I can't remember ever NOT having at least asquirt pistoland one of those "machine guns" that had a little clicker wheel that made noise when you pulled the trigger.

I turned out fine. In all of my 23 years not once have I ever shot up a bunch of kids in a school, hit somebody intending to hurt them (really, never been in a fight), or even pointed a firearm at someone much less pulled the trigger. I guess my toy guns really screwed me up, huh?

And per your idea, yeah I think my dad did teach me to respect them at an early age. I knew that my toys were ok but his weren't. He never kept them locked up, only the ammo stored away on a shelf that even now I have to stretch to reachbutI just knew not to touch them, even if they were unloaded, because that's how I was taught. When he got me a BB gun I already knew how to treat and respecta gun and so I was infinitely more safe than a kid whose parents would just up and buy them one.