Pellet Guns

Saw a couple of kids a week or so ago running around with pellet guns out in the open and randomly shooting at rabbits in people's yards. Anyone else seen these kids? One blond and one dark haired, looked to be in about 5th or 6th grade.

I am so afraid someone is going to get really hurt by one of these guns. Plus, I don't believe they are even legal in a subdivision. You have to go to a special range and be with someone at least 18 years old!

 

was it on chickacoan? i saw 2 kids after dark, sneaking around with guns, not sure what they were shooting at.

BAD idea, whoever's parent's let their kids do this in the neighborhood. next thing you know they make the BAD BAD decision of shooting at a passing car... kids that young make dumb decisions all the time- why give them the ammo- pun intended!- to make another one???

 

Funny you should mention that, because I also saw the same two sitting up high next to the trees on Truro Parish in an inconspicuous place watching the cars go by. I warned someone walking up the path with their dog that the two were up there...I didn't want them taking potshots at the passerbys.

 

Perhaps these kids or their parents don't know the laws pertaining to their BB or pellet guns. I think the quotes below, taken from Loudoun County Government's website, apply. If anyone else has more complete or more official info, I would be interested - I know kids who safely and responsibly own pellet guns, and I also know (other) kids who shoot at each other in play "combat" around their neighborhood (with instruction not to do it around the littler kids). Since ignorance of the law is no excuse, let's hear from anyone who knows. Here's what I could find:

684.02 Discharging BB Guns in Heavily Populated Areas
a. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide against the shooting of air-operated, carbon dioxide gas-operated and spring-operated weapons in heavily populated areas of the County, under authority granted the County in Section 15.2-1209 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended. (Ord. 98-01. Passed 3-18-98.)
b. Definition. "BB gun," for the purposes of this section, means and includes any air gun, air rifle and similar device of .177 caliber or less, designed and intended to expel a projectile through a gun barrel of any length by means of expansion or release of compressed carbon dioxide gas or compressed air or by a combination of spring action and compressed air.
c. Unlawful Acts. No person shall discharge any BB gun or hunt or attempt to hunt with any BB gun in any area of the County zoned PDH-12, or in any residential area of the County developed at a density of one unit or more per half acre within one and one-half miles of any area zoned PDH-12, provided that this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the following acts:
1. Any shooting or discharge of BB guns upon a lawfully existing target, trap or skeet range;
2. Any shooting or discharge of BB guns upon a target range operated by any police department or other law enforcement agency;
3. Any discharge of BB guns in an entirely indoor target range, provided that adequate provisions are made to retain within the structure all projectiles discharged; and
4. Any discharge of an unloaded BB gun, or any discharge of a BB gun not resulting in the expulsion of a projectile.

[Also, related to their being under 18:]

684.05. Carrying and Discharge of Guns by Minors
a. No minor under the age of eighteen years shall carry any gun or starting pistol on the public highways or public lands of the County, unless such minor is accompanied by an adult where the relationship of adult and minor is that of parent and child, guardian and ward or instructor and pupil.
b. This section shall not apply to a gun carried unloaded in a completely closed carrying case or when such gun is completely and securely wrapped and not concealed on the person.
c. No minor under the age of eighteen years shall discharge a gun anywhere in the County, unless in the presence and under the supervision of an adult bearing the relationship defined in subsection (a) hereof. (Ord. 85-03. Passed 1-22-85.)

[Definition of "gun", from 684.001 Definitions]

c. "Gun" means and includes any rifle, shotgun, pistol or other firearm, and also includes any air gun, air rifle or other similar device designed and intended to expel a projectile through a gun barrel of any length by means of explosive, expansion or release of compressed gas or compressed air.

Here's the webpage this is from: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=1352

 

There was an article on this in the Washington Post a couple of day ago. The advent or AirSoft has caused an increase in the sightings of kids with pellet guns. The main reason being is that the AirSoft guns fire soft, plastic beads at a lower velocity. If they hit your bare skin they sting, but are not SUPPOSED to break the skin or punch out windows. Therfore, parents think it's OK to let the little tykes run about with them. AirSoft guns usually have an orange tip on the barrel to tel police; "Don't shoot - it's just a toy!" :rolleyes3: Where as BB-Guns (esp the pistol type) look EXACTLY like the real thing. :scaredeyes:

**Disclaimer - just posting this for information sake - NOT saying that it's OK for kids to be running about with any type of firearm.

 

Nope. Only "toy" guns such as air-soft or true toy guns have to have the orange tip. Pellet and BB guns are legitimate guns (they just aren't firearms) and will not have the orange tip, which I think is good as with pellet or BBs, you can truly hurt someone so they should not be put in the same class as air-soft/etc. Air-soft can give one heck of a sting and probably damage an eye if hit directly, but other than that really isn't going to do much harm.

 

My sone has two BB pistols, they are made to look like a .357 magnum & a Walther PPK (think: James Bond). The Walther is SO realistic, the action even blows back when fired.

 

I had a friend in high school who was shot in the eye (by mistake) by a friend with a bb gun. he was lucky and it just mised his cornea but it was too risky to take the bb out so it had to stay in his eye. it was really gross! btw, this is interesting...that "friend" is now dead due to firearms.

 

as long as we don't discuss our solutions and just let them be on notice that we know about them, it could be a deterrent.so far no one is ranting and raving about it- it's simply pointing out that we KNOW where they are which IS good.

but i agree that getting emotional and getting in flame wars is gratifying to them- having their hiding places publicized is not

 

Honestly, I am not too concerned about the kids taking a shot at a window, at rabbits or even at me (no - that was NOT an invitation). The night mare scenario (and the one that these kids should be told about as they are not mature enough to think this thru) is one night, a Good Neighbor sees "armed intruders" and calls 911. Loudoun Sheriffs arrive, loaded for bear and one of the kids is spotted, does something dumb - like not listen - and gets shot because the officer saw a weapon. This does happen and it is tragic for all involved.

If your kids have a pellet, BB, AirSoft or even Paintball gun - take them aside and talk some fear into them.

 

When my brother was 11 (back in the day), he and his friends were shooting at a homemade target with a BB gun and hit someone in the hand. Police were called, and they charged my brother and his friends with felonious assault. Maybe the parents of these kids are not worried about bunnies or their neighbors windows, but they should worry about the future of these kids. Assault charges are not a good way to start the teen years!

 

I saw four boys yesterday on Vestals Gap and Springwell with these guns. They were hiding behind bushes and then jumping out, aiming the guns at one another.

It was just disconcerting because I was taught that you never point a gun at anyone unless you were prepared to shoot to kill. You don't see the orange tips until you get up close and dog forbid they point one of those at the wrong person...

 

I think kids around here who grew up pointing squirt guns, then laser tag guns, and then paint ball guns, and now Airsoft ones, do not have any sense of the rule you were brought up with. These games are all good clean fun - up to the part where they run around the neighborhood with pellet guns. I'm glad they're having fun and getting exercise, but it appears from my interpretation (which I definitely can't vouch for; I'm no lawyer) that it is illegal in this county to run around shooting in the neighborhood.

 

And Super Soakers are SO much mor fun inthe summer!

 

I believe the guns in question are of the "airsoft" type and don't meet the strict definition of a BB gun or gun. The caliber is greater than 0.177 and most do not expel the projectile by "means of explosive, expansion or release of compressed gas or compressed air", rather most use a spring.

-Jim

 

That's exactly the kind of information I was hoping someone would know. Do you know if there are any rules about how Airsoft guns can be used in a neighborhood setting in this area? Are these kids doing anything against the rules? If not, as long as they're being respectful of other people and property, then they're fine. I think shooting at rabbits crosses the line, but that's my personal opinion. I like rabbits. My dog likes them too.

 

My concern was that the boys were using toys that *look* like real guns, until you get up very close. They were also treated them like real guns too in the way that they were being carried and the way that the boys were skulking in the landscaping, stalking one another.

I guess I'm showing my age becuase when I was a kid, toy guns looked like toy guns. There was no mistaking a plastic six shooter for the real thing. While we played with toy guns, there was none of the "street style" or "para-military" type of movement with them.

When I went to summer camp in the 4th grade in Pennsylvania, we had a shooting range where we were all introduced to BB guns and how to use them safely. As you got older, eventually, you could use pistols on the range. Unheard of today.

I just don't want to see these kids aim at the wrong person and pay the consequences.

 

Actually the Cub Scouts do the exact same thing for 1st thru 5th grade boys. BB shooting in the scouts is done only on a Boy Scouts of America approved range by a certified instructor who drills the kids on the safety rules each time they go on the range. They run the program at scout summer camps. I've heard they have opportunities to shoot rifles in the Boy Scouts (6th grade & up) in the same type of controlled environment. I think it's a great opportunity to learn safe gun handling and respect, from trained professionals, so when some friend someday wants to show off his dad's gun these scouts will hopefully (1) know why that is wrong and how dangerous it is, (2) not be too curious to resist, because they've had many opportunities to handle guns.

 

Suggestion...any time you see anyone walking around with guns, call the sheriff's office and report it, please.