TAKE AN ANTI TO THE RANGE DAY

[trueblue1776]

OK guys, novel idea:

I have some friends who aren't gun guys, guess who is going to the range with me next saturday, four non-gun owning fellas.
What if we all took a few new guys to the range once or twice a year. We could have a new holiday!
That's all it took for me to get into pistols, I had always been a bird hunter, one trip to the range with a friend of mine and I was SOLD!

So Gents what do you think about taking newbies/antis to the range on a certain day?

I for one, don't mind spending a little extra time and money on the sport I love, I think it's good for all of us if we could get something like this going.

NRA guys: I know the ol' NRA would be down for this... if there is interest.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I can't really participate. I would never be friends with an anti.......

Newbies sure, do that as often as I can.

 

[mbs357]

Well, since I would like to participate but can't.
I'll take option 4.
No antis around here that I know of...if there were we probably wouldn't get along.
I have no way of getting myself to a place to shoot. =(

 

[ReadyontheRight]

Antis -- Probably not.

Unenlightened non-gun owners -- Definitely. As often as I can.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

Great idea by the way. I just think it should be "Non gun owner" or "Newbie" or even "Friend" instead of "Anti".

 

[trueblue1776]

MBS357- you made me blush. te he he

I'll bet everyone here knows people who don't shoot.

In my experience most people who don't shoot don't want to, they probably dont understand why you shoot either, maybe they think because they don't have a use for a gun no one does.

May be some "anti's" aren't as "anti" as they think they are, pour on some charisma, take them to the range, show them a good time! The existance of our sport depends on how the majority of the country thinks of us and our toys.

share the love

 

[Tomcat1066]

I voted that I wouldn't participate, but mainly because I wouldn't take an anti anywhere if I could help it . I voted based on the topic, so that's why I went that way. Probably should have actually READ the question

Now, would I take a newbie? Absolutely! Non-gun owner? Yep. Non-shooter? You better believe it.

Tom

 

[jer1949]

I know several "ANTIES" that would probably burn a swaztika in my lawn if I asked them to go to a gun range and actually handle a real gun. I do have several non owner friends that go to the range with me on occasion. They always have a good time and swear they will buy their own guns just anyday now......but they don't. They don't even volunteer to buy ammo.....what a deal.

So I guess I would opt out on this one.....I'm right proud of my lawn, ya know.

TRUEBLUE IS WHAT??!

 

[trueblue1776]

Jer, you negative nancy. Real men don't have lawns, they have hotrod-in-progress zones.

 

[jer1949]

Jer, you negative nancy. Real men don't have lawns, they have hotrod-in-progress zones.

Yer right, of course, Trueblue, but the wife (who puts up with my gun "habit") likes the lawn. So it goes.....

 

[countertop]

In my experience most people who don't shoot don't want to, they probably dont understand why you shoot either, maybe they think because they don't have a use for a gun no one does.

I do this quite often already - both for friends, colleagues, relatives, co-workers and people who respond to the offer on my blog.

In nearly all the cases, I've found that people who haven't shot before simply lacked the opportunity because of where they grew up, who they were friends with, who their parents were, or other reasons that have nothing to do with them being antis. Sure, most of them couldn't give two flips about the 2nd Amendment, but it didn't make them anti.

So far, everyone has been thrilled with the experience.

 

[GoBrush]

I have a close knit group of guys and we go all the time we usually invite a bunch of newbies every 6 months.

The key is that 2 of us dont even shoot that day we just act as safety officers and teachers. It has been very rewarding.

 

[Across The Pond]

When I can, I do..

100% with you on this: I have five, non-shooter friends joining me at the range in Feb. I am arranging this to dispel their negative images of guns and shooting: one of them asked me if it would involve anything scary(!) - makes you realise how badly informed the vast majority of non-shooting folk are.

Take as many as you can, but avoid the real hard core anti-gun bigots; they will just use the trip as intelligence gathering to hit us somewhere new...

ATP

 

[trueblue1776]

Take as many as you can, but avoid the real hard core anti-gun bigots; they will just use the trip as intelligence gathering to hit us somewhere new...

ATP

Well, lucky for you, gathering intelligence from me would be like picking watermelons from a pear tree.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Already do it as much as I can, and have had one negative result out of approx 30 people I've introduced to shooting.

I _definitely_ would use the word "Newbie" rather than "Anti", remember:

"A stranger is just a friend you haven't met"

Each one reach one.

-MV

 

[halfgone]

This is how I got to be interested in guns. A buddy of mine took me (and introduced me to this site).

MatthewV - What was your negative experience? Is there something we can do to keep this from happening to us as well?

 

[trueblue1776]

New guy #1 just put a kimber eclipse on layaway, I deserve a legion of merit for that one. (score one for the good guys!)

 

[sigstroker]

Only if I could paste a bullseye to his back and make him run around downrange.

 

[trueblue1776]

what?

 

[telomerase]

The best solution

Trueblue, you're absolutely right. Taking one non-shooter to the range is worth more than ten thousand dollars of NRA ads. Just remember to keep them facing the right way, and start them with a .22 rifle (not a lightweight 12-gauge as I've seen done, that's where permanent "antis" come from!)

 

[trueblue1776]

My recent convert started with my Walther P22, and ended up loving my Sig P229 with the .357sig barrel in it!!!

((Mission accomplished ))

 

[Versifier]

I wish more clubs would sponsor "New Shooter" days. Our club makes you buy a full priced membership to bring one guest along with you. I think it's for insurance and liability reasons, but it's a good idea and I'll be sure to put a bug in the ear of the right people.
As for the real Antis, a small metal seat, a little welding, and some heavier springs on the skeet thrower would make for a great beginner target for novice shotgunners!

 

[danurve]

Not to chnge the topic, but one idea I think would be good - lets say your club is close enough to a gunshop or two, most clubs charge a fee for range use n/p - but if the shop-owner and the club work out a deal where someone buys a rifle/scattergun they get a free day at the range. I think most people could understand the value in that, considering what it takes to pay land taxes and grounds maintenance, even if most of the work is volunteer.

I have taken guests to the range before. People always see the negative from the news about guns, so a positive experience with firearms helps. They are kind of on their own after that, but - nothing grows if you don't plant the seed I say.

I start out with some safety, go over operation, action, etc. Once it's time to shoot the 22 / 22mag is a great starter. Any rimfire actually. I think a new shooter might expect something along the lines of recoil or report. And so that way another fear is tackled.

 

[Berek]

I took one anti to the range. My mother. 3 years later, she has her CCW in New York State and a .380Auto.

If the oppourtunity presented itself, I would make the attempt. Educate them. If they still feel the same way after, hey. It's their right to be that way and I won't say another thing as long as they reciprocate.

Otherwise, do the 60 ppl per HEP class count? (that comes to about 720 ppl per year, give or take wit htheir family & friends)

 

[dm1333]

No antis where I work(active duty CG) but I do take non gun owners

Option 2 and 5(dm1333 is a handsome devil!)

Last week I took a BM2 out, he liked my Astra A75 but really loved my Glock 27.

The week before another BM2 was introduced to the joys of a No. 4 Mk1.

Tommorrow I am planning on taking out a BM3 and his visiting father to shoot the Enfield and my MN M38.

My Officer in Charge is unhappy because I didn't ask him to go shooting with me last week. I went with a BM1 that I have been friends with for 5 years and two stations. The OIC said that my M38 sounded more like a stick of dynamite than a rifle.

I have definately turned on some people to the joys of blowing rounds off just for the hell of it.

As a final note, I have a standing invitation with several friends in town to go shooting if they ever feel the urge. All of them are northern California liberal types, and in general good people.