To be quite honest, these issuse have been going on for decades - the only thing that has changed is the medium. When I was a kid I accidentally shot out a neighbors window when I was out playing with a BB gun that shouldn't have been out of the house in the first place. My parents at least knew about the BB gun as you had to be 18 to buy it - so they had purchased it for me. They also found out that I'd taken out when I wasn't susposed to, which promptly got it taken away.
I knew kids while I was growing up who shot each other, innocent kids, pets, signs, windows and cars with their BB guns. To tell the honest truth, I didn't know one teenage boy didn't at some point blow something up with fire-crackers, snowball a moving car, egg a house, shoot something, or light something on fire that he wasn't susposed to. I'd even go as far as to say almost ALL boys in their mid-teens have some degree of vandal in them.
Enter the problem, must adults don't play with BB guns. A lot of adults would be PISSED if paintguns were outlawed or restricted. This brings to an important cross-roads - something needs to be done now to protect our freedom to own paintguns. I'd say (and I surprised to here this coming out of my mouth - I an avoid pro-gunner) create an "official" weapons designation of air-powered firearm and restrict the age limit to purchase to 18 and older. At least then parents would have to be involved in the purchase. Furthermore, since they bought it they could more easily be held accountable for it's misuse. I'm not suggesting registration, id cards, or licensing - but at least a minimum purchase age. I'd say that also any local laws that apply to airguns should also apply to paintguns. I.E. if you can't walk down the streets of your community with a BB rifle loaded and in plain view, then you can't with a paintgun either. This could have a negative effect on "outlaw" games but if I can only shoot real guns, air rifles and bows in designated areas (like ranges) I don't see a problem with this going for paintball also.
-Calvin
I knew kids while I was growing up who shot each other, innocent kids, pets, signs, windows and cars with their BB guns. To tell the honest truth, I didn't know one teenage boy didn't at some point blow something up with fire-crackers, snowball a moving car, egg a house, shoot something, or light something on fire that he wasn't susposed to. I'd even go as far as to say almost ALL boys in their mid-teens have some degree of vandal in them.
Enter the problem, must adults don't play with BB guns. A lot of adults would be PISSED if paintguns were outlawed or restricted. This brings to an important cross-roads - something needs to be done now to protect our freedom to own paintguns. I'd say (and I surprised to here this coming out of my mouth - I an avoid pro-gunner) create an "official" weapons designation of air-powered firearm and restrict the age limit to purchase to 18 and older. At least then parents would have to be involved in the purchase. Furthermore, since they bought it they could more easily be held accountable for it's misuse. I'm not suggesting registration, id cards, or licensing - but at least a minimum purchase age. I'd say that also any local laws that apply to airguns should also apply to paintguns. I.E. if you can't walk down the streets of your community with a BB rifle loaded and in plain view, then you can't with a paintgun either. This could have a negative effect on "outlaw" games but if I can only shoot real guns, air rifles and bows in designated areas (like ranges) I don't see a problem with this going for paintball also.
-Calvin
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