One of the most frequently asked questions is how dangerous BB guns are. For example, could a small child suffer a serious injury due to such a rifle if they are not careful? The answer varies depending on the type of rifle used.
One of the most common BB gun models given to children is the Daisy Red Ryder. Another popular model is the more powerful Daisy Powerline 880. This rifle is easy to use and can be comfortably pumped up to its maximum power of 10 pumps, even by a child.
To test this, an experiment was conducted using ballistic gel to show how much damage these rifles could inflict when used carelessly. The worst-case scenario was considered: A child who has not been taught any safety rules is assumed to point the rifle at someone’s chest. The ballistic gel block used was 7 inches deep and was covered with two layers of thin T-shirt fabric, representing clothes that might be worn on a hot summer day.
First, the Daisy Red Ryder was tested. In this trial, the BB pellet could not even penetrate past the clothing; meaning it was unlikely to even pierce human skin. Next, the more powerful Daisy Powerline 880 was tested with 10 pumps. This time, the fired pellet effortlessly pierced the T-shirt and penetrated about 5 inches deep into the ballistic gel. This level of penetration suggests it could cause a serious chest injury in real human tissue.
In conclusion, if you are considering gifting a BB gun to children, do not neglect to teach them all the basic firearm safety rules. These types of rifles are not toys and can lead to serious consequences if misused.