What should I have done?

[Big Larry]

Yesterday evening, the little boy from two houses down, came down with one of those airsoft pistols. It shoots bb's and I could hear them rattling inside. This boy is 9 years old. My grandson is 7. My grandson has seen my guns, and he knows, (as much as any 7 yr old knows), to leave them alone, and not mess with them, unless I'm there.

Anyway, the neighbor kid comes over, and I ask to see the gun. He hands it to me sideways, and I turn away from the boys, and fire a couple rounds into the ground. I don't know much about these "toy" guns, so I was amazed that it shot about 8-10 bb's in quick succession. I handed the gun back to the boy, and he turned around and pulled the trigger and let loose with a few bb's. Then it quit firing, and he turns it up to his face, and looks down the barrel. I said, "Hey Little Dude, don't ever point that barrel at your face like that." I didn't yell, I was calm, but worried. Then he turns towards me, and sweeps me, and I told him, "Don't point the barrel at anyone like that." "Here let me show you." He hands me the gun again, and I showed him the proper way to hold it, and how not to point the barrel at anything he didn't want to shoot. I give him back the gun, and as he's turning away, I'll be darned if he doesn't sweep me again. I told him, "Hey, take that gun home, and don't come back over here, until your Dad teaches you the proper way to come outside with it. I couldn't believe his Dad just gave him the gun, and said here, "Go outside". I plan to talk to his Dad sometime this weekend. There's no danger of his Dad getting an attitude or anything like that, it just blows my mind, that in this day and age, people turn their kids loose like that. Any advice on talking to his Dad, would be beneficial. Thanks.

 

[Lupinus]

simply explain to the father that the kid is acting in a non-safe manner with his gun. Does dad know anything about gun safty? If not tell him you wouldn't mind giving his kid a few lessons with his permission (so long as it is something you are willing to do of course)

Airsofts can still be dangerous. I hate to say it but....he coulda shot his eye out

 

[Jackal]

Id just tell him that until his son learns firearms safety, it would be best if he didnt bring the bb gun over anymore. Also maybe suggest the dad and his son take a hunting education course. I did with my father, and it really did help me learn the consequences of poor firearm safety. I think its best to nip this in the budd now, before the boy brings a "toy" .22 to your house.

 

[atlctyslkr]

In some places discharging an air gun is just as bad as a conventional firearm. I know if Ia child was out with an airgun here his parents would be charged. There may be a law like that where you are. I would look into and if so politely inform the parents. This kid is eventually going to get bored shooting at the ground and start in on birds, cats, and anything else that moves.

Many local gun clubs hold saftey courses for children. Sounds like this kid and his dad need to go to one.

 

[TX1911fan]

A friend's daugher was shot in the eye with an airsoft gun from very close range. She is not blind, but has lost significant peripheral vision, and is at risk for glaucoma and other degenerative eye problems. She's 6 and has to have an annual exam for these problems for the rest of her life. My kids and I treat airsoft guns exactly the same as we treat all guns, including trigger and muzzle safety. Many people don't, unfortunately.

 

[berettaman]

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Poor kid.Let the boy be a boy for gods sake.The airsoft is not a firearm.It's a toy gun.Sure,teach him "firearms" safety with firearms and let him to play guns with toy guns.:banghead:

 

[robert garner]

Sorry !

The proper use of allowing a youngster a "toy" gun is to Teach !!!!
As the twig is bent and all that.
Proper handling techniques tought NOW will prevent much more serious
consequences later. "Let the boy be a boy"? What's wrong with a boy
knowing that he is trusted to be safe? Can You imagine the sense of pride
a little education imparts? I tought my son with bb guns, i trust him with his .22's! He may not be 'perfesional enuff' but he wont be toting any un-authorized holes in his anatomy!
robert

 

[CAPTAIN MIKE]

Got It All Wrong

This is an Opportunity.

Invite the boy and his dad to tag along with you & your grandson to the outdoor range, where you will have a 'Firearm Safety Class' and allow the boys to (A) Learn Safety Rules and (B) Have FUN Shooting in a safe environment.

Good way to get 'em started off right. Plus you might just convert the Dad in the process.

 

[XavierBreath]

Berettaman, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. Any "toy" gun capable of launching a projectile such as a pellet or a plasic BB can cause injury. I've dug enough BBs out from under boy's skin to know this. I have seen people who lost eyes to air powered guns, including one to an unloaded air gun. The pneumatic pressure alone destroyed the eye.

Pneumatic guns can cause unnecessary permenant damage in children. That is unacceptable. The best recipe for prevention is to wait until the child is mature enough, and then educate them on the Four Rules. The Four Rules apply to all guns, including air guns.

Yes, when I was a kid many years ago, we shot our Red Ryders at each other scoring hits that caused welts at times. That does not make it right. It just makes us lucky.

Big Larry, you did just fine. I probably would have relieved the kid of his "toy" and returned it to his father that evening. Chances are, his dad doesn't know a thing about gun safety or guns. It sounds like he and his son are ripe for teaching though.

Here's a short article to read.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Invite the boy and his dad to tag along with you & your grandson to the outdoor range, where you will have a 'Firearm Safety Class' and allow the boys to (A) Learn Safety Rules and (B) Have FUN Shooting in a safe environment.

Good way to get 'em started off right. Plus you might just convert the Dad in the process.

If you go that route I'd use a .22 rifle. Gives you more to grab onto in case poor muzzle control is genetic
At first I was thinking the same as berettaman, but accidents are less likely to happen is ALL guns, toy or real, are treated with the same level of respect. Besides some of these airsoft guns are getting pretty powerful.

 

[nramember2]

Not trying to be harsh but i was taught that a toy gun is still a gun and should be treated as such. Tell the neighbor that his kid is welcome but you prefer that he left the gun at home.
Offer to take the father and son to the range. Take a mosin. preferably a m38 or a m44 for the fireball effect and show what a gun is capable of. my father shooting a gas can filled with water using a 12g slug is what got my attention.
I was not allowed to own toy guns when i was a kid. I shot my first deer at 11yr. My father gave me my first real gun the following christmas. I only used it under his supervision.
We still hunt together to this day.
Groundhog hunting tomorrow.

 

[hso]

I'd first explian to the dad that he child pointed the gun right at his own face and then at his eye.

I'd then mention that you "know" a Dr. that has had to treat eye injuries and that while they make great toys they also are not as safe as Nerf guns.

Finally I'd tell him that Jr. also pointed the gun at other people.

None of this was malicious on the part of Jr. and that he has no idea that it could be dangerous to himself or anyone else, but that perhaps some shooting practice with playing cards and gem clips for bases would help teach him about what's going on before he hurt himself or someone else.

 

[Lupinus]

beretta-
I have to disagree with you...strongly. Yes it is an airsoft and you have me leeway, airsoft fights and all that. But it still launches a projectile and proper safty needs to be taught. That is you don't point guns at people (in the case of airsoft unless its been agreed and you have proper protection), you don't look down the barrel, etc. Just liek a paintball gun. That think hits him in the eye and it could blind him, hell a nerf toy hitting in the eye could blind someone.

Toys are little things with red caps or cap guns that make a little snap for effect. If it launchs any sort of projectile they need to know and follow proper safty to go along with whatever the type of gun it is as different modifications are made to the rules for the type of gun.

 

[Mainsail]

I'm thoroughly impressed with the calm demeanor you displayed. Good job.

 

[Chuck123]

Gun Safety for all Kids, NRA Eddie Egle

Your story shows way all grade school kid should take the NRA gun safety course. I think the course is called Eddie Eagle. I also hear were the NRA members will come to schools present the free class and hand out information. Contact the NRA for further information.

Chuck

 

[JohnKSa]

I've wrestled with toy vs real guns and I just don't have a good answer.

I think it becomes a lot more black and white when the "toy" is an actual projectile launcher--even if it's pretty impotent. As XavierBreath points out, even something as apparently harmless as an unloaded airgun can cause some pretty severe damage under the proper (though admittedly unlikely) circumstances.

It's an opportunity.

Don't know how hard you can be on a little kid over something like that on his first try. I've seen adults who couldn't grasp the concept even after a good bit of training.

 

[10 Ring Tao]