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On last Tuesday a local 10 yr old boy and a friend were shooting an air rifle in the friend's back yard when the boy was accidentally shot in the chest by a .177 caliber pellet fired from the Remington Airmaster held by the friend. Both boys were able to walk across the street where the victim's brothers were working on a vehicle in the driveway. He showed them the wound and walked to the front porch where he collapsed and died. Doctors said the it was a miracle that he was able to walk that far because the pellet had pierced all the chambers of his heart.
The grieving father made a statement where he stressed gun safety and, of course, the hue and cry for banning pellet guns is now front and center. Rather than explain the sad incident as an accident they are blaming the adults for allowing minors to play with the pellet gun. When I was that age .22s were our commonly used rifles, and safety was foremost even way back then. Accidents did happen at that time, too, but there was never mention by the media that it was either the gun's fault or that of the adults who gave us the rifles.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
Where the devil are the parents in these situations. A 10 year old kid has no business with a .177 unsupervised. It was NOT an "accident", the rifle was loaded, pointed at the child's chest and the trigger was pulled. That is NOT an accident, that was a negligent discharge by an obviously untrained and undisciplined shooter.
I'm with jnyork on this one. If the boys were untrained or undisciplined enough to point a gun at each other they should not have been handling it without adult supervision.
Unfortunately the anti - gun lobby will use this as ammunition in their fight against guns in general. Also unfortunately, incidences such as this attract the general public to the anti's stance, because like us they sympathize with the parents and families of the lost child and they can be conned into thinking that "no more guns means no more dying".
Bob
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You have got to love democracy-
It lets you choose who your dictator is going to be.
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Just because a gun doesn't use gunpowder doesn't mean it fails to send out a potentially lethal projectile. Look at the Lewis & Clark air-rifles, and some of the modern offerings intended for places where the 'authorities' have decreed the peasants shall not be armed.
Granted, to some degree lesser-powered firearms, which includes the majority of pellet-guns, are less lethal, in that their range is reduced, and their penetration/power is reduced, so it is safer to let a kid use a pellet-gun than a .22 LR, and safer to use a .22 LR than a .308, but anything firing a projectile, including a sling-shot, or for that matter a hand-thrown rock, MAY be lethal.
I won't fault the parents for not 'supervising', because I don't know the kid's level of experience and training. We all know lethal accidents happen with grown-ups too, including highly-trained ones. Some kids at age 10 could safely be trusted to shoot AK-47's, and others by age 30 are still dangerous with sharp objects.
It's 2025 - "Cutesy Time is OVER....!" [Dan Bongino]
Heart felt sympathy for the family! However, a cry against pellet guns is not going to bring him back or even prevent the next death of a child. A dad or mom being ACTIVE in the childs life and teaching him the responsibility of owning and using a firearm (all be it a pellet gun) would have done this young man a great deal better. Parents really need to think, can I honestly prevent my child from ever coming in contact with a firearm? I seriously doubt it, so you had better educate them on firearm safety. Its a shame our schools arnt doing a better job. Even if you dont enjoy firearms, the reality of ABSTENENCE from firearms is about as likely as it is from SEX!
Gun Control is not about guns, it is about control!
I don' think it is fair to say a 10 year old has no business with a pellet rifle.......Me and a whole lot of other people I know were turned loose with one around that age....I am okay, and so are the other people.
"The best argument against democracy
is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
I ran around with a bb gun at that age, but down on the farm, and usually by myself, and if Grandpa, Mom, or Uncle saw me do something stupid, I lost the bb gun for awhile. If the parents didn't make sure the kid was ready and safe, well, they will suffer for the rest of their lives. It's useless to prosecute something like this.
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
This should be a cause for firearms training required in schools. To many times when given the opportunity kids revert to what they saw on TV and after a shooting they see someone get up and walk away. Reality is a very strict and painful teacher.
My condolences to the family of the victim and the kid (through stupidly) that has to remember that sight picture for the rest of his life.
The so called bb or pellet guns today are very, very lethal as this tragic case illustrates.
My son and I both have 440's. His is .22 and mine is .17. We did test in gallon milk jugs for the fun of it. My .17 with pointed pellets totally penetrated the first jug and just inside the second. My sons .22 went through BOTH jugs and the pellet was stuck in the plastic on the back side of the second.
Kids must be taught to handle them same as all other firearms. They are not toys.
No mention was made whether or not the boys gad any sort of training how to handle air rifles. The media would not print such anyway as it might temper any sensationalism. The local newsrag is a leftist publication and would not let any positive information about any such training ruin their story. It's sad that they feed on the unfortunate situation, but "good" news is no news.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
Amazing how people can formulate an entire world of advice about culpability/negligence after reading two paragraph description written by somebody who wasn't even there.
a couple of years ago a kid around here was found dead with his pellet gun, by ricochet. I found it hard to believe but then my experience at the silhouette range is worth remembering. I was knocking down small chickens but one wouldn't go down. I thought I was missing it so I went up to check . I saw that someone had mixed in a very thick chicken, about 1/2 inch thick, with the others. There were several hits and the chicken had been scooted back on the stand and was about to fall. It made me realize there is power in those airguns.
Of all my guns my Benjamin Sheridan is the #1 life taker.
About the death, I didn't hear anything more than the original news story and it was played down as far as I heard.
"I'll tell you what living is. You get up when you feel like it. You fry yourself some eggs. You see what kind of a day it is."
2571 wrote:Amazing how people can formulate an entire world of advice about culpability/negligence after reading two paragraph description written by somebody who wasn't even there.
May the kid RIP
Kind of +1 (sorry)
Last edited by Blaine on Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
Thanks for posting this story. Makes me sick to even think about the loss of a child. I am very strict with my sons and constantly reinforce safe gun handling, constantly. I also constantly stress that air guns are guns, period. I will be using this incident as a reminder to them about safety.
I also have been in arguments with adults when they have referred to something as "just a bb gun" or "just a pellet gun". It is infuriating to have a conversation with someone when they refuse to accept the lethality of these air guns.
Some people just amaze with their lack of common sense.
2571 wrote:Amazing how people can formulate an entire world of advice about culpability/negligence after reading two paragraph description written by somebody who wasn't even there.
May the kid RIP
Amazing that you give a rip what friends posit with each other. Bite Me.....I tired of being b i t c h e d out on the board.
2571 wrote:Amazing how people can formulate an entire world of advice about culpability/negligence after reading two paragraph description written by somebody who wasn't even there.
May the kid RIP
Amazing that you give a rip what friends posit with each other. Bite Me.....I tired of being b i t c h e d out on the board.
¿Que?
I'm sorry. No call for that response.
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
The death of a child is a tragedy no matter the circumstance. But we don't have all the details. No offence intended, but some of the responces look like plain ole' "knee jerk reactions" just as from the "other side". We don't know if they were playing "cowboy" and aiming at each other or if it were truely an accidental/neglegent discharge. When something tragic happens, today it seems natural for folks to find blame; the parents, the lack of training, etc. I'd simply say put your money where your mouth is; if you think kids need more instruction, form a junior firearm traning program, teach a kid to shoot safely. If you think minors shouldn't be allowed BB/Pellet guns, work to enact laws against it. If you think responsible parenting is needed, teach the parents gun safety, discipline (good luck on that one). If you think this is one of those tragedys of life, say a prayer for those involved...
Mike
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit...
I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...
2571 wrote:Amazing how people can formulate an entire world of advice about culpability/negligence after reading two paragraph description written by somebody who wasn't even there.
May the kid RIP
Amazing that you give a rip what friends posit with each other. Bite Me.....I tired of being b i t c h e d out on the board.
Never did get all the details, but a 14-year-old kid down the road a ways got shot in the chest with a pellet gun 7 or 8 years ago and died. I was surprized when i heard about that, but guess when the pellet penetrates the heart, that all it takes. Guess I'm going to have to educate my gradkids more on being safe with their pellet guns.
Tragic, if true. I find it difficult to believe that a pellet rifle could penetrate "all four" chambers of the heart. Id like to see a more detailed report on this. Sad... just lucky that never happened when I was a kid and we had neighborhood bb gun wars.
Maybe the gun type, caliber.. some of those pellet rifles run 1000 fps.. and run a .22 pellet. Dun
Paladin wrote:This should be a cause for firearms training required in schools. To many times when given the opportunity kids revert to what they saw on TV and after a shooting they see someone get up and walk away.
It would be nice, but all the safety training they get in school is how to have safe sex. I don't know that gun training would be safe in schools these days, at least not with real guns. I've seen the way most kids act these days and they have zero respect for authority. It starts and ends at home. I truly wish kids could be trusted with firearms at school, but you have too many that wanna be a "gangsta" and it could spell trouble. Maybe if they started with drill rifles to teach muzzle control and how to handle one? I don't have the answers.....
"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen" - Samuel Adams
The round solid lead balls are the deepest penetrating projectiles that can
be fired from pellet guns. I have a 1000 fps .177 cal single break action
pellet rifle which is much more powerful than the pump up Sheridan
guns and it will shoot through a new 3/4 inch pine board.
Also when dispatching a 25 pound racoon in a trap a month ago,
I shot it in the ribs and through the heart from the side and noticed
that the leaves on the outside of the trap on the other side kicked up.
That round ball had shot clean through that 25 pounds raccoon.
I probably didnt hit any bones but still that is pretty impressive.
I guarantee a pellet would have no trouble shooting all the way through
a human heart and the half or one inch of flesh on the outside of it.
I am not so sure that ten year olds should be allowed todays powerful
pellet guns. Why not limit them to the Daisy Red Ryders that we grew up
with ? They can have just as much fun with them at age 10. One problem
is parents are now having to compete with other parents that buy their
kids advanced toys.
I'm sorry. 
