Poll: In past year did you take new shooter to the range? comment if you did.

My selection was "yes". Two shooters in the same outing were without a doubt new to guns. It was a husband and wife visiting from England. Should have seen their faces when they saw the 16' lowboy loaded with guns and ammo. Out of all the junk on the trailer, they could not get enough shooting the belt fed 50. Thinking the ease of use contributed to the attraction.

I actually make it a point to try and take new shooters to the range. These last 3 years though, I haven't had to "recruit" at all. People ask me to take them instead - including people who showed zero interest in the past when I tried to get them to go. It has really been surprising.

new shooter

A friend of mine bought his wife a G26 against my advice to let her shoot a few guns first. I know she will never take a tac pistol class or even a one day familiarization class.

I went to their farm and we went to an area that had a natural backstop.

We were out about 3 hours after having gone over the safety rules.
Essentially, loading mags, loading pistol, stance, grip, sight alignment and sight picture, trigger manipulation, trigger reset, follow through, unloading.

We didn't get into presentations or malfunction clearances.

She ended up really liking my S&W model 66. I would have tried to steer her toward a revolver. She will never shoot the G26 enough to remember.

Yes. I took my fiance, my mother, my father, my fiance's father, and my fiance's mother-in-law.

Still working on my sister and her husband. I think he's a closet anti. :banghead:

Took my foxy haircutter for a range session with her .38 revolver and my .22 pistol.

Met a friend and his Marine son at the range to shoot the .45 auto his son had given him. (Father had more fun than he was willing to admit to...)

Entertained my nephew and his buddy while I field tested 6.5 Arisaka and 8mm Mauser hand-loads.

I have my own private range, so i don't have to "take" a new shooter anyplace....but i do help "new shooters" out every year. I even take them hunting from time to time, this is "Nathons" first deer from last deer season,



He set with me, and shot the buck with my .240 Wby...

DM

I went to the range on Labor Day Sunday afternoon. It was packed, I got the last open spot. The range guy said they had been full all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Many many family groups and people bringing out of town visitors to shoot.

I have taken three new people this year, but that is nothing compared to loading up the Suburban and bringing in a load of out of town guest.

Just this week, took my friend's daughter Taryn, who is 11. Shot 22's, 17HMRs, a 1911 style 22 handgun and even some black powder.

You shoulda seen the grin when that big cloud of smoke came out of the muzzle loader.....

Now she's thinking we need to go and chase some squirrels around the woods.

I've had a decent response to posting an offer on Facebook. Any friends who are interested in shooting but haven't tried it can come to the gun club with me, learn about safety, then shoot some different guns at the range (we choose based on what interests them). I pay range fees and supply ammo for the first trip. If nothing else, it helps fence sitters see that shooting is fun and not at all scary or sinister.