At what age do you believe people should be able to own guns?

[D.B. Cooper]

I was 12 when my dad gave me first 22 (Marlin Model 60- still have it.) I was about a month past 18 when I bought my first gun and signed the 4473 myself.

As for what age to buy a gun today?

I firmly believe 21 should be the age of majority for everything. Guns. Buying tobacco and alcohol. Signing a legal contract. Military service. Voting. Everything.

 

[CraigC]

I think owning guns is up to the individual and their parents.

If you are old enough to have a job, pay taxes, buy a house, or go to war and die for your country, you should be able to buy alcohol, tobacco or walk into a gun shop and walk out with any firearm. If that age is 18 or 21, it makes no difference to me.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

a majority of "fellow citizens" who we cannot rightly trust.

That is the line of thought the anti's need and use against the RTKABA.

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

At whatever age you start paying taxes. If the government can tax you then you should have every right of full citizenship.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

At whatever age you start paying taxes. If the government can tax you then you should have every right of full citizenship.

Pay taxes to what extent? I teach high schoolers how to file taxes and everyone who actually has a part time job ends up owing money to the government because they have to claim "someone else can claim you as a dependent" so, even though they pay taxes, they're aren't independent.

Do we really want a 14 year old by to be fully legally responsible for everything in his life, and have full access to all the rights of citizenship (including voting and carrying a gun) simply because he can flip a burger or bag groceries? (i.e. has a job and pays taxes) Heck most bag boys I encounter can't even bag a loaf of bread without smashing it flat...and you want them to be allowed to carry a gun?

Our society and legal system incrementally add responsibilities to young people as and when they're developed enough to assume those responsibilities.

Edit: I would also add that, if you give 14 year olds with part time jobs to vote, this nation will go far left and full socialist almost immediately.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I found my first functional gun when I was five. A Bauer .25 automatic, IIRC. I had it for about two months, until Dad found out about it. Then it was sold and gone. I like to think that it contributed funds to our hitch-hiking trip from Grants Pass, OR to Los Angeles, but I doubt it. Probably went for cigarettes.

If I'd had to wait for parental permission before I could get a gun then I'd still be waiting. Both of my parents were irresponsible twits.

By the time I had turned 18 I'd had over 30 firearms of various types and conditions pass through my hands. Only two evaded the fate of that little Bauer .25, primarily because I kept them secret and away from home.

I sometimes wondered how Dad sold those guns, since he was prohibited from possessing firearms... .

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

(Do we really want a 14 year old by to be fully legally responsible for everything in his life, and have full access to all the rights of citizenship (including voting and carrying a gun) simply because he can flip a burger or bag groceries? (i.e. has a job and pays taxes) Heck most bag boys I encounter can't even bag a loaf of bread without smashing it flat...and you want them to be allowed to carry a gun?)

It's simple if you don't want them voting or to carry a gun then don't tax them(income tax, fica)
Most bag boys today are middle aged or older adults and I agree with you they can't bag a loaf of bread without smashing it and I would prefer they not vote.