"Friends" using you, to use your guns...

T

Tactical Jackalope

New member
Hello all,

Yes, "friends" because there are friends who are curious about it and want you to take them and when you do they go out and buy one and then want to accompany you when you go with their gun(s) and have a range day. And their friends who are already fellow gun nuts that join you any other day you go to the range. Some only are "range buddies" and some are all time friends.



Now, there are "friends" that you haven't spoke to in a while..much relate to with in the first place even. That just contact you or call you up just to go out to the range? When they have absolutely NO guns. Or wanting to even buy one? They just wanna shoot mainly on your dime and your ammo. Even if you've taken them already. It gets to become a drag/pattern. Even when they claim "I'll buy my own ammo" sometimes it's enough. Sometimes it's a box or two. And then the leak into your stash and before you know it it's all gone.


Now, I've shot 100,000+ rounds the past year with my fellow gun nut friends and guys I've known since school, or my neighborhood. ACTUAL friends that I see often. Know. Talk to on a regular basis. I do not care one bit sharing my stash at all. (if it's hefty of course) but the guys that just come around once a moon with "hey man! When are you taking me shooting?" or "let's go to the range man!" uuuuuh... Shady...



Anyone have or know about these "friends" what's your take on it? I'm curious. I don't take them out but with some I'll be a jerk with and others I just ignore.


P.s. Co workers are the funniest. Talk talk talk. All I'm gonna say.
 
I could see it happening but that would never happen in my scenario(life). -never would, never will
...as for the gossip at work...that will never cease and I will say never on that one
 
I never realized it could be such an issue. If I don't want to take someone shooting, it's a simple 'no.'

At the very least, I expect someone to chip in on the cost of ammo if it's more than a rare occasion. Or divide up the stuff; I pay for ammo, they pay for the range and accessories.

As far as work goes, I never tip my hand that I own firearms around the workplace. It tends to create something of a stigma.
 
I have friends that are into guns, and friends that are curious about guns, and friends that don't like them. Frankly, I don't know many people that don't own any guns. I don't really have any strictly "range friends." Maybe that's because I haven't been going to shooting ranges all that long. I've done most of my shooting on a farm, or in the woods.

When I find that I'm dealing with a "shooting newbie," I almost always invite them to the range. I'm happy to lend them something and spring for a box or two of ammo (especially if it's .22). I'll give them pointers and even take care of cleaning the gun afterwards.

If it's someone who just wants to mooch, I'll pass. I didn't take 'em to raise. On my end, I always offer to pay my share of costs. If I shoot a magazine's worth of ammo through someone else's pistol, I offer to let them put a magazine through mine.
 
Friends

We all know people who never buy their own (fill in the blank, gun, truck, power tools, etc), yet they want to hang around and borrow or use what is yours. These are the same people who don't return borrowed tools, return broken tools, don't repay the favor, don't even offer free cold beer. Most of us have learned to quickly identify and avoid these a-holes.
 
I have buddies and co workers all the time ask to come shot with me at my place. Every now and then ill tell them to come on over and waste a few of my rounds. I enjoy the company and I have led a handfull of ppl to go guy a handgun and get a license. But, Most of the time when the same old ppl ask me to come and I have done shot with them once I tell them I aint got no ammo to go buy some and we can shoot. Now, they know im lying cause I keep a good bit of ammo in stock and most of them get the point that it isnt FREE and usally buy some ammo. When there ammo runs out its over.

Then, I have th buddies that have there own guns, buy there own ammo and are not pestering me al the time about shooting. Thats the few that I let come when they want as long as I know and they dont come every day. Maybe come once a month or every other month when im not there.
 
I have a friend that has always told me about the guns he used to own. One day, I invited him to go shooting with me. I "loaned" him a 1911 and gave him all the ammo he cared to shoot. At the end of the day he handed me back my gun and said, "thanks." I was happy he had a good time and enjoyed himself.

From time to time he calls and asks when I plan on going back to the range. I asked if he was interested in buying his own gun and he said, "No, my wife doesn't want me to have a gun in the house and I am very happy shooting your gun." I asked, "I will be happy to loan you my gun in the future to shoot with me but it would be nice if you helped me clean it after we shoot. And .45 ACP ammo cost me $XX. at the range plus the range fee.

He said he would split the cost with me for him to shoot. Needless to say, I have not invited him back to the range. If you are my guest, you are my guest and I will cover you. However, after once or twice and you want to shoot frequently, it is only right that you rent or buy a gun and supply your own ammo.
 
My friends... that are truely friend.... would offer to kick in for ammo..

... If Not..

.. I would tell my friends what the ammo they plan to shoot costs:D
 
Who needs friends when you have relatives.

My cousin comes to Vegas for the electronics convention once in a while. He's an extra cheap SOB, and that doesn't bother me much because he'll spend $3 to save $2 (8 years of collage).

One time he was out here, and I invited him to the range not expecting him to pay for ammo, can't recalled if he paid the range fee, it was $8 (Now $15), but ammo was about half the price of today.

Ok, no biggy, we had a jumbo hot-dog before we got there, and shot a few hundred rounds each, no biggy. After we got out of there, he say, "ya know, I haven't had a steak dinner sense you grilled me that Ribeye, would you like to go some where and get a steak. I thought, no way he's inviting me to a steak dinner? So I drove us to a mid priced Outback for a second lunch in two hours. I wasn't even that hungry, but if he's paying, I'm taking advantage.

He was going to order a water (Cheap), but they were offering a free soda or tea with lunch. So obviously sense it was free he was going to order a diet.

After the check arrived, it just started to collect dust if you know what I mean, so he did the old, "I'll be right back, I'm going to the bathroom."

After coming back, he finally picked up the old dusty check, as if it was going to pay for it self or evaporate while he was gone. Wink wink

Then he picks it up and stairs at it for at least 5 minutes as to try to figure it out. I said ohhh shoot, now he want's me to offer to pay for this too. That's will put me in the $100+ mark for the day. So I asked him "I suppose you want to go Dutch." He say's "is that OK", I said no, and through him a 20 (Meal was about $18) and said you pay the tip.

So he put it on his credit card and kept my cash, and you should have seem him cup the CC slip when he wrote down the tip so I couldn't see it.

Shoot my guns all you want, but I don't expect me to provide ammo, unless you buy mine at my low cost "before" we start to shoot. I might let you shoot a mag and a wheel but that's it.

PS: I no longer talk to him for similar reasons, but on a much (X5) higher scale.
 

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When I was a kid, it was standard practice that if we wanted to shoot anybody else's gun, we bought the ammo for it, and split it. My friend used to bring his dad's .25 Colt auto, for instance, and I'd buy a box of .25's and we'd each shoot half. Same with the 9mm P-38 I'd bring. 9mm German surplus ammo was about $2 for a box of 36 back then.
 
Never had but a few friends and they have their own guns and ammo. The others, well, they don't find me very approachable. I wish I had the time to shoot almost 275 rounds a day.
 
I know a guy from high school who I was never really friends with and in fact didn't and still don't really like too much. He frequently asks if I want to go to the range. I always have an excuse as to why I can't, because I know he doesn't have guns or a job and I know it'll be all on me to buy ammo, which I hardly afford for myself. I would go with him if I knew he was bringing his own ammo, and maybe a box for me since it'll be my guns he is using.
 
I don't cater to users. I have no problem with true friends and family shooting my firearms and my ammo. They are good folk and not moochers.....I shoot their guns and their ammo also. I have no problem taking someone new to the sport out with a few guns and a box or two of ammo. That's what it's all about. If someone at the range is genuinely interested in something I'm shooting and asks in a good way, I'm happy to let him shoot a mag/cylinder or two. But acquaintances that just want to shoot my guns and my ammo, sorry, it don't happen. At a restaurant with someone known for "leaving their wallet at home" I ask for separate checks. You make yourself a victim, someone will quickly take advantage.
 
I have never had anybody bum guns and ammo off me like some of the stories here. I know one guy who will leave buying reloading supplies until he is completely out and hit me up for primers or such, but he repays them... eventually.

Mostly it is the opposite. I have a friend I am trying to bring along in shooting at low cost until we are sure she is serious. Hard to keep her from buying a gun without adequate background.
 
I haven't had that happen.

Usually, I'll "sponsor" the first visit. I'll bring the guns, ammo, range fees, etc.

After that, they're welcome to use my guns, but their ammo and range fees are on them.

It is not a problem for me to say no to a mooch.
 
I've got a friend who uses me for access to my guns.

But that's OK, because I use him for access to his two 1970s Corvette Stingrays.

Seems to be an even swap in my estimation.
 
I have friends who would buy guns in they could afford them. I go out with them most weekends and they usually bring their own .22 shells (since that's all most of them have and that's mainly what I shoot anymore). if I thought someone was using me for anything I'd just cut them off.
 
So if a "friend" cold called and asked to go to the range, I would have no problem. BUT they would be bringing ALL the ammo. I'd tell them to swing by wallies and grab twice as much ammo as they want to shoot up. 1/2 for them to shoot and 1/2 for me to shoot. Our range is free, but if there was a charge, we'd split it. I'd provide the cold beverage for after the gun was cleaned.
 
Like Jim Watson, I just haven't had this happen.

I've introduced my fair share of people to shooting. Along with teaching them to shoot, I would think it reasonable to also teach them the fine economic points of shooting.:D
 
Now, there are "friends" that you haven't spoke to in a while..much relate to with in the first place even. That just contact you or call you up just to go out to the range?
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you dont have to say .......sure lets go, ill pick u up, pay all fees and buy u dinner. if u do the fool is u! if you let yourself be used.....dont complain!
 
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