Boy finds key to gun safe and shoots self in head

[PlayboyPenguin]

I am sorry too. A hundred years ago guns were as common as a hammer or a shovel, and considered to be in the same class. All were tools. A kid would no more injure himself with a gun than hit himself in the head with an axe. Kids saw the results of using a gun every day and they knew how to use them. I was raised that way. My dad was born in 1902. He grew up with a gun in his hand. He'd have gone hungry many nights if he hadn't been able to shoot something for dinner. I was shooting at the age of 3 (with help). There are photos of it in the family album. My dad's guns sat in a cabinet in a corner of the living room, unlocked, with ammo on the top shelf. I was never tempted to fiddle with any of it.

That said, my step kids were raised without guns around until they were about 5 years old. So yes, except for home defense and CHL weapons are unloaded and in a double lock safe. I carry the only key. There is no spare. The ammo is locked up in a different location. My CHL weapon is in my pocket and under my control. My HD weapon is in an electronic combination safe.

That is a common misconception. Even in olden days youth were not allowed access to firearms in most cases. In fact even some old english townships had rules forbidding it. My great grandfather used to tell us how proud he was the first time his father removed his hunting rifle from it place high above the mantle and let him hold it. Before that date touching it was forbidden and it was never left where he could get to it while his parents were not around.

Also, firearm fatalities where much higher than todays levels in the days when children had greater access to firearms. I remember reading in a statistical digest once (when doing research for a college paper on child development) that, quite often, firearm related deaths actually ranked in the top five means of non-illness related deaths of children under 12 in "the good 'ol days." Especially during hunting season.