[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by llama64

Did you really understand the reason why you were taught gun safety? I'm arguing that a child cannot understand the reason why they should not shoot a gun at another person. Not that they have no capacity for obeying a rule. A dog can be trained to jump through a hoop when you blow a whistle. They don't know why they should jump through that hoop though.

Proper gun safety involves an understanding of the consequences of shooting another living being. I don't believe kids should be shooting guns until they get a mature understanding of what the heck they are doing.

How difficult is it for a 7 or 8 year old to understand that guns can kill a person. I understood it as I'm sure most kids who grew up hunting do.
You see a deer, bird, whatever get shot and you pretty quickly understand why you shouldn't shoot someone.

Should a three year old be allowed to handle a gun?
Of course not, but I think by the time a kid is 7 or 8 they can understand what it means to kill someone.