In the last year how many people have you taken to the range?

How many new people did you take to the range in 2010?

  • More than I can count

    Votes: 1 1.5%

  • Dozens

    Votes: 11 16.7%

  • A few close freinds

    Votes: 36 54.5%

  • 1 or 2

    Votes: 13 19.7%

  • None (explain)

    Votes: 5 7.6%
  • Total voters
    66
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Z

Zombie_Flesh

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Larkspur, CO
I am constantly offering to take folks to the range often at my expense, it's kinda "my thing", unfortunately I don't get a lot of takers. To me; it's activism in it's purest form (more allies). If you look at my posts here as well as on other boards it may seem like I am using any excuse to encourage people to invite others out to the range. This is outside of my business role as an instructor.

So I kinda wanted to know who is doing it, and how often, why are people refusing, and why you aren't doing this.
 
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I've organized a few range-days for friends and spouses/children in the last year. We've probably had a few dozen participants, with the halloween shoot drawing the most.
 
I'm probably somewhere between "A Few Close Friends" and "Dozens." I regularly invite friends and family to shoot with me - either at the range or at my farm. I'd guess I've included roughly a dozen different people in that "outreach" this year.
 
I took some family friends; husband, wife and their teenage son, all anti's.

I had a 1 out of 3 conversion rate. The mom of all things, the most rabid anti of them all I would have said, had a complete and utter conversion after reading a few self defense stories I sent her. Her husband and the boy have not been interested but I've taken her back to the range twice now (my wife and kid went along too) and she's now shopping for a handgun for home.

Her husband says as long as she will get some certification he is OK with it. I've put her in touch with a CHL instructor.

I was frankly surprised at her change of heart.

Wish I had done more but it's been a busy year.
 
Voted "none" because I moved to a rights-restricted state in January of this year. I am trying to keep myself under the radar until I get a feel of things. I used to drag new shooters to the range back home in UT at least a few times per year.
 
I hear you... however, I wouldn't be caught dead without a few essentials around here. Just down the road a ways is the city of Salinas which has reached 19 murders so far this year. It is not a huge city either... my neighborhood is very safe, but the war zone is just spitting distance from here.
 
About a half dozen, although I invited others who always have an excuse...I am persistent, though. And I have a list of others that I will be inviting, one at a time.

Of the six, I have produced two new firearms owners so far, and still working on another.
 
I took my daughter & wife to the range ( to purchase hand guns) a number of times.
I took my two sons to the rifle range--first time in many many years.
I usually go to the range alone--all my friends are dead--they died of old age//////////:eek::eek:
 
I always do my best to introduce friends and family to recreational shooting. As a matter of fact, I am taking 3 "newbies" to do some shooting this coming Thanksgiving weekend! Should be a blast.
 
I took three people to the range this year and assisted a friend take two others to the range as well. Everything went well as several of them are making plans to purchase their first gun and plan to shoot with me again in the next month.

I don't do this very often and actually average about one new shooter a year. More often, a fellow shooter will want to introduce his or her friends and ask me along to assist. I live in SoCal and I guess it's different here versus other parts of the country. There are actually a fair number of gunowners who have one or two guns and very rarely go shooting. Along with that, a big problem is that gun ownership is rarely talked about so people get nervous when it's discussed.

One guy has had an SKS for ten years but his own brother had no idea he owned a gun. Another said he was surprised when after he went shooting with me, he talked about it and found out a lot of people he knows own guns. It's like people here are afraid to "out themselves" as gun owners until they know you are gun friendly. I just look at it as another obstacle I need to keep in mind when I try to add more to the flock.

As for refusing an offer, people usually agree with some excitement or they refuse awkwardly and don't really give a solid reason. I think it's irrational fear so I try to present myself as a safe, responsible gun owner who is knowledgable. I even thought about getting NRA certs just to ease the fears of the newbies and/or their significant others.

For the guy who initially refused, I just told him the offer has no expiration date and he can change his mind any time. I'm a horrible hunter but when I get lucky and harvest game, I offer some of it up to the fence sitters. When they invite me to hang out, if I have plans to go shooting, I let them know I cannot because I am going shooting/hunting/competition/gun shopping/etc. Basically I try to get it into their heads that its a normal everyday thing to do.

Once they get used to the idea that responsible gun ownership can and does exist, curiosity gets them :)

On a side note, I once took a close friend's 11 year old kid sister to go shooting. She also has a 10 year old kid brother but he's a brat so he wasn't invited. Anyways, the 11 year old sister is a good kid so I told her "even though you are a kid, I can see that you are very responsible and you have earned my trust with your good behavior so that is why I am willing to teach you to shoot. I've met boys twice your age and I would never take them shooting because they are irresponsible."

So the three of us went shooting and it worked out great - the kid shoot very well and we took some pictures of her holding an M4gery with fake suppressor. Funny how after that, the bratty kid brother started behaving very well and trying to show he could be responsible as well :D

I don't do it more often because I am very picky about who I invite to go shooting. However, the SKS owner mentioned above wants me to take him and his girlfriend shooting soon so I call it progress. ;)
 
14 that I can think of.

None of them were shooters, two had been very anti gun not that long ago.
While they may not be gun nuts they certainly have a much better understanding and are able to form opinions on firearms based on experience now.

Several of them, including one of the ex anti's, has mentioned to me just how much nonsense is being spouted about firearms and that they see that now with the experience they have gained and have been able to correct others based on their experience.
 
@Cearbhall - I suggest you rethink this policy - If you are a responsible gun owner (and I assume you are), and can teach a person the fundamentals of safety and marksmanship, you ARE providing the gun safety course - perhaps you don't have your credentials but by no means indicates you are unable to get them started. The fact that you are as concerned about safety so much tells me you have the knowledge to teach people.

And... after your intro class - you can point them to a certified class to get a certificate for a CCW or to frame.
 
3, including one I never expected. My mother!
She's never been comfortable with firearms being around, and strongly disliked it when I first started keeping a gun in the house while I was living in a dorm (and thus couldn't legally keep it with me). She's working on her permit now and took the required course with my wife.
 
my wife goes with me often.I invite my daughter and son along with us whenever they are home from college. I've recently talked an old friend and his adult son into going out to the range with me and they both accepted and had a blast! We can count two new recruits in there. I'm working on others as well.
 
All total probably a dozen or so. That's counting family members that I normally would take, son, g/f, friends, etc. Most of us go on a regular basis.

Probably about 5-6 with little to no exposure to firearms, 2 of which were "anti's" although not of the rabid variety.

why are people refusing
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I really have had very many people "refuse" to go. I think that everyone that I invited went. About 2/3 now own a gun or are purchasing a gun. One couple wanted more safety instruction before they purchased. I pointed them to some local NRA instructors and some websites like corneredcat. Demographics, geographics, and line of work probably have much to do with the success rate.

The range that I am a member of has some fairly strict policies on safety and guests. In a nutshell I am responsible for them. I typically bring my g/f along with me if she's up to going (she's also a member). She watches new shooters very closely and she's safe. Our goal is to go out and shoot safely while having a little fun introducing people to shooting. Guns are demonized so badly that I think some of the change-of-heart comes when the see the disparity in how they portrayed and how it is.
 
I selected a few close friends - although it may be moving toward a dozen or so

I took my church board to the range a few weeks ago. It didn't take much persuasion and we're now setting a regular church activity around it. As a pastor I have encouraged CCW at church as well and will be taking several men to a CCW instructor soon after the new year.

I have also taken several of my kids' friends (as well as my kids and wife.) I got their parents' permission to get them exposed to safe shooting.

I also have several other friends that have been casual shooters that I have managed to get to go more regularly with me. I figure practice is the only way to get good and stay good. Why carry for SD or have a gun for HD unless you know you can put the round where you want it to go?
 
I train people with a need defensive handgun techniques without charging them and usually starting out with my firearms and ammunition. They refer others they know with similar needs to me and they refer others. I prefer to train moms, but I've never turned anyone away.
 
Relatives, friends, and probably 15+ co-workers. I wish I could do more, but my range frequency is limited by external factors.
 
I used to host shotting events at my house. I noticed that the people showed up, then stopped showing up when the fun was gone. I am a purist. I don't need fun to shoot guns. Fun being ammo and food. I wonder how many would've showed up without all that stuff. I thought I was doing good for the shooting world. I found out that I was barely doing good for myself. I should've donated the money to a homeless shelter. The people I thought were friends were just fair weather people. Like stray animals with free food.
 
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