want to do them any more at 54. There are also many brave and well trained law enforcement and emergency services/first responder types under 25 that keep us safe at home, and come to our rescue in various capacities when things go bad. Minors are having sex (on average) at much younger ages than in the 1950's. Should they wait until age 25 to be able to marry? Getting married is pretty adult. If we move the goal posts for these public service/military jobs, eliminating 18-25 year olds eliminates a large demographic from being able to serve. The minimum age for mil retirement for enlisted would be 45. Doing real combat past 40 is a real feat. Add at least 4 years to the officer corps, since they need a 4 year degree. Did you know 23 year old lieutenants are the norm in the military? Tell a 24 year old West Point grad infantry officer with a Ranger tab serving in the 82d Airborne that he is too immature for the responsibility of being a platoon leader. Let me know about the reaction. Also, a HUGE proportion of recent HS grads enlisting in the military do so for the purpose of obtaining educational benefits. So if we make them wait until 25 to get started, then serve a 4 year minimum enlistment, they get to start college at 29- or more. I don't think they want to work at chick filet until 25 when they can at last apply to enlist. Since we are moving the goal posts + 7 years before the responsibilities of adulthood are to be bestowed, will these 18-24 year old children/minors still be the responsibility of their parents? Who wants to raise their hand and keep the kid in the house until 25? Will they still be minors should they stray away from the law at 24, and be charged as a juvenile delinquent?
Your logic is flawed in many ways. I do believe there should be a single age where one is considered a legal adult for ALL things- 18. Want to make it older? Get used to having the kids in the house for however many YEARS more that number is.

 

[.308 Norma]

Well then youngster, how long have you been buying size 12?

I can't remember - a couple of years at least.

Seems almost as ridiculous as claiming nobody is mature enough to buy guns before they're 25 doesn't it?

Absolutely! Our oldest grandson is 24, has a degree in Robotics Engineering, and works for a national defense contractor. His younger brother (age 22) is serving in the US Army. I figure they're both "mature" enough to buy guns. Especially seeing as how I, their grandfather (and grandmother too for that matter) started teaching them about safe gun handling way back when they were in kindergarten.

 

[Dale Alan]

Well, rental car companies do not consider anyone under 25 to be mature or responsible enough to rent a car. With the immaturity and irresponsibility of a large majority of today's youth (thanks to public school educations) I opt for 25 for everything legal, especially voting and deciding on things like what gender they want to be, let alone owning a gun. entering into contracts, etc.

That's funny right there...rental car companies being brought up in a gun ownership debate ? What is your field of expertise? Do you deal with youth to help them or just complain about them ?

 

[George P]

So you're OK with the big conglomerates, that seem to run everything controlling every aspect of your life?
I thought we were supposed to be a free people, with a Constitution that protected our rights from crap like this?

Thats some pretty scary thinking right there.

Oh please, stop the strawman BS; I didn't say anything about big corporations running everything, even though they already do. If you think we are a free people, you flunked civics and history class back in the 80s...........this country hasn't been "free" since before Wilson back over 100 years ago. I just said I would prefer informed and mature folks making decisions regarding this country, something the CURRENT crop of under 25s are capable of doing, thanks to their current public school indoctrination.

 

[George P]

With what youth of today do you interact on a personal level?

There are some damn fine kids in my son's social circles- Scouts, baseball, rifle club and school band.

Never said there weren't good kids, stop being disingenuous. All one has to do today is look at the overwhelming amount of idiots portraying as youth today participating in rainbow parades, socialist marches, etc. Since we can't go into politics, I'll leave it at that except to say there are more of them than the good kids at this moment in time, and have been since the Millenials of 20 or so years ago (or whatever they call that group)

 

[Howland937]

Who wants to raise their hand and keep the kid in the house until 25? Will they still be minors should they stray away

Best argument yet for not raising age limits.

I just said I would prefer informed and mature folks making decisions regarding this country

That's a preference I think we all would have, but there are a couple things I find faulty with this prospect. Biggest being that an argument could be made as to how informed and mature some of the decision makers in public offices are.

2nd being, the younger generations are going to be left with whatever's here after we're gone. They might as well have some input regarding what we stick them with.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Having seen today's youth, I have to agree with their thinking at this point in time. Back several decades, it was different; however the last 20 years have shown the opposite to be true

Said every generation ever.... “kids these days!”
I’ve met quite a few of today’s youth and was left pretty damn impressed in most instances.
Not all, of course, but like any cross section of any segment of society, you’ll find winners and duds.

if 18 is the age whereby people are then legally treated as an adult, then there should be no exceptions to that

 

[.455_Hunter]

Never said there weren't good kids, stop being disingenuous. All one has to do today is look at the overwhelming amount of idiots portraying as youth today participating in rainbow parades, socialist marches, etc. Since we can't go into politics, I'll leave it at that except to say there are more of them than the good kids at this moment in time, and have been since the Millenials of 20 or so years ago (or whatever they call that group)

Asking how you engage with today's youth is being disingenuous?

I woudn't be the first one to point out that there is a pretty big culture shift occuring with the second half of Gen Z, and the pendulum is starting to go back the other way. Even here in Boulder, many youth are starting to have nothing but mocking contempt for the socialist crybabies and race hustlers who are 5-20 years their senior.

 

[plainsdrifter]

I got granpa's guns when I was ten. Parents bought me guns and I think the age limit for possessing one without a parent around was 14 yrs old back in the day, like 1965ish?
Anyway, there's a difference between possession and legally buying one is there not?

 

[Ranger99]

18 for long guns
21 for handguns

Isn't it that way already?

The 21st century is a confusing time
because nothing is like any other time
I've ever experienced
I know a good many young people in
their early 20's that aren't as mature
as some I see in their teens.
I also see a lot of parents (dads) trying
to push shooting and gun hunting on
3 and 4 year old kids that can barely
go to the toilet by themselves.
I also see dads who don't seem mature
enough to be handling firearms themselves,
let alone trying to tutor a too-young kid
in the intricacies of firearms handling
and killing animals

All around hard to make a judgment about it

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

You should have full rights at what ever age the government starts taxing you at. Personally I think that should be 18, for rights and taxes.
I had my first rifle at 13 and a handgun before age 16. I know plenty of responsible kids and plenty of irresponsible, moronic idiots who are adults.

 

[Dale Alan]

Never said there weren't good kids, stop being disingenuous. All one has to do today is look at the overwhelming amount of idiots portraying as youth today participating in rainbow parades, socialist marches, etc. Since we can't go into politics, I'll leave it at that except to say there are more of them than the good kids at this moment in time, and have been since the Millenials of 20 or so years ago (or whatever they call that group)

I am sure the youngsters just love you too . I will say, I rather try to to help our youth more than I would a miserable old know it all anyday ....at least there is hope for them . I will be 60 years old next month, with Sons that are 32 and 34 , They are mature honest young men , their friends are the same . So I sit here and wonder just what your problem is ? Maybe it was your upbringing you should look at , maybe you are the one that has a problem?

 

[trackskippy]

Oh please, stop the strawman BS; I didn't say anything about big corporations running everything, even though they already do. If you think we are a free people, you flunked civics and history class back in the 80s...........this country hasn't been "free" since before Wilson back over 100 years ago. I just said I would prefer informed and mature folks making decisions regarding this country, something the CURRENT crop of under 25s are capable of doing, thanks to their current public school indoctrination.

So you do agree then, about letting the corporations decide for you and run things then?

And I agree, we haven't really been free for a long time, and the way things are going, it looks like it's about to get a lot worse. And what I get from what your saying, you want to help with that.

18 for long guns
21 for handguns

Isn't it that way already?

The 21st century is a confusing time
because nothing is like any other time
I've ever experienced
I know a good many young people in
their early 20's that aren't as mature
as some I see in their teens.
I also see a lot of parents (dads) trying
to push shooting and gun hunting on
3 and 4 year old kids that can barely
go to the toilet by themselves.
I also see dads who don't seem mature
enough to be handling firearms themselves,
let alone trying to tutor a too-young kid
in the intricacies of firearms handling
and killing animals

All around hard to make a judgment about it

Kids need to be taught about guns as soon as they can hold one and learn. You constantly pound safety into them, and you let them handle anything they want, anytime they want, and take the magic out of things.

The longer you wait, the harder it gets. To many bad influences these days in everyday life, TV, movies, games, etc. Young kids are learning sponges and are not stupid, and easily and readily learn if you're willing to do your job and teach them.

You as the parent are the programmer. You load the base data, and constantly reinforce it and add to it as they grow. You also teach them to think for themselves, heavily reinforce that.

If your kids are a problem, look in the mirror for the source. Old country logic is, "You plant potatoes, you get potatoes". So far from what I've seen, that's been about 99.9%.

 

[Dale Alan]

It's strange to see folks that were allowed to get guns when they were in their teens try to justify raising the age to 25 . I don't get the double standard . I guess we all feel our generation is the best, in reality our generations are just different . One other thing, many of these miserable old folks are mad at the youngsters because they don't want to admit it's time to pull over and let them pass you . I love teaching them and watching them grow, I have no problem when they leave me in their dust . That's my goal in the first place.

 

[Howland937]

It's strange to see folks that were allowed to get guns when they were in their teens try to justify raising the age to 25

Seems like it's a lot of "do as I say, not as I do", or maybe we give ourselves more credit than we deserve. We have better taste in music, clothes, hair styles, etc...just because we're older apparently.

I don't imagine it's really that different than it was when I was a kid.

 

[Tirod]

An 18 year old could have enlisted at 17, seen combat, come home, marry, by 19 have a kid, working job, buying/building his own home, own property, vote, but no, he's not mature enough to handle a pistol or hunting rifle despite his time served humping the MG in the squad. Why force him to wait years to own and use a firearm because his contemporaries in a decaying metro refuse to accept adult responsibilities?

We don't write the Constitution for the lowest common denominator or limit freedom because of the inability to be responsible. We write laws handing down time in confinement for that. Enforce it, fairly, and we solve more problems than taking away our freedoms.

It sounds like the same BS I had to put up with early on in MO - time in IN/MP was not good enough to qualify for carrying concealed, I had to pay for a class, the license, fingerprinting, and forced renewals. At the age of 55.

Thank you, no, taking away the inalienable rights of adults at any age needs to be a case by case decision with adjuication, not a revocation of the Constitution.

 

[Walkalong]

The state of today’s youth is not on topic