@boomerang,
boomerang wrote:Wait..... wait..... hear me out.....
As I've said before, my son, "Mo" (9), is fascinated with guns.
I'm not anti-gun. We own a gun. We take it when we go camping otherwise it stays locked in our firesafe. This isn't going to change.
Recently I learned that Mo's best friend's dad had purchased two new guns. When Mo was invited to their house the other day I kind of flipped out -- I didn't want him to go because I don't know these people's rules about guns. Before I would let him go I had Mr. B talk to the dad about Mo's absolute fascination with guns and how he was not allowed, under any circumstances, to see or handle the guns.
Later, Mr. B cautioned me that we couldn't control the whole world. We live in a place where guns are not uncommon. He's right. I know he's right. That's when I decided I wanted to send Mo to a gun safety class. Mr. B agreed that this was a good idea. We want to make sure he respects what a gun can do. (If you can't beat 'em, educate 'em.)
I googled "gun safety training" and found lots and lots of gun classes in our city. I don't know how one begins to evaluate the programs.
I don't want a class that focus' on "personal safety" -- as in "you're a potential victim and you need to shoot someone".
I don't want something that yammers on about politics or survivalism.
I don't want a class centered on hunting. We don't hunt. When he grows up he can hunt if he wants to.
I do want a class that teaches safety -- one that gives kids a healthy respect for guns, and maybe moves on to skeet or other sport shooting.
Many of the gun clubs and shooting ranges offer private lessons. Would this be a better option than a class?
What age is too young?
Any advice?
Thanks!
boomer, u and Mr. B are absolutely right.
It is unhealthy and unnecessarily dangerous
to cultivate and preserve a
mystique around the
FORBIDDEN FRUIT of guns.
Mo's curiosity will be satisfied later or sooner;
better that it be under
SAFE circumstances.
boomer, u can tell Mo the 2 most important considerations
of safety with guns, yourself right now, to wit:
1. don 't point a gun at anything nor any person that u are not willing to destroy
and
2. the most
dangerous mistake that commonly happens,
(including among seasoned, senior law enforcement officers)
is as to automatic pistols (as distinct from revolvers) when the
ammunition magazine has been removed from the handle, u
MUST open the breech
to ascertain whether there is a cartridge in the firing chamber.
He
must pull back the rackslide and
LOOK into the chamber.
It is a terrible error to assume that the chamber is empty
without
confirming that by direct observation.
It is a lot safer just to stay with double action revolvers; (their cylinders swing out).
It is pretty obvious, when thay are loaded or not.
The
ratio of accidental discharges between automatics and revolvers is
HUGE.
David
