Range Problem

[river-rider]

I am 68 and retired. I shoot mostly cast bullets. I live about one mile out of a college town and have my own range. I have a heavy covered bench at 100 yard line, two heavy covered benches at 50 yards. I have have told people that I would like for them to come to the range and shoot. I have offered to to provide the the guns and ammo if they do not have their own. I have one grandson that I have given two guns that after pleading for ten years to come to shoot still can not find the time to come. How do you get people interested enough to come shooting?:groner:

[runfiverun]

mothers day....
bbq...
fathers day....
bbq........ just gotta get them started..

[danski26]

keep trying......hopefuly they'll try it once and be hooked.

[obssd1958]

I like runfiverun's idea to invite them over and sneak in a little interesting entertainment!!
Once you get them there, make sure that you provide them with targets that are going to be fun to shoot at. Check out this thread for some great ideas on things to use:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=14151

Then make sure you provide everyone with hearing protection and the shooter with eye protection. Should be a slam dunk after the first time!!:Fire:

Don

[montana_charlie]

Place Nintendos at each firing point.
Replace benches with couches.
Provide huge bottles of pop and vast quantities of nachos.

They won't be shooting guns, and they won't know if you stay or leave.
But, they'll be doing what they know how to do...and what they understand.

ALTERNATIVELY

When you hear them discussing their Nintendos and Game Boys, ask if any of them have tried "Sniper2008". Because it doesn't exist, they'll say no.
Invite them over to try out your beta version.

Sit them at a benchrest and hand them a rifle, calling it a 'controller'. Show them how the insert cartridges (or a magazine) telling them it's the power pack for the controller.

Then instruct them in how to 'snipe the bad guy' on that piece of paper.

Tell them that shooting at a simple paper target is "Level 1".
Be prepared to provide more 'interesting' targets at higher 'levels'.

CM

[Scrounger]

I am 68 and retired. I shoot mostly cast bullets. I live about one mile out of a college town and have my own range. I have a heavy covered bench at 100 yard line, two heavy covered benches at 50 yards. I have have told people that I would like for them to come to the range and shoot. I have offered to to provide the the guns and ammo if they do not have their own. I have one grandson that I have given two guns that after pleading for ten years to come to shoot still can not find the time to come. How do you get people interested enough to come shooting?:groner:

Look at it from his point of view: You'd probably be just as uninterested if he tried to get you to play Nintendo with him. It is everyone's right to choose what they like to do. If you have enough money or power, you can force someone to do something, but you can't make them like it, and that is the way it should be. I leave other people alone.

[runfiverun]

with my nephew i had to get one of those shooting games then while playing it
i told him i had a real gun like the one in the game.
he immediately wanted to try it out.

[scrapcan]

You need to get them to show up one time by whatever means possible, make sure some of your buddies are there also. The conversation will be as good as finally getting them to shoot. Make sure they have early success hitting something, and they will be hooked. when done make sure you have something to eat and a bit more jawing.

[JeffinNZ]

I am 68 and retired. I shoot mostly cast bullets. I live about one mile out of a college town and have my own range. I have a heavy covered bench at 100 yard line, two heavy covered benches at 50 yards. I have have told people that I would like for them to come to the range and shoot. I have offered to to provide the the guns and ammo if they do not have their own. I have one grandson that I have given two guns that after pleading for ten years to come to shoot still can not find the time to come. How do you get people interested enough to come shooting?:groner:

Invited them to a BBQ at the range and condition of getting food is to shoot a target. You'll hook easy then.

[crabo]

Reactive steel targets. There is something about hearing the clang and watching the steel fall or swing.

Start with 22s.

Crabo

[kidmma]

The Nintendo idea is pretty good. Kids relate to that. I found that once my boys know I've got a weapon that is used in SOCOM, Meadal of Honor, Counter Strike, ETC. they want to go to the range to try them out. My youngest would love to have a range all to himself. He doesn't like to shoot with other people around.

Scott

[Ghugly]

I guess dropping a bag over someone's head, forcefully dragging them out to the range, and putting a loaded gun in their hands would be a bad idea.

[Wicky]

It's a hard one - and the little buggers - kids - change as they get older. As has been said make it interesting and if there is no inclination a comment occasionally on what fun you have had may get some to want to try. Other than that 'bout the only way is to drag them kicking and screaming to the bench and don't let them leave until they have had fun!!
Sometimes you have to remember - different folks -different strokes. Not everybody enjoys this as much as we do.
Good luck trying though we need more people involved if we want to keep our sport going in the future.

[pumpguy]

Try offering to do what they like to do once if they will do what you like to do once.

[montana_charlie]

i told him i had a real gun like the one in the game.
he immediately wanted to try it out.

The Nintendo idea is pretty good. Kids relate to that. I found that once my boys know I've got a weapon that is used in SOCOM, Meadal of Honor, Counter Strike, ETC. they want to go to the range to try them out.
I find comments like these to be distressing.
If a youngster can only gin up an interest in some 'real life' because the activity somehow relates to his video game...that is a bad sign.

And, if it's an interest in a particular type of firearm that he is familiar with because it's in a 'shooter' game...that is even worse.

What happens when shooting 'the gun from SOCOM' at paper targets gets too boring...since you get to 'kill people' in the real game?

CM

[grumpy one]

CM, I agree with you as far as you've gone, but the other half of the story is what kids are taught at home about guns and their purpose in society.

FWIW, I applied a specific approach with my kids. First, no toy guns in the house, ever. Guns are not toys. However the air rifle and pellet trap were available for indoor practice under supervision whenever they liked. The rest of the time, the air rifle was locked up with the rest of the guns. Second, no shooting-type arcade games with human targets were tolerated, and no kid was permitted to even point a hand in a pistol-mime configuration at any other kid, ever. Third, taking an interest in guns was encouraged; I was fairly often cleaning guns or doing some trivial kind of work on them, and kids were welcome. They looked at the different types and got the general idea of how they differed from each other.

Whether for better or worse, after one of them taking an early interest, now that they've grown up my kids have no interest in guns so far, but are not frightened by them or awed by them. They regard them in much the same way as my heavy workshop machinery: extremely useful for their particular purposes, but something you have to take pretty seriously to handle safely, and therefore requiring more commitment than they are ready to give, so far.

[runfiverun]

i would rather show them what they do and explain the respect for them .
rather then have them discover the gun for themselves, thinking they know how it works cause they seen it in a game or on television.
on video games the "opponent" quietly disappears. unlike a can of soda does.
makes quite an impression on a child to see stuff like that.
and the first time they see you drop the cow that you will be eating with a gun they have shot, puts a bit of respect in their eyes.

[georgeld]

Had a step grandson going to school at Columbine. I always have guns around, many times just laying around and loaded. They knew better than look hard let alone touch and never did.

This kid was asking what I thought he should do IF that happened again. I proceeded to run it in the ground about being sissies/cry babies that just crawl under the desk and wait to be shot.
OR you can go to the range with me and learn about real guns and how to handle them, what to know etc. Finally he went and couldn't get enough 38's. Finally one of the other guys offered to let him shoot his .44 mag hot loads. That kid shot up over 350 rnds of those and at least 400 of my 38's.

There wasn't a visit after that he didn't ask me to take him and lil bro and g/f to the range. I don't believe he'd hide under the desks after that. When the wife died 5yrs ago his ma screwed me around so bad none of them come around anylonger. But, I've heard he's got into guns and shooting in Denver. His father's an elk hunter too so that helps.

Don't know what it would take to get someone else's kids interested the first time. But, I've found once they've gotten a chance to shoot as much as they want. They can't get enough of it.

Good luck, you've got a great goal. Maybe do some advertizing in the local paper. "Come to my range and I'll teach you to shoot real guns, everyone welcome, bring your Mom, Dad and little sister too.

[Buckshot]

I am 68 and retired. I shoot mostly cast bullets. I live about one mile out of a college town and have my own range. I have a heavy covered bench at 100 yard line, two heavy covered benches at 50 yards. I have have told people that I would like for them to come to the range and shoot. I have offered to to provide the the guns and ammo if they do not have their own. I have one grandson that I have given two guns that after pleading for ten years to come to shoot still can not find the time to come. How do you get people interested enough to come shooting?:groner:

..............The hard part is getting them to come out if they've never done any shooting before. They don't know what to expect, it's not something they've done before, or they may be afraid it's going to move them out of their comfort zone or some such.

But again the prime issue is just getting them to show up!

It has been my experience more often then not that people new to shooting really, REALLY do have a good time. Especially if (like others suggested) the targets 'Do' something when hit.

...............Buckshot

[shotman]

was reading replys about kids and guns one thing times have changed .in the 50and 60s i had toy guns that shot plastic boolets that i used to clear a christmas tree of the balls . i got my a?? busted with a belt.they dont have the toys and you cant spank a kid..next here in WV we are going to start teaching gun safety/hunting in the public schools. i think it may be the first state to do it. i hope it works and we dont get a goof ball to shoot the teacher will keep you posted rick

[Mumblypeg]

Well you know that you can't make a horse drink the water but if he's interested fill him up. We want to keep the sport going but if everybody did it there wouldn't be enough lead to go around! You think it's hard finding w-w now? I guess if they want to know they will ask, if not don't worry about it. I don't have any kids of my own but the little things are about everywhere it seems and The younger guys at work like guns but they won't load or cast. They want me to give them the ammo to shoot... I don't know I guess it will work itself out.

[montana_charlie]

CM, I agree with you as far as you've gone, but the other half of the story is what kids are taught at home about guns and their purpose in society.
First, Guns are not toys.
Second, no shooting-type arcade games
You kind of make my point for me, grumpy.
You taught the sensible side of guns to your kids, but they were never exposed to the 'gamer' influence.

If they had spent their efforts building up a big enough body count to reach Level 7...then what?

I enjoy 'shooter games' (though I haven't tried many) and I don't think they should be banned. But I also believe today's kids are 'into them' further than is healthy.

I think it's the fault of the parents when a kid is allowed to live his life in a game...and is rarely exposed to the 'interesting' parts of real life.
CM

[runfiverun]

cannot dis-agree with that...
mt.charlie.

[montana_charlie]

The younger guys at work like guns but they won't load or cast. They want me to give them the ammo to shoot...
Don't tell me that the 'give it to me, now' society is infesting the world of shooters!
Talk about freeloaders...!!!
CM

[Mumblypeg]

Montana charlie,
O yea, it bleeds into everthing!

[runfiveslittlegirl]

Well my dad(runfiverun) always tries new ideas on us. like he said he used bbqs, and he also got my cousin interested through videogames, he takes us camping and lets us all shoot as much as we want, he's done this since me and my cousins were 3or4 years old.... since then we've all been hooked. my dad also keeps me interested by having me bring friends. It gets them involved and its fun 4me to help them.

he basically finds our interest and works off that.

[Wayne Smith]

[QUOTE=runfiveslittlegirl;

he basically finds our interest and works off that.[/QUOTE]

You may not realize it now, but you just testified as to your dad's wisdom. One day you will appreciate it.