Are Pink Guns Less Safe ??

[BarryLee]

In the 3/7/2013 edition of the WSJ Rhett Power has written a piece for the Opinion Page. Mr. Power is a toy manufacture in South Carolina who is concerned about the growth of firearms that he says look like toys. He makes the point that toy manufactures must follow certain regulations when making toy guns including a bright orange barrel plug. However, he feels that gun manufactures are too quick to make guns that look like toys based on things like color. He points to the case of a South Carolina three year old killed by his Mother’s pink handgun he and a sibling had been playing with. While he does not call for additional regulation he does call for more personal responsibility from gun manufactures.

While I think Mr. Power makes some good points and can understand the allure of these guns to young children, but we cannot forget the basics of firearms safety. In his article he quotes statistics that state 39% of kids knew where their parents kept the gun. So, it is important that guns be secured regardless of their appearance. At the end of the day we as adults must assure that guns do not fall into the wrong hands.

So, what do you think? Do pink guns pose a greater risk to children than traditional guns? Should companies stop making them even though they have proven popular with customers?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...DS=rhett+power

[SPEMack618]

My tinfoil may be on too tight, but I read through this article and think that it is nothing but media backlash at the oft reported and repeated statistic that women are the fastest growing segment of gun owners.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Maybe folks should stop producing more stupid people who can't safely keep guns from their children. If you want a pink gun, store it correctly.

[dfsixstring]

Color is irrelevant, safety is very relevant.

[Dashunde]

three year old killed by his Mother’s pink handgun he and a sibling had been playing with.

Its all on the Mother. No one else to blame.

[kutz]

Arrest her

[redhologram]

I personally can't stand pink guns and/or accessories for my guns. They just aren't my thing. But if someone wants one, fine, personal preference, but be responsible with it!
I do have to agree with the majority here, why aren't the guns being kept locked away from the children, regardless of their color? I place full blame on the parents first and foremost.

[Fox1]

*sigh*
After years and years of "regular" (wood and blued steel), stainless and black guns, there is now a pink gun in our house.

In our house it lives in a GunVault MicroVault because it is STILL A GUN.

[FAS1]

Safety and limiting kids access is more relavent than color.

Remember those 20/20 shows where they placed handguns in with toys to watch what kids do with hidden cameras just after a gun safety class by a policeman? Those weren't pink and the 3 year olds played with them just fine.

[buck460XVR]

To three year olds and other young children, all guns resemble toys unless they are taught different. How many children have died from guns they played with that looked like real guns. Education and restricting access until they are responsible with firearms is the answer, regardless of age.

[Spats McGee]

A couple of years ago, I started a thread called "Pink pistols and progeny?" to find out how the denizens of TFL stood on the issue. As the father of a girl now almost 10 years old, I don't ever want her to mistake a real gun for a toy. Nonetheless, there's clearly a market for pink guns. I don't think my wife would carry a gun she considered ugly. I, on the other hand, have an entirely different definition of "ugly" when it comes to guns.

[CurlyQ.Howard]

If the color pink gets more women interested in firearms, I am all for it. Naturally, all gun owners should be trained to be proficient and safe. By the way, pink isn't exactly a new idea. Decades ago High Standard offer The Sentinel with a pink frame. "In 1957 a snub-nose model of the Sentinel was introduced, with a rounded butt on the grip. The early guns had a bobbed hammer, through about 1960, after which they featured a spur hammer. Color finishes in gold, turquoise, and pink, known as Dura-Tone colors, were offered for the snub-barrel Sentinels. The Dura-Tone guns came in a deluxe presentation case and had white smooth grips."http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Sentinel/sentinel.html

[Redhawk5.5+P+]

I just like saying the word "Pink"!

[Dr Big Bird PhD]

I'm with Curly Q.

This backlash towards pink firearms (is mildly sexist), and more importantly, a continued demagoguery of the appearance of a firearm relating to its likelihood of threat.

[adamc]

In the 1950's Lionel made a pink trains for girls...

I guess it didn;t work

[dakota.potts]

If you treat a gun like a toy, pink or not, a child will use it as a toy.

If you teach a child what a gun is and how to respect it, it will be treated as a gun, pink or not.

I imagine if you showed a young child what a pink .380 will do to a pumpkin or tin can, they will not think it's a toy. But I don't have kids, so I won't claim to have all kinds of knowledge on the topic.

[shaunpain]

I've been to Japan a few times and even bought a few airsoft guns over the years there. They do not have a law about the orange muzzle so, as you can guess, Japanese airsoft guns do not have that feature. They look real, and if you get the expensive metal ones, they feel quite real. I understand that gun laws are prohibitive in Japan, but nobody is hemming and hawing about toy guns there. Why must Americans trivialize everything? Why can't anyone take responsibility? Mom couldn't be bothered to lock up the gun, so let's blame the people who made it!!!

[hardworker]

Mechanically, it's the same. However, I think that all of the color options available today make guns more toy-like. The call of duty generation is getting to gun buying age (yes I've played it plenty myself, don't call me age-ist I'm 25). And I think with the myriad of color choices available now it encourages a few of the less intelligent ones towards thinking it's a toy. Less and less of the percentage of gun owners are hunting. And I really think that without hunting, it's harder to really grasp the killing power of a firearm. It's viewed as a dangerous, customizable toy and not given the respect it deserves.

Every once in a while you'll see a news story of some kid playing with a gun and accidentally shooting himself or his buddy because he didn't know what he was doing. I have friends that own guns that I wish didn't. Unless we make training a requirement for gun purchases, there isn't much that can be done. Those that don't care to learn won't. It pains me to say it, but I see these accidents becoming more and more common.

[pax]

To three year olds and other young children, all guns resemble toys unless they are taught different. How many children have died from guns they played with that looked like real guns. Education and restricting access until they are responsible with firearms is the answer, regardless of age.

This.

When my NAA mini-revolver came into the house -- this tiny handgun has perlite grips and looks like a toy -- I gathered the kids together and showed it to them. They all agreed it looked like a toy, but by then they all knew the "extra" rule that Eddie Eagle doesn't teach, which I share now with you.

Here's the way the lesson went in our house:

"What do you do if you see a gun?"

"Stop. Don't touch! Leave the area. Tell an adult!"

"Right! Now, what do you do if you see a gun and you don't know if it's a toy or a real gun?"

"Stop. Don't touch! Leave the area. Tell an adult!"

"Exactly right! You're a smart kid. If you don't know if it's a toy or if it's real, treat it like it's real. Now, do you know what to do if you see a gun that you really, really, really, really want to touch?"

"Stop. Don't touch! Leave the area. ASK an adult!"

"Bingo. If you see a gun you really, really want to touch, STOP! Don't touch it. Leave the area and come talk to me about it. I'll find a way to keep you safe."

pax

[SPEMack618]

Pax makes a very valid point. (Does she make any other kind?)

I think that more exposure to Eddie the Eagle would have prevented this tragedy more than the ceasing production of pink gun.

Hell, when I was a kid, all my toy guns had the orange cap so damaged and covered with mud so as not to be visible.

The growing lack of personal responsibility in this country is scary.

[johnwilliamson062]

I thought for sure I'd pick this up cheap, but turns out people are willing to pay for a purple P22

[Microgunner]

I open carry at work and some years back a company called Radical Grips offered hot pink 1911 grips and I installed a set, just to be different. I also bought an acid green set.
Anyways, I was asked constantly if that "was a real gun"?
I became concerned that a bad guy might try me out thinking it was a Barbie toy and restored the pistol to it's original colors.
The color does have a significant impact on perception.

[TheNocturnus]

The pink guns are not the problem... the yellow ones are.

[Dashunde]

We were at Walmart the other day and I pointed at that cute little pink single shot 22 and said to my wonderful wife "I think I'll get one of those for Livy in a few years".
Nothin will get you the stink-eye faster from my wife than saying you want to buy a pink gun in a few years for our still-infant daughter.
Haha...its kinda fun to rattle her cage now and then.

[TheNocturnus]

We were at Walmart the other day and I pointed at that cute little pink single shot 22 and said to my wonderful wife "I think I'll get one of those for Livy in a few years".
Nothin will get you the stink-eye faster from my wife than saying you want to buy a pink gun in a few years for our still-infant daughter.
Haha...its kinda fun to rattle her cage now and then.

Hmm, I kind of tried that with my wife. Our little girl was born a week ago. I said that we need to start a fund for her first gun and I got the stink eye as well.