Should your kids have access to their weapons?

[dom1104]

that's awesome, your house your rules.

Children driving cars their parents gave them have killed more than my 12 year old's shotgun.


Besides, his room provides great crossfire at the top of the stairs and my 16yo can hit em in the back coming up from the basement

You know, 12 - 14 used to be the age that a child became a man.

Now we think of them as children till they are 25.

 

[jgreiner]

So this thread here; https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...n_was_on_duty_while_you_slept_last_night.html

got me thinking about something. In this thread, Mosinowner, who I understand is 13y/o or so, sleeps with his AR15 ready to rock. I'm curious what others think about this. I'm not saying he shouldn't have it or his parents are wrong, etc. I'm asking because my thinking is that a brain that young is not fully functioning yet and likely not fully capable of making the decisions that will need to be made in the split second when the "bump in the night" happens. Hell,for that matter, I hope MY brain will be able to do it if the time comes.

I'd be very afraid that if my oldest son, who is 15, were allowed access to his guns at night that he may accidentally shoot his little brother, mother, me, whoever.

I'm not sure exactly on Indiana law's view on this, but I'd have to think that I as the parent, would be the one who would pay the price via a trip to the big house. Not to leave out the fact that my son (and me for allowing it) would have to live with that decision the rest of his life.

Not trying to stir up any arguments here, just interested in what others think about the topic. Both my sons have guns that are "theirs", but should they have access to them when sleeping at night? I'm not sure they should, and until they are on their own (or at least 18), they won't.

Thoughts? Go!

No, not without me present. If I lived in the country, and my son had been around guns longer than he has, then I would likely have a different answer. But as of now, no.

 

[jgreiner]

You know, 12 - 14 used to be the age that a child became a man.

Now we think of them as children till they are 25.

I trust my son, I just don't trust some of the idiots that seem to invite themselves over.

Also, my son has JUST been exposed to guns in the past 10 months. He has a lot of learning to do yet.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

The kid can have access to firearms when it is appropriate. When it is appropriate must be decided by the parent/guardian.

 

[DragonGunner]

I remember on the news years ago how the parents went out leaving the 12 yr. old son an 8 yr. old daughter at home. 2 punks broke into the house an the 12 yr. old shot both of them with his .22 rifle, one punk died right there an the other ran 200 yds an died. The 12 yr. old talked very mature an said he was protecting his sister.

I grew up with my Dad teaching me about guns, the Mossberg pump always had shells in the tube. It depends on the parents an the kids. I've seen grown adults that should never even look at a gun let alone have one.

 

[DragonGunner]

that's awesome, your house your rules.

Children driving cars their parents gave them have killed more than my 12 year old's shotgun.


Besides, his room provides great crossfire at the top of the stairs and my 16yo can hit em in the back coming up from the basement

You should make the the middle sentence your sig line!!!

 

[HICKMAN]

You know, 12 - 14 used to be the age that a child became a man.

Now we think of them as children till they are 25.

I don't mind that kids have pee wee football/baseball/basketball, video games, 300 channels to chose from to keep them busy, but parents seem to have forgotten other activities like hunting, fishing, shooting, hiking, camping.

I was that way a long time when my kids were younger, but now they are getting a little older, I realized that I hadn't been doing those things, so we've been spending a little more time in the outdoors.

If it's not snowing or pouring down rain, the boys and I are planning our first camping trip next weekend.

 

[HICKMAN]

You should make the the middle sentence your sig line!!!

 

[Caleb]

.

 

[toddcraft33]

I think that when a kid is old enough, and responsible enough to be left at home alone then they should be able to prtect themselves. It is our jobs as parents to teach them proper gun safety.

 

[Hookeye]

What kills me is how many in today's society won't trust a kid with a kid, but they'll give him the keys to a car and let him run around all night as long as he has a condom in his wallet.

 

[BlueEagle]

Second that one, hookeye.

As far as this goes,

A) I think that MosinOwner gets a pass; he has proven to all of us that either he is lying about his age, or he is an EXCEPTIONALLY intelligent 13 year old. Either way, probably ok to have a gun.

B) Every "kid" is different, and some of them stop being kids a lot sooner than others. Like several others have said, I know a couple of 30 and 40 year olds that I wouldn't trust with a BB gun, but I helped my 18 year old cousin pick out his first AK just a few months ago. Granted, he is of legal age, but the age disparity, (and its lack of relation to intelligence and responsibility,) are what I'm attempting to point out here.

The parents are the best people to judge their kids; its unfortunate that so many of them fall into that first category I mentioned above...

 

[G_Stines]

B) Every "kid" is different, and some of them stop being kids a lot sooner than others. Like several others have said, I know a couple of 30 and 40 year olds that I wouldn't trust with a BB gun, but I helped my 18 year old cousin pick out his first AK just a few months ago. Granted, he is of legal age, but the age disparity, (and its lack of relation to intelligence and responsibility,) are what I'm attempting to point out here.

The parents are the best people to judge their kids; its unfortunate that so many of them fall into that first category I mentioned above...

I agree. To many members on this board, I am a "kid" at the age of 22.

I have a younger sister (14) who spends 3 nights out of the week at my apartment when mom is at work. Occasionally I will leave her there alone to go pick up something small for supper or what not, and I have no qualms at all leaving the 12 gauge or my Sig out. She is a good shot, very responsible and incredibly mature. She knows to run to the bedroom lock the door, grab one and wait, because it is the last resort. So I side with the maturity group. Everyone is different.

 

[.452browning]

Before I was 18 I kept my Mossberg 500, Ruger 10/22, and Marlin .22mag in my room in my gun cabinet. I also had access to the gun safe and my dads rifle and pistol he kept for HD. After 18 my collection skyrocketed.

 

[Mosinowner]

Interesting thread

 

[Sylvain]

Like some have said I agree that it depends on the kid and how mature he/she is.
But even mature (mature for a kid) a kid can and will do silly things.And when it comes to firearms those silly things will usually hurt ot kill people.
And since a kid cannot legally face the consequences of his/her actions that's the parents that will go to jail and pay the price of whatever silly thing they did.
That's true for a 14 years old kid having a gun or driving a car, they are just not responsable according to the law.
Letting a kid use a gun at the range is one thing but letting him use a gun for self defense is a total different one.
Im not sure that a kid this age can understand the legal ramifications of pulling the trigger on another human being.A court of law would judge the kid unresponsable because of his/her age as the kid cannot be judge like an adult.
Im not even talking about the kid hurting him/herself with the gun by accident.

No matter how much a kid has been taught about gun safety im not sure I would let him/her alone with a loaded gun.
The kid can "own" a gun but locked in the parent's safe, I cant imagine how a parent would feel if an accident were to happen involving the kid and a gun.Scary.

As for Mosinowner, I dont know the kid besides what he let us know on INGO.
He posted a video of him on Youtube showing one of his guns, I didn't see the video since he took it off soon after he posted it, but I remenber that some members commented on his lack of trigger discipline, that his finger went right inside the trigger guard as he picked the gun.
Now maybe he's not fully trained which is probably the case with a young kid.
I just cant help but imagine what would happen if he shot the gun by accident inside the house, hurting himself or killing a family member through a wall.

 

[Sylvain]

Interesting thread

I bet it will get even better.

 

[Titanium Man]

What kills me is how many in today's society won't trust a kid with a kid, but they'll give him the keys to a car and let him run around all night as long as he has a condom in his wallet.

A lot of excellent points in this thread.

I have neighbors, who are complete dunderheads in regards to firearms. With that being said, I shudder when I see their teen and pre-teens out with BB guns, and some type of auto BB guns??? I could only imagine if they were using 22s, or the like. My point is, I have no confidence there are any rules pounded into the kids heads, so I'm constantly worrying about my dogs and windows.

 

[goinggreyfast]

Interesting thread

"Interesting thread" = "Hmmmm..."

 

[jeepville]

a lot of factors go into this other than age. My kids are both still in cribs so its going to be awhile for me. But living in the city right now (Must Escape) they have no reason for anything but an airsoft / bb gun in their room. For hd when they get old enough they can run to my room and grab what I have.

Until they can drive on their own and get out of marion county to shoot they will need my wife or I anyway.

Now if I lived somewhere you could shoot in the yard it would all be different they would probably handle guns multiple times a week.

But as the saying goes thanks to the Govt more control over my life.
"Dont worry we are from the Govt were here to help"