Texas Gun Range Targets Parties for Kids 8 and Older

While I am pro 2nd amendment, and 100% support the proper training via classes at gun ranges, I am not sure that associating this with birthday parties is a good idea..

The parties IMO are celebrations and fun, weapons training is serious business..

I could be wrong but this news just hit me the wrong way.

What are your thoughts on this range's business plan?

www.reuters.com

Parents searching for the perfect place and theme for their kids' birthday parties will soon have another option in Texas: a gun range.

Contrary to popular liberal beliefs, young children can be taught how to responsibly operate and own a firearm.

I am all for it. Learning should be fun. Learning about our heritage is the most important thing we can teach our children. Why not mix the two? Besides, have you ever shot a can of tomato juice with a 20 gauge or a .410? It is a hell of a lot of fun to watch the can explode. It also brings a little touch of reality concerning the damage guns can do. That is always a good thing imo.

I think it's great as long as the party and the range itself are separated and there is adequate supervision. They should be reminding the kids on the range that they need to listen and do exactly what they're told.

The key is supervision and maintaining a safe environment.

Originally posted by rtyfx
I think it's great as long as the party and the range itself are separated and there is adequate supervision. They should be reminding the kids on the range that they need to listen and do exactly what they're told.

The key is supervision and maintaining a safe environment.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel about it.

And if you think it's wrong for kids to learn gun safety and use, then don't book a birthday party here, or allow your child to attend one. =]

Right, birthday parties are a totally appropriate place to learn how to handle firearms.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


Most Country kids in Texas have a 22 rifle and a 410 shotgun by age 8.
My oldest killed his first deer at 9, the younger at 10.
Where I live now you carry a gun because some of the wildlife thinks you are lunch.

RANGE PARTY?
GREAT!
There is a junior division in most gun sports.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


I don’t see a problem with it. Shooting can be a sport…much like any other sport. Many sports facilities offer birthday party packages. The people who own the range obviously don’t want anyone getting hurt there at ANY TIME so I’m sure safety is stressed as much as usual.

I think it’s a clever way to open up their services to a new market. The more mainstream shooting becomes the more support there is in defense of the 2nd amendment.

My 5 year old daughter has her own BB rifle and can already recite the golden rules. When's she's a little older she'll move up to a .22 and then she'll be going to the range with her daddy!

Its not that bad. Like the article said they will only be shooting a .22 or a bb gun. The guns will probably stay on a table aimed down range with parental control. Guns are all ways going to be apart of humanity so you might as well teach some them how to use it.

I think a birthday at the range is a great idea. Most kids would love to shoot a gun and it would be best if supervised by professionals. I would gladly take my gandson to a range for a party.

reply to post by TsukiLunar


Could you direct me to the Guamanian Coral Thread?

I KEED, I KEED!

I see no problem and it is a great way for kids to learn more about guns. We take our 3 small kids to the gun range and they (except my 2 year old) take turns with the .22. My husband and I believe it is important they understand them and respect them.
It is a curious kid that will sneak a peek at a gun with no knowledge of it and have something go very wrong.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


Personally, the sooner they are exposed to gun safety, the better!

A birthday party might be a great time to expose a kid to gun safety where they might never get the lesson otherwise.

The most dangerous thing about a gun is naivety of the user. If a kid has never seen a gun before, and then they happen upon one, it is a very dangerous scenario, but if they had that one birthday party once, and they remember a couple of key lessons like, "treat every gun as if it were loaded," then maybe they'll be safer.

I'm sure the gun ranges are taking plenty of precautions, because there is a lot of liability in having amateurs handle guns. So, I'm sure if they are having the parties, they are taking extra precautions.

I actually learned something new at a Bass Pro shop the other day. I'm about to by my 6 year old his first gun, and the guy at the counter used to teach children's gun classes, and he advised me to get a single-shot, bolt action, with a peep sight instead of open sight. The bolt action teaches them how the gun mechanics work, the single-shot ensures they will not spin around with a loaded gun after firing a round, and the peep sight helps focus their attention on the front sight. All very useful advice from the counter guy!

My 7 year old son has a BB rifle and a 20ga. There are a few of his friends that I would consider this with. There are more than a few that I would never even think of bringing to a shooting range.

My inlaws have a farm a short way from where I live and we have, on occasion, taken some *select* friends for some BB gun shooting. My father in law is very good with the kids and instilling the proper amount of respect for the guns. That being said, there are some friends of my boy whose parents have asked us if they can be included in the future. My wife is very direct in letting these parents know why they aren't being included. Most of the time the children in question do not demonstrate the proper amount of respect for authority figures of mental maturity.

As an aside, my home range starts firearms training at age 8 assuming the child can demonstrate the proper amount of respect for both the weapon and the instructor. The children are interviewed prior to instruction and are either allowed or denied.

While it is important to consider the ability of the child to take instruction, it is also important to have an instructor who can properly instruct a child a young as 8.

-SC

reply to post by JacKatMtn


My view is they are advertising and providing a service to those that find nothing wrong with it. An opportune time to allow kids outside the rigorous and detailed care of a mentor to actually put to use the training they received.

I would obviously demand high standards of safety and compliance at such, but see nothing wrong with it. The demand is obviously there, so why stifle those who want to supply it (granted they adhere and provide excellent safety for it)

Originally posted by TsukiLunar
Right, birthday parties are a totally appropriate place to learn how to handle firearms.

To learn...no. To exhibit and utilize training that might be already under the belt; what's the big deal? Also is a good place to be exposed to such as long as the people putting on the "party" are knowledgeable and understand they have great responsibility to make sure the kids are fully aware of how deadly such a tool can be.

Just as a parent are when they introduce firearms, fire, knives, forks, etc to their children.

About 8-10 is actually the perfect time to start teaching youngsters about safety and firearms. That's the age I started shooting .22s and shotguns. There are two NRA firearms instructors in my immediate family and they would say, when it comes to guns, the younger the better. Don't have to break them of any bad habits like older shooters.

Yet another reason why Texas is pretty bad ass.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


It all depends on the kids maturity level for example if your kid is an immature little brat you don't give him a weapon that could kill someone
If your kid is mature enough to handle a potential dangerous weapon there is no reason why you cant teach him gun responsibilities and how to handle himself around firearms

After all Guns don't kill pepole people kill people

Looks like I have been outgunned

I agree that it's important to properly teach the care, use and safety.. just didn't think it was cool to tie it to a party..

I had flashbacks of those Laser tag birthday parties way back when...

Let's hope that they can go on without a hitch

reply to post by JacKatMtn

I had flashbacks of those Laser tag birthday parties way back when...

Now that would not be a good idea at a gun range!

I know people that would object to laser tag, cowboys and indians, or any other game that involved pointing a gun at each other. In fact, I believe the gun range party is probably more sane than the laser tag party, because one is teaching kids proper handling of real guns, while the other is teaching exactly the opposite!

For the record, I do NOT let my kids point toy guns at anything they don't intend to kill, and I have made each of them cry with a heartfelt lecture asking them why they would want to see their brother, mother, or dog dead. It sinks in pretty thoroughly for a little while that guns make people dead, and do NOT point them at anything you don't want to see dead.