I wasn’t one of those kids who grew up with a gun in my hand. Although my dad had guns, he wasn’t a big “gun nut”, and really only had long guns for those times when his friends made him go hunting with them. My introduction to guns was at about the age of 5 with my father, pointing at a 12 gauge shotgun propped up near the garage door, and sternly warning me, “Don’t touch that, it will kill you!” From that moment until the age of 14, I avoided that shotgun as if it might reach out and grab me by the throat.
On a camping trip when I was 14, my dad set up some beer cans (yes, beer cans. It was the “olden days”. Don’t judge.) on a hillside and put a little .22 rifle in my hand and taught me to shoot it. Turns out, I was very good with it and I would always ask to shoot it, when appropriate. When I was about 17 years old, my dad bought a .357 Magnum single action Smith & Wesson Revolver. I took my first shot from that handgun, and remember thinking, “Holy crap!” (If you’ve ever shot a .357 Magnum, you know the feeling)
Why am I telling you this? Well, for starters, our mission at Franktown Firearms is not only to foster a love for shooting, but to teach people to embrace the idea of allowing their kids to get involved. (I’m hearing some of you shouting “A Christmas Story” references right now, but hear me out.) Even young children are capable of handling small caliber firearms, and should be taught to respect any gun they may encounter. The best way to teach that respect is to put one in their hands, and let them experience it for themselves in a safe environment.
In addition, (time to strap on that tinfoil hat) it’s no secret that our world is changing. No matter where you live, bad people likely live there too. If you have firearms in your home, everyone in the home with the physical ability to shoot them, should know how to. If the 24-hour news cycle has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen at any given time. You just have to be prepared.
All that said, Franktown Firearms now offers Family Game Night, every other Friday. (Click HERE for details) This is the PERFECT way to engage in some family time, while practicing your shooting skills and teaching your kids more about guns. During Family Game Night, only .22LR handguns are allowed, so the environment is less disruptive and potentially frightening for new shooters. Games such as Billiards, Ocean Battle, Balloon Pop, Darts and Bingo are designed for family-friendly competition and great shooting practice!
Our friendly staff is always on-hand to answer questions, offer help and keep everyone safe on the range. If you’d rather take a class first, our expert firearms instructors can teach you and your family everything you need to know to enjoy a lifetime of safe, fun recreational shooting. If you need more advanced training, we can teach you on how to competently protect yourself in your home, or out in public. To find a class, you can visit our event calendar by clicking HERE or call 720-770-7777.
Wishing you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Karen Murray, NRA Certified Instructor