How many people will you introduce to shooting this year?

[gspn]

I have found that there is no better way to gain 2A supporters than to take people shooting.

I've taught a lot of people how to shoot and hunt and every one of them that has come out, left with a smile on their face and almost all of them have gone on to buy a gun of their own.

We can quote facts and legal precedent all day long...but the way to really win people over is to teach them how to safely shoot and put a smile on their face along the way.

Suddenly they realize how much fun shooting can be...and how great "gun people" are to hang out with.

I imagine I'll introduce another 5 or 6 people to shooting this year. I've got three lined up already that have never shot...with luck I'll get more.

What say you? Will you introduce anyone to shooting this year?

 

[GarySTL]

A fellow who services my pest control has never shot a firearm. I'm going to introduce him to busting clays in May. Most people don't find shotguns, especially o/u too scary, so I figured that would be a good choice.

 

[MaterDei]

I took a coworker to the range a couple of weeks ago. He had never shot a gun before and really enjoyed himself. He's from England so not likely to become a gun owner himself but he's certainly in a much better position now to defend our use of sporting/defense arms.

I've got two more people lined up this year and hope for many more.

 

[gspn]

A fellow who services my pest control has never shot a firearm. I'm going to introduce him to busting clays in May. Most people don't find shotguns, especially o/u too scary, so I figured that would be a good choice.

Great idea...everyone loves clays. The look on their face when they connect with their first one is priceless.

 

[gspn]

I took a coworker to the range a couple of weeks ago. He had never shot a gun before and really enjoyed himself. He's from England so not likely to become a gun owner himself but he's certainly in a much better position now to defend our use of sporting/defense arms.

I've got two more people lined up this year and hope for many more.

He might not ever get to own a gun...but he'll be a pro-2A export! That will be one more person over there who can counter the Piers Morgan BS.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Probably 80 to 100, perhaps a few more.

I'm with a group that puts on monthly NRA Basic Handgun classes. For the last 18 months or so, our classes have been running from 8 to 12 students, and approximately 90% of our students had never handled a gun before.

 

[gspn]

Probably 80 to 100, perhaps a few more.

I'm with a group that puts on monthly NRA Basic Handgun classes. For the last 18 months or so, our classes have been running from 8 to 12 students, and approximately 90% of our students had never handled a gun before.

Thats awesome! And in the BAY AREA no less!!!!

 

[chris in va]

Ha ha, now that's funny. Introduce new people. I can't even find anyone to say anything more than "hello" around here, much less go shooting with them. And I live 20 minutes from a premier range.

 

[Ignition Override]

gspn: The thought almost never occurs to me. Will find a few people.

MaterDei: If the English guy ever travels through the Memphis area near I-40, please have him give me a pm, for a phone number far in advance.
He might enjoy shooting an Enfield (all of my #4s/#5s were built in England), or other choices such as the Garand.

 

[kyhunter]

I generally get to introduce maybe one a month sometimes 2. Most people down here shoot.

Chris in VA where are you located at? directly in louisville? If so i feel sorry for you. Which range are you talking about I never knew of a range in louisville.

 

[Blackstone]

Taking my little sister to the range today

 

[MaterDei]

He might not ever get to own a gun...but he'll be a pro-2A export! That will be one more person over there who can counter the Piers Morgan BS.

MaterDei: If the English guy ever travels through the Memphis area near I-40, please have him give me a pm, for a phone number far in advance.
He might enjoy shooting an Enfield (all of my #4s/#5s were built in England), or other choices such as the Garand.

I take Brits shooting pretty regularly. Last year I took 4 coworkers who had never fired firearms to the range. Three of them British and the other from Chicago. My boss is British and so far has avoided going to the range with me but I'll keep offering it. I work for a large British based energy company (yes, that one). Getting a few British guns is a great idea, Ignition Overide! That would really bring home that firearms ownership was not always an exclusively American thing and that firearms have helped to keep them free.

gspn, they are definitely supporters of the second amendment by the time we're done. I generally start them on a 10/22 or Marlin 60, move to an AR and finish the day with a 1911.

Here are a couple of pics. The first is the guy I took this year and the other is from last year.

 

[The-Reaver]

Myself and my wife trained two children yesterday.
A 14 year old boy from NY ( first time ever holding a real rifle and pistol )
As well as a 12 year old girl from NY ( same as ^ )

They loved it.

 

[UKWildcatFan]

I've helped create a fun activity with my Sunday School class over the last year. We call it "Breakfast-n-Bullets." We meet early once a month at Bob Evans for breakfast, then go shoot an hour. We invite folks who have never shot before, making sure to meet with the, before that morning to go over the 4 gun safety laws, differences in weapons, functionality, reloads, etc. I'm doing my part. So far 5 newbies have come in 2 months.

 

[Serenity]

So far I have taken one person. She was probably the only friend left who hadn't been shooting. I have one brother-in-law that I'm not sure has gone. I will have to ask.

 

[Capybara]

Became an NRA Certified Shotgun Instructor and RSO a couple of months ago. My tally is now at 32 people, including two camping friends who had never shot a gun and 30 Boy Scouts at our council's Spring camp out. Both camping friends have since bought guns, joined our local indoor range and are taking their kids shooting now.

My goal is 200 new shooters this year.

 

[HoosierQ]

Well I got one! One of our co-workers got mugged...same muggers went on to kill somebody that same morning. This guy in my department came to me and said he'd been thinking about getting a gun.

So we look around. He asked some family. They guy ends up buying a Sig P226 MK25!

I'll be taking him shooting very soon here.

 

[Domina]

I am no longer charging for elementary firearms instruction. I aim to offer training including basic tactical pistol to any women who are interested. Not sure how many will take it, but I aim to do my part by offering

 

[OldTex]

I need to do this more than I do already. I have taken a couple dozen new shooters out in the last couple years and have yet to find one who didn't think it was a hoot. The first time they hear that ring of hitting a steel target, they are hooked. Not that it will help us any, but I recently took 4 Chinese Nationals shooting, all women. They had never even seen a gun in person before, but they all wanted video of themselves shooting to show off back home.

I took several guns to a gathering of old friends at a ranch recently - something we do about once a year. I always try to start with a .22 or small gun, then work up to pistol caliber lever actions and maybe into something like an AR or M1A. Afterward, I overheard one of the wives (who had clearly never held a gun in her life) ask another wife about the AR "isn't that one of those guns we're trying to get rid of?". She was from Austin, the liberal hub of Texas. Apparently one shooting trip did not overcome her bias. I plan on having a talk with her husband, who has shot with us many times.

 

[Darkbob]

Having recently moved into a new state and a new job, I am sure that I will be taking at least a couple of new shooters out. My 10/22, and Ruger MK III are perfect for first time shooters.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Honestly, no one. Last one I introduced was my current girlfriend before she took a state firearms training course and subsequent test. She qualified with a Glock but I taught her with an HK P7. I kept expounding how much harder the Glock was going to be to shoot. She still did pretty well when all was said and done.

Lately, Ive become very crotchety towards new shooters. Ive had a rash of them at my job and they annoy me to no end with their constant babbling about how they have been shooting guns for their whole life when they just started after SH.