The kids I knew never used BB guns (or pellet guns) in those games. We just used cap guns and stuff that wasn't dangerous. The BB guns came along a bit later, and were used to shoot at tin cans and stuff, but not at each other. There would have been hell to pay from our parents if anyone had shot BBs at another kid, believe me.

We used to get firecrackers pretty much any time we wanted to. Cherry bombs were the best. Those were used again, not on each other, but to blow up cans and old model boats and stuff.

All of that stuff, and the only time I ever hurt myself was once when I was running with a stick that had got the end red hot in a fire. I tripped and the stick went against my face and gave me a bad burn about the size of a dime. I still have a scar from it to this day.