pellet gun or upgrading to their first .22 for Christmas? What model did you buy for them?

I am not a parent, but it interests me to see when parents give their children the trust and responsibilty of handling a gun while teaching them the proper rules of safety.
I believe that those children who are denied the trust and responsibility by gun-hating parents grow up to be irresponsible adults. They will grow up assuming that their parents and government will always be responsible for them. They will grow up spending half their time in some liberal arts college protesting anything from war to their right to smoke marijuana. These kids will never understand that freedom isn't free and you have to earn the responsibilty and why they have the rights and freedom that they do. And when guns do happen to end up in the hands of these kids, the result is often unpleasant as they never were taught the responsibility of handling one.

ArmaLiter

I skipped the whole bb gun thing with my stepson.  I got him a Rossi Matched pair with  .22lr and 20 gauge barrels.  He'll use that under my intense supervison for the next several years.  He has too much of his bio-dad in him for me to trust him with a repeater.

Uncle BenDover is getting nephew Jeremey and his daddy a together present this year. Since he is only six, it really has to be a together deal. They are getting a brand spanking new SKS.

My wife won't even let my kids SEE my guns. I had to sign a written contract with her that my kids cannot go to the range until they are 12 years old (son is almost 5, daughter is almost 9). I took my son to the range to watch, and she went ballistic. Actually, I don't blame her. My son told his teachers that his daddy has "lots of guns in the basement".

This is a little off subject, but I got my first rifle for Christmas when I was 13.  It was an aniversary edition (made in 1967)pump action Remington Fieldmaster model 572.  They surprised me with it too.  They gave me all of the "lame presents" (socks, t-shirts, underware), and then a flat box with a piece of paper telling me to close my eyes and count to 100.  When I opened my eyes there was this long skinny box.  I tore it open, and there it was.  Bright shinny wood stock, blued barrel and receiver, and a brick of .22 ammo behind the buttstock.  I was thrilled!  It was cold outside (just a little above 0), but I took it out shooting anyway.  Up until then I thought it was a terrible Christmas (from a gifts received perspective).  After the rifle, I realized that it was probably my favorite Christmas.  And it still is.

Quoted: My wife won't even let my kids SEE my guns.

That is sad.

I had to sign a written contract with her that my kids cannot go to the range until they are 12 years old (son is almost 5, daughter is almost 9).

That is stupid and idiotic.  People like that are responsible for kids misusing guns.  Such is the forbidden fruit...

I took my son to the range to watch, and she went ballistic.

No offense, but your wife sounds like an idiot.

Actually, I don't blame her. My son told his teachers that his daddy has "lots of guns in the basement".

Why not?  Are you a psycho?  Don't you play safely?  Are you afraid you will kill everyone?

Not trying to flame, but this all sounds really weird for someone to post here.  This is the type of stuff you read on the democraticunderground.com website.

Quoted: No offense, but your wife sounds like an idiot.

Ummm.  I don't think you can quite get away with saying "no offense" when you perfectly well meant "offense."

I bought my 5yo one of those 6mm plastic BB guns.  My wife is little leary of him getting one, but once I explained that it will be used strictly under adult supervision she relented a little.
I have a basement full of guns too, if he tells his teacher about them fine, I'll not hide them and I'll damned sure not act like I'm ashamed for owning them either.  It's unlikely he'll tell anyone who does'nt ask first as he's just not into such things yet, and it rarely crosses his mind.  What the heck possesed you to sign such a contract?  You're joking right?

Bought my 5 yo daugther a Daisy Red Rider for Xmax. Also got a sweet deal on a Bushy CAR for her this year that I will put under the tree for her when she is of age (14 or so). Of course with the Red Rider she will only use with supervision. I also lucked up into a preban Colt SP1 , mint , for my 11 month old son , but that Christmas is a long way off , till then they will sit in the safe. I am the only parent I know of that is giving thier kid a BB gun for Xmas this year. I know a dozen "shooters" that have kids in the 5-12 age group and everyone of them tell me Mom (the wife)hads forbidded a BB gun as a gift. Thank Goodness my wife is a shooter.

I got my 6yr old nephew a chipmunk .22lr. I told him so his dad can teach to shoot and then I'd teach shoot better than his dad. honestly we both shoot about the same.

Mickeymike it's too bad your wife feels that way.

My nephew has watched me and his dad shoot since he was four and has never touched a gun unless told to.

Quoted: My wife won't even let my kids SEE my guns. I had to sign a written contract with her that my kids cannot go to the range until they are 12 years old (son is almost 5, daughter is almost 9). I took my son to the range to watch, and she went ballistic. Actually, I don't blame her. My son told his teachers that his daddy has "lots of guns in the basement".

WTF!!!

Damn my son has been on the range with a .22 since he was 6.  I just ordered the parts to start building him his own AR that he will get this summer for his 9th birthday..

If my wife ever pulled any shit like that....it would be the end of the marriage!

Got the two older boys Crosman BB/pellet guns for Christmas last year, they are 9 and 7.  The 5 year old uses an old Daisy Red Ryder.  All three can recite gun safety rules and love to plink at pop cans under my supervision.  No way I would turn them loose yet.

The pellet guns are a blast.  Stick a Shoot-n-C target to the side of cardboard box, load up with BB's, an instant 10 minutes of fun !!

My four year old is dying to go to the range. It has become a joke between the two of us that I never go to work; I go shooting.  This Christmas, he will receive a set of Peltor juniors and safety glasses as well as an airsoft 6mm BB gun(the AR model, so he can have one just like dad's).  He already has the black laminate/stainless cricket .22 cal rifle in the gun safe, and after we reinforce the basic firearms safety rules I have taught him, and he demonstrates them while shooting the airsoft, he can move up to the rifle.  I can't wait, because he is going to have a ball with the suppressed Ruger's.  

Of the Three Mutant Offspring, two already got their introduction to shooting at age six.  The youngest turned six last month and she will begin in the spring.

They all can recite Col. Cooper's Rules in their sleep.

Although we have BB guns for backyard practice, I am moving them into real rifles as soon as they show me safety and maturity with firearms.

My boy is ten and this year graduated from a kid-size .22 to a Rem Model 7 chambered in .260 Rem.  My oldest daughter currently wants to shoot .22 pistol most often.  She loads and fires my High-Standard with direct supervision but no help.

My oldest daughter will also be my antelope hunter.  She's eight.  She's also a natural shooter.  As long as my boy can see the holes in the target he's happy.  If my oldest daughter's shots are outside the X-ring she's hormonal.  She positively goes to sleep on the rifle.  When we leave the firing line the guys give me thumb's-up for the way she shoots.  I love it.

Don't wait too long to get them started.

**Edited to tell a quick story...Last spring my oldest daughter and I were at a local range one weekend afternoon.  I was working on a rifle and she was setup next to me with the little .22 rifle shooting at 50 yards.

Next to us was a father and his early teen son.  My daughter fired a couple of groups when I noticed she had stopped firing.  She's looking at her target through the spotting scope with a troubled look on her face.

Suddenly an eight year old's voice of angst yells out "HEY!...HEY!...DADDY, SOMEBODY'S SHOOTING MY TARGET!  LOOK AT THAT!  Somebody's shooting MY target!  I NEVER miss like that!"  I mean she's upset.

Turns out the teenage boy next to us had put a few rounds on her target.

Gigi was incensed somebody made her and her target look bad.  I mean those holes were nowhere even near the 10 ring.  This is the daughter who instead of Barbie pictures posts her targets on her bedroom wall.

She quieted down but the teenager and his father packed up and left real quietly. I know I should have talked to them and asked them to stay but I was afraid I was gonna start laughing.



**From EricTheHun - "My honor student kids outshoot your juvenile delinquent.  And they know how to hold the weapon properly."**

BB gun hell.  The first place I took my son after he was born was to Whittakers Guns and bought him a Beretta Tactical Stainless 9mm with a half dozen ss hi-caps.  He just turned 2 so it's still in the safe waiting on him.  He's also got a Pre-ban Bushy M4gery waiting on him. I don't want to wish his life away but I'll be glad when he can go out bustin' caps with his ol' man.

I got my 5 and 6 y.o. daughters a Chipmunk.  They get it this Christmas--the 6 y.o. has shot it, but thought I borrowed it from a friend, and I had to return it.  I never did get around to getting them a lever gun, but I may do that next year after they have shot the single shot some.

AFARR

My wife & I do not have children...but my neighbor has a son who is turning 13 soon.  We have all been shooting once together & they seemed to really enjoy it.  With my neighbor's permission, I bought his son a .22lr pistol...his first firearm.

I'm also giving them some safety manuals from the NRA about firearms & the Parent's Guide to Gun Safety (also from the NRA).

The boy enjoyed shooting my Kimber the most!  Kid's got good taste!

Dear TORF:

1) Yes this is really weird. I live in Massachusetts, as close to the peoples republic as you can get, but without the rice fields.
2) I am a registered Republican and purchased my first gun at 12 years old (now 46) and have been shooting ever since.
3) I love my wife and have to compromise to keep the peace. I don't really want to get divorced. She is a no gunner. Even though her life has been threated several times and she got away by the skin of her teath. She won't even carry her mace.
4) MOST people in Massachusetts do NOT own guns. They think that people that do are criminals. They want to outlaw fishing and bow hunting in this state because it is cruel to the animals.
5) I am self-employed and it took 10 years to build my business, otherwise I would move IMMEDIATELY.
6) The fact that my son's teachers know I have guns has possibly tainted my child in the minds of the liberal teachers immeasurably. He will no longer be treated the same. Many of the parents know too.
7) I would love to take my children to the range, but they can't keep their mouths shut! My son is either immature, or immature for his age. Any time he has been to the range or seen a gun he pretends he is shooting at something and makes a shooting sound. He also then talks about guns constantly. If my wife or I ask him to stop it doesn't help. We figured out-of-sight is out-of-mind until he's more mature? My wife is also immature, but that is another story.
8) At my daughter's school they asked her if her family had guns in the house. I got wind of this before it happened, and told her to lie and say no. But, Noooooo, she couldn't lie, she had to say yes!
9) Some of my children's friends parents won't let their children come over any more because we have guns in the house, even though they are ALL in safes. I offered to let them inspect things-no takers.

I've discussed this with all my gun club buddies, and yes they think it is all very weird too.

ANY BODY ELSE IN THIS POSITION????

Hey MickeyMike, I'm sorry man.  I can't even imagine a stigma being associated with gun ownership; it wouldn't be southern .  Raise your kids the way you believe they should be raised and screw everybody else.

I still remember my first BB gun.  It was a Daisy Red Ryder that I got from my sponsor when I made my First Communion.  My parents had no problem with that at all, and my sponsor even set up a target with a trap in the basement so I could shoot it after I opened up the package.  I was one happy camper, let me tell you.  Hell, I remember getting into my parents cedar chest when I was a kid and playing with the Walther P-38 that my dad brought home from WWII.  He told me that he had taken it off of a dead German he found lying by the road as they were walking past.  I eventually got it, and being the dummy that I was at the time, I had it refinished, to make it shiny blue, and then traded it for another gun.  Sure regret it now, but at the time, I didn't even think of the importance of hanging onto it.  I had asked my dad at the time if he would mind my trading it, and he told me it was okay, but now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't.  My dad has since passed on and I wish I had never done that.  One more regret, of the many, in my life.

bb gun for birthday last year, 22 marlin semi-auto for Christmas.  toy guns/rifles and cap guns with holsters when they could walk.
both my daughter, almost 16, and son, almost 15, shoot with me at indoor and outdoor range - ar, ak, 9mm, 45acp, 45lc, 22 sa and semi-auto pistol and 22 rifle, and help clean them when we are done.
it is important for their own safety around guns at home and away, self defense and self confidence.  it also teaches them the difference between hollywood and real life.

Quoted: BB gun hell.  The first place I took my son after he was born was to Whittakers Guns and bought him a Beretta Tactical Stainless 9mm with a half dozen ss hi-caps.  He just turned 2 so it's still in the safe waiting on him.  He's also got a Pre-ban Bushy M4gery waiting on him. I don't want to wish his life away but I'll be glad when he can go out bustin' caps with his ol' man.

YOU ROCK!!!! I wish my Dad would've done that for me when I was growing up. I grew up in the most anti-gun household there was. I remember my parents freaking out when I brought home a friend's copy of Shotgun News.

My friends dad who lived next door started me dove and duck hunting when I was eight. When I was twelve I got A Remington 1100 20Ga for my birthday to use dove and duck hunting. Since I have plenty of guns including that original 20Ga for my twelve year old to use this Christmas he gets his first gun a Kurtskustom 22upper I think he will like his gift

Quoted: BB gun hell.  The first place I took my son after he was born was to Whittakers Guns and bought him a Beretta Tactical Stainless 9mm with a half dozen ss hi-caps.  He just turned 2 so it's still in the safe waiting on him.  He's also got a Pre-ban Bushy M4gery waiting on him. I don't want to wish his life away but I'll be glad when he can go out bustin' caps with his ol' man.

Damned it!  Looks like A-36Pilot beat me to the punch.  I like the way you think.

My son is almost 3 now and he owns (in my custody) an AR-15 with 10 NIW USGI mags and a 10/22.  I can hardly wait for us both to be out on the range teaching and learning.  I think the next rifle will be something in a Winchester lever action .30-.30 deer rifle (a family tradition).

I'm 17. I don't have a gun down here (not because of restrictive laws, but because of lazyness and school)

The first gun i fired was when i was 13 and i visited the phillipines. I let loose a whole 30rnd mag through an XM177E2 in Full auto. I had 3 adults (my dad and 2 uncles) watch me and teach me about guns. They told me that i handled the weapon like a pro safetywise. Even with a "toy" (a bb S&W M635 Springer), i treated it like a real gun. Even with cap guns, i treated them like real. I was given a Bushmaster XM15A2 and an Armalite M15NM for my 17th birthday in the phillipines. I'm thinking of getting a Glock, HK USP9, Beretta 95FS or a double-stack M1911 variant fur use here

On the other hand, there are a lot of kids at my former school (just finished) that have BB guns (which are illegal in Australia). some only have pistols whilst others have the long arms. All are springers though. When i see them playing with them, they always break safety rules, especially the "finger off trigger" and "Muzzle pointed in a safe directon" rules. i try and teach them these rules but they don't listen.

*cutting long story short*

One day last year, they were playing with their BB guns when one of the guns accidentally discharged and hit a person in the glasses. These glasses weren't safety glasses. If the kid wasn't wearing glasses, the BB would have hit his eye.

Moral of story: even in a country where guns are restricted, teach kids about guns.

My oldest turned eight this year and got his classic Daisy Red Ryder for his birthday,(I bought it when he was five, but the little woman said I had to wait)he has gone through several cartons of BBs and pad after pad of paper targets.all under close adult (well As close as I can be concidered an adult) and he spent two hours going over safety before he ever launched his first brass ball. I am very proud of how safe he is at the range.(farm) My four year old is next.  

Got my 1st gun(22/410 o/u)when I was 12. My son is now 12 and has been shooting since he was 8. Now he can field strip,clean,load and shoot as good as I can with my ar,ak,and fal. My wife is not crazy about guns but she understands. I think it is a crime not to teach kids about our oldest heritage. Even if they don't care for guns when they get older, they need to know what to do when they find one or somebody hands them one. And it will probably happen to them sometime in their lifetime(especially boys). I feel confident I have DONE THE RIGHT THING.

If I were buying my kid his first gun it would be strictly pellets; BB's have an awful way of bouncing off any surface and going in unintended directions.

I would keep it in my gun safe, it would be his/hers and shooting it only with my supervision.

I have a few Chinese piston-type air guns. Anything higher priced might as well be for serious applications. I never liked the Wal-Mart/K-Mart commercial Crossmans or Daisys' because of the poor quality in these mass marketed brands.

These things are incredibly dangerous around kids, I and my young friends escaped childhood with a couple bad experiences but no serious injuries suffered by anyone, fortunately. But then, we were wild and unsupervised, always!

My 8 year old nephew is getting a 20 guage 870 this Christmas. He's not afraid of recoil at all and has already shot a 12 guage. He got his first BB gun when he was 4 and his first .22 when he was 6 - always adult supervised and always very safety concious. He's got more guns than most adults ever will when you count all the ones his dad, uncles, and grandfather have to leave him some day, assuming he "keeps his nose clean". He now has free use of the BB gun, and the rest are locked in the safe. He doesn't have to ask very hard for someone to take him shooting though...

Last year for Christmas my son got an RWS, Diana Model 34.  He was 12 years old.

I kept it by the back porch to keep it handy for getting the drop on those pesky red squirrels but it keeps on finding it's way up to his bedroom closet.  When I asked him about it said "Well it is my gun and I'm responsible for it".

How do you argue with that?

I have a new 10/22 wrapped up for my new nephew, he is 3 months old. I will trust that my sisters husband will put the Ruger away untill he feels that the young'in is ready. I hope that someday when he is older he will look at that rifle and think of me. I dont have any kids and if he turns out to be a shooter he may inherit a few nice firearms someday.

While I haven't "bought" any firearms for my daughter, I have introduced her to firearms this year. If the interest is there, I will DEFINITELY make some purchases on her behalf, starting with ones she can actually shoot. She did handle a Bushmaster w/.22 conversion pretty good.

Don’t know if this count for Christmas, but I gave my 16-year-old cousin a 10/22 a few weeks back. It took a couple of weeks before I got a chance to take her to the range, but she loved it. One of the guys there shooting trap even let her use his Berretta shotgun. The look on her face when I handed the gun to her and told her it costs more than her car was only out done by the smile she had after she first shot it.

I'm not a big fan of BB guns. There's too much made of them being "toys" and I've taught my kids that guns are not toys.

I biught my 8 year old son (same age I started) a Crickett 22lr rifle earlier this year (www.crickett.com  It lives in my gun safe and about once a week we go down to the basement 22 range (well ventilated, 35 feet) and shoot 25 rounds or so and talk about shooting and safety.

For the holiday, he and my daughter got NRA memberships