Officer Michael Joyner: Everyone in the Home Should Know How Guns Work

1. Was 3rdof 6 kids. Dad had several firearms and had shot small bore competition in the 1950s. We all knew where the guns were, where the ammunition was, and not to touch them. Pretty simple. Had kids over all the time and never an incident. Gun safes, btw, were unheard of back then.

   • Yeah, but we’re more “civilized” now (and apparently far more paranoid), then when you and I grew up. At least that seems to be the case in our “modern” society.

     • we played with guns all the time…neighbor had a jap rifle that we’d take out and handle anytime we wanted…don’t ever recall seeing any ammo for it, though….dad used to let me play “cowboys” with his little nickle plated smith & wesson…always took the cylinder out first though…that eventually disappeared and was replaced by a little .25 auto with a folding trigger that I actually got to shoot…still have it…wonder if it’s worth anything…..

       • “…and was replaced by a little .25 auto with a folding trigger that I actually got to shoot…still have it…wonder if it’s worth anything…..”

         Look it up on one of the gun auction sites like : https://www.gunbroker.com/

         and find out what they are going for…

   • I also grew up when gun safes were unheard of. A lot of the comments reminded me of my time growing up. We had the “traditional” wall hung gun rack. It had a place for 3 rifles with a drawer underneath for cleaning implements. My Dad had all 3 spots filled. Myself and my sister never ever gave any thought to playing with the rifles. We were taught safety and later I learned to hunt. But I had 2 “sets” of friends. One set could come in and play…I knew they had the same respect for guns and the other set, who could only join us outside! I was not about to face my father’s wrath for touching those rifles when we were not supposed to! We never had any problems.

   • “Gun safes, btw, were unheard of back then.”

     So was the concept of having a firearm stolen from you, used in a crime and then having the victim or victim’s family sue you for “failing to properly secure” that firearm.

2. 100%. Kids and adolescents are drawn to the “forbidden”. It’s like sex education in a way. Keeping things a mystery is a recipe for disaster.

   The kids are gonna learn it either way if they choose, better a parent to teach the kid than television or a friend. I grew up around a grandfather and to some degree father that had guns in the house openly. It was expressly known the consequences should I mess with said guns unsupervised. Likewise, it was expressly known they’d gladly let me use and learn about said guns with proper supervision.

   • BlakeW5,

     Spot on.

     I introduced my children to firearms at a very early age, about 3 years old. That first introduction included them watching from a distance of about 200 feet behind me without hearing protection for one shot. That distance was close enough that they could hear how uncomfortably LOUD firearms are without damaging their hearing. Then I had them observe a few feet behind me with hearing protection as I shot a water jug which exploded in spectacular fashion. Finally, I had them hold onto my hands as I shot one time so that they could feel the recoil in their hands through my hands. Between the sound, the sight of a water jug exploding, and the feeling of sharp recoil in their hands, they concretely KNEW that firearms are serious business and something that they most certainly did NOT want to mess with. And while I never left loaded firearms laying around for them to access, they would not have played with them anyway because they knew how unpleasant firearms were.

     When they became older, somewhere between six and eight years-old, I reintroduced them to firearms again, this time to learn and enjoy them with close and constant hands-on supervision.

     My oldest is now a teenager who regularly asks to inspect, handle, learn about, and shoot firearms. And I always oblige. For my oldest, firearms are neither taboo, mystical, or “forbidden fruit”. My teenage child is extremely competent and trustworthy and, as a result, now owns three firearms.

     My youngest is a pre-teen who appears to have no particular interest in inspecting, handling, learning about, or shooting firearms. And that is okay. The best part: my pre-teen knows that firearms are serious business and will never “play” with them. I could leave loaded firearms laying around if I wanted (which I do not do) and I have no doubt that my pre-teen would simply ignore them, or ask me to secure them if friends were coming over.

     That, ladies and gentlemen, is the way it should be and goes far beyond gun cabinets and safes.

   • those were the days…sitting out on the back porch with the guys after sunday dinner…shooting the breeze while we shot up a couple of boxes of .22’s…neighbors never batted an eye…sometimes they’d even join us…

   • With my son, he knew what guns were before the age of 2 when we would watch (now the late) R. Lee Emery’s Lock’n’Load show. At the age of 2 he knew I had guns. From just before 3, he was going to range with me. The worst thing he ever did at the range was to jump into a large and deep puddle while fully clothed. Luckily I had a change of clothes in the car.

     We have been learning theory and non-firing practice since (because of local laws) and sees it as his responsibility to teach other children the range safety protocols. He says he wants to start from the beginning with my air rifle and .22 rimfire, and only wants to progress to centerfire rifles when he has mastered the techniques. He is very good with sports that require technique. He makes state level in the 1100m walk and rarely gets any yellow warnings, much less red warning. He is also a very good swimmer (can swim a kilometer in a 50m pool in 25-30 minutes) and always focuses on doing things exactly right.

     I think target shooting will be a good fit for him.

3. Yes, everyone should secure the potentially dangerous items in their homes and businesses. That includes anything that can be poisonous, supply a significant amount of energy in a short period of time, slice/cut, or maim.

   We all know what items are potentially poisonous and how to secure them.

   Here are common sources of significant energy that we should secure:
   (1) Heavy objects up high that can fall on top of someone
   (2) Compressed large springs/gases
   (3) Chemicals (energy from reactions/combustion)
   (4) Electricity
   (5) Fast moving objects

   Of course we should secure anything with sharp edges, including knives, arrowheads, saws, and tools.

   Finally, we should secure anything that can maim, which includes slow moving machinery and even animals.

   We should also recognize the fact that guests have a huge measure of responsibility in securing themselves, especially any children. If you bring your children to visit someone at their home, it is YOUR responsibility as a parent to maintain control of YOUR children and ensure that they don’t access something that could harm them.

4. Yes, every spouse, every child. Teach them to be safe, teach them to be competent.

   What I did with a daughter was first teach the safety lessons. When she was very small this was strictly Eddie Eagle lessons. See a gun? Do not touch it, go find an adult, tell them about it.

   When older called her into the dining room and had her fetch bath towels to protect the dining room table. Upon which I placed a variety of long guns and hand guns having different actions. We went over each one, how it works, what the controls are. How to clear each one. How to load it using snap caps. Show me unloading each type, clearing the guns down to empty. All the snap caps lined up and accounted for.

   When we went out to shoot we repeated the practice with all types of actions and live ammo. Show me how she would clear a pistol, a revolver, a bolt action rifle, an AR15, a pump action shotgun. Even a couple of antiques. Did that before teaching her to shoot, teaching good sight picture and control, firm stance, etc etc etc.

   Load, one live round. Even in a magazine, be it 1911 or AR15. Safely and correctly operate, hit a simple target at an easy distance. Metal plates are terrific for positive feedback with a new shooter!

   On a revolver, one round to start. Show me she understands the action by placing one round in the cylinder so it will come up under the hammer when she takes a double-action first shot.

   That’s a while ago now. Today she’s a safe shooter who enjoys making the holes in paper targets play nice together in neat groups.

   • enuf,

     What you described is THE quintessential way to train your children about firearms and I cannot think of any way to possibly improve your training process.

     Bravo, sir or ma’am!

5. As a college professor, I wish, wish, wish I could teach my students some firearms basics. It would be good for them in a whole host of ways: safety, discipline, history, demystification, culture, engineering, independence, etc. Of course I’d be asked to leave my job if I did so, tenure or not… sigh.

   I look for opportunities to spread the word to those who seem interested in subtler ways instead.

   • I don’t know what you teach? But there might be a way to weave gunnz in one of your lectures. Like the JFK assassination, then go into the details of the firegum used, it’s history, ballistics, I’ never went to college so I don’t know how all that works, but I’d find away to bring firegums into some kind of study.( I miss spell some words on purpose because I think the Feds got tip off words and TTAG said something about having to push some words)

6. Um, if people understand how guns work, the anti-people don’t stand a chance with their policies.

   I don’t think they thought this one through.

7. started teaching my son firearms safety at 6 now at 21 i trust him with firearms more than i trust police

8. Only one that cain’t shoot here is the dog, and she don’t need to!

   I run the backhoe better that the girlfriend, but I picked her up in Minnesota so she’s more inclined to run the woodchipper. Best y’all call ahead.

9. Anti gun people know that with enough lies, people are going to believe some of them. While I believe in the 2nd completely, they way some people act and use guns in irresponsible manner, I am turned off by them. The quick draw, spray and pray methods of shooting will get someone hurt, sooner or later.

   For the same reason we don’t give the keys to our car to a 6 year old, or spend a couple of weekends teaching our children to drive, we should all get some type of education about how to use a gun safely.

   Buying a .357 and going out to the backyard to figure it all out by ourselves has never been a good idea. I don’t believe it should be required by the government, but having a day at the range, where qualified instructors(volunteer police officers?) would be there to give you pointers would be a great way to show safe handling of firearms – and I will sign up my grand children and take them myself. I would think that ranges would all do that – but noooo, they won’t – around here.

   • well if you’re a total neophyte…and have absolutely no experience with firearms I suppose it would be a good idea….and that appears to be a growing group…..

10. Dad had me driving a pickup at 9 years old, on a tractor mowing hay at 10. I had two sons and they both knew what a gum could do around 4 years old. I never locked them up, shotgum by the door for critters for anyone in the home to use whenever it was needed. Gums all over the house and never had a problem, no threats, suicides, accidental discharges. Maybe I got lucky or maybe they had a smart Dad?

    • a different time…a different age…but I yearn for it, a sweet, innocent time that seems to be fading away..

11. In a perfect world my 2 remaining sons(23&26) living at home would be interested in dad’s late in life gun collection. They ain’t…if I’m away they’re locked up. While both are perfectly behaved mama’s boyz I don’t try anymore. I grew up around guns(22’s anyway)so I was at least aware. My 44 year old son is an ex-army fudd. The other son is a non-violent felon…whatever. My wife knows what to do gunwise.

12. Only 2 of us in the home. I shoot every other day on average. My significant other refuses to have anything to do with guns and takes the head in the sand approach. Ive still made it easy for her if the need arises. House guns are striker fired no safety, dao no safety or DA revolvers.

13. My wife knew how they work long before I did. She grew up in a home with…let’s just say plenty of them, and was a good shot by the time she was 6. My son knows from liking them enough to read all about them whenever he gets the chance. When my wife and I got our CCWs, he took off with my handbook and read it repeatedly, as well as every book on guns that he could find at the local library. My daughter has a basic idea of how they work just from being around the rest of us. She’s still a bit nervous when we’re out shooting, and is reluctant to join in. She has once or twice, but mostly with my son’s .22lr Henry. She tried my SR9C, but didn’t like it. I tried to get her to shoot my AR15 once after she shot the Henry, but she declined. I think the noise it makes scares her too much to be in control of it herself. But she is warming up to guns. She’s asked me several times recently if she could get a .22lr of her own, and practically demanded I get her the pink version of the Red Ryder, which I obviously did. It’s hilariously ineffective against woodchucks, fyi. Don’t ask how I know.

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