Taking friends to the range

[jmiro]

Most of my friends dont own guns. They always bug me to let them come and shoot my guns. Some times they buy ammo sometimes they dont. Then there is the cost of paper, staples, gas, and cleaning the firearms. I always get a thank you with a little help unloading. Then they tell me that they are going to get their own guns. Have yet to see one get one. Seriously when is enough enough? I enjoy teaching them and having some company. I guess i am just venting. But my toys are mine and i dont want to share.

[normanvin]

There is no correct answer to your post. I always take a bunch of stuff to the range. I always invite people to go with me. Sometimes they go with, sometimes they don't.

I always control how much they shoot. After all its my ammo my guns, and I get to clean them.

One guy that I took was a newbie. His wife was an anti. He now has several handguns, a shotgun and a rifle.

[Wasz]

When I can I don't mind letting people shoot my ammo some. When I'm low on cash I say so and tell them you want to come shooting you need to buy X,Y,Z. Maybe they just figure its always been on your dime so you don't mind. Don't be afraid to politely set the record straight if they don't realize or have the manners to ask.

[LittleRedToyota]

i will generally jump at the chance to take someone shooting for the first time...and i will cover all expenses. i think it's worth it to introduce someone to shooting and hopefully get them to consider opposititon to gun control more heavily when choosing who to vote for.

i also have a couple of friends that i have taken shooting a few times. i don't ask them to help pay for ammo or anything. but, most of them take me to participate in their hobbies every now and then and don't ask em to pay, so it works out. (e.g., i have one friend who has a couple of jet skis and i go out with him a couple times each summer...he doesn't ask me to pay for gas or anything, so i also take him out shooting a couple of times and don't ask him to pay for ammo.)

if i had a friend who asked me to take him shooting a lot and never offered to pay for any ammo and also did not return the favor in some other way, though, i do think i would get tired of it after not too long.

[762xIan]

There is no correct answer to your post.

It is tough, I like getting new shooters out there. Very hard anymore with prices going through the roof on EVERYTHING!

Easiest to do I guess is load up on .22, and anything else that is relatively cheap and you can afford. Explain to them if they chip in they get to blast away with what they buy.

I remember just a few short years ago, a day of plinking with a crowd of friends was 1000's of rounds of .308, 8mm, 762x39 and hundreds of pistol caliber stuff. The days of cheap surplus and plinking ammo are gone.

It did get me reloading though.

[PennsyPlinker]

I am a lot like LRT in that I will take people shooting on my dime if it is for the first time. I will also spring for people who don't have the money I do for ammo and targets and such. I'm not a charity or anything, but I do have a friend whose company I enjoy, and who does not have the cash to shoot very often. But when it comes to people asking, and asking repeatedly for you to take them somewhere and do something at your expense, there are two classifications:

children

freeloaders

Are these people your children? If not, then there is a good chance they are freeloaders. The fastest way to find out is this. The next time one or more of them wants you to take them shooting, tell them how much of the outing is going to be paid for by them - gas, ammo, targets, range passes, whatever. If they cheerfully chip in, that is great. If they don't, then you have learned that you don't really have friends, and need to get some new ones.

[chrischoi]

Looking on both sides of the fence.

If I was to take someone, I would just make them pay for their expenses.

If someone was taking me, I would cover for my own expenses.

I think that is more than fair. After all, your toys...

[knighthawk06699]

When I can I don't mind letting people shoot my ammo some. When I'm low on cash I say so and tell them you want to come shooting you need to buy X,Y,Z. Maybe they just figure its always been on your dime so you don't mind. Don't be afraid to politely set the record straight if they don't realize or have the manners to ask.

That is exactly how I handle it. If they say well I am not comfortable buying ammo, then I give them "you are sure not comfortable enough to shoot a gun then either. Maybe we will try this when you are more comfortable." They usually pay up and pitch in. I am by no means well off and .45 and .40 are expensive.

[Dextrimental]

I don't really take any friends to the range these days. I always end up paying for ammo ( not really a big deal because I love shooting ) but its a pain when you buy ammo for 2 sometimes, and your buddy doesn't show. I like the solitude of being at my range when no one is around. But the people I have met up there have been nothing but great, and helpful with any questions / problems I have had asked them. I have shot many rifles at the range that were not mine, and when I see someone else looking curiously at what I have I return the favor to all those before me and let them shoot what I have. These are the people I consider friends. I guess it's just a range ethic of mine, and a lot of others I meet.


Brad

[jmiro]

I do the same at the range. You want to shoot mine be kind one mag or a couple shots. But please return the favor. I dont think i would have bought an ak or started to build an ar if someone wouldnt have shown me the quick ins and outs of it. And prior to that day the didnt know me from a bag of donuts. People with guns are the friendliest people I have met. If it werent for someone taking there time for me I wouldnt be on this board right now. So I do return the favor. Just dont take advantage of it.