ccw

Been into guns since I was very young. Came from a family where hunting was a lifestyle. Bought my first handgun at 21, a smith and wesson model 29 (44Magnum). Been hunting with 44's for the last 30 years. Just purchased a new model 500 from s&w just this year and solely hunt with handguns now. Got my concealed handgun license when the bill was pased here in Arkansas in 1995. 4 years ago got my second ccw from the state of Florida. Finally went on and became a NRA certified instructor and Teach our states ccw clases. Also certified by our State Police as a firearms instructor. Guns, at a young age??? Yes and at an older age too. As long as I can pick one up, I will.

Betty

On the other hand, it's a good way to get my ears to perk up.

If dad hadn't moved us out of New Jersey in '91, my firearms experience would be extremely limited and I would not be enjoying them as I do today. Down here in Tennessee, the environment is much more gun friendly, and I have more opportunities to go shooting. I love opening up the newspaper and seeing a photo of the 14 year old posing with the buck he just hunted down. I can walk into WalMart and buy boxes of ammo and the get the "come hither" look from men instead of the "eew, scary" look.

Unfortunately, our society has gotten to the point where gun owners are branded with a scarlett letter and it seems we must hide in the closet. We're not thugs and we don't eat children for breakfast, but lots of people think we do. Parents are blindfolding their kids about guns, sex and drugs, thinking that making the subjects taboo will keep them safe. The uneducated eventually discover and learn, and it's best they learn through the right sources.

It's just my opinion, but learning how to responsibly handle a firearm is something capable people should know. You don't have to own one or shoot on a regular basis - just know the basic safety rules, basic working mechanics and respect them. Firearms knowledge shouldn't be based on what people have seen in movies or watching the gangbanga down the street.

I'm tired of guys who know how to hook up a Playstation but don't know how to fix a toilet.

armoredman

I started shooting at age nine, with an HR Double Nine 22 revolver. My Dad, God rest his soul, made sure my brother and I knew how to shoot, and we had family shooting outings. My wife and I always take our son to the range, even though he is age 4, and he is always bugging me for his own rifle or pistol. He got to handle Daddy's CZ75 PO1, (unloaded, under strict hands on supervision, of course!), a few days ago for the first time, and the smile was huge. He also kept his finger off the trigger, too, while trying to get a sight picture! He'll get his first rifle in a few years, when we can afford a Chipmunk or something like that. Then we will have contributed a new shooter to the world!
Now, we don;t qualify for you age thing...I am 37, and Mrs. Armoredman is (HIDDEN).....you don't think I am going to actually post her age, do ya???:O:):D

AZG23

It's just a commonality that parents are raising wussyfied kids. they will elt them play GTA San Andreas for hours on end.....but dont ever mention guns.

I think this nation is slowly becoming as the letter read a "Nation of Cowards" There are those of us that arent.and are raising their families as such..but there are WAY too many Micheal Moore followers out there. Soccer Moms UNITE!!

Euclidean

I don\'t know if that really has that much to do with it.

I\'m the first of a set of three.

My siblings despise guns to varying degrees and I love them, and we all grew up under the same roof.

The Tourist

It could just be demographics.

If you\'re about 30, that means your parents are baby-boomers.

The culture of boomers is tinged by the Vietnam War, violence and guns in general.

There is also a regional bent. In Wisconsin you can actually get time off from your job to hunt deer or go to a Packer game. We have a truck plant in Janesville that actually shut down early so that its workers could drive to Green Bay in time for the game.

The bright spot in this is that the boomers were the last of the 'real bikers.'

We probably fathered most of you, anyway.

rfurtkamp

I think it's partly regional - here in Idaho everyone and their brother and mother and cousin have firearms. The 4H shooting sports program has several dozen kids at minimum every year here locally, and that's only some of the kids - there's also the Boy Scouts, church shooting groups, etc.

For me, I decided to get proactive and teach the kids to shoot. It's 4H so it's all bullseye and happy silhouette stuff but I let the kids see and shoot some of the more fun 'evil' guns if they're responsible and safe with other things.

Those eight and twelve year olds now will be voting soon enough - and I'll be the guy who let them shoot the Uzi and be the first on their block to blast away with the Sig. :)

This way they learn about both sport shooting and the fact that guns themselves aren't bad even though some of the older folk here look evilly at me for having autos.

I don't even really like children a whole lot - my kids in the program are well-behaved and an exception because they're motivated and want to be there.

As I expressed it to a local parent when I was running the firing line a few weeks back, "Sure, your kids can shoot the guns they've been looking at for an hour if it's OK with you."

I told the oldest who promptly threw a few mags through the Uzi that come Monday he'd be the coolest kid in his class.

And people wonder why I love Idaho.

The Tourist

Rfurtkamp,

Do you own the SIG pistol in your avatar?

I own the exact one.

http://p077.ezboard.com/ffirepowerfp10forumfrm57.showMessage?topicID=10.

SGeringer

I turn 23 on 21 February.

ccm-tim

For what it is worth, I am working on the next generation right now. I sit down with my 2 oldest kids (6 & 4) and have the \"gun talk\" about once a month. I bring out a few handguns and teach them how to hold and aim them. I also drill into their heads that guns are GOOD. That they protect us from bad guys. They love it. I am proud to be raising my kids the way they should be raised.