Airsoft Guns and Kids aka.. I'm a mean daddy

[John]

I’m a mean daddy.

My 11 year old had been bugging me for months for an air soft gun. Now I don’t mind the guns so much, but I’ve spent so much time teaching him not to point guns at people…. So a couple of months ago I picked on up for him and maintained control of if for a while. I kept it and let him practice with the little sticky target from time to time. Again, teaching safe practices and muzzle/finger control. He does hunt with me and has a 20ga. He's also shot my P22 before.

So today a bunch of kids down the street were having an air soft war and I was outside doing some chores around the house and in the garage and I let him join in the “fun� (of course I made him wear safety glasses, but he was the only one with safety glasses, mean dad point number 1). Well the other kids came over tonight and banged on the door wanting him to go out and play in the airsoft war again, at night. I said no way, not at night (mean dad point number 2).

So I question you good people:

1. Your thoughts on kids with airsoft guns in public (residential area)? Yea or Nay.
2. Same thing at night? Yea or Ney.
3. Your thoughts on airsoft wars? OK or No Way!

[mschadt]

While I'm not a parent, I support your stance and at the same time still being a bit of a kid (23yo) myself, I have to say you are a mean dad, but at least that makes you a smart dad.

As for airsoft wars as long the airsoft guns don't look too much like real firearms, orange parts, clear plastic, whatever as long as there not totally black I don't see much wrong with it. And safety glasses are a must. I'd say come to a 'compromise' with your boy by getting him some more "stylish" looking safety glasses. Oakley now makes some, although at $100.00-$150.00 highly over priced IMHO.

After dark is another story. When I was your boys age and younger I had to be home before the street lights came on. As I got a little older and my parents got know my friends parents better I just had to be home or call home when the streetlights came on. If I stayed at a friends past dark I had to call home for a ride or notify that I was on my way.

At the very least please make sure the Orange parts don't get "lost" I can tell you from experience some if those airsoft guns are far too life like.

[ghentry]

This brings up a great fear of mine... Shooting a kid that points an airsoft gun at me. They look incredibly real and that's an accident waiting to happen.

To address your questions:

1. I don't think kids should be running around a neighborhood with realistic looking toy guns. Now if they are the see-through models, that's a different story. Also, considering their age, it may look less threatening than if they were 17 and dressed in all black.

2. I definitely wouldn't let him do this for two reasons. The first being that it's not safe to be running around after dark these days. The second being they are much more likely to alarm someone since the person driving by or looking out their window may not be able to tell the kids age and that they are just playing with toys.

3. I spent a lot of my youth playing cops/robbers, cowboys/indians and war. We pointed a lot of guns at each other, but none of them shot anything. You are right to require eye protection. Some of these airsoft guns can hurt pretty bad from what I understand. If your son happened to hit another kid in the eye, you could take a pretty good hit in the wallet and in court.

Hang in there. This parenting job requires a lot of us "being mean" doesn't it?

[quidni]

1. Your thoughts on kids with airsoft guns in public (residential area)? Yea or Nay.
2. Same thing at night? Yea or Ney.
3. Your thoughts on airsoft wars? OK or No Way!

A mom's viewpoint:

1. If they're clearly visible as "not real" guns, no problem, with one caveat: are they following proper safety rules, similar to what one would follow when playing paintball? Most airsoft pistols I see today are clear plastic, which takes care of the visual problem. And like another poster pointed out, kids playing games do tend to dress differently than criminals intent on mischief.
2. Not at night. Not with squirt pistols, paintball, airsoft, rubber-tipped toy arrows, or whatever. Too easy to stumble into the street, or to hit an unintended target because the game players can't see clearly. Or, to become a target because a bystander mistakes the shadows for real guns. I'd make an exception for a well-lit, supervised playground or back yard.
3. OK - as long as they're following proper safety rules - and I mean ALL of the participants, not just one or two! If they can't follow similar rules to what paintballers obey, including but not limited to wearing eye protection, limits on how close one can get to fire, etc., then it's not a good "game."

Maybe you can pick up some cheap shooting glasses or goggles to loan around and offer to "referee" a war or two? You could help set up light and heavy cover (cardboard boxes, trashcans, & such) and a safe zone, and lay down a few simple rules. The kids might pick up on a bit more respect for shooting sports in general, your son wouldn't feel left out, and he'd get to pass on what you've taught him about having fun responsibly.

[MoJo]

The recent incident in Florida, where a SWAT officer shot a middle school student who was armed with a painted airsoft pistol should strike terror in the hearts of any parent who has kids that want to play airsoft at night or unsupervised.

The kid died the next day, I feel sorry for both the parents and the officer who pulled the trigger. In the same situation, I may well have done the same thing.

[KBCraig]

Here's my personal stance: no toy guns at all. I've bought them all real guns (I include pellet guns as "real" guns), and we shoot at legitimate targets.

I don't want my kids ever thinking of guns as toys.

Kevin

[John]

Here's my personal stance: no toy guns at all. I've bought them all real guns (I include pellet guns as "real" guns), and we shoot at legitimate targets.

I don't want my kids ever thinking of guns as toys.

Kevin

I understand this fully and I only recently had a change of heart on the subject. I considered my childhood and what my friends and me and my brother used to do. I actually thought everyone here would say no toy guns too, but I guess it depends on how mature the kid is (kevin, i'm not knocking you are your kids).

What's really funny is that the kids of any of the anti gun folks I know, all have air soft guns. Their kids are the worst too, as far as aiming them at adults and other kids outside of the concept of a game.

Anyway, I figure that I am teaching him the difference between real guns and toys and I am teaching him safety. Kids do things with toy cars that I wouldn't do in a real car. It's all a matter of what you teach them. The kids with parent that do not shoot or hunt or have any guns are the ones that I'm concerned with. They don’t seem to have any respect for the fact that gun kill.

The incident in Florida was with a pellet gun according to what I read. I think schools are more sensitive to weapons, maybe rightfully so. My son also has pocket knives (he's a boy scout) and he knows not to bring them to school. I don’t know what the situation was in Florida, but it is truly a sad thing.

I reckon until and unless he shows me that he is not mature enough to use the airsoft gun, I’ll let him play during the day, but not at night. Everyone’s comments are greatly appreciated.

[gigag04]

Good points everyone (as usual).

I used to play on a tournament paintball team so I can appreciate the sport in hunting down your buddies and tagging them with some sort of round, be it a plastic paint pellet, or a yellow ball.

Airsoft guns difer a bit in that they are replicas or real production models, much like the CO2 power pistols that are black and everything.

Just like paintball though, if safety measures are enforced, and kids are monitored, I would have no issue with them playing. That is not to say I disagree with anyone taking issue to it, but for me, I would allow it.

However, am important thing to note is if LEOs ever show up, EVERYONE drop the airsoft guns and don't act stupid and joke around. I hate the "I shot a kid with a toy stories" and this could easily be avoided with a quick, firm lesson on LEO-present behavior.

-nick

[Paladin]

1. Your thoughts on kids with airsoft guns in public (residential area)? Yea or Nay.

Eye protection is a requirement. Be firm on that. You're not being mean, you are simply protecting your kid.

If everyone knows what's going on and they don't start pointing replicas at strangers I'd think they would be okay.

2. Same thing at night? Yea or Ney.

Only on private property. Not out in a public place. Last night I was out praticing low light moves in my privacy-fenced back yard... in the dark with an airsoft replica.

3. Your thoughts on airsoft wars? OK or No Way!

I'm sure it's a lot of fun. As long as they know play from real. Wish they had that stuff when I was a kid. :)

[dws1117]

1. Your thoughts on kids with airsoft guns in public (residential area)? Yea or Nay.

I am a definite Yea. I have been teaching gun safety to a few of the kids (9 - 12yr. old) in the neighborhood. We set up a target with a brick wall as a background. One kid shoots at a time. Eye protection must be worn. The kids seem to be learning and having a good time.

I don't have a problem shooting them at night as long as it is in the back yard and not out on the street.

[stevie_d_64]

I may be wrong...But don't the Airsoft guns zing the pellets out there at about 180 to 200 fps anyway???

Thats not too far off of the 280 to 300 fps that the paintballers do as well...

I think those things without proper "eye" protection (minimum), obviously could do some serious damage if the "play" is not supervised...

And even the supervision needs protection...

[flintknapper]

I may be wrong...But don't the Airsoft guns zing the pellets out there at about 180 to 200 fps anyway???

Thats not too far off of the 280 to 300 fps that the paintballers do as well...

I think those things without proper "eye" protection (minimum), obviously could do some serious damage if the "play" is not supervised...

And even the supervision needs protection...

Yes Sir!

Many of them shoot a projectile at those speeds and more.

My nephew showed me one he got for C-Mas that replicates a shotgun. It is advertised at 300 fps. and it will readily shoot through one side of a cardboard box at 12 ft.

Naturally, the plastic BB's do not weigh much...but they will "break skin" at close distances.Injury to an eye is a certainty.

The pistol versions seem to be a bit more tame, but even they will put a "whelp" on you if you hit bare skin. I've been using them for years to demonstrate (action beats reaction), and "Tueller drills".

You must be careful with them.