Taking Newbies to the Range

A Competition for Gunbloggers: Taking Newbies to the Range

In the spirit of AC's offer, I'm sponsoring an informal competition to see how many people we can (safely) introduce to guns. See a guide here in pdf and here in word format (in case you want to modify it for your own use.) My main concern is education. I'm not trying to turn card-carrying members of the Brady Campaign into NRA advocates (although, I wouldn't complain.) We have to take it upon ourselves to teach people, one at a time if need be, that guns are not what movies, politicians, and anti-rights lobbyists portray them to be.

Rules:
  • To qualify as a newbie, the person has to fit into the "never touched a gun before" or "haven't shot a gun since that .22 when I was a kid" category. You know who I'm talking about.
  • You must offer basic firearms safety training (4 rules, operation instructions for models of firearm they will be shooting, etc.) You are not required to be a certified instructor, just safe.
  • If you are being paid as an instructor, it doesn't count. Sorry, but some instructors would get 30 points in 4 hours.
  • You are not required to pay for all expenses, but that certainly helps convincing people to go with you.
  • You don't have to actually write a gun blog, you just have to read them.
  • Pictures are encouraged!
  • Start Date: 1 Oct 2007 (Let me know if you have a qualifying range trip)
  • I will be the final judge in all things, but I am always open to critique, criticism. and malicious insults.
  • No purchase necessary, blah blah blah.

    To enter, email me the following information:
  • Your name (or blog name)
  • Your Blog's URL (if applicable)
  • A range report, including the "newbie's" reactions (if you blog it, just send me the link)
  • The date of the trip

    Scoring:
  • 1 point for each newbie (N)
  • 1 bonus point if they ask to do it again (R)
  • 9 bonus points if they are an "Authorized Journalist" (J)
  • 9 bonus points if they are or were affiliated with a recognized anti-gun group (Brady Campaign, VPC, PUSH, Joyce Foundation, etc.) (A)
  • 14 bonus points if they are an elected official (P)

    To Win:
    First person to 30 points (by submission to me, not by date.)
    Prize: A new Gunmate Range Bag, with a new set of ear and eye protection.

    Range Trips:
    -
    Name Description Date Score Reason Total
    Armed Canadian New Shooter Report 20 Oct 2007 1 N 1
    Sebastian (ProGunProgessive) Shooting With (Not At!) An Anti 22 Oct 2007 10 N+A 10
    Breda Connie 25 Oct 2007 2 Nx2 2
    Breda Nicole 14 Oct 2007 2 NR 4
    JT Hayes New Shooter Competiton Question 27 Oct 2007 23 Nx23 23
    JT Hayes Supposed Gun Nuts, Take Notice 12 Nov 2007 3 Nx3 26
    Breda Monica 17 Nov 2007 2 NR 6
    Breda Sean 25 Nov 2007 1 N 7
    Ace New Perspectives 24 Oct 2007 2 Nx2 2
    Armed Canadian New Shooter Report #2 2 Dec 2007 2 N 3
    Rustmeister New Shooter Report 13 Dec 2007 1 N 1
    Breda Nikki 28 Jan 2008 2 NR 9
    Other Side New Shooter Report 10 Feb 2008 2 Nx2 2
    Rick New Shooter Report 27 Feb 2008 1 N 1
    Sean M. New Shooter Report 9 Mar 2008 2 Nx2 2
    Nicki Made a convert this weekend 9 Mar 2008 2 Nx2 2
    Armed Canadian New Shooter Report #3 20 April 2008 2 Nx2 5
    West, By God (me!) New Shooter Report: Ethan 26 April 2008 1 N 1
    Justin Buist Newbie Range Trip 7 June 2008 1 N 1
    Breda Elizabeth 12 June 2008 1 N 10
    Arizona Rifleman A Day at the Range 06 April 2008 10 Nx5+Rx5 10
    Arizona Rifleman More Shooty Goodness 12 July 2008 2 N+R 12
    Breda Jen and Holly 11 August 2008 2 Nx2 12
    Jay G New Shooter Report! 31 Aug 2008 2 NR 2
    Jay G Two For Two... 7 Sept 2008 1 N 3
    Peter Trap and a new shooter 7 Sept 2008 2 NR 2
    Ted New Shooter Report 14 Sept 2008 2 NR 2
    Ted New Shooter Report 16 Nov 2007 1 N 3
    Ted Range Report - AR-15 with Mrs. Borepatch 10 Aug 2008 1 N 4
    Arizona Rifleman Saturday's shooty goodness, in photos 11 Oct 2008 4 NRx2 16
    West, By God (me!) New Shooter Report: Armando 26 October 2008 2 Nx2 3
    The View From North Central Idaho New Shooter Report 30 October 2008 2 Nx2 2
    Arizona Rifleman New Shooter Report 23 November 2008 4 NRx2 20
    Armed Canadian New Shooter Report #4 29 Nov 2008 1 N 6
    Arizona Rifleman New Shooter Report 6 December 2008 2 NR 22
    Ted New Shooter Report (Chicks with Guns version) with CZ 75 31 Dec 2008 1 N 5
    Arizona Rifleman New Shooter Report 10 Jan 2008 4 Nx2+Rx2 26
    Ted New Shooter 20 Jan 2009 1 N 6
    Jay G New Shooter(s) Report 24 Jan 2009 2 NR 5
    Jay G New Shooter Report 22 Mar 2009 1 N 6
    Jay G New Shooter Report #8 19 Apr 2009 1 N 7
    Jay G New Shooter Report! 23 Apr 2009 2 NR 9
    Arizona Rifleman No Sporting or Civilian Use 8 June 2009 2 N+R 28
    West, By God (me!) QoTD: Happy New Shooter Edition 2 July 2009 2 N+R 5
    West, By God (me!) Chicks and Guns 1 August 2009 1 N 6
    Arizona Rifleman New Shooter Report 3 August 2009 2 N+R 30
    Ted New Shooter Report 15 September 2009 2 Nx2 8
    Total Newbies:87

     

    Related Posts:
  • Initial Concept
  • Official Announcement
  • First Non-blogger Entry (posted on my blog)
  • Announcement on Robb's page
  • Announcement at Uncle's
  • Announcement at TheGunBlogs
  • Thread that started the gears turning in my head

    Notes:
  • People have requested that I award bonus points for the newbie deciding to buy a gun. The verdict on that is no. Increasing gun sales isn't the point of this competition, although it is a happy byproduct. I don't think someone who has only shot a gun once or twice has any business owning a gun, unless they plan on practicing regularly, at which point they are no longer newbies, but "converts".
  • Next go-round, I'm probably not going to count range time with more than 2 newbies. One reason for this is "volunteer instructors", who I respect greatly, but it throws a kink into a points-based competition like this. The other reason is because I believe one-on-one time is extremely important for newbies to be safe, feel comfortable, and hopefully decide to do it again.
  • I am willing to accept to donations for prizes. Cash is fine, but I'd prefer merchandise. The thing is, my personal budget is limited, so I can't ever supply really cool stuff (like, I dunno, a new rifle) for a competition like this. If a few people or companies pitch in, the prize could be enough motivation to keep people excited about it.

     

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    * Gunblogger challenge logo, courtesy of Robb Allen.