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DParker

seamusTX wrote:PC Â§ 46.13 has nothing to do with why ranges won't allow people under 21 to shoot alone.

- Jim

Uh...I never said it did.

DParker

seamusTX wrote:That law makes it an offense to allow a minor child access to a weapon, other than for certain lawful purposes. It does not make it an offense for the child to have the weapon.

Nothing in the penal code makes possessing a weapon an offense, based on age.

There is a provision in federal law saying that minors must have their parents' written permission to shoot a handgun, but it is enforced only when a criminal gives a weapon to a child for a criminal purpose.

- Jim

You said that in TX there are no firearms possession restrictions based on age. I did not say it was a criminal offense for anyone under n years of age to possess a firearm, nor any other such blanket statement. I simply demonstrated that your blanket statement was factually incorrrect, and that there most certainly are age-dependant restrictions regarding firearms possession.

DParker

seamusTX wrote:Welcome to the forum.

Rules of this sort are all over the map. In some cases, ranges (or their legal advisers) are interpreting federal law about the purchases of handguns too strictly. People under 21 cannot buy a handgun from an FFL, but in Texas there is no restriction on possession of firearms based on age.

- Jim

Of course there are firearms possession restrictions based on age in TX. From Title 10 of the Texas Penal Code:

Â§ 46.13. MAKING A FIREARM ACCESSIBLE TO A CHILD.
(a) In this section:
(1) "Child" means a person younger than 17 years of age.
(2) "Readily dischargeable firearm" means a firearm that is loaded with ammunition, whether or not a round is in the chamber.
(3) "Secure" means to take steps that a reasonable person would take to prevent the access to a readily dischargeable firearm by a child, including but not limited to placing a firearm in a locked container or temporarily rendering the firearm inoperable by a trigger lock or other means.
(b) A person commits an offense if a child gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm and the person with criminal negligence:
(1) failed to secure the firearm; or
(2) left the firearm in a place to which the person knew or should have known the child would gain access.
(c) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the child's access to the firearm:
(1) was supervised by a person older than 18 years of age and was for hunting, sporting, or other lawful purposes;
(2) consisted of lawful defense by the child of people or property;
(3) was gained by entering property in violation of this code; or
(4) occurred during a time when the actor was engaged in an agricultural enterprise.
(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), an offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
(e) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor if the child discharges the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury to himself or another person.
(f) A peace officer or other person may not arrest the actor before the seventh day after the date on which the offense is committed if:
(1) the actor is a member of the family, as defined by Section 71.003, Family Code, of the child who discharged the firearm; and
(2) the child in discharging the firearm caused the death of or serious injury to the child.
(g) A dealer of firearms shall post in a conspicuous position on the premises where the dealer conducts business a sign that contains the following warning in block letters not less than one inch in height:

"IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABANDON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE FIREARM."

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