What's the deal with BB Guns?

[GuesSAngel]

Alright, I know that BB Guns can be dangerous, but I just don't understand this:

My mom's friend has been having it rough with her kids. Her one son Paul got pulled over by the cops last night (I'm not sure why they pulled him over). They asked if they could search his car and he said yes b/c he knew that there would be nothing bad in there. Well he forgot about his bb gun. I guess the cops took it away from him and took him to the police station. I'm not sure what they did there or what really happened. But him and his family found out today that he could be expelled from school b/c of this! He's only a junior in highschool, so for him to be exspelled would be horrible for him. I know that BB guns are illegal if they are in public b/c they look like guns, but he had this in his car...so I really don't see what the big deal is. And esp. don't see the big deal for him to get in trouble like this with the school.

Also, the school that he goes to is very strict and expelled a kid for carrying a pocket knive to school. But Paul wasn't at school when he got pulled over by the cops.

What's everyone's opinion on this? This just has my mouth drop.

 

[Sneakiecat]

My brother was nearly arrested because his best friend had his BB gun out in the car and some lady saw it and freaked. She called the police and they started looking for my brother and his friend, saying that if they found them first, they would be arrested. Thankfully the lady didn't press charges but they did keep his BB gun (one of the few things he had from his father, who was killed when he was 7 months old).

Was he charged with anything? If he was, they can expell him. It also depends on their code of conduct. They could have a rule about being in trouble with the police. I personally don't think it's right to be expelled if there are no charges.

 

[GuesSAngel]

He might have been charged with something? I don't know. I just thought that it was stupid that this would happen over a BB gun, and it's not like it was in the public view. They should just make it completely illegal and the toystores should stop selling it.

 

[Sneakiecat]

I agree that it stupid and that there should be some sort of consistancy on if they are going to be viewed as a weapon or a toy.

 

[sundvlfn88]

I have a buddy who's neighbor shot his dog over 30 times with a B B gun just because he thought it was funny to watch the dog dance until the dog finally laid down. The Vet bill was over $900. It was 2 weeks later the guy wasa bragging about the deed in the bar and someone happened to know about the incident and told my buddy about it.

 

[Tattva]

i have a BB gun for the soul purpose of hurting cats that try to crap on the front lawn, over here there not illegal but even so, if someone was expelled for doing something out of school a huge controversy would be kicked up by everyone that knew them

 

[TheOriginalJames]

I'm wondering if they took it from him because he may be underage. I'm not sure on PAs laws, and I'm not sure if even owning/carrying a BB gun requires a license to carry a concealed weapon.

I'd call up the local police station and ask what the laws concering BB guns, age of requirement and if you need a permit to do so.

 

[Peter Parka]

Well the age limit here for them is 16, I think but I don't see how anyone could mistaken them for real guns, least not your average American who is more likely to have seen a real gun than us over here. We do have a bit of a problem with them though, they might seem pretty harmless but they still can cause problems especially if you get someone in the eye with them.

 

[GuesSAngel]

I have a buddy who's neighbor shot his dog over 30 times with a B B gun just because he thought it was funny to watch the dog dance until the dog finally laid down. The Vet bill was over $900. It was 2 weeks later the guy wasa bragging about the deed in the bar and someone happened to know about the incident and told my buddy about it.

Did anything happen to him? If it didn't I find it hard to believe that he didn't get away with jail time or anything for animal cruelty.

 

[GuesSAngel]

I'm wondering if they took it from him because he may be underage. I'm not sure on PAs laws, and I'm not sure if even owning/carrying a BB gun requires a license to carry a concealed weapon.

I'd call up the local police station and ask what the laws concering BB guns, age of requirement and if you need a permit to do so.

So you have to be a certain age now? I haven't seen a BB gun in awhile... are they still plastic pellets? Can't you still buy them in toy stores?

 

[TheOriginalJames]

Well, as far as I've seen you can buy bb guns at places like a walmart, but you have to be a certain age or your parents have to buy it for you. edit: I think you have to be 16 or 17 here, but again, i'm not sure about PA.

I've never owned one but perhaps certain models can fire both metal and plastic balls. Some are more powerful than others. My dads bb hand gun used CO2 to shoot... it'd dent from 5 feet but at 10 feet it was almost useless. His rifle though was more powerful.

 

[Peter Parka]

Yeah, most of the ones over here fire metal pellets, in fact if you know the right people you can get infra red powerful sniper ones which are as powerful as some real guns!:eek

 

[TheOriginalJames]

I'll try looking up some information for you when I get off work, Alicia. I tried once, but then I got distracted and forgot about it. lol

 

[UncleBacon]

why did the cops feel the need to search his car to begin with....

 

[GuesSAngel]

i don't know, i guess i'll have to ask more about what happened. They just asked if they could search his car. If I'm pulled over I usually get asked if there's anything that I have that they should be concerned about. I always say no, b/c I usually don't and then i'm on my way.

 

[UncleBacon]

hmm I dunno

 

[Homer]

why did the cops feel the need to search his car to begin with....

because some times they feel the need to be an ass, if your going to play with a gun BB or a real rifle after you've had your fun that day take out of the trunk and put it in the house .

 

[TheOriginalJames]

I can't find anything concrete, but I've read a few things where there are no restrictions at all over purchasing and carrying a bb gun.

 

[GuesSAngel]

I think that there's more of the story that I should be finding out. It could have also depended on what the bb gun looked like...but it should have been locked in the trunk to begin with and probably wasn't.

 

[TheOriginalJames]

Possibly.