These ads were not only in BL but comic books as well. I don’t remember the name of the company but you could win a “free” bb gun from them for selling their junk!
The outrage against ads like these today would be brutal!
Back in my day many kids had a BB rifle, usually a Daisy. One lucky sucker even had a BB pistol!
Sparrows landed in our neighborhood at their own risk. This is something I honestly regret, you realize things like this as you get older.
I never personally knew of any kid that had an actually serious injury from a BB gun. Now I did get a few blister like injuries from shooting myself in the hand and fingers. Yeah, there were also an occasional opportunistic shot to a friends buttocks area, but always through their clothing, not bare skin.[6]
We had the common sense not to shoot someone in the face or bare skin.
Remember the ads for Johnson & Smith company? Oh what a marvelous variety of stuff they promised kids! I always sent for the catalog every year (it was only a dime).
BB guns are still a popular event in cub scouts. That and archery during the bigger cub scout events always have the longest lines to participate. Scouts have to participate at these two activities during the larger events to get “credit”, i.e. the coveted belt loops and pins for these events.
It’s still around; one of my colleagues writes for them on a regular basis. About to pitch a couple of articles myself. I wish kids still built models, but unfortunately it seems they’d rather buy something that’s already put together.