kalashnikitty is a reality now

[Dukkha]

This on line dealer Jim's Guns does custom duracoat paint jobs on firearms including the Hello Kitty design and other hot pink cute designs along with the traditional camo styles. The owner states 75% of sales goes to law enforcement officers who decorate guns for their wives and SOs to use at the range. Seems harmless enough to those in the hobby. But I guess it was a slow news day for CNN so they ran it as an alarmist type story saying they're a real danger! Were the guns less dangerous before as basic black?

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/02/19/resnik.painted.guns.kpnx

[niyad]

1. somebody thought this was a good idea? WHY?

[walldude]

6. Brain Damage..

They got rid of Joe Camel because a cartoon camel could be used to sell smokes to kids. But a Hello Kitty automatic weapon? Woo Hoo!!!

[Ian David]

2. Guns don't kill people. Pretty pink guns with Hello Kitty on them kill people. n/t

[billbuckhead]

4. It's called gun porn

[angrycarpenter]

3. It looks like a toy gun

I imagine that police would be concerned. The only giveaway that it is real is it's size.

[Kitty Herder]

14. Yeah. Having a cartoon character on it makes it more appealing to a child. nt

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15. Little girls and dolls is such a sexist concept.

[-..__...]

5. Kalashnikitty is proud to be honored by such a tribute!

(Rats... damn "Signature lines are currently turned off due to high traffic").

[ProgressiveFool]

7. Isn't Hello Kitty already lethal in her own right? /nt

[invader zim]

8. wow

Looks cool. I'm secure enough in my manhood to own one of those...

Zim

[walldude]

11. Yeah I bet little kids think it looks really cool too

what a great toy!!!


Welcome to DU.. and the question is are you secure enough in your manhood to admit that this is about the most stupid thing you can do to a weapon designed to kill people? To make it attractive to 5 and 6 year olds?

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13. And as long as the child is supervised by an adult...

and is taught proper firearms safety, would you still have a problem with it?

[walldude]

16. I don't have a "problem" I just don't see the point. Are you going

to tell me that every single gun owner in America is a responsible parent? Sorry, I'm all for gun ownership but I am not for marketing real guns, that look like toys, to little kids. Too easy to have an accident. I know many responsible gun owners. I also know that the second person in line to be the leader of the free world accidentally shot a buddy in the face. I also know gun owners who have kids and proudly display their firearms in an unlocked case.
There is no need for Hello Kitty guns. To be honest I'm surprised they exist at all, I mentioned Joe Camel in a previous post, no more Joe Camel because he appealed to kids while selling a "deadly product". How is this any different?

[-..__...]

17. The world is full of irresponsible parents.

I only wish some of them could at least be responsible with regards to children and firearms.

"I mentioned Joe Camel in a previous post, no more Joe Camel because he appealed to kids while selling a "deadly product". How is this any different?"

Cigarettes/smoking is a deadly/unhealthy product for children under any circumstance.

Teaching kids responsible firearms safety and handling is equivalent to teaching them the dangers of smoking.

And yes... some kids will fall through the cracks and smoke anyways, or use a firearm unsafely, but that shouldn't be justification
to abandon education in firearms safety or anti-smoking amongst children.

[walldude]

21. I think we are pretty much in agreement but I still don't see the

need for this.
Teaching kids responsible firearms safety and handling is equivalent to teaching them the dangers of smoking.

I agree, yet Joe Camel is still taboo.

Remember I'm not against guns but this just seems pointless. Almost like a joke, and it does nothing to further gun ownership arguments. I'm not for abandoning education in firearms, matter of fact I think it should be a requirement, but I still don't see how this can help in any way.

To be honest this is will do more for the anti-gun lobby than anything else. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Kid accidentally shoots someone with Hello Kitty gun, victims parents sue manufacturer for making weapon that looks like a toy, jury feels for parent that loses kid and awards millions. That's not going to advance the cause of gun owners.

Honestly making a gun look like a toy is not the way to promote "gun safety".

[-..__...]

22. The paint scheme doesn't diminish the letahality in any way.

These guns aren't "Irwin Mainway" products being sold under the guise or pretense of being safe for children. If a child shoots someone with an unsecured firearm the fact that it's painted like a toy isn't going to make one bit of difference in any criminal or civil proceedings.

I've seen plenty of photos of smiling young shooters with similarly painted firearms. In every case the kids were from firearms friendly families and are involved in youth shooting/marksmanship leagues. Point being... the kids that are around these type of firearms are the kind of kids least likely to become involved in a shooting accident.

It's pretty much a moot point anyways since firearms manufacturers are protected from bogus lawsuits.

[Recursion]

19. I first learned to shoot (under adult supervision, of course) at 7

I don't see a problem with it.

For that matter, anything that helps remove the ridiculous and instinctive fear of guns that seems to have seized the Left is welcome.

[eleny]

9. The Hello Kitty AK 47

from the "Hello Kitty Hell" blog ---> http://www.kittyhell.com/2007/10/09/hello-kitty-ak-47/

[-..__...]

10. And it's nemesis...

the Barbie AR-15...

[Bright Eyes]

12. Kid Friendly!

[Lex1775]

18. Blech.

I prefer mine in black.

[RamboLiberal]

20. In IDPA and USPSA competition I've seen a couple of women

who have their handguns duracoated in pink or purple. I don't have a problem with it. I doubt the bad guys are suddenly going to go out and get brightly colored guns. I've read some concern from cops but heck they have a problem with airsoft guns that look like real black guns as well.



In 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City successfully banned certain colors of Lauer’s product inside the city. Lauer said Bloomberg thought he was trying to allow criminals the opportunity to paint a real gun to look fake. The difference between a plastic fake gun, Lauer contends, and one coated with his product is staggering. He said only one law enforcement officer has ever approached him concerned about the distinction.

Jim Astle owns Jim’s Gun Supply in Baraboo, Wis. and coats many customers’ guns with Lauer’s product. He said 75 percent of the pink guns he has made for customers have been for wives of law enforcement officers who wanted to shoot with their husbands at the range. He said coating guns with colors or designs does not have a criminal element.

“Legal gun owners are sending us firearms and asking us to paint their gun,” Astle said. “It’s not gang-bangers sending in their guns to make them look like toys.”

http://www.desertdispatch.com/onset?db=desertdispatch&id=2589&template=article.html

Here's the guys website if you want to see the guns. http://www.jimsgunsupply.com/DuraCoat/duracoatpictures.html#Multi-Tone%20and%20Single%20Color%20Hand%20Guns

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23. Pointless and ridiculous legislation.

Even more ridiculous considering that the same effect can be accomplished with a can of ordinary spray paint (of course even that is tightly controlled in NYC).

Only difference is that Lauers product (and similar products), is more durable and is resistant to gun cleaning solvents.