Ever offered your gun at the range?

[Serenity]

I offered the S&W 38 special m67 to a woman at my shooting class who wanted to try something more challenging than the 22 she had rented. It's about the smoothest, friendliest non-22 revolver made, IMO. She declined (it was too heavy) but appreciated the offer.

I don't worry about anyone "hurting" the gun, and I always give it to them with a full cylinder with a brisk "don't mention it" if they protest. With the p226 I put 5 or 6 shots in the mag and hand it over.

 

[MisterNoisy]

I recently picked up a Chiappa Rhino (great gun, btw!), and due to interest from my range neighbors ('what is that?'), it's the gun I own that's been most shot by other people.

 

[shep854]

MisterNoisy, that gun is a work of art! Admittedly, my mind is having a time processing what my eyes are seeing, though...

It needs more rail space, though, for proper guccification.

 

[Panzercat]

Ben Avery here in AZ is full of great people. Walk up and down the lanes, wonder at people's hardware and you'll inevitably strike up a conversation. Been offered to shoot something more than once.

Here is something I never get though. The people who don't want to shoot whatever is offered.
I mean, I get being recoil shy, but nobody is saying they have to go full auto or anything. And I get being polite but at a certin point isn't it rude to say no?
What I'd like to hear is some reasons as to why *not* to shoot really anything people offer.

I've turned down a chance once or twice, to answer your question as to why. I didn't feel comfortable with handling the premium hardware involved or didn't want to bother the guy with a 101 on a piece I had never handled. That, and it was just cool to watch.

 

[MisterNoisy]

MisterNoisy, that gun is a work of art! Admittedly, my mind is having a time processing what my eyes are seeing, though...

It needs more rail space, though, for proper guccification.

Thanks! It's definitely different, which is why I bought it - it doesn't hurt that it's a very solid shooter to boot. There's something to be said for weirdness.

 

[Franchise42]

I've allowed many others to shoot my CZ 75. Many converted to CZ just as I did.

 

[Shadow 7D]

I offered my stevens crackshot and a WWII trainer to a dad and son at the range today, the dad let his son pick, and he liked the stevens, dad wanted to know how old (about 100)

he was pretty impressed with the accuracy out of such a old rifle, they both enjoyed it and it cost me nothing.

 

[Highgate]

I often let visitors to our small farm in the UK try some shotgun shooting .... most UK residents have never touched or shot any sort of firearm in their lives!

Almost everyone, including total beginners, shoots well and acts safely .... except members of the UK military!

Soldiers etc seem happy to ignore all instruction and then wave loaded and cocked weapons around like toys ... terrifying!

Someone told me that this is due to their training : they learn to shoot in areas with NOBODY near them so mistakes won't hurt anyone. This means that they aren't used to gun safety when shooting close to others. Dunno if this description of their training is correct - but it would certainly explain a lot!

 

[Sulaco]

It's pretty common practice in my local shooting spots. Offer to let others shoot mine and have been offered plenty. I think it's one of the great things about the shooting community.

 

[dondavis3]

It happens all the time at the range I shoot at.

I've both borrowed and lent a gun to learn how they shoot.

I do not buy a gun until I've shot it (or one like it).

All guns shoot differently.

Some look good / shoot bad (for me)

 

[carbuncle]

I was at the range with my wife on Monday 26 Dec 11. After shooting for a while and talking briefly to the guy in the next lane, he asked if I had ever shot a 10 mm handgun. I told him I hadn't, and he grabbed a couple of rounds and handed me his Kimber 10 mm 1911. I shot the gun and was definitely impressed (I told him so). I thought it was extremely cool that he would make that offer. I let a guy shoot a .45 caliber handgun of mine after he asked about the recoil, and he was grateful. I just kinda wondering if this sort of thing happens quite a bit, or if I'm the exception to the rule.

I sure have, and another shooter doing the same is what got me acquainted with my all-time favorite carry gun, the Walther PPS! Some shooters at my home range are surly, but there are plenty who are friendly and into talking about shooting and trying new guns. My 6906 always seems to get attention, you don't see many 3rd Gen Smiths in the PNW.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

 

[toejamm]

At my club, I've had guys "Insist" I shoot their weapons.
If I am at the club and another member has any interest in what I am shooting, I always offer it to them to shoot it. It's just the way I was raised. Seems like the gentlemanly thing to do.
Now if I am at a public range, that's a different story. Then you're in the Forrest Gump Box of Chocolates scenario. I keep it a little closer to the vest at one of those places.

 

[toejamm]

At my club, I've had guys "Insist" I shoot their weapons.
If I am at the club and another member has any interest in what I am shooting, I always offer it to them to shoot it. It's just the way I was raised. Seems like the gentlemanly thing to do.
Now if I am at a public range, that's a different story. Then you're in the Forrest Gump Box of Chocolates scenario. I keep it a little closer to the vest at one of those places.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

I'm one of the people Toejamm's talking about in his first paragraph; if I'm shooting something I purchased for its uniqueness I'll practically thrust it into people's hands to try out.

 

[jk2008]

I shoot my milsurps at the range fairly often and will let someone else try them out if they show an interest (and depending on the "vibe" I get from them).

 

[Lee D]

my 45-70 GuideGun and the Socom 16 both draw alotta attention from the fellas, so of course i give em a chance to shoot whichever they want.

my pistols are primarily 9mm, and nothing outta the ordinary (Glock Sig Beretta) so they dont really draw alotta attention

 

[Serenity]

I sent my Sig with my boss and his brother and a buddy out to the range yesterday because his brother has expressed an interest in buying one and I want to bring another person into the Sig fold to hopefully bask in positive cosmic Sig energy It is the first time I have sent it out on its own.

 

[DeadFlies]

I don't own anything interesting enough to draw any attention but last time I went out a guy let me shoot his Finnish Mosin. Good times.

 

[shooter_from_show-me]

Shared my CZ 75 SP-01 Phantom with a shooter just this past Tuesday night @ a pin shoot. Guy was interested in buying one so I let him use it on my last round. Came away amazed @ how good the trigger was on it. Said the trigger on my Phantom was better than the CZ Shadow he had rented there @ one time. Honestly I can't compare the two cause I have never shot a Shadow. I just polished the necessary parts changed and lightened some springs and added some Cajun Gun Works parts.

So I think I got someone else into the CZ cult

 

[SKILCZ]

More times than I can remember. Mostly my CZs. I have yet to find a person who hasn't loved shooting my CZ 75.

I've created a few CZ nuts myself.

 

[lono]

I let the range officers shoot my 1911s. I am a member there and talk to the range officers weekly. They are nice guys and help me out with some 45 acp brass from time to time. They are also good about helping me evaluate new reloads.

 

[GLOOB]

On a recent trip ran across a group that was kind enough to share their desirable mountain locale where a lot of folk just give u a blank stare til u move on. Turns out theyd driven 45 minutes to shoot a Single Six between the 3 of them. I kept offering until they finally broke down and fired a hundred rds through my glock and maybe half as many through my MSAR. Then finished off by busting half a box of clay pigeons with them. Lucky they were there too. Turns out the shooting buddy i brought cant throw a clay to save his life.

A good time was had by all. They offered money when I started packing up. But I had something better in mind. I got 3 extra pairs of hands for policing brass.

 

[Centurian22]

Definitely a common practice at my local gun club range. It's one of the most enjoyable parts for me, both getting to try and offering what little I have for others to try. Last range trip, a guy gave me a box of 'super colibri' sub sonic .22lr (the 20grain just primer fired ones) because I had a single shot 22 bolt action and his high end competition gun didn't like them very much. It was so much fun to shoot because all you heard was the click of the firing pin dropping. I let anyone who wanted to try it shoot a couple rounds. Everyone enjoyed it greatly. Quite entertaining.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Common practice, both in the local range in Illinois, and back home in Albquerque.

What I enjoy most is taking urban-raised folks, who have never shot a gun before, and see them as nothing but weapons, instead of tools that would only be weapons in the most dire of circumstances. It's like giving kids their first piece of chocolate. A rapid change in perspective seems to be the norm, asking when I'm going again. (Of course I don't let 'em shoot my 9.3x62, or a heavily loaded .45-70...but those evil looking 'assault rifle' AR-15s really mess with their mind and change their perspective. Bring that out last. Start 'em shooting skeet, or with a .357 shooting target loads, working up to something louder!)

 

[erkman]

I have my own private range, so if anybody is ever shooting with me it is friends that I have invited. So they always get to shoot any gun of mine that they want to.

I've never been to a public range, indoor range, or a club range so I have never had the opportunity to offer my gun or had one offered to me.