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07/11/2008 01:37:44 PM · #76 |
My son has an entire arsenal of these little "cap" guns.
Fond memories for you = very loud playing at our house. :) |
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07/11/2008 01:40:14 PM · #77 |
I had more fun smashing the caps on the sidewalk with a rock. And yeah, the best part was the smell.
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07/11/2008 01:46:02 PM · #78 |
Originally posted by farfel53:
O.K., so now how many of you wild cap-blasters have turned into hardened gun-toting anti-social knuckle-dragging hell-raising YAY-Hoos? C'mon, fess up! |
This isn't really the issue though. We grew up in different times. The problem now is not toy guns per se, it's hyper realistic looking toy guns, especially ones that are replicas of serious automatic weapons, and the dangers attendant with brandishing them loosely in today's society, where it seems like every week there's another story of a police shooting that should never have happened.
R.
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07/11/2008 01:57:47 PM · #79 |
Originally posted by farfel53:
O.K., so now how many of you wild cap-blasters have turned into hardened gun-toting anti-social knuckle-dragging hell-raising YAY-Hoos? C'mon, fess up!
We all had toy guns when we were kids, and played war or cowboys a lot. But we also played baseball, football, chess, board games...anything kids do, including fighting each other just 'cuz. As late teenagers my friends and I decided we would get into hunting a little, so we all had shotguns, even a few had rifles, one or two guys had pistols. Somehow we never shot each other...ever. After shooting my second rabbit, I decided I didn't really think hunting was much what I wanted to do, and haven't shot at anything since. I don't object to hunting or shooting. Just don't care for it. Some of my friends still hunt occasionally. One guy became a sherrif's deputy, and last I heard had shot somebody in the line of duty and likely saved an innocent life in the process. But none of us, nobody we knew, nor any relatives, ever became killers from playing with guns. Antisocial behavior is going to come out with whatever weapon is available.
One last thought: anybody who leave firearms where children or un-trained persons have access ought to be whipped in the public square. |
My father went deer hunting once. It was enough to make him realize he wasn't a hunter. But, that didn't keep him from making sure that all three of his kids understood and respected firearms. Six or seven years ago I dated a girl that was a gun collector. She talked me into going target shooting with her, we went out to the range and she was shocked that I was a pretty decent shot- actually she was shocked I out shot her.
Me: Its been almost twenty years since I handled a gun. I used to be able to put six shots dead center in under a minute with my dads .22.
Her: OMG, was your dad training you to be snipers.
Me: That was nothing, you should see my Mom shoot.
I'm not joking about my mom, she's a crack shot.
Back to cap guns for a second. I wish I would've had one of these growing up.
edit to fix a deletion
Message edited by author 2008-07-11 14:00:19.
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07/11/2008 02:01:32 PM · #80 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by farfel53:
O.K., so now how many of you wild cap-blasters have turned into hardened gun-toting anti-social knuckle-dragging hell-raising YAY-Hoos? C'mon, fess up! |
This isn't really the issue though. We grew up in different times. The problem now is not toy guns per se, it's hyper realistic looking toy guns, especially ones that are replicas of serious automatic weapons, and the dangers attendant with brandishing them loosely in today's society, where it seems like every week there's another story of a police shooting that should never have happened.
R. |
Really? My cap guns, the ones I played with some 30 years ago, aside from their slighly smaller size, look real from a few feet away. They'd certainly look real if I were to point one at you at night under a streetlight. The last cap gun I saw in a store was flourescent orange. You'd laugh and wonder where my big shoes and red nose were if I pointed it at you.
The problem isn't with the toy guns. It's your perception that unwarranted/accidental police shootings are more frequent today. That's because 30 years ago, a police shooting in Los Angeles, rarely, if ever, made the headlines anywhere outside the LA Metro area. Today, 5 minutes after the trigger is pulled, it's on the front page of every major news website and the reporters, cop wannabes and so-called "legal experts" are indicting the officers involved in the court of public opinion.
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07/11/2008 02:23:19 PM · #81 |
Originally posted by vxpra:
Originally posted by farfel53:
O.K., so now how many of you wild cap-blasters have turned into hardened gun-toting anti-social knuckle-dragging hell-raising YAY-Hoos? C'mon, fess up!
We all had toy guns when we were kids, and played war or cowboys a lot. But we also played baseball, football, chess, board games...anything kids do, including fighting each other just 'cuz. As late teenagers my friends and I decided we would get into hunting a little, so we all had shotguns, even a few had rifles, one or two guys had pistols. Somehow we never shot each other...ever. After shooting my second rabbit, I decided I didn't really think hunting was much what I wanted to do, and haven't shot at anything since. I don't object to hunting or shooting. Just don't care for it. Some of my friends still hunt occasionally. One guy became a sherrif's deputy, and last I heard had shot somebody in the line of duty and likely saved an innocent life in the process. But none of us, nobody we knew, nor any relatives, ever became killers from playing with guns. Antisocial behavior is going to come out with whatever weapon is available.
One last thought: anybody who leave firearms where children or un-trained persons have access ought to be whipped in the public square. |
My father went deer hunting once. It was enough to make him realize he wasn't a hunter. But, that didn't keep him from making sure that all three of his kids understood and respected firearms. Six or seven years ago I dated a girl that was a gun collector. She talked me into going target shooting with her, we went out to the range and she was shocked that I was a pretty decent shot- actually she was shocked I out shot her.
Me: Its been almost twenty years since I handled a gun. I used to be able to put six shots dead center in under a minute with my dads .22.
Her: OMG, was your dad training you to be snipers.
Me: That was nothing, you should see my Mom shoot.
I'm not joking about my mom, she's a crack shot.
Back to cap guns for a second. I wish I would've had one of these growing up.
edit to fix a deletion |
Your story reminds me of an incident when I was an art major in college.
My dad and my uncles made sure I knew how to safely handle a weapon and, since one uncle had been a sniper in the Marines and the other shot competitive rifle when he was in the service, between them, they made sure I was a good shot.
Every year before Thanksgiving, the ROTC would have a turkey shoot with .22's at the gun range as a fundraiser. No, they didn't shoot turkeys, it was a target competition with the highest score for each hour winning a turkey. Now these guys were all hyped up about being in the military, they were regulation all the way. One year, I decided to go see what the Turkey Shoot was all about. Basically, these guys were pretty good shots and so far, they had won all of the turkeys for themselves. So, into their world I go, sporting flipflops, board shorts, a Grateful Dead T-shirt and hair down to my waist. I pay my $2, they hand me a pretty nice bolt action rifle and start telling me how it works. I ignored them and proceeded to put all ten shots inside the 10 ring. Evidently, I was the first longhaired marksman they'd ever seen because my "coach" called the rest of the Army guys over. One guy bet me I couldn't do it again, so, after he paid another $2, I did it again. That turkey was pretty good as I remember. |
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07/11/2008 02:33:58 PM · #82 |
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
Have a good look at what has happened with violent crime in places where guns are not permitted. |
Such as Japan or Britain? Places with murder rates a small fraction of those in the US?
I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of gun deaths in the US are:
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Family members killing each other in domestic disputes (homocide)
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Criminals/gang members killing each other in "turf wars" (homocide)
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Suicide
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Accidental death (usually kids finding the family arsenal)
I'm also pretty sure that the killing of "innocent civilians" by criminals in the commission of a crime is pretty low on the list ...
Interesting that the law cited in this CDC Report is the very one recently overturned by the Supreme Court (emphasis added):
An important element of many of these strategies is to inhibit, restrict, or reduce immediate access to firearms in the general population or in specific locations. For example, in 1976, the District of Columbia banned the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians. An evaluation of this regulation found that it was associated with a 25% reduction in firearm-related homicides, a 23% reduction in firearm-related suicides, and an estimated 47 lives saved per year (6). In some states and localities, firearms are prohibited from being carried in public; in Detroit and in Massachusetts, legislation that increased the penalty for violating such laws reduced the occurrence of firearm-related homicides. |
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07/11/2008 02:46:57 PM · #83 |
Originally posted by vxpra:
I remember I had a Luger P08 and Colt 1911. It was hard to win a gunfight with the kids that had the strings of paper caps.
*Shoot* reload, and in the mean time get shot like 20 times. |
My favorite was modeled on a muzzle-loading flintlock musket; you put in a small (1/2") cork sphere, gently tamp it in with the ramrod, and then the gasses from the cap going off would travel through a small hole into the breech and shoot that ball 20-30 feet. |
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07/11/2008 02:55:19 PM · #84 |
| I'm gonna have to find me a little cap gun... I don't remember the circular plastic thingies (may be after my time) but I certainly do remember the red rolls that came in boxs kinda stuck together and you had to peel the rolls apart then load 'em into your pistol. OK, so the original premise of the thread got a bit sidetracked, perhaps, but gosh the reminiscing has been fun! |
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07/11/2008 03:01:07 PM · #85 |
The problem with crime and firearms is that you cannot target the firearms and expect to reduce crime. Gang violence and a fair percentage of family violence comes down to economics and education. In many American neighborhoods we've created generation after generation that know nothing but violence and death. Many elect to join gangs as a way to get money, and often to protect themselves. They have few, if any, opportunites to be anything other than a gang member. So many join at young ages that there is no possibillity of them moving from the neighborhoods on their own, and their families don't have the money to get out and move somewhere else.
In college one of my roommmates had grown up in a gang infested neighborhood in Pittsburgh. When he was ten his father packed the family up into the car and started driving west. They ended up settling in Denver. His father got a job that paid the rent, his mother got a job that bought food. With what little was left his parents took turns taking night classes. His father got a degree in accounting, his mother wound up being the business manager for the school (after several years). He told me once that if that hadn't happened he'd be like the kids he grew up with. "Dead or in prison for murder." He was lucky, few families could do what his did.
You want to start winning the "war on crime" secure the border. Make it nearly impossible for drugs to come across the borders (both borders) that would put a bigger dent in crime statistics than anything else. Let local cops go back to dealing with burglars instead of drug rings. Invest in the inner cities, give people jobs and hope. Knee jerk laws don't do anything to fight crime.
Message edited by author 2008-07-11 15:02:20.
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07/11/2008 03:03:45 PM · #86 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
Have a good look at what has happened with violent crime in places where guns are not permitted. |
Such as Japan or Britain? Places with murder rates a small fraction of those in the US?
I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of gun deaths in the US are:
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Family members killing each other in domestic disputes (homocide)
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Criminals/gang members killing each other in "turf wars" (homocide)
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Suicide
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Accidental death (usually kids finding the family arsenal)
I'm also pretty sure that the killing of "innocent civilians" by criminals in the commission of a crime is pretty low on the list ...
Interesting that the law cited in this CDC Report is the very one recently overturned by the Supreme Court (emphasis added):
An important element of many of these strategies is to inhibit, restrict, or reduce immediate access to firearms in the general population or in specific locations. For example, in 1976, the District of Columbia banned the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians. An evaluation of this regulation found that it was associated with a 25% reduction in firearm-related homicides, a 23% reduction in firearm-related suicides, and an estimated 47 lives saved per year (6). In some states and localities, firearms are prohibited from being carried in public; in Detroit and in Massachusetts, legislation that increased the penalty for violating such laws reduced the occurrence of firearm-related homicides. |
Ummm yeah, what about other crimes where guns are used, but no one is killed with one?
I personally know that I'm alive today because I was armed when my apartment was broken into. The criminals ran off when they realized I was not going to be an easy mark. They beat their next victims, a married couple, to death in their own home. Supposedly, they tied up and tormented them for quite some time, raping the woman in the process before caving their heads in with a crowbar. You could say that's not a gun-related crime, but they were carrying guns but decided that once the victims were helpless to use more primitive means to achieve their goal.
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07/11/2008 03:13:33 PM · #87 |
Good news and bad news ...
There's a pretty good article on cap guns at Wikipedia. Unfortunately, it says that that lovely smell we all remember was likely a combustion product of fulminate of mercury -- and mercury vapor is a known neurotoxin ... :-( |
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07/11/2008 03:16:58 PM · #88 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Good news and bad news ...
There's a pretty good article on cap guns at Wikipedia. Unfortunately, it says that that lovely smell we all remember was likely a combustion product of fulminate of mercury -- and mercury vapor is a known neurotoxin ... :-( |
The good stuff always turns out to be bad for you... |
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07/11/2008 03:20:23 PM · #89 |
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
I personally know that I'm alive today because I was armed when my apartment was broken into. |
I am glad for you, and saddened by the rest of the story. Unfortunately, for every story like yours there are dozens if not hundreds of cases of intrafamilial or self-inflicted homocides.
For the record, I am not necessarily opposed to gun ownership, just irresponsible gun ownership; from your earlier postings, I would not put you in that latter category. |
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07/11/2008 03:22:58 PM · #90 |
Originally posted by trevytrev:
The good stuff always turns out to be bad for you... |
Except chocolate, red wine and coffee (all in moderation) are currently on the plus side of the ledger, healthwise.
Message edited by author 2008-07-11 15:23:24. |
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07/11/2008 03:30:03 PM · #91 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Good news and bad news ...
There's a pretty good article on cap guns at Wikipedia. Unfortunately, it says that that lovely smell we all remember was likely a combustion product of fulminate of mercury -- and mercury vapor is a known neurotoxin ... :-( |
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......fulminate of mercury (drool)
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07/11/2008 03:52:19 PM · #92 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
For the record, I am not necessarily opposed to gun ownership, just irresponsible gun ownership; |
On that, we agree. |
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07/11/2008 04:07:31 PM · #93 |
| BANG! BANG BANG!! Pretty sure I got one of you. |
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07/11/2008 04:11:40 PM · #94 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
BANG! BANG BANG!! Pretty sure I got one of you. |
Missed me! BANG!!!! wait, gotta reload- dang this one shot wonder!!!
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07/11/2008 04:30:38 PM · #95 |
Originally posted by vxpra:
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
BANG! BANG BANG!! Pretty sure I got one of you. |
Missed me! BANG!!!! wait, gotta reload- dang this one shot wonder!!! |
LOL! This reminds me of the war games in our culdesac - they actually would result in real fights when some of the participants claimed they could dodge bullets. ...in fact that's why I built the gokart tank out of 3/4 inch plywood with holes cutout for the machine guns. Ahhhhhh memories! And imagine - none of us were gunned down by a cop! |
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07/11/2008 04:38:30 PM · #96 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Originally posted by vxpra:
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
BANG! BANG BANG!! Pretty sure I got one of you. |
Missed me! BANG!!!! wait, gotta reload- dang this one shot wonder!!! |
LOL! This reminds me of the war games in our culdesac - they actually would result in real fights when some of the participants claimed they could dodge bullets. ...in fact that's why I built the gokart tank out of 3/4 inch plywood with holes cutout for the machine guns. Ahhhhhh memories! And imagine - none of us were gunned down by a cop! |
A group of us kids once got chased for three blocks after we did the "Duke boy" slide across the hood of a car. Good thing the owner didn't have a gun.
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07/11/2008 04:44:18 PM · #97 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Good news and bad news ...
There's a pretty good article on cap guns at Wikipedia. Unfortunately, it says that that lovely smell we all remember was likely a combustion product of fulminate of mercury -- and mercury vapor is a known neurotoxin ... :-( |
Now see I didn't need to know that..... unless we can get a class action law suite going anyways :-)
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07/11/2008 08:50:11 PM · #98 |
The idea of banning toy guns is another "think of the children!" bit of idiocy. Nothing more.
Message edited by author 2008-07-11 20:51:30.
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07/11/2008 09:47:25 PM · #99 |
I'm against banning anything that may interfere with natural selection.
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07/11/2008 09:58:05 PM · #100 |
| I used to take the roll of caps and hit the whole roll at once with a hammer. It made quite the loud noise. |
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