Gun Safety HELP!

1. 83

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   My 16 year old son just told me his adult cousin not only bought a gun, but brought it to my ex's home and taught my son (and his own young children) how to use it.  I'm not too happy with that, but that is not my issue.  I know NOTHING about guns!!  I talked with him and said "Never pick up a gun unless you intend to shoot it"  I also talked with him about other safety issues, such as: what would you do if one of the kids accidently found the gun and there were no adults around?
   
   What else should I talk with him about?
   
   Thanks for any help.
   
   Rafini

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   1. 71

      Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Remind your children and whomever else you teach about guns. Each gun has it's own SAFETY switch. Make sure they understand the use of the safety switch, so such accidents can be prevented. Thus, only purposeful action would happen, should one of them shoot someone else.
      
      As long as the have the knowledge of the safety switch, they cannot claim ignorance about understanding the dangers of a gun.
      
      Just a thought.

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      1. 83

         Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         a good thought.  I will keep that in mind    my son said his cousin told them about the safety switch

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      2. 0

         A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Not all weapons have safeties, some semi-automatic handguns in particular, and revolvers sure don't have them! If an adult has purchased a weapon and does not intend to lock it away in a safe then the responsible thing to do is explain to children (and some adults here) how they work and express in great detail what could happen if mishandled.
         
         A gun will not go off by itself, it takes manipulation by a human!

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   2. 62

      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Why don't you take a gun course?
      Fear is created by ignorance...you know that.
      Guns do not kill people.

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   3. 0

      Ghost32posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Being a lifetime shooter and a Life Member of the NRA, I don't agree with the folks who consider purchasing a gun to be crazy.
      
      If the following has already been covered, my apologies--but there's ONLY ONE RULE NEEDED to achieve total safety with firearms of any sort.  Let's tackle it in Q/A format:
      
      Q.  "What is the FIRST thing you should do when you pick up a gun?  Check to see if it's loaded?  What?"
      
      A.  "Nah, that's not it.  Just be sure to POINT IT IN A SAFE DIRECTION!"
      
      Following this rule, our family experienced (if memory serves) four...yeah, four separate accidental discharges--not too surprisinlgy, I was personally involved in two of those--yet no one was ever hurt (unless you count the adrenaline rush when the gun went off).
      
      When I took Hunter Safety Training at the age of twelve, our instructor told us about a young student he'd had a couple of years before he taught our class.  He and an assistant were teaching about a dozen young guys (no girls in the group), and this one particular fifteen year old just refused to get the point.  They could hand him a .30-06 rifle, and the first thing he'd do is wind up looking down the freaking barrel or something equally idiotic.
      
      After trying and trying to get it through this kid's thick head, they decided drastic measures were needed.  They were outside on a balmy autumn afternoon at the moment, with the students lined up on an old board sidewalk (guess that would be a boardwalk).  While the assistant was handing a rifle to each student in turn, the lead instructor slipped behind the group.
      
      Sure enough, when the thick-headed fellow got his hands on the long gun, the first thing he did was turn it around and stare right down the barrel...
      
      ...at which point the lead instructor, standing directly behind the young fool, fired a .45 caliber round from his Colt 1911 pistol into the ground, twelve inches in back of the barrel-starer's feet.
      
      The kid got the point. 
      
      Whether or not his Mom had to do extra laundry when he got home after class, I don't know.

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2. 60

   tantrumposted 14 years ago

   Your cousin is crazy, or he hates these kids !!

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   1. 0

      lyricsingrayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      have to agree with tantrum - nuts sorry you have to deal with this

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3. 83

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   I certainly think he's crazy - but I also think his whole family is crazy

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4. 60

   Ohmaposted 14 years ago

   I agree with Tantrum on this one. Guns and kids do not mix.

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   1. 83

      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      My feelings exactly - at least my son says he doesn't think he'll ever own one

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5. 0

   Denno66posted 14 years ago

   Huh. Population control? Just a thought.

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6. 71

   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   As long as they have the knowledge of the safety switch, they cannot claim ignorance about understanding the dangers of a gun.
   
   Sorry about the typo.

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   1. 83

      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      didn't even notice - too freaked at the moment 

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7. 79

   earnestshubposted 14 years ago

   I do not have this problem. In Australia we have very tight gun control, and nobody gets to have a gun that is not locked away securely in a separate place to ammunition.
   If you want a gun here you need to have a real use for it.
   No guns are carried in public at all.

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   1. 83

      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      We have conflicting gun laws here in US, but it is hightly recommended to keep gun & ammunitions locked up seperately.  My nephew said he keeps them seperate - I hope for everyones sake he's telling the truth.

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   2. 0

      A Texanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/guncontrol_20010302.html

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      1. 79

         earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         People swipe stuff in Australia, we do have crime, but we don't shoot the perpetrators!

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         1. 0

            Ghost32posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Sometimes you do, Earnest.  I realize not often, at least since your government confiscated and destroyed most of your firearms, but a few years ago--in Sydney, if I remember the article correctly, though not certain of that--a 80-something grandma did shoot a perpetrator.
            
            Said perp had violently raped her granddaughter.  Perp was an ex-con.  Cops claimed there was no case.  Grandma got out a 9 mm she'd hidden and kept against the law, went to the guy's apartment.  When he opened the door, she shot off his testicles.  Left him bleeding against the wall, drove to the police station, and turned both herself and her gun in.
            
            Forget her name, but she's pretty much a heroine in this country.

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            1. 79

               earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               I don't recall that Ghost, but it rings true to me, I leave this country from time to time and lose a bit of news.
               I can understand why she did it, that's for sure.
               I got a 12 gauge "Harrington and Richardson" shotgun for my 11th birthday, no easy start with a 410 like those woosy kids!
               
               When I moved from the bush to the city I gave up all my guns, no use for em here.
               
               I must admit we have had a large increase in knife point robberies unfortunately, and robbery of Indian students is the big story here at the moment in my mostly peaceful city.. it hurts!

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8. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   here's a helpful link, hope it helps.
   
   there are way too many kids getting shot.
   
   http://www.kidsandguns.org/
   
   do you know why he was showing them how to use it??

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   1. 83

      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      my son said he wanted to show it off
      Honestly!!  -  I thought my nephew was smarter than that 

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9. 83

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   BTW - Thanks for your replies, it eased my mind a bit 

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10. 59

    flread45posted 14 years ago

    Nothing wrong with teaching someone how to handle and use a gun!If it is a pistol?Make sure that there is a trigger lock on it and no ammunition in or around it until at the range.
    If it is a rifle,take the clip and bolt out of the firearm,and do not let anyone pick it up until properly schooled by a firearms instructor.
    You can also put a trigger lock on the rifle.
    Make sure that the person who has the gun is qualified in using it before your children get hurt!!!

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11. 69

    Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years ago

    There is nothing wrong with guns and kids under proper adult supervision.  The OP said adult cousin. Who better to teach these kids than an adult? Too many kids learn about guns from movies, tv and other kids.
    
    If a kid knows about a gun and how it works and is taught proper safety (it's four simple rules you NEVER break) I see absolutely no issue with him showing them the proper way. I was taught to fire rifles at ten, was hunting at eleven, and shot my first handgun at fifteen.  Keeping kids completely ignorant of guns is a relatively new and dumb strategy.  As long as a properly trained adult is supervising, this is the best way to prevent a future tragedy when a kid encounters a gun.
    
    Now, if the gun is not properly stored and the kids have access to it, that's a problem that I would have a talk with the adult about.  As for what to tell your kid, the four rules are a start:
    http://www.thefiringline.com/Misc/safetyrules.html

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12. 62

    qwarkposted 14 years ago

    The MOST important piece of info about guns is: ALL GUNS ARE LOADED! ...PERIOD!

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13. 70

    thisisoliposted 14 years ago

    I have known how to shoot from a young age, never caused me any problems!

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    1. 79

       earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Me either. I just don't own a gun now I live in the city.

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14. 73

    Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years ago

    I was given some pretty good advice about kids (teens) and guns in the house.
    
    If anytime they are curious and ask about a gun, take it out, show them relieve their curiosity because if you don't they will go behind your back and check it out for themselves.
    
    LOCKS, LOCKS, LOCKS!!!
    
    when they are not in your possession, lock them up.
    
    a 16 year old is old enough to drive, in my humble opinion, they are old enough to understand guns and be taught gun safety, and then how they work...

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