How old were you when you first shot a gun...

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  • bwb87
    bwb87 Posts: 20 Member
    edited March 2016
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    sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Am I the only one here scratching my head at how everyone else seems to think children firing guns is a good thing?

    This isn't a political thread. If you don't understand now you never will, but teaching children responsibility is part of raising responsible adults, and you can better believe that teaching children to shoot requires plenty of supervision.

    +1. I will teach my kids when I have some and they're old enough. I wish I grew up with firearms but I didn't fire my first shot til this year and I'm 28. Gun ownership requires you to surrender yourself to and embrace a necessary culture of safety and responsibility. If any one is being unsafe, they're usually called out and corrected in the community. Unfortunately, as with anything, there are negligent dumbasses out there.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    WeekendWarriorTX wrote: »
    I don't know how young I was, but my granddad took me plinking with his .22. around 8-10 i want to say.

    For those that haven't and say they never will, why?

    Well my answer is never and never plan to.

    Why?

    Well, I do not live on a farm nor am I interested in shooting ranges. Nor do I work in an occupation like police where I would be armed ( in Australia)
    Most people in Australia do not own guns unless they fit into one of the above categories.
    I have no need or desire to ever shoot a gun

  • ryanflebbe
    ryanflebbe Posts: 188 Member
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    It's funny how people from Europe haven't even seen a gun, or can't imagine owning or shooting one. People from America can't imagine not. Worlds apart. I have no idea about myself, but my son was 6.
  • rvaldezlpn
    rvaldezlpn Posts: 11 Member
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    I was 26, took a basic pistal course and shot .22, 9mm & 45 .... Now try to go to the range at least monthly
  • Spuffz
    Spuffz Posts: 49 Member
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    34 and I now own a lovely Gamo (air pistol, I'm in the UK, plus my aim is nowhere good enough to get my shot gun licence yet, I'd be deadly lol)

    Love going to the range, even if I do shriek and close my eyes... :-)

  • michaelafoor916
    michaelafoor916 Posts: 710 Member
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    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Am I the only one here scratching my head at how everyone else seems to think children firing guns is a good thing?

    Probably not the only one but you would probably be surprised on how many people believe it IS a good thing. Educating children on the proper use of a firearm is something I believe every kid should be taught regardless of their parents, where they live, etc.. That doesn't mean they have to go out and use one, own one, or even be pro-gun. Teaching them how to use one safely, if nothing else, means they won't pick one up and accidentally shoot someone and they will know how to be disciplined with one.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    michaela_g09 wrote: »
    hamlet1222 wrote: »
    Am I the only one here scratching my head at how everyone else seems to think children firing guns is a good thing?

    Probably not the only one but you would probably be surprised on how many people believe it IS a good thing. Educating children on the proper use of a firearm is something I believe every kid should be taught regardless of their parents, where they live, etc.. That doesn't mean they have to go out and use one, own one, or even be pro-gun. Teaching them how to use one safely, if nothing else, means they won't pick one up and accidentally shoot someone and they will know how to be disciplined with one.

    They are extremely unlikely to pick one up and accidentally shoot someone if they have no guns around for them to do so.
    Such accidental gun shootings by children are unheard of in most countries.
    So, no, every kid does not need to be taught how to use a firearm wherever they live.

    I never was and nor did I need to. Nor were my children or any other children I know. Nor would anyone I know agree to that premise.


  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
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    Most countries don't trust their citizens...
  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 810 Member
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    I was 8. .22. Before that BB. Born and raised around guns.
    My dad was 4 and his 7 year old uncle took him out shooting.
    My brother took his oldest shoot when he turned 5. He loved it.

  • MudstainSally
    MudstainSally Posts: 571 Member
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    19 US Army bootcamp, only time I shot an M16, carried an M249 the rest of my time in and LOVED it. Now I have a few guns, my daughter doesn't like them, but she knows how to check the safety, safely unload them and hold them.
  • gcibsthom
    gcibsthom Posts: 30,129 Member
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    5 or 6. We always had guns around the house...
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    8 or so. At a boy scout camp.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,671 Member
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    I think I was about 12 and it was a big deal. Here in Canada we don't generally hand our kids guns for their 5th birthdays
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    Never. Nor would I wish to.
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
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    4, 17MM that I still shoot today. I live in the American Wild west and have continued to teach firearm safety to my children and others. All of my children all have their own weapons also, and have been taught to respect them as weapons. First thing I ever shot ended up as dinner for my family. We had rabbit stew. We continue to hunt as a family and I love the adventure of bringing in a freezer full of meat where I know what the meat processing looks like. Nothing better than a large moose roast in the crockpot.
  • windee52
    windee52 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    .22 rifle when I was 7
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I was 16, it was a .22.

    My son was 6 and my daughter was 4. Both have shot BB guns and my .380 with my assistance.
  • Jpinpoint
    Jpinpoint Posts: 219 Member
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    6 yrs old. A .22.

    32 yrs later I'm an EDC of a compact .40. I live in a state where I can legally own assault weapons so I have a couple AR's and AK's. I have my concealed carry and I carry EVERYWHERE. I fly withe my EDC, properly.

    I don't defend my rights, I know my rights and anyone who is anti guns is welcome to my home but know if the apocalypse came to my front door I'd leave you to fist fight.
  • Jpinpoint
    Jpinpoint Posts: 219 Member
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    glassyo wrote: »
    My late 20s at a shooting range...where we quickly learned if I have to shoot someone, everything that's not the target will get hurt the most. :)

    Haha I was recently at the outdoor range and the sight on my .40 was off, I knew it was. Boy, I hit everything on the box except the target.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    We were young. Maybe I was 10. My father and uncle took me and my brother squirrel hunting. We didn't find squirrels. We shot a tree. Damned tree. I used a .22. It fired .22 Shorts. My dad told me, "Don't ever shoot a man with a .22 Short. It will just make him mad and he'll make you eat that gun."

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