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I played with toy guns as a kid, and I bet you did too…but there is a pro-gun argument against toy guns.
On a windswept hillside, I had finally brought my enemy to bay. He turned to me, hair a-tangle and knees a-scabbed, and said, “At last, it’s come to this.” He brought his weapon up, but my draw was quicker: In half a second, I had emptied my ammunition into his center of mass. “Now my shirt’s all wet, ya dick!” he bawled, and our water wars continued.
That’s the way it was back then; we all played with toy guns, and none of us went on to become violent or criminal as adults. These days, it’s getting harder and harder to find toy guns to give as gifts to the kids in our lives, and it’s a tremendously sad reminder of how far our culture has shifted. But there are a few reasons why even some staunch Second Amendment supporters hesitate to give out toy guns to the kids on our Christmas lists. (And, by the way, none of this is prescriptive, or even necessarily descriptive of this author’s feelings. In fact, I plan to write an article highlighting the other side of this argument soon.)
Pictured: Not a toy.
Toy Guns Might Muddy the Gun-Safety Waters
It’s not that most of us have any difficulty telling a toy gun from a real gun. It’s that the vast majority of toy-gun play is going to directly contravene everything you’re teaching or will teach that child about gun safety with real guns. After all, the whole point of a toy gun is to point it at your idiot buddy and say “bang, bang,” right? Well, as an adult who either is teaching or will teach the Holy Trinity of gun safety rules to that same child, how can you square “Never Allow Your Muzzle to Cover Anything You Aren’t Prepared to Destroy” with that kind of play? Although most children have no trouble differentiating play from reality, there are enough who do to give some parents pause. (Looking for some pointers to help you figure out whether your kid is ready to learn about gun safety? Click here!)
Some Adults are Confused by Toy Guns
For me, this is the pro-Second Amendment anti-toy-gun argument that holds the most water. When earlier generations were growing up, adults knew that there was no reason to panic if they saw a child playing with something that looked like a gun. These days, not so much. Schools have gone “zero tolerance” for anything even remotely gun-shaped. A child who wants nothing more than to play Cops n’ Robbers at recess can find him or herself facing expulsion, even (proof that this is a world gone mad) criminal charges for having something like the cap gun pictured above in their backpack. The problem with letting a kid have a toy gun isn’t with the kids at all–it’s with the so-called adults who can’t be bothered to apply a little reason and perspective to each individual situation.
Finally, of course, there’s the question of “mistaken identity,” in which a law-enforcement officer might mistake a toy gun for a real firearm, and treat its wielder accordingly. That actually seems to be quite rare, and in the cases I’ve been able to find, the problem wasn’t “toy guns” per se, but older kids and teens brandishing realistic-looking BB guns.
Where do you stand? This Christmas, will you give toy guns, or no?
Trace, a proud Special Farces who goes commando, is dedicated to pubic service. Although he’s a legend among YouTube commenters, he actually began life as a humble dingleberry farmer. Now, no subject is too moist or sensitive for his incisive odor and scintillating lymph nodes.
ThunderGuy says
This is a slipery slope. Many air pistols are replicas – they look and sometimes weigh exactly like their lethal source. For adults looking for a fun and less expensive way to enjoy target practice, especially in areas where shooting a gun is against a city ordinance, these are great. When ammo was hard to find, law enforcement offices were using airsoft replicas for training purposes. So these guns have a place in our society.
Unfortunately they are misused as well. You’ve seen it in the news – thugs that can’t get a real gun tote a replica, sometimes deliberately flashing it, to convince people not to mess with them. They’re tough. Until someone reports a “kid” with a gun, the police department responds, and the kid doesn’t comply with demands to drop the weapon and other legal commands. The cops do not know it’s not real, and they have a right to defend themselves.
Sometimes a kid isn’t trying to prove anything. Those with mental conditions still like to play, and parents sometimes (often?) don’t think things through. So a mentally disable kid wanders around the neighborhood playing withi his looks-like-the-real-thing air pistol.
Parents can make a difference, but that won’t stop these replicas from causing issues for a community and the police. I guess I just wonder, why do air pistol manufacturers make these? Do they understand how easily they can be misused? Sure I get capitalism, free market, all that. And that’s why this is such a tough issue to digest. There are no easy answers, but I do think at least one solution “starts in the home.”
Donnie says
It’s not really an argument against toy guns. It is against the fact that parents don’t teach their children about gun safety and the damage done by careless use of those guns. My generation played with toy guns as did generations before but we were taught the danger of guns and were also taught the consequences of negligence. We were told that this toy gun is a toy and it intended to be a toy and looked NOTHING like a real firearm. And having received my first real gun when I was 6 years old, and after being in and around law enforcement as my career for the past 36 years, I have NEVER killed or even wounded anyone with a firearm, even on the job. I am retired now so if I do ultimately end up shooting someone, it will be in complete self defense. Teach your kids the truth people!
Keith Bullock says
Now a Days with the “Air Soft”, and BB Gun Replica’s that are being produced by various companies both here and Abroad,, it is virtually Impossible to detect the difference between the REAL thing and the REPLICA !!! By Law ALL Air Soft Pistols and Rifles must have an “Orange Blaze Tip “, Permanently attached to the front of the Barrel of the Replicas, however many people Remove these tips , or paint over them to achieve a more Realistic effect.. This Can prove also to be a Deadly EFFECT !!!!
ICE says
Well to be realistic I believe that in some cases Schools go to the extreme like in the case where Children were playing with airsoft guns while waiting for the bus. The bus driver observed this and the children placing the airsoft guns on the porch of a house, The bus driver reported this to the School and the children were suspended. If this had been on School property then suspension may have been due. But on private property the School went to extreme. If a child uses a toy gun in a criminal manner eg a robbery or a threat that is different.!!
Bob says
I am a 2A supporter, have my ccw permit and carry every day wherever legally permissible, even when I’m home. Many years ago I was a young father of 3 sons. I did not buy them toy guns until they were older, and taught them sternly that guns are not toys. I did buy nerf guns and we all played, same with laser tag guns. But they were older then. By older I mean 10+ yrs.
ARTHUR KUNSTMANN says
Rmember the “fanner 50″…or the mattel lever gun and pistols that would actually shoot plastic bullets, they had a place to stick caps on the back of case so there was a bang with pull of trigger, my mom used to get so mad because we had hundreds of those plastic bullets lying around house that she would get caught in her vacuum cleaner…dart guns where we’d take off rubber cup and sharpen in pensil sharpener….nerf guns, etc….still have a couple in storage….let the good times roll!!!
Farmer says
My kids got genuine H&R single shot shotguns at 6 and 7 years old. I pocketed some .410 shells, went over the safety rules for the 10th time and took the kids to the woods to “kill” some trees. They immediately understood the power they held in their hands. One grew up to become a Border Patrol agent and Air Marshall the other a Marine fighter jock. I didn’t buy toy guns….they counter gun safety principles….and this was in Maryland, before the dipshits took over.
Kenneth Howell says
I only allowed my kids to have toy guns that fired something (water, darts, pelets, etc) that taught them about “cause and effect”. That type of toy gun teaches them that they can inflict injury (shoot someone in the face) so there is a consequence to their actions.
When they were old enough for real guns I showed them that real guns can kill, by killing a bird. They understood because of my action the bird was dead and I could not bring it back to life. They became avid shooters but understood the responsibility and safety aspect that comes with gun ownership.
Al says
EXACTLY! I never let my children play with any toy guns unless they actually fired some type of projectile. Growing up, they always had a healthy respect for ANY gun, toy or otherwise.
Tim says
You actually killed a bird so your kids could watch it die? That’s sad…you should have been more creative instead of taking this short cut and removing that bird’s right to life.
Prof. Cliff Mugnier says
I have 15 grandchildren, 10 of them are boys. I always give toy guns to my grandchildren. I compete almost every month in Bullseye 2700 matches, my youngest daughter, a mother of two girls was two-time State Junior Bullseye Champ. I think it’s an appropriate toy gift to children who are U.S. Citizens. Screw the foreigners. It’s good that children learn about the Second Amendment and consider it a part of the American way of life.