NEW GUNS, USED GUNS, AND FIREARMS SAFETY FOR KIDS

The future of the shooting sports lies squarely on the shoulders of the young people who will become tomorrow’s firearms community. That being the case, it’s vital for us as adults to teach the next generation everything we can about handling new guns and used guns properly. So here’s a look at the basics of gun safety for kids.

What the Facts Tell Us

Compared to other activities, shooting is remarkably safe. The most current statistics available show that Americans own over 270 million guns. Yet the number of accidental deaths per year from firearm-related accidents is less than 200. By comparison, around 800 people die in the United States each year from bicycle wrecks. Put simply, the odds of getting killed while riding a bike are four times that of being killed accidentally by a loaded weapon.

While this is certainly good news, gun owners must remember that even one such death is unacceptable. The key to preventing these needless tragedies is thorough training in the basics of gun safety, beginning in the childhood years.

What Kids Need to Know about Guns

• In real life, new or used guns should never be used like they are used in movies, on TV, or in video games. Those forms of entertainment badly misrepresent the realities of firearms ownership and use. In the real world, guns require a great deal of skill to use properly. They can’t spray out endless amounts of ammunition without reloading, and accuracy is only gained by many years of careful practice. More importantly: in real life, when a person or animal is shot, they’re seriously wounded and usually die. They don’t come back in the next movie.

• The explosion in the number of violent crimes committed by juveniles over the last 30 years means that guns are more likely than ever to be found in places where they should never be. Because of this, kids need to know that, if they run across a firearm in a public place, they should never, ever touch it. Instead, they should leave the area immediately and inform a responsible adult of the situation as soon as possible. The weapon was very probably used in a crime and likely has the criminal’s fingerprints on it. There may also be other types of evidence on the scene, such as blood, footprints, etc.  For this reason, kids should never touch or move anything in the area.

• Today’s toy guns are often very hard to tell from the real thing. For this reason, kids should be very cautious when they see what they think is a fake weapon. If the object appears to be made of metal, even partially, then it is almost certainly real. The size of the gun is no indicator of whether or not it’s a toy. Some real weapons are made very small for concealed carry purposes. The bottom line is this: children should avoid touching anything that might possibly be an actual firearm.

• For the same reasons, kids should be careful if one of their friends shows them a gun that might be real. Occasionally, tragedies have occurred because children have mistaken an actual firearm for a toy. If the object feels heavier than it should, if it has metal components, or if it resembles a real weapon, then chances are strong that it’s nothing to play with. Adults should reinforce this message by only letting kids play with toy guns that are bright orange or red in color, made of plastic, and have brightly colored stoppers in the ends of their barrels.

Teaching these rules to your kids will help to ensure that firearms-related accidents continue to decline. That’s a goal all responsible citizens should work towards, for the good of the gun-owning community, the nation, and especially for the children. Also, whether you’re looking for new guns, used guns, or something specific, we can help. Dury’s carries a wide selection, so you’re sure to find just what you’re looking for.