Anyone here into firearms?

GMZ · 07-29-2009, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

Just as a counterpoint though, there was an accident in the 80's in the small town where I grew up where a small boy (I want to say ~4-5 years old) got into dad's closet and found his loaded revolver which was hidden in a boot (of all places - the father was a cop and should've known better) and accidentally shot himself in the stomach playing with it. The kid lived, with lots of surgery and a giant scar up his abdomen. I'm all for the argument of educating kids to know and respect firearms, and I think that strategy works well after a certain point in the child's maturity level. However, there's nothing you can show to a 5 year old, or tell them, that will make them not play with a dangerous thing left available. Any kind of locked cabinet (even the cheesy old gun cabinets made of paper-thin wood with a glass front and a skeleton key) would have prevented that.

True, and leaving it loaded is indeed tempting fate just a little bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvfreakazoid

That's a good point. That's the big thing is "educating" them would be great first step.

Unfortunately these days parents seem content to let Direct TV raise their kids, although the camaraderie/family/respecting nature aspect of the gun/sporting culture mitigates that somewhat because after all its serious business. When I was a kid I was so hyper I almost got kicked out of every school I was in, but as soon as it was time to go hunting I was so stone faced that my parents wanted me to go more.

wstar · 07-29-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMZ

True, and leaving it loaded is indeed tempting fate just a little bit.

Yeah that's the important point. If you feel like (for whatever professional or personal reasons) you need to keep a loaded gun available in the house and you've got small children, the only option is to keep it on you in a (possibly concealed) holster, so that it's never out of your control.