Wise words from my father: "I'd rather you spend your money on guns and ammo instead of booze and drugs" Also, I've seen mature 13 year-olds and immature 20 year-olds. You can't automatically just judge somebody because of their age and what honestly makes you think that there's a difference between ages of 17 and 18? One doesn't just magically become "mature" when at the latter. Responsibility, along with maturity, is developed through experience. You afraid that some kid is going to use it improperly? Yeah, that's only if they have nobody to teach the rights and wrongs. Education and teaching children simple common-sense goes a long way when discussing responsibility. But you know, I'd take you as one of those people who thinks it's fine for a kid to sit inside all day playing video games as it "protects" them from the outside world. Guess what dude? Our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and so on have been playing outside doing God knows what (throwing rocks at each other, playing with bows and arrows, wrestling around, etc) and we as a species have not yet died out from it. Worst that will happen is somebody maybe getting a cut. Some disinfectant and a bandage will patch them up good as new, teaching them the idea of not being sissy