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Raising The Age To Buy Rifles

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DebateChallenge

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There has been talk, particularly by President Trump, about raising the age to buy rifles from 18 to 21. As it is right now, the age to buy rifles in lots of states is 18 and the age to buy handguns anywhere in the country from FFL dealers is 21. I see that as a mistake and it will not stop school shootings because what about people who are 21+ who commit the shootings? Or what about people who are under 21, or under 18, who get guns illegally? Adam Lanza who was 20 when he shot up Sandy Hook Elementary school got the guns illegally by stealing them from his mom. Dylan Klebold was 17 when he shot up Columbine High School so he wouldn't be able to get any gun legally.

Anyway not only should the age to buy rifles not be raised to 18 but the age to buy any kind of gun should be lowered to 18. Any kind of gun a person can legally get at 21 they should be able to legally get at 18 including handguns. Why? Because a person can be drafted at 18 or just the fact that a person can sign up to serve at 18 they should be able to get the same guns a 21 year old can get. If a person can be drafted at 18 they should be able to get rifles and handguns at 18.
 
my late Father purchased his first rifle at age 16 in 1942.

I guess times have changed .......


If a person in the US can legally vote at age 18, can legally enter the US military at age 18, then I say allow everyone to purchase booze, tobacco, and guns at age 18.
 
I think this is a fascinating aspect of the debate, and possibly an important one to address.

My question is if the 3 years between age 18 and 21 would make an impact on a few things, including maturity, more time for intervention and more opportunity to report, arrest and institutionalize.

My problem with the " you can serve in the military or be drafted at age 18" argument is that the military doesn't just check a database, issue you a gun and ammo, and send you on your way.
The military does extensive, intensive training and evaluates candidates for signs of psychological problems which could result in them taking their guns away. Of course, we know the military isn't perfect at this, but I don't think the equivalence holds up to scrutiny.

Mostly, having these rights and privileges should never come at a younger age and probably should be withheld until later ages.
 
These laws are useless.

Kids in gun-owning families just use the family guns.......some of which are designated for their personal use.

I had my first at the age of 5 and got a semi-automatic .22 rifle for Christmas at age 12.

I carried and used .22 pistols regularly around the farm from the age of 12 onward. Officially all this belonged to my parents........practically they belonged to me.

So What do the laws you mention accomplish?
 
cuban smokes said:
my late Father purchased his first rifle at age 16 in 1942.

I guess times have changed .......


If a person in the US can legally vote at age 18, can legally enter the US military at age 18, then I say allow everyone to purchase booze, tobacco, and guns at age 18.
Click to expand...

I got my first gun at 11, I bought my first shotgun at 14, but my dad had to be along. I was selling guns in a chain store at 16.

The only thing that you will get with higher age limits is more black market sales and straw purchases...
 
cuban smokes said:
Don't know. He paid $6 for the rifle, new; my brother has it. It shoots incredibly accurate ..........
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Was it a BB gun he bought? Even back in 1942 I don't see how $6 could buy a real rifle even if its used, let alone new.
 
All my kids got their first bb gun on their fourth birthday. They grew up around guns and know them well. I have never had the need to lock them up.
The guns I mean...:)
 
Acadia said:
My question is if the 3 years between age 18 and 21 would make an impact on a few things, including maturity, more time for intervention and more opportunity to report, arrest and institutionalize.
Click to expand...
Its silly to say that the instant you turn 21 all of a sudden POOF and you're able to be trusted with guns whereas right up until that instant you do turn 21 you can't be trusted with guns.

Acadia said:
My problem with the " you can serve in the military or be drafted at age 18" argument is that the military doesn't just check a database, issue you a gun and ammo, and send you on your way.
The military does extensive, intensive training and evaluates candidates for signs of psychological problems which could result in them taking their guns away. Of course, we know the military isn't perfect at this, but I don't think the equivalence holds up to scrutiny.

Mostly, having these rights and privileges should never come at a younger age and probably should be withheld until later ages.
Click to expand...

Maybe if you're 18-21 you could undergo certain training and get a certificate that would allow you to buy guns that you would otherwise have to be 21 to buy.
 
I'm not from a gun-owning family or culture, but I truly respect that millions of Americans are. I sort of wish I'd been exposed to them early on because my reaction to them is pure fear.
For those who grew up with guns in the home, do you think parents should be held responsible if their kids use their guns to commit crimes because they weren't secured correctly?
 
cuban smokes said:
If a person in the US can legally vote at age 18, can legally enter the US military at age 18, then I say allow everyone to purchase booze, tobacco, and guns at age 18.
Click to expand...

Serving in the military does not involve using booze or tobacco but it does involve using guns. That's why the age to buy any kind of gun should be 18 but you can't really use that argument to lower the age to buy alcohol and tobacco to 18.
 
DebateChallenge said:
Serving in the military does not involve using booze or tobacco but it does involve using guns. That's why the age to buy any kind of gun should be 18 but you can't really use that argument to lower the age to buy alcohol and tobacco to 18.
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You can buy both at 18 in the military.
 
GDViking said:
All my kids got their first bb gun on their fourth birthday. They grew up around guns and know them well. I have never had the need to lock them up.
The guns I mean...:)
Click to expand...

Hopefully your kids will never have to be locked up either. Not if they're responsible and don't commit crime.
 
DebateChallenge said:
Its silly to say that the instant you turn 21 all of a sudden POOF and you're able to be trusted with guns whereas right up until that instant you do turn 21 you can't be trusted with guns.



Maybe if you're 18-21 you could undergo certain training and get a certificate that would allow you to buy guns that you would otherwise have to be 21 to buy.
Click to expand...



I took hunters safety education at 11 as did nearly every boy in my grade.
 
Acadia said:
I'm not from a gun-owning family or culture, but I truly respect that millions of Americans are. I sort of wish I'd been exposed to them early on because my reaction to them is pure fear.
For those who grew up with guns in the home, do you think parents should be held responsible if their kids use their guns to commit crimes because they weren't secured correctly?
Click to expand...

I grew up in a different world.

NOBODY SECURED guns in those days. NOBODY.

Guns were kept in open gun racks and everybody had access to them.

Kids knew better than to touch guns without permission and we all had gun safety pounded into us at such an early age that nobody got shot.

The only gun accident in my childhood in my circle of friends and relatives was one father who shot his son in the leg while deer hunting.

ONE hunting accident among roughly 50 gun users in 15 years.

Zero shots fired in anger or insanity.

We live in a different world now.

Am I going to give up my gun rights and my safety because others are crazy, incompetent or just stupid?

No. They are the problem, not me. Deal with them. Don't bother me about it.

As for your question, parents are responsible for actions of minor children.
 
DebateChallenge said:
There has been talk, particularly by President Trump, about raising the age to buy rifles from 18 to 21. As it is right now, the age to buy rifles in lots of states is 18 and the age to buy handguns anywhere in the country from FFL dealers is 21. I see that as a mistake and it will not stop school shootings because what about people who are 21+ who commit the shootings? Or what about people who are under 21, or under 18, who get guns illegally? Adam Lanza who was 20 when he shot up Sandy Hook Elementary school got the guns illegally by stealing them from his mom. Dylan Klebold was 17 when he shot up Columbine High School so he wouldn't be able to get any gun legally.

Anyway not only should the age to buy rifles not be raised to 18 but the age to buy any kind of gun should be lowered to 18. Any kind of gun a person can legally get at 21 they should be able to legally get at 18 including handguns. Why? Because a person can be drafted at 18 or just the fact that a person can sign up to serve at 18 they should be able to get the same guns a 21 year old can get. If a person can be drafted at 18 they should be able to get rifles and handguns at 18.
Click to expand...

Colorado has no minimum age to purchase/carry rifles or shotguns. So he could have bought a gun in a private sale legally
 
Vox said:
I grew up in a different world.

NOBODY SECURED guns in those days. NOBODY.

Guns were kept in open gun racks and everybody had access to them.

Kids knew better than to touch guns without permission and we all had gun safety pounded into us at such an early age that nobody got shot.

The only gun accident in my childhood in my circle of friends and relatives was one father who shot his son in the leg while deer hunting.

ONE hunting accident among roughly 50 gun users in 15 years.

Zero shots fired in anger or insanity.

We live in a different world now.

Am I going to give up my gun rights and my safety because others are crazy, incompetent or just stupid?

No. They are the problem, not me. Deal with them. Don't bother me about it.

As for your question, parents are responsible for actions of minor children.
Click to expand...

It must have to do more with geography that times. I take it you grew up in the deep south. I believe in the deep south it still is like you describe, at least some places in the deep south are. On the other hand NJ is nothing like what you describe and I don't think NJ ever was like you describe.
 
Crovax said:
Colorado has no minimum age to purchase/carry rifles or shotguns. So he could have bought a gun in a private sale legally
Click to expand...

Well from what I do know about the Columbine shooting the guns were obtained illegally and their suppliers were charged and sentenced.
 
DebateChallenge said:
It must have to do more with geography that times. I take it you grew up in the deep south. I believe in the deep south it still is like you describe, at least some places in the deep south are. On the other hand NJ is nothing like what you describe and I don't think NJ ever was like you describe.
Click to expand...

I grew up in the far north.

Rural vs. urban is the difference........east, west, north or south not so much.
 
Vox said:
I grew up in the far north.

Rural vs. urban is the difference........east, west, north or south not so much.
Click to expand...

Maybe you grew up in Maine or New Hampshire or Vermont which were and still are very gun friendly states and they're up north.
 
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