Today's young people, and their interest in firearms?

[Regular Guy]

This is something I hope I'm wrong about, but I'm thinking that these recent shootings by maniacs may have cast a permanent cloud over guns and the shooting sports in regards to young people.

I've got two girls in school, 11 and 16. The oldest started shooting a couple years ago, the youngest last year, and both had a good time This summer, I couldn't get either of them interested in it. Granted they're both girls, and guys seem more attracted to the sport, but kids today are really wrapped up in electronic entertainment of some sort. Us older folks grew up with three channels on TV--we got out and actually DID things for entertainment, like shooting. My nephew is in his early twenties and used to be interested in guns. A few years ago I bought him a .22 spinner target for Christmas. It's still in the box.

My kids say that the shootings haven't changed their attitudes about guns, but they may just be telling me what I want to hear...

I can't help but think that guns are increasingly going to be viewed by the new generation as "uncool" after all this. The media barrage isn't helping any; I read a recent editorial online where it was said that changing the "gun culture" will take a long time, maybe a generation. I think this is the tipping point for shooting sports, right now.

Any thoughts? Are you guys seeing a lack of interest in guns by the kids?

 

[churchmouse]

I have my nieces and nephews (all ages from 10 to 25) wearing me out to go shooting. I make it fun and safe. They observe the rules and have called me on a few infractions out in the woods. Great times with them.

Find a fun place to shoot. Get a clay launcher and have at it. Good times.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

My sister told me that I turned my nephew (9) into a gun nut. I haven't seen any signs of it abating in him, and he's into the electronic entertainment too. Your girls are hitting the age when their interests are probably going to start turning to boys if they haven't already. Maybe you can encourage them to invite a "friend" along on a shooting outing. They'd get to spend time with the boy(s), and you, and maybe the boys might take an interest in shooting too. Also wouldn't hurt for the boys to see Dad's guns and shooting skills too...

 

[Polished515]

Our 8 yr old daughter loves shooting. But she is still young enough to not really be influenced by the media. She knows about the Sandy Hook shooting but never said a word against the firearms. She was just sad that a "evil person" killed those children. IMO it seems the earlier you teach a child about firearms the more interested or "normal" they find it to be. For PJ its just a natural part of our lives. We also try to make it a fun Learning experience and try our best to make it girly (lots of adding stickers to ear protection and cases lol).
I would rather my kids lose interest than to be afraid or worse, a crazy.

 

[Sylvain]

We have a few young members here who are around that age.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

kids today are really wrapped up in electronic entertainment of some sort. Us older folks grew up with three channels on TV--we got out and actually DID things for entertainment, like shooting.



Any thoughts? Are you guys seeing a lack of interest in guns by the kids?

Kids are wrapped up in all the electronics because parents let them. Not saying in your case, but kids will do what their parents allow them to do. Seems to me so many parents anymore are not willing to say no and just give their kids what they want to keep them quiet. Key word being GIVE. They don't have to earn it.

 

[dnurk]

I think every child is different and all we can do as parents is introduce them to the sport in a fun and safe way.

Posted this in a separate thread but this is my 6 year old and I destroying some gingerbread men with his new Daisy.

He has his own spot in our gun safe for it, is responsible for "cleaning it" and he really enjoys spending time with me. I'm hoping that doesn't change as he grows.

 

[der720]

My nine year old daughter got a red ryder from Santa.( pink of course). She loves the outdoors, camping, hunting and fishing. I think alot of it has to do with how the younger gen has been raised. What would be running thru your mind if a tragedy such as Connecticut happened when you were your childrens age?

 

[arthrimus]

I think your problem might be having started them so late. I was with my dad at the range at the age of 2, and shooting .22 and 410 at the age of 5. I think the key is to immerse them very young in the fun and safety of shooting.

 

[TopDog]

This is something I hope I'm wrong about, but I'm thinking that these recent shootings by maniacs may have cast a permanent cloud over guns and the shooting sports in regards to young people.

I've got two girls in school, 11 and 16. The oldest started shooting a couple years ago, the youngest last year, and both had a good time This summer, I couldn't get either of them interested in it. Granted they're both girls, and guys seem more attracted to the sport, but kids today are really wrapped up in electronic entertainment of some sort. Us older folks grew up with three channels on TV--we got out and actually DID things for entertainment, like shooting. My nephew is in his early twenties and used to be interested in guns. A few years ago I bought him a .22 spinner target for Christmas. It's still in the box.

My kids say that the shootings haven't changed their attitudes about guns, but they may just be telling me what I want to hear...

I can't help but think that guns are increasingly going to be viewed by the new generation as "uncool" after all this. The media barrage isn't helping any; I read a recent editorial online where it was said that changing the "gun culture" will take a long time, maybe a generation. I think this is the tipping point for shooting sports, right now.

Any thoughts? Are you guys seeing a lack of interest in guns by the kids?

The younger generation will see guns as cool as long as rap, video games and movies tell them that they are cool. Americans are sheep for the most part. Its up to the parents to keep them from being sheep.

 

[CitiusFortius]

I think every child is different and all we can do as parents is introduce them to the sport in a fun and safe way.
.

Yup, some kids like soccer, some like football, some basketball, then there's others that like to take computers apart or play chess all day.

Different strokes ya know?

 

[Mosinguy]

Dad and I got real interested in guns about two years ago even though he traded a cheapo guitar for an SKS + ammo years before that. Now, it's me financing guns me and him like and he buying them. But you are right about most kids these days.

 

[RangeJunkie]

For one it's difficult to break into shooting if your not familiar with it.

I was 19 when I got my first pistol, neither parents were ever involved with firearms and it was an uphill battle.

Now I'm completely consumed with them!

 

[Regular Guy]

My biggest concern is how today's youth will perceive guns after all this--like that old saying, "Perception Is Truth", regardless of what the truth actually is. Only time will tell, but I have a gut feeling that the word "gun" may take on a negative meaning to kids from here out. I know I sound like a doomsayer, and I hope I'm wrong.

I found this in a New York newspaper, a letter written to the editor by a 10 year old:

" I strongly believe that local weapon shops — or any place that sells weapons — should be closed, and new ones should be banned from opening. The only people who should be allowed to hold weapons are Army troops and the police. President Obama, please try to do something to ban weapon shops. Stop such tragedies! Please! Yamila Garcia, PS 75, age 10"

Hard to say if she was coached / prompted to write this by her parents.

I think an interesting poll for schoolkids of all ages right now would ask their opinion on firearms.

 

[hondatech2k2]

I work at a car dealership in Carmel. We have a lot of younger gents around 18-23 that work in the quick lube. I talk to them pretty extensively and most of them are hunters, shooters, or have family who are. I have taken a few of them shooting and they had such a great time they went out and bought their own firearms. I have not lost hope in the younger generation!

 

[OkieGirl]

I think it's up to the parents. Each of my kids have varing degrees of interest, usually based on skill and what firearms they have experience with.

We learned last year that if you put a bolt action .22 w/ iron sights in the hands of a 5th grader he will easily exhaust multiple boxes of ammo walking a steel jack all over the yard. That same child, when learning fundamentals on a basic AR, geeked out over ringing steel targets at 35 yards. Our kids have enjoyed a variety from basic bow and arrows to more recently time with an AR. Each kiddo liked one firearm more than another but ALL of them enjoyed plinking steel. My only suggestion is to stick closely to a .22 round...anything else gets expensive when they start begging to go shooting every weekend.

 

[LarryC]

Doubt it, as children grow they change their minds and interests rapidly. "I want to be a fireman" one month, next they want to be a Doctor, 3 months later they might want to be a dancer. Their interest in hobbies change as fast and as often. I think as they get older, if they have a grounding in sport shooting most will return at some time in the future. My sons all are into the shooting sports and at least 2 of my grandsons are pretty heavy into both shotgun (clays) and long range shooting. My grandchildren are all married now, when they were chasing girls, firearms were not on their mind - something else took priority!

 

[Water63]

I have 2 girls one that is 20 the other 16 both enjoy shooting of different types. ie shotgun rifle and handgun. With that said I am also a hunter ed instructor and what I see in those classes is kids from families that have firearms tend to be very pro gun. Kids that come from nonfirearm families come to the class because their parents seem to think they need a gun safety class to let them know how dangerous they are. I think we get so wrapped up in our gun community that we sometimes don't look outside to non gun owners and offer them a chance to come see the enjoyment it can bring. I live in a rural area so more people accept guns than in a city or a suburban area. Some of my daughters friends from college came to the house this fall and they had never been around firearms ever in their life. I let them shoot a 22 and they were very apprehensive because they were afraid it would hurt them. By the end of the day they were able to shoot both long guns and handguns without help and have totally changed the view they had of guns and their owners. By the way one of them thought it was illegal to own a AR type gun and was scared to death when I brought it out. She now has a whole different outlook about the AR platform. She ran about 100 round through it chasing a Bobcat Steel rifle jack around the range. I think we need to promote the fun side of shooting it is easy to overlook something as simple as inviting a kid and their parent to shoot with us. Let them see we just enjoy safely shooting as they would playing a ball game both are sports but not viewed the same.

 

[Beowulf]

My biggest concern is how today's youth will perceive guns after all this--like that old saying, "Perception Is Truth", regardless of what the truth actually is. Only time will tell, but I have a gut feeling that the word "gun" may take on a negative meaning to kids from here out. I know I sound like a doomsayer, and I hope I'm wrong.

I found this in a New York newspaper, a letter written to the editor by a 10 year old:

" I strongly believe that local weapon shops — or any place that sells weapons — should be closed, and new ones should be banned from opening. The only people who should be allowed to hold weapons are Army troops and the police. President Obama, please try to do something to ban weapon shops. Stop such tragedies! Please! Yamila Garcia, PS 75, age 10"

Hard to say if she was coached / prompted to write this by her parents.

I think an interesting poll for schoolkids of all ages right now would ask their opinion on firearms.

I wouldn't put too much credence in "letters" like that. There is no way that wasn't coached by a parent or teacher, or flat out fabricated. I have seen the games the antis play when it comes to getting their message out and they will happily use children as their mouthpieces, just as they will use any tragedy to move their agenda foreward.

It's actually pretty common in a lot of extremist type groups. You see it with some of the really crazy fundamentalist religious groups (like the Westboro clowns), you see it with right wing racist hate groups, and you see it in many of the far left rallies and groups.

Frankly, any group, no matter the issue, that uses children for mouthpieces cannot be trusted. They will put their agenda over the welfare of their own children. A child really doesn't have any political opinions of their own, since they really can't comprehend the issues. Sure, they have opinions, like they like GI Joe, or they think Susie in the desk next over is mean, but they really aren't mentally developed enough to have a grasp on the world. Maybe if it was a 14 or 15 year old, I might believe that these are their own thoughts (though, again, I'm sure heavily coached or taught by their parents, most likely). But a 10 year old? No way.

 

[Water63]

wrong post sorry