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

I used to be the type that never spoke up to a MOOCH

I learned you have to say F that. I have always been the one to give to people. STILL to this day not a single sole has ever been to me the way I am. I wish I knew someone like me. I had a buddy one time ask me for a smoke(I quit) and said I was out. He says, "it's cool I'll smoke one of mine."

Bottom line is...There are and always will be people like that. Either deal with them for who they are or kick them to the curb. I let people like that in my life so it's my fault for letting it continue. JUST SAY NO.

Never brag about what you have. It can come back to haunt you.
 
I've taken a maybe twenty people shooting that were straight out noobs over the past fifteen years or so. It was my invite, the range was one I was a longtime member of and it was me convincing them that these machines called 'guns' were nothing to fear but something to attempt to master and enjoy. I paid for the ammo, cleaned the guns alone or with some well meaning help, paid for targets, etc. Of all those people, men and women, five of them have become shooters in one form or another, be it casual target, rabid about trap and even one gal who is the summer league .22 pistol champ of her local club.

Among them was one special individual who asked me if I'd take him shooting, a friend of a friend. I didn't like his overall demeanor and so gaffed him off. Another friend took this character under his wing so to speak and on the arranged day, he arrived with his girlfriend and her sixteen year old brother and his friend. My buddy was appalled and called it off. Some people are clueless and classless and there's no changing that.
 
I took two friends out yesterday.

One bought the ammo he shot. The other did not.

One will be getting an invite the other time. The other will not.

What is especially galling is that the one who didn't buy his ammo is easily more well off than the other friend or I.

.223 ain't cheap, and I'm in college. You want to shoot the AR, you pay for it.
 
All of my real close friends own at least one firearm of their own for home protection. So, that's not really a problem.

I don't mind taking a person (who's genuinely interested in trying out) to the range for the first time on my dime. Usually, I will let them try a few different guns, so they can see what they like without having to rent several different guns and buy several different calibers of ammo. (I'll usually let them shoot about $20-$30 total worth of ammo.) At that point, they'll have an idea of what type of gun the prefer. If they still want to keep shooting a particular gun (besides a .22lr) I'll tell them, to go buy some more ammo at the counter (or "chip-in" on what I brought with me.)

If a friend wants to go again (and doesn't have a gun) I will tell them they have to buy their own ammo or pay me for mine. (Range fees and targets, we'll either split or they'll pay since we're using my firearms.)
 
Newbies are one thing, users are another. Life's too short to accomodate users. A newbie can't wait to buy his own stuff.
The guys I shoot with these days generally bring stuff I want to at least look at and they feel the same way about my toys. They're always welcome to my guns and ammo. I let complete strangers shoot my BP guns, will always encourage a kid who is curious and has good gun handling skills to have a go with it. That's half the fun of a charcoal burner anyway. :D
Non-like items are good, too. Toys like fast cars or a nice meal keep things even as well but with my closest friends I quit worrying about keeping things even years ago. Each of us feels we're way ahead, kinda nice that way. We freely pass around books, DVD's and ammo and all have a grand time.
I don't talk about guns at work. Two very good reasons: some folks WILL get the wrong idea and I don't need the distractions. I'll answer a quick question, might make a correction but no more. When I'm at work I want to think and talk about work, I feel I owe my employer that.
 
If a person is curious about shooting ill let them shoot with me for free the first time because it lets them enjoy the experience and not worry so much about dollar signs. after that they are on their own for ammo. they can use mine but i charge a few bucks extra then what i get it for to cover the gas and tax so i can replace it.

My gun buddies (well buddy now) basically all our ammo is piled together and its fair game. I only whined once when he was using my target .22 ammo by accident in his ar-15 conversion. :o
 
Those aren't friends. You just know some people.
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s_a_m got this one smack dab in the middle.

What I have trouble with concerning the OP is: no one can shoot one of your guns unless you hand it to them, and no one can shoot your ammunition unless you also hand that to them. So, the problem in your scenario would seem to be that you can't say "No!".

Dave
 
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.
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No one gets to shoot my guns without me being there. I let a friend test some out so now hes going get his CCW/gun soon. I was happy to help him. I do not mind people wanting to shoot my guns, helps break them in. You just have to buy ammo and range fees. :cool:


Just don't be bugging me every weekend to shoot my guns, once a month okay.
 
Dave

That's how I feel. I used to let people take advantage and had to just say no. Everyone has/had a friend that we know is a mooch, idiot, A$$ or just was never taught any manners. Whatever the issue with the person "I" was the one allowing the actions. One can't complain about something if they allowed it to begin with or didn't address the issue from the get...I only shoot with my family now and I like it.
 
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