No Secret I am Blunt and Brutally Honest to a point.

[wcd]

Well my grasshopper(our anti friend that has now joined the gun owners club) says he is now ready for live fire. He and his wife asked to come out to our place to use our range. Problem is that I am going to be offline for two weeks for work. And I really want to be sure of their skill set before allowing them to use our range. Granted my wife could help them but I am not sure I am comfortable not being there.

So I came up with an idea of purchasing a class for them to attend. Its put on at a lgs and it’s really priced below what it should be it’s called First Shots.

kind of thinking this might be the best way?

 

[Creedmoor]

I just say No.
But saying No is a difficult word to learn to use.

 

[Usmccookie]

Well my grasshopper(our anti friend that has now joined the gun owners club) says he is now ready for live fire. He and his wife asked to come out to our place to use our range. Problem is that I am going to be offline for two weeks for work. And I really want to be sure of their skill set before allowing them to use our range. Granted my wife could help them but I am not sure I am comfortable not being there.

So I came up with an idea of purchasing a class for them to attend. Its put on at a lgs and it’s really priced below what it should be it’s called First Shots.

kind of thinking this might be the best way?

I think this is extremely generous. As for your neighbors. The wife would probably get excited, and depending on the guy. He might get offended until the wife let's him know how gracious of a gesture that is. Quite honestly, if you explain the situation, most reasonable people will understand.

 

[cg21]

Extremely generous and thoughtful you must like these people. A class is great to get their feet wet while you’re away…. Then they can come join you after you’re back.

 

[wcd]

I just say No.
But saying No is a difficult word to learn to use.

Usually my first go to, but I am largely responsible for them taking on responsibility for being their own first responders.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Offer to arrange a date for them to come shoot when you are available.

 

[wcd]

I think this is extremely generous. As for your neighbors. The wife would probably get excited, and depending on the guy. He might get offended until the wife let's him know how gracious of a gesture that is. Quite honestly, if you explain the situation, most reasonable people will understand.

I think the cost is like $75.00 so in all honesty its not really a big deal. Besides there will be qualified trainers there that are used to helping first timer.

We are fortunate enough not to have any adjacent homes near our range. But still not being a jerk but I want to make sure everyone is safe and there needs to be a level of trust.

 

[Bugzilla]

No one uses my range without me being there. Rules are rules and I am my range master!

 

[Creedmoor]

Usually my first go to, but I am largely responsible for them taking on responsibility for being their own first responders.

I understand fully. It falls back on its hard ro say NO. As Humans want to say Yes and be as helpfull and as accommodating as we can be to others. Sometimes to our own detriment.

Like Hawkeye posted, this is when my range and I will be available.

 

[Usmccookie]

I think the cost is like $75.00 so in all honesty its not really a big deal. Besides there will be qualified trainers there that are used to helping first timer.

We are fortunate enough not to have any adjacent homes near our range. But still not being a jerk but I want to make sure everyone is safe and there needs to be a level of trust.

I don't think this is a jerk move. I think this is going above and beyond not just as a friend but as a 2a advocate. This is the exact move we should try to do. It sounds like you just added 2 gun to our fight.

 

[bwframe]

Just a little heads up. Not all "instructors" are as safe as they should be. If you haven't been through the class, it'd be worth attending before recommending.

CBP instructor dies after accidental shooting at west Miami-Dade gun range

A firearms instructor conducting a course was accidentally shot at a west Miami-Dade gun range Wednesday morning, according to Miami-Dade police.

www.local10.com

Regardless of class attendance or not, you'd be doing the new shooters and yourself an injustice to not be in attendance, when they are shooting on your range.


.

 

[Gabriel]

I just say No.

Same. I'd just be honest and tell them you don't trust their skills and don't want them shooting on your property without you there. They've waited their entire lives to display some common sense, they can wait two more weeks.

 

[Gabriel]

As Humans want to say Yes and be as helpfull and as accommodating as we can be to others.

I must have missed that memo.

 

[tackdriver]

Usually my first go to, but I am largely responsible for them taking on responsibility for being their own first responders.

I applaud you're getting them to come around! That said, you would not be doing them any favors to let them just use your range without some basic instruction. This is real, and there's an order to things.

- Make the decision. Understand the responsibility.
- Get some training - The basics are simple enough, and don't take a great investment to learn. The basics are 80% of it.
- Then do some training, or practice if you like.

About the basics: Imagine handing someone a bag of golf clubs, a box of balls, and some tee's; then putting them out on a course. No lessons on how to hold a club, how to position your feet, how to swing, or anything else. No advise or training required because, hey, they watched it on TV, and used to play baseball, right?

I think if your friends skip the most basic training, and just go out and try to "shoot", they are setting up for a bad experience. Aside from the safety concerns, I can't imagine how frustrating and demoralizing it would be to start off excited, then burn through an expensive box of ammo and never hit close to your target. Throw in a few malfunctions (self induced), maybe a few ouchies, and they might decide that this gun stuff really isn't for them.

I think your idea of a class is wonderful, regardless of who pays. At the very least, they should wait until you are around to give them some pointers. I hope they enjoy it, and you've added something meaningful to their lives!

Just my 1.2 cents (adj. for inflation)

 

[wcd]

Just a little heads up. Not all "instructors" are as safe as they should be. If you haven't been through the class, it'd be worth attending before recommending.

CBP instructor dies after accidental shooting at west Miami-Dade gun range

A firearms instructor conducting a course was accidentally shot at a west Miami-Dade gun range Wednesday morning, according to Miami-Dade police.

www.local10.com

Regardless of class attendance or not, you'd be doing the new shooters and yourself an injustice to not be in attendance, when they are shooting on your range.


.

Agreed 100 percent. While I have not taken this particular class, I have completed some training where the instructor has been in attendance as well. With that I am confident in his teachings and methodology. But excellent point about checking the instructor’s references and background.


Also I took great time and effort to set up our range, which offers a lot of training scenarios, shooting from cover, concealment etc. So absolutely I want to be there, on occasion I will have coworkers that like to come out but that is a who,e different set of circumstances.

 

[Mgderf]

I have a couple of questions.
Is this "First Shots" class the one offered by the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation)?
If it is, there was no cost when I taught the class.

Now let me be clear. I had nothing to do with the logistics of the classes. I was but a lonely instructor.
These classes were offered at our local shooting range and were completely free to the students.
They did not pay for range time, targets, or ammunition.
Everything was supplied by the range, including the pistols for the class.
The NSSF loaned the range Ruger semi-auto .22lr pistols.

This was more of an introduction to shooting/safety and not a proficiency class.

I would do some checking before you pay for a class offered free elsewhere.
The range that held these classes may have covered the costs of the ammo, targets, and range.
I don't know for sure, but I taught more than 200 people over the course of several months and no-one paid a dime.
All instructors were volunteers.

Things may have changed since I taught these classes.

 

[cosermann]

…They've waited their entire lives to display some common sense, they can wait two more weeks.

^^^ This.

 

[Creedmoor]

I have a couple of questions.
Is this "First Shots" class the one offered by the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation)?
If it is, there was no cost when I taught the class.

Now let me be clear. I had nothing to do with the logistics of the classes. I was but a lonely instructor.
These classes were offered at our local shooting range and were completely free to the students.
They did not pay for range time, targets, or ammunition.
Everything was supplied by the range, including the pistols for the class.
The NSSF loaned the range Ruger semi-auto .22lr pistols.

This was more of an introduction to shooting/safety and not a proficiency class.

I would do some checking before you pay for a class offered free elsewhere.
The range that held these classes may have covered the costs of the ammo, targets, and range.
I don't know for sure, but I taught more than 200 people over the course of several months and no-one paid a dime.
All instructors were volunteers.

Things may have changed since I taught these classes.

If you need some rimfire for them or other newbies to shoot, send me a PM with a shipping address.

 

[Mgderf]

If it were my range I would decline if I could not be present.
Like it or not, we are living in a litigious society.
If you allow others to use the range and something bad happens, just be ready to defend yourself in court.

 

[BigRed3588]

If it were my range I would decline if I could not be present.
Like it or not, we are living in a litigious society.
If you allow others to use the range and something bad happens, just be ready to defend yourself in court.

This was my first thought. I’d just explain the liability aspect and tell them I’d be more than happy to bring them out as soon as I was available. I think any reasonable adult would understand.