10 year old likes guns.. Should I be concerned?

[Busymummy50]

My 10 year old loves playing shooting games. Now that he's older, he's not asking for lego sets, nerf guns or other toys he used to like for his birthday but made the comment "I would like to hold a real gun on my birthday".

Now this comment has really made me concerned. Previously he'd sometimes talk about guns, "guns are cool", "can people get guns in this country" "Can people bring guns from other countries where you can get guns". I've explained that in games, it is all fantasy and that in reality, we can't just get hold of guns and that we are not allowed to, in which he would reply "I know in games it's not real".

Should I be concerned? Or is it just a phrase that kids go through when they find certain things cool and it will pass??

Anyone had similar experiences?

I'd be concerned because guns are evil. They do no good.

We don't need them for hunting...we don't need them for self defence.

Does he play or access violent video games?

I think it's fairly normal for an interest in them. I've a 10yo boy and
he finds WWII interesting especially the fighter planes, and has done for years.

It's interesting because when dd1 was about 7/8yo I can't remember the context but she was asked if she knew what a gun was and she said "it is something the bad people have in the Famous Five". Ds had picked up what a gun was (bang bang you're dead with a stick) by 3yo despite not having a TV nor playing any computer games other than CBeeBies.

If he starts talking about killing with them, then you need to worry.