Needing opinions on a 19 year old son carrying

[firehawk1]

I pray that I feel the same way about my son at that age...he is a toddler right now.

If you love him now (and I'm sure you do) trust me that feeling will never die!

He has a twin sister, and they both have been... shall we say.... a handfull at times in the past.

 

[ilfishin]

I started carriying when I was 19, 25 years ago. I didn't have the benifit of a dad to teach me. Actually the other way around. I got him into carrying about 15 years ago. My son turned 18 in August and we've been waiting for his Fall break to apply for his license. We're going Tuesday(stupid Columbus Day)to apply. As like your son, he has been around firearms his entire life and I am confident he is ready for this responsibility. I bought him a G22 2 years ago for Christmas to give him plenty of time to learn the ins and outs of handling, shooting and cleaning it. I bought him the Kholster he wanted and we spent Friday night adjusting and triming it. Great father/son time. A fond memory I'll have for a very long time. We have had a many a conversations on the current laws and possible situations he could find himself in. As I said, I'm confident he is ready and it appears that your son is too. Teach him what you know and help guide him when needed. That's about all you can do.

On a side note. He is doing the L1 electronic fingerprinting which is supposed to reduce the wait time to 3-7 days.

 

[cartmanfan15]

On a side note. He is doing the L1 electronic fingerprinting which is supposed to reduce the wait time to 3-7 days.

It does. Pretty new from what I hear but it is supposed to only take about 3-7 business days. Applied for mine last week early part of the week. Should be here soon. Congrats to your family for that bonding time. Hopefully I will have a son someday that I can bond with through firearms. Very much looking forward to it.

 

[cartmanfan15]

On a side note. He is doing the L1 electronic fingerprinting which is supposed to reduce the wait time to 3-7 days.

It does. Pretty new from what I hear but it is supposed to only take about 3-7 business days. Applied for mine last week early part of the week. Should be here soon. Congrats to your family for that bonding time. Hopefully I will have a son someday that I can bond with through firearms. Very much looking forward to it.

 

[VERT]

I have had a handgun since age 18. No problems what so ever over the years. Just be respectful and safe!

 

[ProLibertate]

FWIW, he has been around firearms all his life, has taken the Hunters Ed course and has exibited to me he has the complete understanding of safety involved with any weapon.

!

That's more expertise than a lot of the people I encounter on a daily basis who are carrying. Sadly, most of the John Q. Citizen's I encounter with a firearm seem to be more concerned with wowing me on their knowledge of their rights [no matter how misinformed they are] rather than knowing which end of the weapon to point...
Anyway........

As a police officer, it makes no difference to me if your son is 19 or 99. The law is 18 to carry a handgun with a license. If he is carrying it within the confines of the law, not flaunting his weapon, is carrying his ID and LTCH on his person, and doesn't act stupid when asked to see it, he won't have a problem.

On a side note, he needs to be prepared to be asked to show his LTCH. And should he be asked to display the license, he should simply comply without any theatrics. I only add this thought because the vast majority of young people (between the ages of 15 and 25) I encounter that have a gun: A) do not have a LTCH, and B) would do me or another officer harm in the blink of an eye given the chance. It is nothing personal against your son, it's just the way things are in the world...

 

[firehawk1]

That's more expertise than a lot of the people I encounter on a daily basis who are carrying. Sadly, most of the John Q. Citizen's I encounter with a firearm seem to be more concerned with wowing me on their knowledge of their rights [no matter how misinformed they are] rather than knowing which end of the weapon to point...
Anyway........

As a police officer, it makes no difference to me if your son is 19 or 99. The law is 18 to carry a handgun with a license. If he is carrying it within the confines of the law, not flaunting his weapon, is carrying his ID and LTCH on his person, and doesn't act stupid when asked to see it, he won't have a problem.

On a side note, he needs to be prepared to be asked to show his LTCH. And should he be asked to display the license, he should simply comply without any theatrics. I only add this thought because the vast majority of young people (between the ages of 15 and 25) I encounter that have a gun: A) do not have a LTCH, and B) would do me or another officer harm in the blink of an eye given the chance. It is nothing personal against your son, it's just the way things are in the world...

While I appreciate ALL input in this thread, I especially appreicate your's being a LEO.

He HAS been told to be polite, and to answer questions/requests like you state with "yes Sir, no Sir". I have explained to him over and over the responsibilities he now has with carrying a firearm.

As I originally stated I have no problem with him carrying, I wanted to get input like yours on how an LEO would look at it if he were stopped for a traffic violation, etc... If I found it was putting him in a possible bad situation simply because of his age I would have had to rethink my decision. Yes, he is legal, but would it be smart to allow him to carry.

Again, thanks for the input from your perspective.

 

[Royal-1]

+1 on knowing the law. If he, (or any of us), breaks any and get caught, like a slip up and walk into the post office to mail a letter with it on your side <Insert many other situations>... He/we will loose our right to carry/own and it's very doubtful we would ever get it back.

 

[cartmanfan15]

Knowledge of the laws is the first step. Often just helps stay out of trouble for the finer details of things that you may not have known.

 

[glockednlocked]

I have carried since I was 18 almost everyday. Actually carried before that on family owned property/family buisness. My only caviat and I am not looking to get flamed is mode of carry and fashion. In short if you want to dress like a thug more power too you. If you want to open carry more power too you. But if you are dressed like a thug(to us old folks) or just a fashion forward young person I guess and someone sees the gun expect officer contact. Not the end of the world by any means just know how to comply and pick your battles. If your son is safe and mature enough to handle the resonsibility I commend his choice to excercise this weighty right. I also commend you as a father for raising a good mature stand up young man.

 

[cigarman454]

My son wanted his lifetime LTCH for his 18th birthday and got it. He turned 19 a few months age and he carries. He has been around guns all his life, started deer hunting with me at age 3.

 

[yotewacker]

I've carried since I was 18. My son turns 18 next year and I will get him a permit also.

 

[dyerwatcher]

Totally depends on their level of responsibility and maturity

 

[Vince49]

Just Kids?

This is me at 19. Trigger on stick in front of me delivered 4000 rounds per minute of 7.62 ball. 18 year old that sat to my left had a M-60 with a 650 rounds per minute rate of fire also 7.62 ball. We both carried 1911 Colt.45's 24/7-365 and usually a M-16 or AK-47 on the glare shield jic. ........Kids!

 

[johenz]

Two of my sons, aged 18 and 20 are LTCH holders. I paid for both of their LTCH's as gifts. The younger as a graduation gift from HS, the older as a combination birhtday and Christmas gift. Additionally, the 18 yo is getting a 1911 as a combination "basic training graduation"/birthday/Christmas gift. The older boy is actively shopping for a carry weapon. Both have demonstrated good judgement and responsibility.

On the other hand, my 16 yo son is dabbling with marijuana use and has decided to lead a party life style. He also has had a run in with the law, so he won't be able to hold an LTCH until he is 23 yo. I have stopped taking him to the range with me and he is not allowed to handle my guns at all. Unless there is a serious change in his behavior (confirmed by random drug testing) over the next two years, he will never hold an LTCH. If he would apply while still leading his current lifestyle, I would contact the authorities and recommend against it. This is not only my decision, but it is the law in the state of Indiana; drug abusers cannot possess handguns.

All that being said, it is not only the right, but it is the duty of every man to be prepared to defend himself, his family and his loved ones. Firearms are tools which allow him to do so more effectively, and when his behavior coincides with the common good of society the right to conduct that defense with firearms should be accorded to him.

Just my .

 

[Caleb]

So wait....I thought you had to be 21 to get a LTCH and isn't buying a firearm for somebody else a federal crime?

 

[Joe Williams]

So wait....I thought you had to be 21 to get a LTCH and isn't buying a firearm for somebody else a federal crime?

You have to be 18 to get an LTCH.

And you can give a firearm as a gift.

 

[Indy317]

You don't think spoons make people fat, and pencils mis-spell words, do you?

If I gave my relative a pencil, and they misspelled a word, big deal.
If I gave my relative a spoon, and they put on 100 pounds, big deal.

If I gave my relative a gun, and they stuck it in their mouth and pulled the trigger, or had a moment of idiocy and one of my nieces got it and shot themselves.....well, I just don't equate those things to being equal to a misspelled word or some weight gain.

For anyone who claims the death of their niece, nephew, son, daughter, etc. at the barrel of a gun they provided wouldn't affect them must be a pretty stone cold individual. If folks want to give guns away, I could careless. If my relative goes out and buys a gun, buys the bullets, and a tragedy happens...such is life, but I will be damned if the death of a family or close friend of mine will be linked to a gun I provided. I have no problem providing training, which leans heavily on safety, if asked. Plus, I will hand deliver a safe and locks for the weapon.

While I used to be big in pushing firearm ownership, given how many "adults" are acting in today's society, I have stopped that entirely. Responsible men and women are just becoming fewer and fewer.

 

[johenz]

Thnks for the input, Indy317. As you can see, I have carefully assessed the capabilities and maturity level o my sons. Two have managed to pass muster, one has not.

Resposnible men and women ARE indeed becoming fewer and fewer mainly because we are failing to teach our children to become MEN and WOMEN and are instead raising them to conform to the tandards of modern society which demands perpetual adolescence. Hence the reason my youngest son will never possess a firearm if I have anyhting to say about it. He has been taught the way that men behave and has failed to absorb the lesson.

 

[dholmtime]

Old enough to die for his country is also old enough to carry in his country I agree. As long as he is responsible support his personal safety choice.