B. B. Guns and Rules

BB Guns HURT!

David, my younger brother, Allen the boy on the bicycle (see Horses and Bicycles in previous post) and I would often play “Army” in the caliches pit that was between our two houses. Looking back at the hole in the ground now I laugh at its size. It is not near as big as I remember it but at that age it was an entire country that needed defending again invading forces. If there was no one else visiting we would often play two against one. The defender would have to take on the two invaders. It was not long before our empty BB guns started getting loaded and used.

We had rules. You could not shoot anyone above the waist unless it was in the back (saved the eyes). You could not shoot anyone if you were too close (subjective but usually worked). We all had lever action Daisy B.B. Guns but sometimes a rich kid would come play and would have one of those fancy pump B.B./Pellet guns. We absolutely did not allow pellets and you could only pump your gun three times. We did many experiments to see about how many pumps were equal to our Daisy’s. A shot anywhere was a kill! The last and firm rule was that MOM’S COULD NEVER FIND OUT we were doing this or our guns would be confiscated.

What did we learn some things. Number One, most outsiders didn’t always play by the rules. I know that some of those who brought pump air guns into the play would add an extra pump or two trying to get the distance advantage. Number Two, Guns, even B.B. guns hurt. I think this gave us an appreciation of how dangerous guns could be and to this day I am very conscious of where my guns are pointed. A B. B. gun at 20 yards would sting even through jeans, I can only imagine what a shotgun or rifle would do if through carelessness someone got shot, which does happen everyday.

I know you might criticize our boyish play as dangerous. Looking back I would agree and there is no way I would have allowed my boys to play like that if I caught them. And, if my mom and dad would have found out they would have immediately taken our guns away.

I am a gun advocate but also realize it is a different day. Most of the world no longer lives in rural environments so we have to be sensible in our teaching and training and expectations of those handling guns. I understand that laws enacted for the vast majority of people in the United States living in urban areas are going to effect me living in the “country” and accept that as long as they are reasonable. The problem is that one of the things “I Learned on the Farm” was that not everyone plays by the rules!