Red Ryder BB Gun for 4 year old

[crysplefty]

My husband wants to get our son a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. He turned four on October 20th and I'm not so sure if 4 is old enough for a BB Gun. His cousin got one last year at the age of 3 so that is why I believe my husband thinks our son is old enough for one. What age was your child when he/she got his/her first BB Gun?

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

Personally I think 4 is a little young. Not only will the rifle be bigger than they are, but do you really think a 4 year old can understand basic gun safety?

 

[LWatson]

OMG My son turns 4 in jan and my DH wants to buy him a RR for Christmas too. Ugh glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks its crazy.

 

[wmharley]

what part of Louisiana are you from? I want to avoid that area...


Seriously, smack your hubby up please. a BB gun? tell him to watch the Christmas Story again..

"You'll poke your eye out!"

 

[luvmy3]

I have to agree with the pp, I think 4 years old is too young because they really won't understand the concept of gun safety. I don't believe they are old enough to distinguish between a toy and a real gun, if it were me I'd be telling hubby no bleepin' way

 

[princessmom29]

I grew up in an environment where everyone learned to shoot, and even my Dad the die hard "everyone needs to learn this" guy would tell you 4 is too young for any kind of weapon. That's what this is, a weapon. Would you hand your 4 year old a kitchen knife to play with?? BB guns can be just as dangerous. We had a high school student killed last year by one. He took a BB to the temple when he and some friends were "fooling around" with a BB gun. I would wait until he was old enough to understand the danger and evn then only under supervision until he is a pre-teen at the very, very least.

 

[cltk78]

4 years old is way too young for a BB gun.

From Red Ryder's description on Amazon:

Suitable for shooters 10 and older (with adult supervision)

 

[brergnat]

OP, are you completely serious here?

If you are...God help us all.

 

[susykt4]

My son has been shooting BB guns with my dad since he was 4. He is very supervised and is never left alone with the guns. I don't know gun terms so may be using wrong words, but they use hand guns rather than the rifle Red Ryder style. If the gun is more for your husband than your kid and will be locked up or hidden when they're not using it together, I don't see it as a huge deal. If your 4-yr-old will have access to it whenever, that is ridiculous.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I think 4 is wayyyy to young.

 

[sksjasams]

BB guns are definitely for 10 and up and even then only with supervision. Take your hubby to the NERF section of Target or Walmart. There are tons of safe "guns" there. I'll bet he will be drooling - take a look at the Vulcan...

http://www.target.com/Nerf-N-Strike...04545&searchPage=1&field_keywords=nerf vulcan


I am positive your son will be much happier with a cool nerf blaster than a boring bb gun. Nerf guns don't shoot hard enough to hurt, but some of the buzz bee guns like belt blaster and tommy 20 shoot too hard, so be aware of that. Good luck!

 

[bumbershoot]

I'd follow the manufacturer's instructions (as a previous poster mentioned), NOT the cousin's parents who might be visiting the ER sooner rather than later.

Good gravy, I can just imagine a 4 year old looking down the barrel to see where the BB comes out....augh.

 

[crysplefty]

Trust me, the gun would be locked away and he would only be able to shoot it with my husband. But I still feel as though 4 years old is too young for him to own a gun. At this age, he doesn't fully grasp gun safety and the consequences that can come from impropper gun handling, accident or not. I think it is best we wait until he has a firm grasp of gun safety and reality before he gets a bb gun. I just wanted to check to make sure I'm not being over cautious since I keep telling my husband no. I'm really not sure what is a good age for a kid to receive a bb gun. So I wanted to find out how old people were when they received one or how old their kids were when they received one.

 

[kmwek]

If the gun will be locked up and the child will only be shooting it with the help of an adult, I would let him. All of my children have guns. They are locked up in a safe at all times and the boys only get to shoot them with Daddy's help. For those that are flipping out at the thought of a child having a gun, in alot of the very rural areas of the country this is a way of life for generations of families. My brother and my oldest son were both eight years old when they took their first deer by themselves but under the supervision of thier fathers. My oldest son has completed a hunters safety class and he has been taught respect for the weapon by his father and grandfather.

 

[dizneechic]

tell him to watch the Christmas Story again..

"You'll poke your eye out!"

That was the FIRST thing I thought of when I read the threads title. Second was "are you kidding me?!?!" but personal opinions aside...

 

[sohappy]

Yeah,

You'll shoot your eye out!!!!!

My kids will learn basic gun safety from their dad, but not for a looooong time. They are too young to understand the consequences.

 

[henry72]

I have a 4 1/2 year old right now and there is no way he is ready for any type of gun. I don't care if he is being supervised. Unless he is perfect at listening and following directions (and most 4 year olds aren't) then I would hold off on a BB gun. I know my brother got one when he was a child but I believe he was at least 8 or 9 before he got one.

 

[mjkacmom]

I thought it was a joke! Ds11's friend just got one, and all of the moms here are horrified. We don't let our kids play with guns in our liberal state!

 

[Motherofboys]

I would let my DS13 get one, but not DS10....too young in my opinion

But I am a terrible, unfair mom who won't let the kids have pocket knives either I saw what my brother's did with bb guns and pocket knives growing up, there is no way in hell I am giving them to my kids anytime soon!

But I am also from a liberal area where guns are not a right of passage type thing so ymmv

 

[wmharley]

i couldn't imaging my DD5 having a BB gun.. nor my son when he's that age.