To discourage friendship - gun in house

[Concernedrethis]

So more of a WWYD?

NC again. Possibly outing.

Moved to rural area two years ago. DS (Year 6) has struggled to find his feet. Been bullied horribly. Has three school friends. Some non school friends now.

Recently, one of his school friends (who has male older siblings) told me that his dad has a gun, has a gun licence, has let him shoot it and keeps it for something (I can’t remember what) ‘and protection’.

I have had a few interactions with the parents and they seem nice. They live in town in a terrace house, not a farm.

What would you do?

Previously my DS has been at the house once for a birthday party. They live close by so likely will walk together to and from school when they go up to ‘big school’.

I don’t know how the gun is kept. I don’t know the older siblings well.

Would I be unreasonable to not allow my DS to go to their house? WIBU to ask the mum about it?

I have never known anyone with a gun before. UK based.

You have to be taking it somewhere for a purpose. I couldn't take a gun to my friends house just to show them.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

The problem is, if someone is suffering from mental health issues, unless they approach their GP who should inform the licensing authorities, then they still have access to their firearms. You never know how someone is feeling on a particular day Or what events have affected their state of mind- suppose the gun owner has just come home to find his partner having an affair, for example?

Slightly off-topic I know. But in the military, we had a particular issue with reservists. They could be classed as unfit to handle any type of firearms by their GP due to mental illness, but there was no link to the forces medical system, other than relying on the individual to self-report to the service. Unless they did, it was very unlikely that their access to military weapons would also be withdrawn (because how would they know to), which I found quite worrying, and quite a flaw in the system.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

@Pumperthepumper If you know the system, you could work it, but I am sure there are plenty of other checks the police do that far exceeds just a partner knowing where the keys are.
I hope we never know all the checks, because if we did, someone somewhere would abuse it.

Just as an example, the firearms officer doing the house inspection looked at how our dogs interacted. We have a German shepherd, he asked about her, fussed her, could tell she was a pet and not a security dog.
People who are up to no good will always have red flags...and those who are really up to no good wouldn't even engage in the legal process

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

@Pumperthepumper If you know the system, you could work it, but I am sure there are plenty of other checks the police do that far exceeds just a partner knowing where the keys are.

I hope we never know all the checks, because if we did, someone somewhere would abuse it.

Just as an example, the firearms officer doing the house inspection looked at how our dogs interacted. We have a German shepherd, he asked about her, fussed her, could tell she was a pet and not a security dog.

People who are up to no good will always have red flags...and those who are really up to no good wouldn't even engage in the legal process

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Whilst yes you should keep the gun in the gun cabinet, no-one ever checks, husband has guns locked in cabinet of course but apart from the initial interview over ten years ago we have never seen anyone, no one has ever come round to check up on us, he just pays £50 online and ticks the renew box.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Whilst yes you should keep the gun in the gun cabinet, no-one ever checks, husband has guns locked in cabinet of course but apart from the initial interview over ten years ago we have never seen anyone, no one has ever come round to check up on us, he just pays £50 online and ticks the renew box.

@Pumperthepumper If you know the system, you could work it, but I am sure there are plenty of other checks the police do that far exceeds just a partner knowing where the keys are.

I hope we never know all the checks, because if we did, someone somewhere would abuse it.

Just as an example, the firearms officer doing the house inspection looked at how our dogs interacted. We have a German shepherd, he asked about her, fussed her, could tell she was a pet and not a security dog.

People who are up to no good will always have red flags...and those who are really up to no good wouldn't even engage in the legal process

Whilst yes you should keep the gun in the gun cabinet, no-one ever checks, husband has guns locked in cabinet of course but apart from the initial interview over ten years ago we have never seen anyone, no one has ever come round to check up on us, he just pays £50 online and ticks the renew box.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Why are people so certain that it would be kept in a cabinet?

I agree with this.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

Well, you could. You just couldn’t get caught.

A shotgun is heavy and powerful. I suspect it's unlikely therefore a primary aged child has managed to shoot with it. Without falling over. Possible dad has a smaller gun, intended as a starter, or maybe just an air gun too. Agree with everybody else, the weapon will have a licence and conditions under which it's kept.

Ds has a junior licence. The process to get the licence was very thorough, and included checking the gun cabinet to make sure it was approved, and to check the location.
As ds is under 18 he holds one key, I hold the other, neither of us knows where the other is, so no one can access the shotgun alone.

Ds uses his to shoot rabbits for his ferrets, he also joins in beating for local
gamekeepers, alongside many other locals. At the end of the season there’s a beater’s shoot, which he can join in with. It’s a friendly community to be part of and allows him to meet people of all ages and make good working connections in the area.

We are rural, all farming families have shotguns, and plenty of non farming families.

I’m anti gun on the whole, but gun rules in the UK are good and strict, and the process reassuringly thorough. When my dc were younger had I not allowed them to go to a house where guns were kept they would have been quite limited for places to go, given that their friends and interests are around farming.

There are guns in our house, and I'd expect in many houses in our village.

It's locked in a cabinet which is hidden away. The key is kept in a separate safe place. Ammunition in a third place (and I don't know where).

My children have occasionally, under close and safe supervision, had a few shots at a target.

They wouldn't ever touch a gun without adult supervision and permission. They don't know where it is kept, where the key is (and would be physically unable to access), nor the ammunition.

So in your situation it wouldn't automatically put me off sending my child to the house. I'd need more information.