Firearms in Scouting

[Eagle732]

The gun club I belong to has case full of M1 Garrands, wonder if they be interested in doing a program for the boys?

Oh the though of teenagers shooting military assault weapons! PING!(This message has been edited by Eagle732)

[Eagle92]

In regards to scouting and shooting sports, the following is a story a DE told me that he heard on NPR. Whether it's true or not, I don't know.

 

A Marine general in charge of Camp Lejeune was being interviewed about the bases support of Boy Scouts. The topic of BB Guns and day camp came up, and the female interviewer expressed concerns. General goes on about safety, training, BSA rules, etc. Interviewer then makes a comment about teaching shooting sports being irresponsible since that is equipping the scouts to become murderers. The general's response was "well, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not."

[John-in-KC]

My two cents.

 

Keep firearms in the BSA program. I learned to shoot through BSA, I had fun, and I learned to respect my weapon.

 

As far as special needs management goes: National Council should consider looking at certain diagnoses and prohibiting them from firearms training. There are patterns out there.

 

As far as single shot v magazine load goes: I learned the hard way, from my Scouting shooting, to get a consistent stock weld and shot picture from firing single shot.

[perdidochas]

John,

 

I think the point about the single shot .22 vs. other guns, is that basically, the single shot .22 rifle is about as lame a gun as a 13-17 yr old boy can imagine. I see both sides of the issue. I understand that if you can shoot a single shot .22 well, all other guns will be easy. On the other hand, back when I did shoot recreationally, I never used a single shot .22 when given a choice of any other gun to shoot.

[OldGreyEagle]

Remember Venturers may shoot any size firearm legal including handguns

[Beavah]

Well we pretty much have. There is more talking than shooting. How many rounds will a scout shoot at camp in a week - 50?

 

I doubt it's that many.

 

Yah, I gotta agree with RememberSchiff and perdidochas, eh? Da BSA shooting sports program is pretty anemic. It's gone da way most other badge work has gone. I'm not convinced it accomplishes our goals at all.

 

Da BSA should be one of da lead groups in terms of responsible gun use and training. Boys should develop genuine skill and a lifelong sense of responsible and safe handling. It's perfectly proper to start with small-caliber, single-shot rifles. But that's just where yeh start, eh? As skill and safety sense develop, they should move up to da use of regular equipment.

 

No different than anything else, eh? Boys should be taught to handle real wood tools, and real canoes, and real kayaks, and real backpacks, and real skis.

 

Beavah