Most people treat BB guns and pellet rifles as harmless toys but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that BB guns can kill. CPSC has reports of about four deaths per year caused by BB guns or pellet rifles. High-velocity BB guns, which have muzzle velocities higher than 350 feet per second, significantly increase this risk. Each year, approximately 30,000 people with BB and pellet gun related injuries are treated in hospital emergency rooms in the United States, with children and teenagers accounting for more than 80 percent of those victims.
Why BB Guns Are More Dangerous Than Most People Realize
Many people do not realize that BB guns and pellet rifles can cause death. Unlike traditional toys, high-velocity BB guns can propel projectiles at speeds high enough to penetrate skin, cause internal injuries, and strike vital organs. Eye injuries are among the most serious and common BB gun injuries, and many victims have suffered permanent vision loss or blindness.
Children peak in BB gun injuries at age 13, and injuries begin as early as age 3. Most incidents occur when children are playing unsupervised or when a child enters a shooting area unexpectedly, as in the case of a 9-year-old boy who was struck beneath his lower left eyelid after stepping from behind a board at which other children were shooting.
Safety Rules
CPSC warns that children under 16 years of age should not use high-velocity BB or pellet guns. In addition:
- Like firearms, BB guns should never be aimed at another person under any circumstances — not even in play.
- Always treat a BB gun as if it is loaded and ready to fire.
- Never look into the muzzle of a BB gun or allow anyone else to do so.
- Always be certain of your target and what is beyond it before firing.
- Store BB guns unloaded and in a secure location, separate from ammunition, out of reach of children.
- Never allow children to use BB guns unsupervised.
- Wear protective eyewear whenever using a BB gun or pellet rifle.
- High-velocity BB guns must carry a specific warning label. Read all warning labels before use and follow them strictly.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
