Too Young to Shoot Guns? | What Would You Do? | WWYD

[Koda]

I don't see virtually any pro-gun antics in mainstream TV, but apparently this episode of the reality show What Would You Do did a skit on buying a kid his first gun.

The actors are a dad buying his young son his first gun and a lady confronting him as if its wrong. The point was to see other customers reactions.They start out with a 22 youth rifle and work their way up to an AK47....

The reaction from the Iraq veteran is touching...

Read More

 

[L84Cabo]

As you say, it's pretty surprising as you don't usually see much "pro gun" anything in the media. Would have loved them to do this in front of anti gunners instead of a gun store. The responses would have been quite different.

 

[U8395279]

I don't see virtually any pro-gun antics in mainstream TV, but apparently this episode of the reality show What Would You Do did a skit on buying a kid his first gun.

The actors are a dad buying his young son his first gun and a lady confronting him as if its wrong. The point was to see other customers reactions.They start out with a 22 youth rifle and work their way up to an AK47....

The reaction from the Iraq veteran is touching...

Did ABC News honestly think that they would find some bleeding heart liberals at a Texas gun store?

These TV executives must live in a different world than we do. They are out of touch with reality.

Kudos to them, though, for still publishing the episode.

.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i got my first gun when i was 6.i still have it. my son is 2 1/2 and has two guns already(more like an excuse for me to buy more guns ).i've been taking him shooting since he was only a few months old. yeah, i dont let him shoot yet but, when we are in the garage i open the safe and let him look at and touch them. we practice proper gun safety with his little nerf dart guns. he does as good as id expect any 2 1/2 year old to do but i feel like if i start early with gun safety it will be with him forever. he tells me he cant wait to get big so he can go shoot his guns with me.

 

[Koda]

Did ABC News honestly think that they would find some bleeding heart liberals at a Texas gun store?

well they did find the one guy who thought it was wrong to buy the kid an AK47...

 

[Joe13]

Saw this a while ago - funny what some of the reactions were.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Interesting with the anti AK guy, "it's not needed for defense, cant hunt with it, don't need it!!!" I run into these types of folks ALL The Time!!! This is the type of person we need to target, this is the person who allows the 2nd to be gutted one step at a time!
It's these people that think the 2nd is subject to interpretation for today's world, they believe the 2nd can withstand changes until its all gone!!!

 

[Connor Murphy]

i got my first gun when i was 6.i still have it. my son is 2 1/2 and has two guns already(more like an excuse for me to buy more guns ).i've been taking him shooting since he was only a few months old. yeah, i dont let him shoot yet but, when we are in the garage i open the safe and let him look at and touch them. we practice proper gun safety with his little nerf dart guns. he does as good as id expect any 2 1/2 year old to do but i feel like if i start early with gun safety it will be with him forever. he tells me he cant wait to get big so he can go shoot his guns with me.

You rock, pops. Got my boy his first firearm at 7, he's 12 now and about to get his 12th gun tomorrow. He learned to respect guns at an early age and is rock solid steady. We try to shoot at least once a week, one of our favorite things to do together.

 

[Ura-Ki]

In my family, Grand Dad was the judge of when a youngster was ready for his/her first .22 rifle, then when he decided you were ready you got your next firearm! Usually something in a hot .22 centerfire! When you turned 12 and were officially old enough to hunt with him, you got to use the pass around .30/40 kraig to take your first animal with, if you did good and wanted to continue, you got your first full size hunting rifle, almost always an old surplus 03 Springfield that Grand dad sporterised for you! We would each spend hours learning the art of safe handloading our own ammo, and countless hours on most weekends perfecting our shooting by his side! When we turned 15, he and Dad would start us out with handguns. Always a .22 Ruger MK-1 and once he was happy with us and our safety, he would let us use any of his larger pistols untill we were old enough to buy one on our own! When I was 16, I asked him and my Dad if I could buy one for my self ( had a very bad thing happen) and they bolth said yes, if you think you are ready and can handle the responsibility of that on your own! So I went out the next day and bought my very first hand gun a Colt 1911 SXE , That was almost 30 years ago! Grand Dad had A really nice desplay case at the house where he kept all the long guns, and when ever we visited, that case was unlocked and could be opened by any of us when ever we wanted, and we could take out any rifle or shot gun we wanted and fondle it for as long as we liked! Never had any restrictions on that, but the younger kids were to be supervised closely, and an adult had to take one down or put one back for them! Hand Guns were a little different, you had to be a teen to have access to them with out very close supervision!

 

[Joe13]

In my family, Grand Dad was the judge of when a youngster was ready for his/her first .22 rifle, then when he decided you were ready you got your next firearm! Usually something in a hot .22 centerfire! When you turned 12 and were officially old enough to hunt with him, you got to use the pass around .30/40 kraig to take your first animal with, if you did good and wanted to continue, you got your first full size hunting rifle, almost always an old surplus 03 Springfield that Grand dad sporterised for you! We would each spend hours learning the art of safe handloading our own ammo, and countless hours on most weekends perfecting our shooting by his side! When we turned 15, he and Dad would start us out with handguns. Always a .22 Ruger MK-1 and once he was happy with us and our safety, he would let us use any of his larger pistols untill we were old enough to buy one on our own! When I was 16, I asked him and my Dad if I could buy one for my self ( had a very bad thing happen) and they bolth said yes, if you think you are ready and can handle the responsibility of that on your own! So I went out the next day and bought my very first hand gun a Colt 1911 SXE , That was almost 30 years ago! Grand Dad had A really nice desplay case at the house where he kept all the long guns, and when ever we visited, that case was unlocked and could be opened by any of us when ever we wanted, and we could take out any rifle or shot gun we wanted and fondle it for as long as we liked! Never had any restrictions on that, but the younger kids were to be supervised closely, and an adult had to take one down or put one back for them! Hand Guns were a little different, you had to be a teen to have access to them with out very close supervision!

Man I wish my family were like that when I grew up

 

[Diamondback]

Interesting with the anti AK guy, "it's not needed for defense, cant hunt with it, don't need it!!!" I run into these types of folks ALL The Time!!! This is the type of person we need to target, this is the person who allows the 2nd to be gutted one step at a time!
It's these people that think the 2nd is subject to interpretation for today's world, they believe the 2nd can withstand changes until its all gone!!!

See also: "Fudd, Textbook Illustration Of."

 

[MrElectric03]

It depends largely on the child in my opinion. I started my son out with a BB gun at age 5 and for his 6th birthday we have him his .22 rascal. I believe he was about 7 or so when I bought a rough rider .22 for him and these days he's 9 and shoots my 9mm and .38 spl handguns and ar15s all he wants. Other stuff he is still learning to handle recoil with. My daughter is 4 years old and I'll be teaching her with a BB gun soon but if I were to make a prediction now I think she will have a tougher time being safe. It's all in their mentality and how they are taught. I've met 8 yr olds that I feel safer shooting with than some adults.

 

[Alexx1401]

My Dad first took me to shoot when I was too young to start school. Gave me first 22 but I was not allowed to take it out on my own for many years. Bought my first BB gun at 10 or 11. They had a hard time getting me to come in the house to eat for days after. Next time Dad took me out to shoot my 22 I out shot him BADLY. He was so impressed that when we got home he told me the .22 was now mine to take out and shoot when ever I could afford ammo. When we moved to where I could not shoot at the house any more I bought a better air gun I enjoyed almost as much as the .22.

 

[bbbass]

My boy wanted a tank.

 

[Certaindeaf]

As you say, it's pretty surprising as you don't usually see much "pro gun" anything in the media. Would have loved them to do this in front of anti gunners instead of a gun store. The responses would have been quite different.

Like selling guns in a Nordstrom or? With the same blonde anti-gun antagonist.. "in front of anti gunners"?
It was aired to "in front of" a national audience of anti-gunners.
in other words wtf?

 

[Stomper]

When I was 8 I asked for napalm, but dad said, "no it's too dangerous... 'because napalm sticks to kids.'"

 

[Member 5605]

I knew my youngest was ready when his great grandpa got him a Red Ryder BB gun and he said when we got home "can you store this in the safe, I don't want to accidentally play with it when it's in my room..."

He already owned a single shot .22 for two years (age of 8 when this happened).

When a kid takes ownership and realized that even to not store a BB gun in his room is a wise thing.... they surely are ready. Besides he shot an AK pistol at age 6..

 

[Stomper]

Interesting with the anti AK guy, "it's not needed for defense, cant hunt with it, don't need it!!!" I run into these types of folks ALL The Time!!! This is the type of person we need to target, this is the person who allows the 2nd to be gutted one step at a time!
It's these people that think the 2nd is subject to interpretation for today's world, they believe the 2nd can withstand changes until its all gone!!!

I rewatched the video, the guy said "they (in the
context of seven year olds) don't need it for self-defense, etc, etc....

He may not actually be a full-fud, just not as comfortable with a 7yr old and an AK, so he's PROBABLY 25% fud...

What was more amusing was the statement of "the thinking in Texas may be 'different' from people in some of the 'big cities'"... like "big cities" are the wellspring of all virtue and knowledge.

 

[Koda]

I rewatched the video, the guy said "they (in the
context of seven year olds) don't need it for self-defense, etc, etc....

He may not actually be a full-fud, just not as comfortable with a 7yr old and an AK, so he's PROBABLY 25% fud...

sometimes partial fuds do just as much damage as full... he probably votes for universal background check laws too.

An AK can be fired single shot, I don't see much difference in safety with a loaded single shot 22. I bet there are plenty of young kids that have defended the home as well.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I grew up with having firearms around.
Learned early on about safety , and that guns aren't toys.
I knew where Dad kept the guns and ammo , could even have "my" guns in my room when I was a kid.
Never though thought about bringing a gun or knife to school or abusing the trust that was earned by me.

As to what age is too young ...
Well it depends on the kid:
Are interested in guns?
Can they understand the reasons and the methods of safe gun handling?
Are they able to handle the weight and length of the gun?
I think the above questions are good place to start , to see if the kid is too young.
Andy