What to charge newbies.....?

berger

berger

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I play hockey and drink with a few boys from PEI who have never shot anything stronger than a water gun. They want to hit the range with me, but I was wondering what I should "charge" them to shoot? They are not tight guys, but I figure they can buy their own ammo and targets. Am I asking to much??

Berger
 
I agree that it all depends upon how many of them there are and what you have for them to shoot. I'd gladly give up a brick of .22 ammo to help get some people started into shooting, and might even throw 20-30 rounds of 7.62x39 each for a few people on occasion. I have on occasion gone so far as to give people two or three boxes of 12ga to shoot, though I had the cases of ammo sitting around for some time, and lacking my own car was basically compensating them for some of the gas bill.

Unless they are all awfully poor students or driving you to the place themselves, I'd at least expect them to pay the cost for all centrefire ammo, share on a case of shotshells, and if there are range fees to pay their way.

The nice thing about the range that I usually shoot at is that they sell ammo there, so that any new shooters brought along can get an idea of the relative prices for different types of ammo and shooting accessories. That makes it alot easier than having to purchase all of the ammo beforehand and telling all of your guests how much they have to pay to compensate for the cost.
 
I don't think I could ever charge for .22, but everything else I have no problem with. Beer is one thing...:D, but ammo is another. Besides....I have drunken quite a few of their pints!

Seriously, these guys want to be hit hard, so I the M14 is my my best, cheap experience.
 
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what i do when taking out non-shooting friends to my club is just tell them that sh!t is expensive and we'll split the cost (gas, ammo, targets, lunch) even among however many are comming. then at the range, divide the ammo and targets into for piles and have at 'er.

ove gone out and seen new shooters sit at the bench, and take nice slow deliberate shots. others like to play and see just how fast they can crank 'em out of an AR or sks. if they pay their own, they can shoot however they want without my wallet to rip right off my a$$
 
I charge exactly what I paid for the ammo THEY are shooting.

I went through the loops to get the firearms/ect, so you can pay for all your ammo.
 
If the person has never fired a gun before I don't charge anything. I do however ask them to bring their own eye and hearing protection to drive home the message about safety.

The first session is on me because it's a small investment to make to get new people into the shooting sports or at least change one person's attitude toward guns. If they want to come back I'll charge replacement costs on ammo and targets and give them a club membership application.
 
I ask them to toss in a bit on the ammo, unless it's just .22.

Fullbore, I ask 'em to cover whatever I payed for what they shoot. Their "head tax" for range use? I pick that up.

NS
 
If it's first time , I buy . After that I buy all the .22 they want to shoot , they can help pay for the centerfire & range fees . My last "student" got her first deer before I did ....
 
I made plans to split the costs with a couple people who've gone shooting with me, but at the end of the outing I just told them to never mind.

We were shooting .300 Win Mag, so it was pricey, and my hp9 14" shorty with el-cheapo-depot target&field loads, so that wasn't too bad.
 
I don't charge newbs.

I just make them promise to buy a gun if they like. Preferably one I don't have already.
 
Depends if friends, costs of shooting difficult to calculate and compare to buddy helping fix car/roof/renovate whatever... Driving to range, some ammo, how different than driving to food place and picking up a tab. Over a friendship stuff all evens out.

If not a friend, cover own range fee, should understand there is a cost, but I cover the rest, more people shooting, more likely I can keep shooting.
 
I've taken many folks out for their first shooting trip, or their first handgun shoot, etc.

I don't ask for cash the first time, no matter what we shoot. 9mm, 7.62x39/51/54R, .22, .303, 8mm, whatever. They don't shoot enough to dent my supply and I consider it a small contribution to my personal "piss off a Liberal" fund.

Follow up trips, they pay what I paid for it.
 
I've really only taken 2 newbies out with me, but I haven't charged either of them. One did come back a 2nd time, and was more than happy to stop at the ammo counter with me, the 2nd time out.

I think it's the least we can do for our sport, cover a few boxes of ammo once in a while to get new people interested.
 
400$ a hour.

Less:

200$ Piss off the Liberals Fund.
100$ Piss off the Fudds with your military rifles fund.
100$ Having a blast tax.

So you end up with 400$ - 400$ = free. :p

Dimitri
 
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