On TV last night: kids and firearms
misanthropic_curmudgeon
CampbellLive about primary school-aged kids learning to shoot, and the
safe use/actions with firearms.
Background:
New Zealand has a large rural sector, and some (relatively, for a
population of only 4million) large urban centres which in some cases
has become disconnected with rural reality.
A firearms licence for rifles and shotguns requires an application,
photo ID, a course on safety, passing a police background check
(including checking two referees) to see if one is "fit and proper",
and an inspection of firearms storage. Unless there is something
wrong, its not difficult to pass this.
An endoresement on the above basic licence for handguns or MSSA's is a
whole new ball-game: very strict storage (eg specifiations on strong
room or safes) and handling requirements (eg only allowed to transport
between home and approved range), and more forms.
Once you have the appropriate licence, buying and selling is as simple
and prenting cash and licence (which must be viewed by buyers and
sellers alike, and many will note the details of). There is no
national 'register',
What was quite good to see was:
- the use of hearing protection (which is compulsory
on every range I've shot at in the lat 10 years, and
you'd be mad not to use anyway
- the kids carrying in an 'open' state (ie with the
firearm pointed in a safe direction, and with the
breech open)
- the drills towards the end where one of the kids
was practicing (under supervision the) firing and
opening the breech before 'standing down'
- the pragmatic and ungloryfied use of firearms
as a tool for food gathering.
Personally, I found it to be a good peice. Of course there are a few
points to nit-pick (one could argue the term 'gun enthsiast' is
perjorative), but the peice avoided any scaremongering, and the focus
was on safe pratical use.
It'll be interesting to see how the 'handwringers' respond.