Replica pistol for education purposes?

[Yarome]

Thanks, I think this is the closest I'm gonna be able to get to what I'm looking for. Looking at reviews, some Denix models will do basically everything except fully load and eject a cartridge. Not ideal but probably good enough.

Going the "as real as possible replica" route... be sure to treat/secure it exactly the same as you would a real firearm. Treating it casually as a "non firearm" and idle/curious hands don't mix. If used inappropriately, not many people on the other side of it are going to take the time to scrutinize it closely enough to realize it isn't actually a working firearm... before they act/shoot.

 

[OldPewPews]

Im more curious of your story how you own guns, want to teach your kids about guns...
but have managed to hide your guns and still dont want your kids to know you have the guns, even though your teaching them how to use them...?

I appreciate that mine is an unusual situation. My goal is specific, as described in my original post. I won't be training them in how to use guns per se, only showing them key, safety-related things to do/be aware of, so as to reduce their chances of becoming a statistic if someone around them is being irresponsible with a gun.

If you were fully aware of my family situation, you'd understand why I'm not going to go down the road of full training and why I'm keeping the knowledge that there are guns in the house from them. There are good reasons for both of those things, reasons that I'm not going to go into here. This is partly because they're not relevant to my original question and partly because there are a number of people here (not you) who seem to think it's their business to condescendingly tell me how I ought to behave toward my wife, my kids and my friends. I see no value in giving disrespectful people like that any of my time.

[Edit: I realized, thanks to @Yarome's post below, that I actually wasn't specific enough in the original post, so I updated it. That's my bad!]

 

[Koda]

and partly because there are a number of people here (not you) who seem to think it's their business

I was just curious because Im well aware of family situations where its not pertenant to be entirely open about real guns. I felt bad after I asked that but thank you for seeing I wasn't being condescending with it.

 

[OldPewPews]

So you want to teach your kids to handle fake guns and not tell them you have real guns in the house. That way when they are in your sock drawer looking for the 10 year old Penthouse you keep hidden there they will find your real gun that they don't know about and think it's a fake gun. Gosh what could go wrong with that?

My guns and all associated gun-related stuff are kept in a hidden safe. The only time they ever leave that safe is when I'm going to the range. I'm very confident that they aren't aware it even exists at this point. (Because if they found a safe, there's a 100% chance they would ask me about it, because that's kind of kids they are.) One day, perhaps they'll figure it out. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

 

[OldPewPews]

I was just curious because Im well aware of family situations where its not pertenant to be entirely open about real guns. I felt bad after I asked that but thank you for seeing I wasn't being condescending with it.

No problem. It was a reasonable question to ask and you asked it perfectly reasonably.

 

[Yarome]

.... only showing them key, safety-related things to do/be aware of, so as to reduce their chances of becoming a statistic if someone around them is being irresponsible with a gun.

I, for one, reading the OP didn't pick up at all that was your only goal and maybe wrongly assumed it was a step in the process of teaching them safe handling. It seems rather obvious though from the opinions given that I wasn't alone.

Understanding your intent better now my recommend would be completely different.

Instead of potentially giving them a false sense of security that they have the ability to safely handle/secure another persons firearm (which is likely not going to be the type you are "training" them on)... it's likely in their best interest to teach them to AVOID any contact with any firearm, quickly remove themselves from the area/situation and promptly report it to a competent adult figure.

Teaching them it's okay to handle/secure a firearm based on limited handling of a specific type of replica is likely to do more harm than good, IMHO.

 

[OldPewPews]

Going the "as real as possible replica" route... be sure to treat/secure it exactly the same as you would a real firearm. Treating it casually as a "non firearm" and idle/curious hands don't mix. If used inappropriately, not many people on the other side of it are going to take the time to scrutinize it closely enough to realize it isn't actually a working firearm... before they act/shoot.

Other than letting them know at the beginning that it's not a real gun, I will 100% be treating it as if it is one. And once I'm done, they'll never see it again. I see no upside and only several downsides in letting them treat it as if it's not real.

 

[Koda]

Instead of potentially giving them a false sense of security that they have the ability to safely handle/secure another persons firearm (which is likely not going to be the type you are "training" them on)... it may be in their best interest to teach them to AVOID any contact with any firearm, quickly remove themselves from the area/situation and promptly report it to a competent adult figure.

Teaching them it's okay to handle a firearm based on limited handling of a specific type of replica is likely to do more harm than good, IMHO.

When my oldest was ready I taught her on the only pistol I owned at the time, a 1911. I taught her how to safely handle it as well as if it didn't have a hammer or thumb safety the basics apply to all pistols. As kids get old enough they may be in a situation they cant just quickly remove themselves from, I wanted her to know how to unload it.
Another alternative if appropriate is to take the kiddos to the Kids Safe Foundation class, these classes are free and cover all action types.

 

[OldPewPews]

I, for one, reading the OP didn't pick up at all that was your only goal

You're quite right: I really didn't explain that very well in the original post! I added a little more to it so it should be clearer now. Thanks!

 

[Yarome]

When my oldest was ready I taught her on the only pistol I owned at the time, a 1911. I taught her how to safely handle it as well as if it didn't have a hammer or thumb safety the basics apply to all pistols. As kids get old enough they may be in a situation they cant just quickly remove themselves from, I wanted her to know how to unload it.
Another alternative if appropriate is to take the kiddos to the Kids Safe Foundation class, these classes are free and cover all action types.

I can see that if you are trying to build an ongoing/developing foundation for firearm use. Still... I don't necessarily agree that teaching someone the basics on one specific firearm a couple times, never to be seen or handled again, is going to allow for safe handling of all types. The variations are too great to be assured of safe handling, IMHO. Safeties, mag releases, hammer locks, mag safeties, and then there are revolvers.....

Even understanding the mechanical basics in a limited exposure scenario... never to be repeated, practiced or reinforced...that doesn't amount to well developed finger and muzzle discipline.

If absolute safety and firearm avoidance is the main goal... giving someone just enough info to be dangerous seems like the wrong approach.

Kinda like my previous analogy. Taking a few spins in the parking lot then forever expecting them to have the ability to safely operate all vehicle sizes, makes and models(?) In fairness though... vehicles controls are typically more universal in operation and a more reasonable expectation than firearms.

 

[nammac]

I'd normally say something along the lines of:

"Don't blur the line between real and replica firearms, don't rely on a non-firearms enthusiast to be able to make that distinction when handling an unknown specimen"

I'd go further to state: "even police officers who handle firearms everyday are, at times, hard pressed to make the distinction"

But doing so would be useless, as it seems you've made up your mind. Personally, I feel that's a recipe for disaster…

 

[Koda]

I don't necessarily agree that teaching someone the basics on one specific firearm a couple times, never to be seen or handled again, is going to allow for safe handling of all types. The variations are too great to be assured of safe handling, IMHO. Safeties, mag releases, hammer locks, mag safeties, and then there are revolvers.....

I dont think its practical for any gun owner to own every action type and every design type. The basics are the same how to handle a gun safely if one needs to take it away from someone or know if someone else is handling it unsafely. Theres so much to this to fit in one box and we dont know each family's circumstances. Some training is better than none.

 

[Yarome]

I dont think its practical for any gun owner to own every action type and every design type. The basics are the same how to handle a gun safely if one needs to take it away from someone or know if someone else is handling it unsafely. Theres so much to this to fit in one box and we dont know each family's circumstances. Some training is better than none.

Obviously, that extreme wasn't at all what I was implying.

I don't necessarily disagree with "some training is better than none", in general principle. So long as a person is aware of the boundaries of their limited knowledge/experience. I would hazard to say though that younger children and/or adolescents often lack the maturity and self regulation ability to judge where that line is. After all... what we're talking about here in this scenario is about teaching them to be able to act on their own accord without adult intervention/supervision, right.

The danger being... with very limited knowledge comes great potential to knowing just enough to make them dangerous to themselves or others. It's a real "thing" played out on a routine basis... and not exclusive to "children".

I have to say though... I consider my kids very well versed in a wide variety of firearm types, and it does depend on the situation and relationship, but teaching them to attempt to take a firearm away from someone they feel is being unsafe isn't in my play book. To the contrary... mine have been taught to never touch another persons firearm without their express permission. Ask, suggest or reprimand, yes. Remove themselves, yes. Inform a competent/responsible adult, yes. Attempting to "take it" has the potential to immediately escalate into a bad situation and lead to accidents, IMHO. If a bad situation is already brewing... that's certainly not a de-escalation technique I've ever tried to teach my children.

Opinions differ and to each their own when it comes to how they want to raise their children. Simply "food for thought".

 

[ilikegunspdx]

There are BB guns available in every make and model now. I mean everything form a beretta 92 to a Mauser c96 is available. Maybe just find one of those that functions just like real gun.


If it were me I would focus on the the four rules of gun safety and not on getting a fake gun. But to each their own. I chose to teach a deep respect for a gun and what it can do and learn the four rules and never, ever, violate them.

 

[Tlock]

A bb gun is a real firearm and should be treated as such

 

[Lazyfaire]

Hi folks,

As the only one among my family and friends who has experience with firearms, I find myself in the position of being the one that others are looking to to provide some basic education about gun to our kids. As they get older, the time is rapidly approaching where the advice, "If you see a gun, don't touch it and go find an adult", isn't gonna cut it anymore. They're gonna be out and about, doing their thing. They're gonna go to parties. It's possible that some idiot will produce a weapon to be "cool" in front of the girls. And accidents happen negligence happens, sometimes the worst kind of accident negligence. So I'll be showing them how pistols work, the 4 fundamental rules, providing them with an understanding of how to recognize when a gun isn't safe, how to make it safe, etc.

With that in mind, do you have any make/model recommendations for a replica, semi-auto pistol? It would need to be fully-functional in every respect (other than being able to actually fire, of course), so that I can demonstrate things like the four fundamental rules, how to recognize when it's loaded/chambered, how to recognize when it's safe, how to make it safe, etc. etc.

If anyone's wondering why I don't simply do this with my own guns, there are two reasons: one is that my friends are not comfortable around guns and would be happier if it's not a real one, and the other is that my kids don't actually know that there are guns in our house and my wife and I prefer to keep it that way for as long as we can!

Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

[Edit: Added some more to the end of the first paragraph to elaborate on my goal. Also updated "accident" to "negligence" because @RVTECH has eagle eyes and I was complacent on that one!]

If it to use while teaching others about pistol safety why not buy/use a blue pistol? Never known one to have a ND.

 

[Yarome]

A bb gun is a real firearm and should be treated as such

Ahhhh yes. The countless lazy afternoons after chores playing BB tag with your buddys and your daisy's... fond memories!

Of course, that was a simpler time before the game of tag evolved into violent... hands only... "got you!", "no you didn't!!" fights. BB's left no dispute about who got got. That's "progress" for you.

 

[CLT65]

Ahhhh yes. The countless lazy afternoons after chores playing BB tag with your buddys and your daisy's... fond memories!

Of course, that was a simpler time before the game of tag evolved into violent... hands only... "got you!", "no you didn't!!" fights. BB's left no dispute about who got got. That's "progress" for you.

I had friends as a kid who told me about their fun BB gun wars, occasionally inviting me to participate. I never did. Gun safety had been deeply ingrained in me, and if I had ever been caught pointing my BB gun at another person, let alone pulling the trigger, I would have been harshly disciplined. Even now, decades later, the thought makes my skin crawl a little bit.

 

[Koda]

but teaching them to attempt to take a firearm away from someone they feel is being unsafe isn't in my play book.

To clarify I'm not talking about teaching them to disarm someone, thats totally different and lands squarely in the advanced self defense classes.

 

[Yarome]

I had friends as a kid who told me about their fun BB gun wars, occasionally inviting me to participate. I never did. Gun safety had been deeply ingrained in me, and if I had ever been caught pointing my BB gun at another person, let alone pulling the trigger, I would have been harshly disciplined. Even now, decades later, the thought makes my skin crawl a little bit.

But airsoft and paintball are perfectly acceptable sport. Go figure!!