Minors with firearms

[Maser]

I hope the admins/mods of this site don't take this thread the wrong way but I was wondering what privilages did you get as a kid and now give your own kids reguarding keeping firearms in the house. What I mean is when you were a kid were you allowed to keep your firearm that your dad bought you in your room? And do you allow your kids to? In my house i'm allowed to keep mine in my room, but my dad has the ammo locked in his room and I can only keep my long guns in my room. My little brother now uses 2 of my old guns, but he's not allowed to have them in his room. I have to keep them in mine or my dad's room. I do however, keep all my guns in his room pretty often because I have a lot of non-shooter friends who come over and I don't want them messing with my guns and being stupid with them.

So what are the rules in your household?

[Big Calhoun]

Well, back in the day (really not as long as it sounds) I wasn't allowed to keep anything in my room at all. My grandfather kept everything (pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles) in the closet but not locked up. Most ammo was kept in his work room and was locked up...he did keep some shells for the shotgun in the bedroom. But basically, I wasn't allowed to even look at the firearms unless he was there, much less go shooting or anything like that.

Looking back on it, everything worked out OK. I mean, it wasn't like guns were forbidden so I grew up with this desire to get to the forbidden fruit. I think that is what leads to alot of the immaturity today; kids who grew up without a respect or awareness of firearms. So when they get older...it's like drinking...all of a sudden, you have access to it and it's 'cool'. Firearms were never 'cool' to me. My friends would want to come over and toy with the guns and I absolutely forbid them from even going to that part of the house.

[marlboroman84]

Since I was 13 I had my 2 long guns ( a single shot .410 and a .22) in my room in a gun rack. Most of my friends hunted and it was never a problem if I didn't know the person very well or had a large group over I locked them up in the closet with a cable lock. I'd probably let my kids have their guns in their room eventually. It would depend on their level of maturity and such.

[Maser]

I agree that the maturity level has a lot to do with it. I wouldn't have the privilages that I have now if I ever showed immaturity towards firearms. My dad is a pretty easy going guy, but he taught me very good about firearm safty. If I was to ever act immature with firearms I would see medicare before I ever saw a gun again.

[just one question]

I am allowed to but I don't....I had them there for a week and I kept having the thought "they're" gonna' get stolen.; So I put them back in the safe. It doesn't matter to me though one way or the other.

[dfaugh]

Well, when I was growing up (a long time ago, I'm 51 now) I was allowed to keep both guns and ammo in my room, or wherever I chose. I got my first .22 at 13 (had a pellet gun before that), my first shotgun at 14 and my first centerfire rifle (.270) at 15. But I was (I guess) pretty mature at that age, and my father taught me great respect for guns.

This was also a time when myself and my friends routinely walked down the road (past 20-30 houses), carrying various guns, on our way out to the woods/fields that surrounded the area where we lived. Nowadays, we'd probably be surrounded by SWAT, as soon as we left out house!

Edited to add: I've never locked up my guns...My kids were taught gun safety at an early age, and know how to use any gun I own, if need be. They are now 21 and 23, but I never worried about them, even when they were younger. Both were responsible, and knew that the guns were "off-limits" except in an emergency

[Rangefinder]

When I was a kid growing up (out in the country, mind you), I had a .22 singleshot, a colt woodsman, and a .32 Special lever-action all in my closet---usually with ammo unless I shot it all. From an early age I always had full control over the guns I had. My son now has to keep his with all my extras in the vault, but he knows how to get into it, he knows where my concealed guns are. He also knows how to use every weapon I have very well--better than a lot of adults I've met, really. Just like me, he's growing up with guns of all sorts as just a standard household item. So the fascination that a "normal kid" of 10-years old might have isn't there.

His general attitude--"Ya, it's a gun. So-what, we have lots of them. Wanna check out my new PS2 game?"

[pax]

Our guns stay in the safe, or are in active use, or are under the conscious control of a responsible person. No criminals are going to get into my guns!

The babysitter knows how to access defensive weapons if needed.

pax

[Jguy101]

Well, I'm 14, and I have a 10/22...but it's in California right now with my uncle, because my dad doesn't like guns very much. I might be able to bring it back up after I go down there this summer...

[Hedley]

I'm thankful my father placed enough trust in me to get me started at a young age. I remember when I was around 4 or 5, I had a Daisy repeater(first bb gun), a Red Ryder, a Mark XXII .22lr, and my dad's old speargun in my gunrack above my bed. Never had the ammo in my room though...all of that was kept in the garage near the reloading station. All of the other hunting guns in the house were kept in the closet safe. I never owned any handguns of my own until I went to college, but I was never interested in anything but long guns as a kid anyways.

[CajunBass]

Back in the day, which was a long time ago now, I used to keep my guns in a old dresser that had been made into a gun cabinet. Kept the ammo there too. I guess my mom and dad figured if I had made the money to buy them myself, working 12-13 hour days on a farm for $5.00 a day, I had earned the right and proven myself responsible enough to keep them myself.

When my kids were growing up, they never showed much interest in guns. They each had a couple, but I really don't think they ever fired them. Now, they're grown, and both shoot from time to time, but they took it up on their own really.

[rangermonroe]

About the time I was 14 or so, I kept my .44 1894 Marlin in my room with a few boxes of shells.

Until then, I was never allowed to have guns to myself...but looking back, I always knew where the key to the gun cabinet was.

Today, as dad, my 8yo son has to keep his guns in the safe. The household defensive guns are in defensive positions where they are accessible to all.

All are in condition yellow, but the young'uns know how they work.

I know it may seem odd, my gun...your gun. It worked for me growing up.

If I messed with Dad's "sock drawer gun", heep deep sheet. Shoot my gun out my bedrom window while mom was on the phone..."Damn it ...I'm on the phone!"

Al Queda comes a'knockin...I've got backup.

[skeeter1]

+defaugh

My dad taught me to shoot a .22 at age four. I had a BB gun at around age 8 and and a pellet gun around age 10, and got my first .22 rifle at 17. Proper handling of a firearm was drilled into my head from the beginning, so they were never locked up, and it was never an issue.

My younger brother, who ironically is a cop, won't let his kids (21 & 24) touch a gun. We don't talk much any longer. What can I say?

[Big Ruger]

Rangefinder, thats pretty much my kids attitudes too. I was 10 when I got my first guns. A .22 single shot and a SA .22 revolver. I kept them both in my room in a gunrack on the wall. I dont remember any real restrictions, it was just understood guns were not toys. I did get whipped once for sneaking my BB gun out and shooting when dad was not home. I was told never to do that. My kids dont show a wierd fascination for guns. They know they are not toys. I could leave my .45 loaded and locked on the living room floor till it rusteed away to nothing and my kids would not mess with it. ERIC

[DonR101395]

I got my first shotgun (Stevens .410) at age eight and it stayed in my room in my closet with the shells in my top dresser drawer. I was only allowed to shoot it with my dad or other adult. My guns now are kept in a safe except for my G19 which is my daily carry and my G17 in the night stand. My oldest girl showed no interest my younger alot. By the age of 12 my yougest could field strip a Glock and clean it and it was always known that they were off limits when my wife or I wasn't around. My wife or I would take her shooting with us. (Wife is LEO) It can be a shock to some folks to see a 12 year old girl field strip clean and function check a Glock and I always loved watching it

[Varmint Eviscerator]

All ammo and long guns (I only posess long guns) are in my room under my control (gun lock, ammo safe,locked up). I am very gratefull that my parents are so trusting, although there is no eason they shouldnt be
Chase

[Scott Conklin]

Growing up I had my guns in my room if I took a notion. Usually, though, they were in Dad's closet with his simply because he had the room. None were ever locked away, though. I and friends were another of those batches of kids who regularly walked down the road packing enough artillery to start a small war and nobody took notice of us, either. Different time, but not so long ago(1980).

Today I live back in the same neck of the woods again and the guns are not locked up now any more than they were then. My boy keeps his .22 rifle and pistol and the .410 in my library because, like my dad, I have the room. One thing has changed, though. I'd never let him take off on his bike with anything. It's mostly the same folks living around here, still, but there's just too much chance of some fool bringing in the cops.

[svishooter]

When I was younger, I could take my Stevens bolt action 410 to school, the teacher would take it and the shells and place them in the coat closet, then after school we could go squirrel hunting in the creek behind the school. We had a total of 23 kids in !st thru 12 grades taught in a two room school house. and it was that long ago. I started school in 1966. In very rural Texas, kids were alot different then compared to now. Teach your children at an early age to respect firearms and the responsibility that goes with them. More than likely they will never have any trouble of any kind. Scott

[Edward429451]

We had loaded guns all over the house when I was a kid. almost every room. We kept dads AR-15 A1 in our room to pop grounhogs out the window out in the pasture. Like rangermonroe, our mom'd get mad too! We used to stroll up n down Big Walnut Creek with a myriad of arms blasting varmints n such.

But that was a long time ago in a galaxy very far away....

My kids are grown now but we let them keep longarms in the bedroom from about age 10, and loaded handguns at about age 14. Very impressive when they came and said hey dad put this up, I'm not sure about one of my friends etc..

My kids were very mature though and we never had any tradgedies. The only ND we ever had in the house turned out to be one of my friends instead of theirs.

[OneInTheChamber]

Since the time I was 17; I bought my own gun safe and transfered the weapons out of my dad's closet. My parents have always trusted me with firearms. My dad trusts me more than himself in many cases. He never had that much interest in guns. I'm "very avid" to say the least.

[Blackwater OPS]

No guns in my house when I was a kid. Talk about your deprived childhood.

[Csspecs]

I've kept my firearms in my room since I was 14 (a year after I got my first) still keep them there four years latter.

I know not that long, but just to say the "good old days" are not gone, someone else is still doing what you guys did back 30+ years ago.

[chemist308]

when you were a kid were you allowed to keep your firearm that your dad bought you in your room? And do you allow your kids to?

Yes to the first question, I had a 22, a 410 and at one point a 16 guage and 308 in my room. But for the second question...NO! No way I'd let a kid keep guns in his room. I'm not being a hypocrite, I just think back and see there was too much risk in that sort of thing. Fact is a 15 year old kid often lacks the ability to control his emotions and temper that his 30 - 40 year old dad has. Risks for irresponsible firearm usage are simply too great.

[skeeter1]

Chemist308--

FWIW, I think you're just being a responsible dad. Things have changed quite a bit since I first started shooting (in 1957). I hope your child comes around and understands that firearms are fun to shoot, but need to treated with great respect.

Best regards,

Skeeter

[KimberTLE.45]

My father let me get my first gun at the age of 12. Remington 870 Super-Mag 12 Guage. I have been shooting ever since. Ever since I was 15, the gun safe with all of our guns and ammo has been in my room. I've always known the combonation.