"My First Rifle"

13 photos + text

In the US, which continues year promotional campaign "My First Rifle" - it is intended for the purchase of firearms by children 5 to 12 years. The most popular caliber rifles for children remains 22th on their hands - more than 3 million. Trunks.





US remains the bulwark of personal liberty of citizens. In the country for almost two decades (since Clinton's first term) goes public discussion on the limitation of the right of citizens to arms. However, the Americans are on his - firearms guaranteed them a second amendment to the Constitution. And unlike many other Western countries, even the revision of the Basic document in the United States is not even discussed.

To arms in the United States teach children from an early age. As early as 5 years old child can have a rifle "limited destruction" - .22 (chuck 5, 6 millimeters, that in Russian is called "small-bore rifle"). But in this age it was to create a very simple to handle weapons.



In the early 1990s, father and son Bill and Steve McNeil developed Davey Crickett - a single-shot .22 caliber rifle specifically for children. It was designed almost like a replica Winchester 1900 - rifle designs by John Moses Browning. Winchester 1900 was a very popular weapon especially in rural parts of the United States. Single shot rifles such as Chipmunk and the like a good buy, but in the second half of the XX century, the demand for them has fallen (because of the singly charged such weapons).



Crickett rifle design was specially made simple. Small caliber (5, 6 mm) and a singly charged not allow her to shoot a very fast and therefore it is a good weapon for training. It is not as dangerous as the repeating rifle, and much safer automatic weapons. The result was its simplicity rifles small price - from 100 to 130 dollars, and its weight - about 1, 2 kg. Weapons made of different materials and with different colors, from pink to wood laminate or brightly colored plastic. The last "trick" - colored rifles - has been specially designed for girls, which often choose weapons pink.



Belgian photographer Sophie Kesteleyn drove through Ohio and Texas, where the shooting took children aged 5-12 years with their personal rifles .22. In addition, she asked each child to answer the question, what he fears most (and what it is designed to protect and rifle).



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13. In Kentucky, a five-year kid playing with a rifle, shot a two-year sister

In the US city Barkesvill (Kentucky) year-old boy accidentally shot his rifle his two-year sister. As representatives of the state police, the child was playing with his rifle, 22-caliber company Cricket, which he received in 2012 as a present for his birthday. The weapon was fitted with a fuse, but for some reason it did not work, and the bullet hit the girl in the chest.

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