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Old June 20, 2018, 01:45 PM   #26
mr bolo
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NO, not anymore, but I use to let others handle / test fire my firearms, I remember these guys kept admiring my guns and I allowed them to take a few shots, then when I walked over to their table they had WW2 M1 carbines and they didnt even offer to let me have a look or fire a few shots out of their rifles, they didnt even return the favor after I just let them fire mine.

especially if Im at the indoor range, I never let a stranger fire my guns, they have the same firearms available at the range for rental, why should I let them shoot mine?

guns are very personal, I really dont like allowing others to handle them, only a friend / relative.

one time guy dragged my AR across a cement table three times, the same guy I kept running into at the public range, he kept picking my rifle off the table without my permission and dragged it and left scratch marks on it, I actually had to pull the rifle out of his hands to get my rifle back.

another time after I just told them not to drop the slide on an empty chamber, they ignored me and dropped it anyways

let them go to a gun store if they want to handle a firearm, the public range is NOT the gun show.

if you were driving your new car would you let a stranger take a test drive? or what if you had a brand new HARLEY and people asked if they could test ride it around the block because they were thinking of buying one too, NO you would tell them to go to the dealer / store.

my belongings are not rentals, I would never ask another person to let me fire their gun, unless I knew them personally.

Im the the type of guy at the range that keeps to himself and dont bother others, I dont go to the range to socialize.

Last edited by mr bolo; June 20, 2018 at 02:00 PM.
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Old June 20, 2018, 02:59 PM   #27
Chainsaw.
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My guns aren't very interesting/unique so I've almost never been asked. What I do usually get is "what caliber" questions, normally when I break out the h110 loads in the 44 mag.

But, if someone were to ask it would be a judgment call. If Ive watched them be a knuckle head, I've never seen them before and they dont seem...right..Nope. Some of my range aquantences, sure. I get offered all the time so why not share too.
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Old June 20, 2018, 10:46 PM   #28
jonnyc
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I shoot with the same 3 guys every Sunday. We often trade off guns, especially if someone brought something new. We offer full mags and cylinders....it all evens out in the end.
Now others who might be there? That all depends on the situation.
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Old June 20, 2018, 11:22 PM   #29
riffraff
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I'm not sure I would ever ask someone unless it was some particular model I was planning on buying but never shot - like for instance I really want a mini 30, nobody I know has got one, if I see someone with one hell ya I'm gonna ask to run a mag and will offer to pay for the ammo.

But where I normally shoot we push our guns on each other, if you show an interest it's probably gonna be offered.
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Old June 21, 2018, 01:28 AM   #30
dyl
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reversal

I'd like to offer up a related / reverse experience.

Years ago I was shooting at an indoor range, doing pretty well that day (surviving several gunfights with paper targets).

A silver haired mustachioed gentleman comes over to me to tell me about his latest acquisition. For someone who approaches strangers, he was soft spoken but you could tell this was his version of "pretty excited". He told me how he had waited and waited and found a Sig P226 Navy for ~$700 on one of the popular auction sites and snatched it up. I had no clue if that was a great deal or not and aside from an anchor emblem what enhancements it translated into. But I said things like, "What a great deal!" So he invited me over to shoot at his target. I was aware the Sig P226 is expensive (that's why years earlier I had bought and sold a Zastava clone, not the real deal) so I was only going to shoot 1 round to humor him and not scratch anything. I shot it and was going to set it down but he said, "no no, finish the magazine".

Let me tell you. His target was swiss cheese with holes spread all over (even before I got there, I promise). I couldn't tell exactly where I was hitting because of it but I'm guessing center of mass. And I don't think he was quite able to squeeze every drop of accuracy out of his new gun but far be it from me to rain on his parade. He was so happy, and I kept saying what a nice gun it was and how well he had done for himself. I hope he's still sharing what joy he finds with others, wherever he is.
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Old June 21, 2018, 11:08 AM   #31
bbqncigars
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I've let folks shoot my guns at the club range as long as I have the ammo to spare. This includes my Automag and .50BMG. The latter requires that they dry fire it with a snap cap first so I can be sure that they're not too close to the scope. It has a very soft recoil, but that 1" of movement is unavoidable.
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Old June 21, 2018, 08:35 PM   #32
Areoflyer09
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I had a gentleman let try his Coonan at the range last fall, it wasn’t long before my wife found a great used deal on a Coonan if our own. Just about every time we take it we let someone in the range try it. The reaction people get from the noise and how easy it is to shoot never fails to bring a smile.

As long as they show safe handling and don’t caus end any alarm, I enjoy letting others try my firearms.
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Old June 22, 2018, 03:23 PM   #33
TailGator
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I don't think I have ever had someone ask me to fire my guns at a range. I have offered when a person both appeared competent and was visibly interested. I have also seen women and youth struggling with a big-bore gun under the tutelage of a knuckle-dragger and offered a .22LR.

And I have taken several friends, and friends of my daughters, to the range for the first time. That happens after safety lessons and familiarization at my house. The only time I have loaned a gun to someone it was a very close friend who was considering a particular model for concealed carry. I owned one and loaned it and a holster for a week for him to see if it was the one he wanted.

A couple of unfortunate situations have been related in this thread, but most folks at a range are pretty decent. If still feel no obligation to swap guns, though, and definitely wouldn't if they didn't appear to respect and care for them.
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Old June 22, 2018, 03:31 PM   #34
Rangerrich99
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I have loaned guns to friends/family in the past on several occasions, and in most cases I wouldn't hesitate to do so again. I did have one incident with a guy that I loaned a gun to where he finally told me after more than a year that he lost it somehow during a hunting/camping trip (this is why we can't have nice things!). Since that fiasco I've decided that I'll only loan guns to a much smaller group of friends and family (five people). Live and learn I guess.
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Old June 22, 2018, 07:51 PM   #35
Ifishsum
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Unless I get a bad/weird vibe from the person I would almost always let someone shoot anything I would bring to the range. I've only been asked a few times but if someone shows interest, especially kids and younger adults I will often offer. The M1 often brings interest from folks who have only seen them in articles or video games. Always with a quick orientation on the weapon system of course.

Loaning is another story altogether. Only my kids or my brothers, maybe a couple of close friends I know would treat it with the same care I do. Otherwise no go.
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Old June 22, 2018, 08:05 PM   #36
DukeConnor
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All the time. In fact I sometimes try to talk people into shooting some of my "painful to shoot" guns.
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Old June 22, 2018, 09:00 PM   #37
kenny53
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I have in the past and I am sure I will in the future. I was at an outdoor range, no range office you just hope people are safe and sane. I had a couple of gun one being a AK 47. On this day I noticed a gentlemen shooting with his grand kids. I notice they practiced good gun handling and safety. His older grandson walk over just standing there looking. I said hello and asked if I could help him. He smiled and just said "AK 47". Asked him if he would like to shoot it. Hugh smile on his face and I handed him the gun with a mag. The young man demonstrated good gun safety, when he was done he thanked and yelled down to his family " I am so stoked" . For me that was a good day.
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Old June 26, 2018, 04:29 AM   #38
ROCK6
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Whenever there is interest I always offer. I've never had anybody do a mag dump (I avoid leaving the 50-60 round drums, fully loaded, sitting on the table!), but yeah, that would irk me. My son and I struck up a conversation with a guy who had his new Daniel Defense, integrally suppressed 300BO rifle. He let us shoot a few rounds and it was awesome...I offered several of my toys which he did the same.


Back home, we frequent a public range with zero supervision other than courteous shooters. Gun safety is always a concern, but I've never seen violations and only one cranky old bastard who kept cussing to himself...everyone else were the type of people you would invite over for a beer and chat.

My son and I get their pretty early so we have the range to ourselves for an hour or two. Most of our magazines are loaded to only 5-10 rounds for more dynamic drills. That's usually what a fellow shooter gets, a 5-10 round magazine, which I'm fine with them emptying.

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Old June 28, 2018, 03:29 PM   #39
Blacktimberwolf
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Of course I let others shoot my guns, it's a question of fellowship. Absolutly normal in Bavaria.
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Old June 28, 2018, 03:56 PM   #40
Jbar4Ranch
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pahoo
A related question is; Do you ever loan your firearm, to a friend to take out and shoot? I have learned the hard way that this is not a good practice and no longer do so.
Three times. I loaned a .38 revolver to a cousin, long-term, like a year or more. I forgot about it for a couple years and asked him about it. He's adamant he returned it, but I don't have it. I expect he forgot it in a truck or car he sold.

A Uberti .45 revolver loaned for a couple months to a good friend of mine who needed a second revolver when he was getting started in Cowboy Action Shooting. When he returned it, it was WORE OUT. I have no clue how the hell he could have accomplished that in a decade, let alone two months.

A .270 rifle to the husband of a cousin who need a rifle for hunting season one year. He bagged his elk, and returned the rifle in good order. No problems.
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Old June 29, 2018, 07:54 PM   #41
Andy Blozinski
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I have a weird looking Chiappa Rhino, so it gets attention and people want to shoot it. A few have asked and I have no problems encouraging them to shoot it if they are interested in doing so. Ammo isn't that expensive.
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Old July 1, 2018, 08:58 AM   #42
Kilrb
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I have let some shoot my guns but it is guys that are regulars at the range and know what they are doing and not just wanting to play with someone’s gun that is different or has upgrades.
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Old July 1, 2018, 10:56 AM   #43
Targa
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The few times the opportunity presented itself I have let strangers shoot my guns at the range. It feels good when you bring someone else some enjoyment regardless of how small that enjoyment might be.
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Old July 4, 2018, 11:47 AM   #44
rc
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Not usually

Mostly it has to be people I know from the range as regulars or close friends and/or their kids with close supervision. Most people don't care if they scratch your gun cause it's not their problem when they are finished. I did let an 85 year old WWII navy vet I liked to visit with at the range shoot my 40 Hi power years ago at the range. It was as much an honor for me to have him shoot one of my guns as it was for him to shoot something new. That was over 20 years ago and I'm sure he's gone by now. A wonderful joyful man.
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Old July 4, 2018, 12:08 PM   #45
Brian Pfleuger
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I am more than a bit of an introvert and virtually never approach anyone at a range. Every so often, there are obvious social cues... head nods, eye contact, smiles, etc... that cause me to engage briefly. I will then go through the social niceties and ask about their weapons if they seem interested in talking after the typical exchange about the weather and such.

I have never asked to fire any of their weapons and never had anyone ask to shoot mine. Possibly because mine are not very interesting. I don't ask others because I literally feel like I'm saying "Hey, do you mind if I spend some of your money while also wasting some of your time, for no reason?"

Far beyond guns, I am uncomfortable using other people's possessions unless necessary.
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Old July 4, 2018, 12:43 PM   #46
Pahoo
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Enjoy "hooking" them on Traditional M/L's

Regardless of the firearm, I never ask to shoot someone else's firearm. Now then, if offered, I might and it depends what it is. Most of the time, I won't let someone shoot, on their request. There have been some exceptions like;..

I was at a public range shooting one of my TC-Traditional. Two kids at the next bench commented that this looked like fun. You do the math on what followed....
I even tried to hook their mother, into shooting and she declined. ….

Be Safe !!!
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Old July 6, 2018, 06:11 PM   #47
gunrunner1
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I let those who are interested shoot my guns, and over the years I have been able to shoot other people guns. That has allowed me to shoot guns that normally I would probably never have occasion to shoot, or own. A number of times someone who has shown an interest in a gun I own were thinking about buying something similar and was wanting to see if they liked it before they bought one.
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Old July 7, 2018, 12:43 PM   #48
Gary Wells
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I occasionally do, but I generally prefer to know somebody and how they handle a gun. I generally let any of my gun range friends shoot any of my guns with a cautioning word regarding dropping the slide on an empty round.
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Old July 8, 2018, 04:33 PM   #49
rock185
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I have occasionally been invited to shoot another club member's gun. Others have rarely expressed any interest whatsoever in shooting any of my firearms. In any case, I would not allow strangers shoot my guns.
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Old July 8, 2018, 08:43 PM   #50
dds51968
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It never crossed my mind to let a stranger shoot my pistols (many being high end 1911’s) on the other hand if I’m there with a friend, I always insist they shoot a bunch of my ammo through guns they’re not likely to ever have the chance to try.
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