How have YOU introduced someone to shooting?

[roland]

Thats a good question. I talk about shooting and hunting so much I don't know when someone becomes interested. Formal training though I teach at my clubs monthly bb-gun shoots. Occasionally our club hosts a scout campboree and I help out on the ranges there also. I have four daughters and the youngest 2years is the only one that hasn't gone hunting or shooting with me. I wait till there 4. But I'd say the best training or intoduction I did was help construct new shooting ranges and facillities. New places to shoot seems to spark interest and enthusiasm. (for lack of a better word) It opened up a whole new venue at our club and is continuing to escalate=although mostly with existing shooters however they bring new shooters. Like they say IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

[Siobhra]

Thursdays were our 'girls night out' after work at our office. We usually went shopping or somewhere for dinner. Sometimes we did something different like an event such as miniature golf or go-karts.

One time it was my turn to pick what we would do that coming night out so I made arrangements with the local gun range to have a few 'friends' there to pretend they were 'just using the range' that night.

My choice of a visit to the range was met like I had asked them to visit a leper colony. But they went. And as planed they found enough people who could help show them how to shoot safely.

Some of them still go to the range and as a bonus now no one can say a bad word about guns in that office without a chorus of girls speaking up in defense of the sport of shooting.

Sadly I can't get any of the girls from my current job to go shooting but at least I don't hear any anti-gun talk.

[fultonCoShooter]

i let my friends 6 year old run a 30 mag threw my AR a few months ago

[ReefBlue]

My friends are basically indifferent towards guns.


They don't dislike them, but they aren't anywhere on their priority list at all.


I took a couple of them to a public range once, they had fun, but if we never went, it would never have mattered.

[Mtbkski]

"Redneck klansman, jew, black, immigrant hating neo-nazi militia member."

Then i say, "holy shit! you're right! All of those kind of people most certainly own guns."

They usually ask me to go shooting after letting that set in for about a week.

Funny, I had to sit and let it sink in myself. (Haven't had my morning coffe yet) but once I did. What a great statement. I hope you don't mind, but I plan on using that one myself.

[Emptymag]

Since there are so many new members, and because it's great to hear about people introducing others to shooting, I thought I'd bump this up and see if anyone else has anything to add...

[Xringshooter]

At my job we have training classes given to our overseas distributors/field techs. One time they had a free afternoon and management ask me if I could entertain them for a few hours. I asked them if they had ever fired a gun and would they want to go to the camp I belong to and do some shooting. They (2 Japanese, 2 from UK, 2 from the Netherlands and 2 from China), jumped at the chance. I took my Ruger Mark II .22, My 6" GP100 .357, My 10/22 and my Marlin .30-30. We got to camp, I went over the safety rules, showed them sight alignment and stood by each one as they shot. We shot paper targets, they all shot all of the weapons and then I got out the spinning targets for the 22's. They had a whale of a time. None of them are allowed to own these types of guns and none had ever fired anything like what I had except for the English, one had shot a shotgun once or twice. They didn't even want to stop to go to dinner. For them it was probably a once in a lifetime experience. They were awed by the fact that we are allowed to own such weapons. I hate to see what would have happened if I had an AR for them to shoot. I think they would have defected to the US (LOL). Management even paid me for the rounds expended. Now when others from the same distributorships come for training and are asked what they want to do they say "We want Mr. Ron to take us shooting!" And I do.

[Withee355]

I converted a Brit once. Not an easy task may I add. His wife went to college with my wife and she moved to england. So anyway, you know how all of us crazy americans are, needless to say he was nervous about coming to the USA and meeting me because she told him about all my guns and how much I love to shoot and hunt.

They get to the house after my wife picked them up at the Airport and I was cleaning my Glock 22 (purposefully I must add). And the look in his eyes was priceless. I thought he was going to turn around and leave haha. He asks me nervously, are you going to lock that up? (At this time I did not have kids) I replied no I leave right next to my bed. He said I would feel more comfortable if you locked it up. So I told him it makes me uncomfortable to have it locked up, I asked if he ever shot, and of course he told me no (F***ing Brits) I said you really shouldn't pass judgment until you try it. So the next day I shanghaied him with a bunch of my Buddies and we went to GPGC. hahaha After seeing my friend bump fire his AK and all of us shooting our firearms having a great time he nudged me and asked if he could try. So I gave him a marlin semi auto .22lr and he blasted away. didn't hit a GD thing. But he loved it.

Since then they have moved to the states and he is starting his own collection.

[Emptymag]

Xringshooter,

That's a beautiful story (sniff) and (sniff) I'm glad to see you are taking it to a somewhat "global" level!
THAT is my idea of UNITED NATIONS!

Withee355,
Another bloody convert! Cool!

[GRoPA]

I introduced my wife to shooting. (Still rethinking that decision)

Nah, she actually really likes .45 over the .22 which suprised me, but I guess size matters.

She never handled a firearm before her and I startd dating in highschool. A few of our "Dates" were trips out shooting.

Now she is talking about us buying another property and having me put in my own personal shooting range. God I love her!!