Nothing will destroy your life more quickly and thoroughly than a negligent discharge that takes the life of a loved one. Friendly fire? More like eternal hell. TTAG’s Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day series continues to highlight the importance of NOT relying [exclusively] on safety devices to protect your children from their curiosity about firearms. That said, a member of our Armed Intelligentsia recently pointed out that this website needs to spend a bit more time recommending behavior and [a little] less effort reprimanding people for piss-poor safety and/or self-defense techniques. To that end, I’m republishing a comment from PATRIOT PREACHER. Double P offers a helpful hint on how to teach your children to respect guns . . .
I once heard a story of a dad whose little seven-year-old boy was showing interest in his guns—as kids do. So he took him and two cantaloupes out to the range.
He asked “Who is your best friend? ”
“Jimmy,” came the reply ”
“OK, draw Jimmy’s face on this mellon with these markers.
When his son finished he said “Now draw your sisters face on this one”
Done !
He set the melons on a hay bale about 15 feet away and took out his 410 shotgun [w/ gameload]. The father helped his son point it and coached him about gun handling sighting and cushioning against kickback.
The melons exploded, of course. The father then told his son that a gun doesn’t know that a target is a melon or your friend or your sister. It just shoots and what you shoot at.
He let that sink in and then they had a laugh about exploding melons and continued their shooting session.
I have never heard a better way to teach children to respect the danger of a gun without making them terrified of them.