Realistic Looking Toy Guns

[Rule10b5]

I want to post this little reminder for all of you who carry.

There are some amazingly realistic looking toys guns being made these days. Really.

These guns are realistic enough that it's very likely that if one were pointed at you, in poor light, from 15-20 yards away you would absolutely think it was a real gun. You could reasonably believe that you were faced with a threat that merited deadly force in response. And you'd probably be right, and not liable under criminal or civil law. But if you did react and use deadly force, you'd very likely have killed someone carrying a toy -- and nobody wants that. The alternative (not drawing or shooting) might get you killed if the gun turns out to be real. I, honestly, don't like either alternative.

For a long time, I used to snicker when I'd hear about people trying to ban realistic looking toy guns (NY, for example) and think to myself "what a bunch of idiots, don't they know a damn thing about guns?" I was completely wrong -- and they're right. There is absolutely no place for realistic looking toy guns. Period. They're not necessary, and they aren't worth the risk.

The real threat arises because teenagers (or kids) who have no experience with real guns, and the implications of pointing one at someone, buy these things (or their parents buy them) and face a very real threat of being shot or arrested for simply screwing around, as they often do. If they had been trained to use a real gun, they'd never do something so stupid -- but that ain't reality, and we're the ones who are going to have to deal with it, so be aware.

I know this is going to sound stupid, but remember to think. Remember to look for an orange muzzle flash (a lot of the toy guns have them, and they save lives). Remember to consider context -- who's pointing the gun at you and why. A bunch of teenagers in a car driving by? A lone man in a dark alley? An adult in traffic that just cut you off?

Just think, folks.

[LorDiego01]

ANybody who points a fake gun in a threatening manner is automatically entered into the "Darwinian Awards" in my book, and should not be allowed to live old enough to procreate.

If you want to ban realistic toy guns, whats next?

Realistic Toy Cars?
Realistic Train Sets?

etc, etc, etc.

[danp]

I've also heard stories in the past (which could be urban legends) of criminals spraypainting the ends of guns orange under the assumption that it might give them an extra split second of pause from LEOs. It could be just one of those "stories" but it sure seems plausible.

My biggest concern with toy guns (especially with kids) is that it could create confusion and equate gun = toy. Should I ever have children there will be no toy guns in my house. Guns will be guns and they'll know darn well that they aren't toys, they're never to be handled without adult supervision, and you sure as hell don't point them at people.

[danp]

Also, for people who might not be familiar with what Rule10b5 is talking about, they're called airsoft guns, one of the most famous manufacturers is a japanese company called Tokyo Marui and are famous for their realism.

Here is an example of their Airsoft MP5SD:


Here's another company's Glock 18C:

[Mark]

I'm gonna have to post pic's of all my airsoft guns when i get home. We play airsoft in my neiborhood all the time.

[whoshisface]

I think toy guns are fine, not that I would give my children one. If the parents are dumb enough to give it to a child and not teach that child not to go around pointing it willy-nilly then the parents will have to learn it the hard way, burying their kid. i for one wouldn't bother trying to discern a fake from a real gun in a threatening situation

[Rule10b5]

ANybody who points a fake gun in a threatening manner is automatically entered into the "Darwinian Awards" in my book, and should not be allowed to live old enough to procreate.

If you want to ban realistic toy guns, whats next?

Realistic Toy Cars?
Realistic Train Sets?

etc, etc, etc.

Almost drawing on a teenager who thought it would be appropriate to threaten a completely random stranger with a realistic looking toy gun has a funny way of changing your mind.

I don't ever want to kill anyone unless I absolutely must, and I certainly don't believe someone should be killed for doing something stupid. They're teenagers -- they're stupid by their very nature. I don't want to kill some kid because he was being stupid. Are you out of your mind? Have you really thought about what killing someone means? What it entails? How you'd feel for the rest of your life if you killed some random 16 year old kid who was doing what kids do and being stupid?

Neither realistic toy cars, nor realistic toy trains will put someone in the likely position of being shot by me.

[danp]

Airsoft guns are actually pretty cool under the right circumstances. I wish people treated them more like paintball guns than toys though, meaning they are meant for a game where everyone knows when the game is over.

[Mark]

If you ever wonna paly a game or two of airsoft hit me up in a PM me and my friends are always playing.

[LorDiego01]

Almost drawing on a teenager who thought it would be appropriate to threaten a completely random stranger with a realistic looking toy gun has a funny way of changing your mind.

I don't ever want to kill anyone unless I absolutely must, and I certainly don't believe someone should be killed for doing something stupid. They're teenagers -- they're stupid by their very nature. I don't want to kill some kid because he was being stupid. Are you out of your mind? Have you really thought about what killing someone means? What it entails? How you'd feel for the rest of your life if you killed some random 16 year old kid who was doing what kids do and being stupid?

Neither realistic toy cars, nor realistic toy trains will put someone in the likely position of being shot by me.

Allow me to reiterate my point.

I dont care if you break into my house/attack me with a caulk gun, a plastic rifle from K-Mart, or a fully automatic assault rifle. If cause of death is "stupidity", then so be it. Pulling a fake gun in a violent confrontation is just as dangerous as skydiving or basejumping or drinking three bottles of tequila with one sip. The ones who engage in those activities, cut their chances of spreading their genes down to generations.

Its called survival of the fittest, the stupid ones dont make the cut. I was a teenager once, and Im 100% sure everybody here at one point was too. We didnt do stupid stuff like bringing a fake gun to a gun fight, and so it is that we are here having this discussion.

I've had very realistic toy guns as a kid. We played with them with other kids who had realistic looking toy guns as well. EVEN IN SCHOOL!
However, not for one second, did any of us think of using them in place of real weapons.

Stupidity Kills.