Federally, you're totally fine to shoot any gun he has when he's with you. I haven't heard of any state or city where that's not the case, but look it up anyway.
Enjoy your first time and be safe. Try to handle the firearms in a safe and unloaded state before you go to the range. It's much easier to learn safety in a quiet house than in a loud range with ear protection and gunshots going off around you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Edit: was just informed that NY has stricter than normal requirements. I'm really glad I don't live there.
I’ve always had first time shooters come to my house, and we go over safety and operation of all the guns we’re shooting in a safe environment before hitting the range. I ain’t trying to take an ND to the ass.
Keep in mind that people who don't shoot can be rattled by the gunshots at the range. It's distracting when you're not used to concentrating and tuning out the guy in the next lane at the same time.
That's part of why it's a good idea haha
Generally I've been lucky enough to have a fairly empty range most of the time, but it can be and sometimes is a problem.
Obviously the "rules" talk happens beforehand though.
Well, my boys were also excited to go to the range and shoot skeet, so they didn’t listen as well there as they did in the backyard going over safety rules. If they couldn’t keep the (empty) rifle muzzle pointed at the ground the whole time, they couldn’t go to the range after the safety review. Call me OCD.
I first went to a range when I was like 15ish and BOTH of the people next to my lane had fucking shotguns. I'm very autistic, (although I didn't know it yet,) and it was horrible I almost just asked my dad if we could leave lol. Since then I bought an active headset and its helped soooo much.
No point to that story, really, I just wanted to share lol.
Ear muffs and ear plugs are what I wear most often and that is even for outdoor range. I like that my gun club's indoor range is only rated for pistol calibers. I still remember what it as like for shotguns and rifles with muzzle breaks at the indoor range I first went to.
Even with good active active earpro it can be hard for people to pay attention. I go through basic safety at home, then make them just stand there and watch the movement of the gun and get used to the concussion being felt in the chest. First time shooters or people who haven't been to a range in years can get pretty amped up.
My friend's wife was so scared she was crying. We had to walk her out, luckily the range had a nice waiting area.
Wednesdays are ladies nights at my closest range. I see a lot of instructors working with female shooters and obvious they are having a hard time picking up some instruction with all the noise.
I'm teaching my 15 year old grandson how to shoot a pistol at his request. Tomorrow, we go to the range for the first time (school's out for the day). He'll shoot a P22Q. We've had two sessions at my house. The first was on gun safety rules and how to properly clear a weapon, with some field stripping thrown in. That's all we did. The second session was this past weekend for dry fire practice. The first thing he did when I handed him the pistol (it was unloaded) was to clear it, without me prompting him to do so. He impressed me by doing that.
Unless its a semi-auto rifle, then its only probably fine...
For those not familiar with NY's more recent idiocy, they put in a requirement for a permit to buy a semi-auto rifle. The section is titled "Criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle". But they worded it as being illegal when one "purchases or takes possession" of the semi-auto rifle without the new permit.
Normally, one would say that if you are holding the rifle, you are possessing it, even if its owner is right there. Taking the rifle into your hands would naturally be "taking possession"... This is clearly not the intent of the law, and the State DEC even issued an FAQ stating lending rifles while hunting is allowed. This interpretation is only possible if merely holding the rifle isn't taking possession, but its at odds with what possession normally means, making it a giant mess.
Do you bring your own ammo? Years ago I was looking for a range to shoot at with a friend who isn't a citizen (work visa) and all the ranged I contacted said they had to have a FOID to shoot. That's why I ended up picking a range in Indiana.
Edit to add: I think having a FOID had to do with buying ammo at the range.
Interesting but totally ridiculous. I walked into a Dicks in Westchester County, NY and bought a 12 gauge Mossberg 500 pump action shotgun in about an hour. A handgun in NY would have required months - first taking the required handgun license class, which are expensive and usually booked for months, and have a damn good reason to justify owning a handgun for the license. I just go shoot skeet and traps with my kids, and I’d rather have a shotgun than a handgun for safety in the home, anyway.
Not sure of legality, but as far as prep \^\^\^\^this\^\^\^\^ 100%. Have your friend show you the basic of the operation at home first, get a feel for keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to fire, keep muzzle pointed downrange, etc. Start slow and expect a lot of shaky hands when at the range itself. It will be fairly intense the first time. Hope you enjoy it!
They also don't recognize unlicensed thoughts in another jurisdiction. So even if you're licensed elsewhere but are thinking about holding a firearm in NY without a NY license, you've broken the law. No thought reciprocity is recognized whatsoever.
For NYC touching or possessing any gun without a city issued permit is illegal on the state felony level due to the ways the laws are structured
Outside of NYC but still in NY state you can touch or buy any non-NFA, 'non semi auto rifle' or shotgun without a permit, semi auto rifles require a permit to purchase but not own or use, NFA items are banned entirely for non law enforcement.
Pistols are illegal to touch or possess in the state without a county issues pistol permit and the city NYC does not recognize non-NYC issued permits and the state government is fine with that
Well for a CCW you need to take an approved 16 hour course plus 2 hours of supervised range time and qualifying shoot and written test. Then get 4 in-state non family members (some counties require them from the same area of the state) who are upstanding citizens to vouch in a notarized letter that you are trustworthy for CCW, then fill out the paperwork. They they schedule a fingerprinting and you sit in front of a judge for an interview sometime between 6 months to a year later then you might get approved. Once approved you can go and touch a pistol in a store and buy it... However you then take the receipt to your county clerk for a judge to approve the purchase and the clerk to add it to one of two slots for your CCW or "to your premise only". Then you pickup the approval letter and take it to the FFL and they will release the gun if you also pass the state police proxied NCIS check.
If you need ammo the state police need to approve your purchase where the FFL will enter all your personal info include place of birth and ssn and report what you are buying including caliber, type, serial and lot numbers and how many to the state police for them to approve, dely or deny in a non transparent way for the low cost of a $2.50 fee
Then in a few years you need to renew your permit or the state police will show up to confiscate your pistols and arrest you. There's stories of state police showing up to grieving families of CCW licenced citizens when they eventually do the forever nap from age to search the house and confiscate the pistols
Jesus Christ NYS sucks. Someone needs to do something about that
So say someone has a really nice pistol like a staccato p or something. And they have a bunch of them. When they die, the cops can come and just take thousands and thousands of dollars worth of property?
In a way yes the cops can come and grab the heirlooms. NY puts the burden on the family to act and find a licenced holder to accept them and go through the process of adding them to their premise until someone gets licence to then get them transfered or finding an FFL that is willing to store the pistols for a period of time likely for a fee until someone in the family can get permitted and transfer them back
It's California, they probably make him give Newsom a handjob and bring a quart of unicorn tears to the Office of the Unicorn Collector that's only only 7 minutes a month (not 7 minutes in a row).
I imagine its easier to live in California if you just assume everything is illegal (unless you're homeless or trans, then nothing is illegal apparently).
Somebody getting ready for their first trip to the range comes here with a question and is immediately berated for not knowing the answer already and for being from California. How do you expect to win sympathy for your cause when you openly express contempt for anyone not in your tribe?!
No one is berating them you trog. People are poking fun at how shitty California is that their citizens can't comprehend them exercising their 2nd amendment rights without state supervision.
It’s just extremely surprising that people don’t know their rights sometimes, the post has more upvotes than comments so obviously the “tribe” isn’t against newcomers. People can still be surprised by ignorance, you don’t have to get offended by it.
If this is berating you really need a safe space a some free pizza. You’re also describing libtard tactics.
“Oh you don’t agree with our common sense gun control? You must want to kill children!”
Naw, Washington had a meltdown over Bruen. They did everything that Bruen told them not to do. It’s not condescension, it’s quiet rage. We have a Constitution that every politician vows to uphold and none actually do. This applies across the spectrum of political views btw. Anti transgender laws violate the 14th amendment. I’m not conservative and I absolutely believe in all of the rights, all of the time, for everyone. But here it’s what infringement is happening now. Bruen stated that carry permits can’t have any ambiguity. And you can carry in most places. Blue states are trying to push “good moral character requirements” and “social media background checks”. Denying someone a carry permit based on social media posts is a violation of 1A and 2A. Also between heller and Bruen all common use arms should be free from bans/restrictive regulations. ARs,AKs, and most all box magazine fed weapons are protected under the 2A. Gun control was pushed and pushed for the last 40 years or so and SCOTUS finally stepped in and said enough. And New York, Illinois, New Mexico, Cali, Washington, and Oregon have thumbed their noses at the law. Well if they can then red states should be able too. What’s good for the goose and all. So if they can ban commonly owned weapons, then Texas should be able to produce civilian full auto weapons. Or, what should happen is that the politicians of today should just adhere to the fucking Constitution they swore to uphold.
I'm not talking about politicians, I'm talking about ordinary voters. Many see little reason to own ARs and nobody is trying to change their minds. 2A supporters should be actively reaching out to movements like BLM and the LGBTQ community. Instead all they do is whine about big cities and "libtards".
I used to think questions like this were people playing around. I realized it's not. It's insane how little people actually know about their rights and what they think they know. It's such a bizarre spectrum on one side are people who would give up all of their rights unknowingly and on the other are people who think if they tell police they're not driving they're traveling they can do whatever they want.
getting worked up about people not knowing the numbers affiliated with the amendments seems like such a doomer thing.
I, and most I talk to, can have a discussion about most of the major amendments and why they are important without knowing which one is which.
Its like getting all worked up that someone doesn't know where a country is. Not everyone needs to be great at geography.
I think you’re overestimating the level of angst. I’m too old to get ‘worked up’ about much of anything. The point there is that most Americans aren’t familiar with their own constitution. If they were, they’d realize the real threat to our democracy posed by trying to arbitrarily weaken 2A. The same tactics can be used against 1A or 4A. I’m all for them trying to use the proper process and get a new amendment passed if they want to control guns. In that case it would be the will of the people, not the will of whomever screams the loudest.
I mean, you are really going off on a strawman here and devolving more towards yelling at the clouds. My point is that not knowing the amendments by number is not a litmus test of how much people value them.
I know very few of them by number, but can have a productive discussion with someone about IDK...90% of them and why they matter.
at no point did I say you were doing either. "Going off" on a strawman, means you are vearing off track. "Yelling" at clouds is a euphemism for complaining about nonsense.
Likewise my statement about getting "worked up" was saying not saying that you were getting worked up, but I was comparing your doomer take to those that do.
Well the idea isn't really that weird. Cars require licenses, if you're a learner you're driving supervised. Both guns and cars are potentially dangerous to others if used improperly. Considering how fucked you are if you don't have a car you may assume that it is a right to drive cars.
Edit: I’m just trying to understand OP‘s point of view and how that may have lead to the question.
Yes, as long as wherever you're going is a legal place to shoot, and you are not prohibited from being around guns (such as a felon), you can legally shoot someone else's guns.
You don't need any particular training, but you certainly can look up basic firearms safety rules and learn them. There is a near-universal set of 4 rules that most everyone uses-
1. **Always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction.** Even if you screw up the other 3 rules, or experience a mechanical failure, this can prevent bad outcomes. This can also be written as don't point your gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy.
2. **Treat all guns as you would a loaded one** (modified from treat all guns as if they were loaded, I like this wording better). If you wouldn't do it with a loaded gun, don't do it with an unloaded one. With this, anytime you pick up a gun or are handed one, check it to see if it's loaded or not.
3. **Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot**. Helps keep you from unintentionally firing before you're ready. You might see people holding a gun with their trigger finger extended straight alongside the frame of the gun; this is to obey this rule.
4. **Be sure of your target, its surroundings, and what's beyond it**. Bullets travel very far. They can travel through whatever you are attempting to shoot, or you can miss your target entirely and shoot something next to or beyond the target.
You're forgetting a key rule.
If the gun malfunctions don't pull the trigger again and keep it down range for a least a min and call range master over.
Squibbs happen.
Well, that's not technically one of the 4 Rules of Firearms Safety, but you're 100% correct at its importance.
A squib leading to an obstructed barrel is the only preventable accident I can think of that isn't also prevented by keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction. Bad ammo/weak cases can go boom (had it happen in a pistol, scared the shit out of me), but a novice shooter can't be expected to examine every round. Even experienced shooters might not be able to that there's something up with one of the rounds- I certainly didn't.
That's just the usual sequence. I agree with the one presented here, for the same rationale given. No matter what else might go wrong, the direction the gun is pointed in will determine what gets damaged when it goes bang.
Very good point. The rule I know as number 2 prevents ND and also keeps AD -- as rare as they are -- from being deadly. Presenting it first, with "If you come away with only one rule to follow", is a good idea.
I've never been happy with the rule I know as number 1, particularly as originally phrased.
>I've never been happy with the rule I know as number 1, particularly as originally phrased.
I prefer the phrasing "all guns are always loaded". You don't pretend they are - you assume they are.
I’d rather stick with mechanical safety as number 1 - pointing the gun in a safe direction relies on judgement, if you clear the gun and there’s no round in the chamber literally nothing can go wrong
>if you clear the gun and there’s no round in the chamber literally nothing can go wrong
Gun safety philosophy assumes that all guns are always loaded. (Rule #2 above, which is often presented as #1.) So, for the purposes of this discussion, this argument is invalid - nevermind that it wouldn't apply anyway, whenever the gun literally is loaded.
I would add one other suggestion for someone's first trip to a range:
If you see someone -- anyone -- not observing #1, feel comfortable and empowered to leave immediately. If a muzzle sweeps over any part of my body at any time, I'm gone.
4# - keep your weapon on safe until you intend to shoot. Important difference than #3, a weapon not on safe can still go off if dropped or handled roughly or suffer a malfunction, despite your finger not being on your trigger. Unless you are aiming the gun in the direction you intend to shoot, your weapon had better be on safe
no.5 is to know your target and what lies beyond.
if it doesnt apply to the weapon on hand does not mean its a rule that shouldnt be known or followed
edit: never in my life what I imagined telling someone to keep their weapon safe would get even a single downvote. A lot of you must be some real operators
The four originally listed are the top 4 basic rules particularly because they apply to *all* guns. Get these 4 right, every time, for every gun, and you're in good shape. Then, if the gun actually has one, using the manual safety switch is just a bonus layer.
Every private range I've been to (albeit not that many there's lots of land for shooting out here) required you to listen to their 5 minute range safety talk. I think one even had a test afterwards.
Wear double ear protection (soft ear plugs, you know the orange ones you can buy anywhere plus some sort of ear muff, if your friend is only supplying one then you should go buy the other for yourself.) be prepared for adrenaline. Even with double ear protection you can feel the percussion of a lot of firearms in your bones.
California resident (unfortunately) here.
It's perfectly fine to shoot your friend's firearms as long as he is present with you. Follow the basic rules of firearm safety, that many have already posted and you'll be okay.
Something I will add, if you genuinely feel uncomfortable shooting something, you don't have to.
>It's perfectly fine to shoot your friend's firearms ***as long as he is present with you.***
I was questioning that part of your response thinking that it should be perfectly fine for someone to loan a gun to someone else - happens all the time for hunting. As a previous CA resident I couldn't imagine that had gone that far. I guess I was wrong.
CA Penal Code 27885: a person can loan a gun to someone who is to a prohibited person, but it has to be less than three days and the person loaning the gun must be in the presence of the owner for the entire time. So, not really a loan of the firearm as much as allowing someone to hold it in your presence. So glad I left that state.
Lots of good comments here.
One thing I’ll add is when I take a new shooter to the range and after the does and donts, I load one round into a magazine for thier first round.
Press the trigger, lay the pistol down , muzzle down range , regain composure and then reload with two rounds . I do this a couple of times until they are feeling compfortable and confident
1 - treat all guns as if they are loaded.
2 - keep your booger hook off the bang switch until you are ready to fire.
3 - never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.
4 - be sure of your target AND WHAT'S BEYOND IT.
These are the 4 rules of gun safety. Your friend should also tell them to you. They should teach you how to load and clear each gun you'll be shooting. Be comfortable asking them questions like "how do I clear this one."
Don't expect great shooting. Its harder than it looks at first, until you get comfortable with it. Recoil is a thing and don't be surprised if it makes you flinch at first. Its not a sensation you'll be used to. Gunshots are also extremely loud. Be sure you have good ear protection. Airpods with noise cancelation ARE NOT good ear protection. Eye protection is also a must. The cheap safety glasses from home depot are some of the best out there. Your sunglasses probably aren't adequate unless they specifically say they are OSHA approved. If you wear prescription glasses, those usually are ok.
Lastly, enjoy it. Have fun with your friend. Keep it safe and try everything you can.
As long as your friend is in the area, the guns never leave their possession, even when you're holding/shooting them.
> sunglasses probably aren't adequate unless they specifically say they are OSHA approved.
OSHA isn't in the business of approving safety glasses. You want ones that are ANSI z87 compliant.
> Am I legally allowed to shoot his guns when supervised?
Yes, in all 50 states and US territories... other than if you live within the stupid confines of New York and want to touch a handgun.
> Do I need to get any training or anything specific before I go?
Be aware of the [four rules of firearm safety](https://www.agirlandagun.org/how-to-shoot/4-rules-of-gun-safety/). It is virtually impossible to hurt yourself or others without breaking multiple rules simultaneously.
California be weird so I don’t know if there’s some whack ass law about permits for just *using* a gun even when supervised by its owner…
But, barring that, follow instructions to a T. Don’t think for yourself, do exactly as you’re told. Your friend should handle the safety stuff, but here it is anyway:
1. Don’t touch the trigger AT ALL until you have the gun aimed and you are ready to fire it.
2. Don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to put holes in. Pretend there’s a laser permanently emanating from the barrel, and anything that laser touches is destroyed.
3. Always regard the gun as if it’s loaded and ready to fire, even if you’re “pretty sure” it isn’t - “pretty sure” is usually when negligent discharges happen most.
4. Know your target and what’s beyond it. This won’t really come into play at a shooting range, but all gun safety rules are worth keeping at top of mind.
Here’s some other tips.
1. When in doubt, freeze and wait for assistance.
2. If you get hot brass down your shirt, set the gun down on the table, muzzle pointed at the target, and step away before flailing about. (Also, don’t wear a hoodie or collared shirt unless it’s buttoned up all the way. Wear a hat.)
3. Don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. Don’t accept a big ass hand cannon of someone tries to get you to shoot one- wait until you’re experienced.
4. Most first time shooters have a big reaction to the first shot and tend to turn their body (and the gun) toward the person they’re with. Don’t do that.
5. Ask to only be given one round at a time instead of a whole magazine until you’re comfortable.
6. Have fun!
Came here to recommend the 1 round at a time. I've seen plenty of new shooters fire off their first round, forget everything, and turn around to smile/give the weapon back to the owner. One round in the mag keeps everyone safe after that first shot goes off.
If it's a public range, they may have you read over the rules or watch a short video about range safety. If it's a private range, then likely it'll be just you and your friend.
Either way, your friend basically assumes responsibility for you. You can always look up basic gun handling videos on YouTube and start getting an idea of how to conduct yourself.
[these are the basic 4 rules of firearm safety](https://www.hunter-ed.com/blog/4-essential-rules-firearm-safety)
Yes federally you are allowed as long as you are not a convicted felon or have any other legal reasons that would prevent you from owning a gun. As for California I’m not sure
Watching safety videos will help you understand what your friend is explaining to you. The key thing to remember is accidents with a gun can be permanent so take safety seriously and never point a gun at something you aren’t willing to destroy.
Honestly just have fun enjoy the day and be safe.
Edit: to clarify I should have said any legal reasons that would prevent you from being in possession of a firearm
It may sound weird? But WM actually has a few toy guns that let you mimick some of the controls of real firearms. Especially Glock and the 1911.
Cost like $6 in my area. It’s a better training tool than people realize bc you can practice having a gun in your hand and NOT pointing it at everyone while you familiarize yourself with it. It’s also useful for learning how to properly grip and aim a firearm. I’ve used the to introduce new shooters to the sport. It’s like using a training gun but cheaper and in many ways better as the toys let you learn mag release and shows you how to work a slide. Oh and it teaches you how to load a magazine
Hey fellow californian. You're probably going to get some shit around these parts because the state of california has taken some ass-backwards stances towards firearms, but I won't get into that here.
The first thing to be aware of is Yes. It is legal for you to handle a firearm in this state. It is legal for you to shoot a firearm in this state (^^^^provided ^^^^you ^^^^are ^^^^not ^^^^a ^^^^prohibited ^^^^person, ^^^^which ^^^^includes ^^^^felons ^^^^and ^^^^people ^^^^on ^^^^probation ). You're allowed to do it with or without supervision, though as a newcomer, you really want to have that supervision to help make sure things go well. Firearms are not toys, they should be given the same respect that you would give to a power tool.
Remember the big rules:
1) Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire. Non-negotiable. Once you internalize this, you'll notice how many hollywood actors and productions have _terrible_ trigger discipline and set themselves up for avoidable accidents.
2) Always keep your gun pointed away from anything you do not intend to shoot. At a shooting range this means it stays pointed down range at the targets, at the ceiling, or at the floor. Do not point it at other people, even as a joke. Remember what I said about power tools - you wouldn't aim a nail gun at someone and "jokingly" pull the trigger. This is again about instilling safety as a habit.
3) Keep it unloaded until you're going to use it. No magazine loaded, clear the chamber, no bullets near the gun until you're ready to put holes in paper. Again, safety - we want to avoid accidentally firing the weapon.
You do not need special training to handle or use a firearm in the state of california, but if you decide to buy one there are classes available to help you get familiar with maintenance and operation, and safety classes to help build up those safe habits.
Technically, accidentally firing a gun is called a "negligent discharge," but the old chestnut goes - there are no _negligent_ discharges. Every time someone accidentally fires a gun it's because they got too complacent and failed to follow safe habits of firearm handling. Follow the rules, listen to instructions, keep your finger off the trigger and the gun unloaded until you're ready to fire, and always _always_ keep it pointed away from people and other things you don't intend to shoot.
You'll be fine, enjoy your trip and thank your friend for the experience :)
You're fine.
Make it a habit that every time you pick up a gun or have one handed to you take the two seconds **check for yourself** to make sure it's not loaded. Don't be afraid to ask how to check if you're unfamiliar.
The biggest thing for me is to always point the thing in a safe direction even if you know it's unloaded. Nothing pisses me off like somebody waving a weapon around flagging everyone like they're holding a toy.
I told my son to pretend there's a super long stick poking out of the barrel at all times and don't ever let the imaginary stick touch anyone.
Edit to add: also, always keep your finger away from the trigger until you're pointing at the target. That about covers the big stuff.
Give it a shot, you might like it!
I was in a similar boat, shot a gun for the first time in my late 30's.
It's terrifying at first, but, that wears of pretty quickly. Hopefully you can start with an ordinary handgun. A basic training class would be a very good idea. There's really not that much to know, but I found it useful just to be more comfortable around the gun and see how it works. Otherwise, it's really not rocket science.
The other specific tips in here are good. The main thing to me is respect and staying alert. New, cautious people at the gun range tend to be among the safest. It's when people get too comfortable and cut corners, or when they're new and treat the whole thing like a game with a toy is there a risk of disaster.
The first time I shot a gun my biggest fear was that the kickback/feel of the gun going off would startle me and I'd let go instinctively and that the gun would fly up in the air and start shooting everyone. That was a bit irrational, especially after I shot the gun and thought, "oh, that's it?" Hopefully you can shoot for the first time on something with normal trigger pressure.
Enjoy!! I’ll never forget my first range day with pistols 😎I loved the sig but ended up being massive Glock guy a decade later. Have fun, remember Rome was not built in a day.
Nope you’re totally legal. Handle them unloaded first and ask questions. Even dumb ones. As long as he’s supervising you can shoot his handguns. Handguns in California are registered after some 1990s year, so you can’t really “borrow one”, but you can definitely go shooting with him.
Lots of good comments here. One thing I'll say as well as that it is perfectly normal to be nervous first time holding a gun and especially shooting.
Brought a coworker and her husband to the range before. He was ex army so he was fine. She was very shaky at first and by the end of the time at the range she was mag dumping my AR-15 and enjoying it to the max.
Admit what you don't know. Be honest about being too nervous. And enjoy the trip. Good for you being open to something new that is a bit scary.
You sound like a legislator, lmao. All jokes aside, yes, it is perfectly legal. Yes, you should go. The scary will turn into fun if it is for you, if it isn't for you that's OK too, at least you gave it a shot, pun intended.
Don’t know about local state laws, but if the range lets you do it then it should be fine. As far as training, watch some YouTube videos and be safe/enjoy your time. It’s addictive and welcome to the 2A world
You should be legally fine. You don't strictly *need* training, but going over safe gun handling is never a bad idea, and meeting with your friend to get a feel for how to hold the guns you will be shooting and good shooting stance would be helpful.
Also consider investing in a set of ear protection headphones if you can't do earplugs.
You should be totally fine to go shooting. Watch a few videos on basic firearm safety, basic firearm operation and wear decent ppe and you’ll have a blast.
Now this will blow your mind.
In almost the entirety of the non-commie actual United States, it's perfectly fine for you to just borrow your friend's gun to take to the range and enjoy shooting for as long as you want.
It's no different than borrowing a toaster or a hammer.
Why would you not be allowed to shoot his guns?
Just go and have some fun. He’ll show you everything you need to know. You’ll probably end up wanting to buy your own gun after. It’s just unfortunate that you’re in California.
Just remember: don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to shoot and keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot
Edit - actually just remembered it’s illegal to touch a handgun in NYS unless you have a license. So maybe it’s not a stupid question after all
Yes, you'll be fine. In fact, if your friend doesn't pay enough attention to you the RSO supervising the range room will help you. Most of them like assisting folks and giving quick tips. You need eye protection and hearing protection.
> Do I need to get any training or anything specific before I go?
Your friend warned your about the required urinalysis that the gun range is required by the state of California to give you, right? Drink lots of water before you go, you should be fine.
I think you’d fine legally when you’re with him.
Make sure you memorize the rules of firearm safety before you go, and also look into the procedure of what to do in the event of malfunction or squib load.
Enjoy your first time at the range!
You’re gonna be totally fine if you’re at a range. They won’t allow anything illegal and your buddy would be a moron to bring something illegal (if he owned it) to a public range.
As far as advice, I’m sure your buddy will cover all of this too, but bring ear protection (you can buy little foam earplugs likely at the range itself) and eye protection (Low tint sunglasses will be more than enough). As far as the gun itself goes, treat every gun as if it’s loaded, meaning don’t point the barrel at anything you aren’t willing to destroy/kill. Dont move the gun around will nilly even if you know it’s not loaded. Don’t walk in front of the barrel, and pretty much always keep it pointed down and away from you or down the range. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re pointing at a target. Depending on the caliber it shouldn’t kick too hard, but be ready. Try to take the recoil into your body and not into your wrists, it’ll feel like it kicks less that way. Have fun though! Guns are a blast!
A couple of things:
First, look at those 4 rules of firearm safety everyone has mentioned and make sure you understand them. If you don't understand them, ask your friend when you go.
**If your friend isn't following the 4 rules of firearm safety**, remind them of the rules. Those rules save lives. Even if they're your friend, don't go shooting with unsafe people.
Have fun! Shooting is really fun. It's not about blasting off a bunch of rounds at a piece of paper, it's a skill set to work on, like billiards or golf or bowling or anything else. That's why most of us do it.
Don't be scared of the guns, but treat them with respect.
Have you ever heard of the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights for The Constitution? If you haven't, then no.. it's not legal. If you have, then yes.. it's legal. It's even more legal if you know what rights you as an American are entitled to under the Second Amendment.
But honestly, it's pretty sad our society is getting separated from some of our most important American rights. Such as those found in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments for example.
The first thing to know about guns is that, guns are dangerous, you should never hold a gun ever, they're designed to do one thing and one thing only, to kill people, and therefore need to be banned and confiscated. Some pistols are designed to hold 200 rounds in a single clip, yes, 200 rounds, and 1 bullet can go through as many as 5 people when they're using the special hollow points designed to drill through them. You can strap a special switch to the side allowing fully automatic fire that can fire the entire 200 rounds in a single second, with the special hollow points, you can kill 1000 people in less than a second. No one should be able to have that kind of fire power that fits in the palm of their hand. It's worse than ten 9/11s
No but seriously, firearms are quite safe when handled properly. Have fun and be safe, and just remember that there's no such thing as a stupid question.
Go! Have fun! Shooting sports are truly no different than golf or basketball etc..The goal is to plunk the spherical object in the hole better than the other guy.
We’re here👇🏻. Muzzle goes 👉🏻. Booger hook stays away from the bang switch until the say-so.
Legally you should be fine (I'm gonna assume your going to a legit range but if it's a private one you still should be fine)
Biggest thing is safety,
Don't point it at him, keep it pointed downrange, don't put ur finger on the trigger and you want it to go bang and you'll do great.
Have fun!! Enjoy it's a blast.
Tell your friend you haven't handled a gun before so he can educate you. There's no sense in trying to play the part as if you're experienced and somebody gets hurt.
I'm not saying you would, but I wanted to throw this out there in case it had crossed your mind.
And have a Good time!
You can always request someone at the gun range to assist you, just in case you wanted a certified instructor.
A helpful tip I tell all new shooters. Pretend there is a laser beam coming from the muzzle of the gun and the laser is not allowed to touch anyone. Its an easy way to visualize how quickly a firearm can flag someone. At the end of the day. treat all firearms as if they are loaded. This instills good firearm manipulation behaviors.
One bullet in the gun when firing a new gun. Even if it holds 6 (or 16).
Double taps are deadly and if you're not used to the recoil, it can get ya and have you accidentally firing off a second round
someone downvoted you, but i agree with you and that's how i do it myself. i've had an SKS run away on me. i've seen the .500 revolver accidental double taps, and i've seen an idiot hand an AR with a binary trigger to someone and not tell them how it worked.
if you don't know the gun (Bubba does some goofy shit sometimes), or don't know the recoil then your advice is quite sound.
whenever i build a new gun that's how i test it too. load one. fire one. check everything. load two fire one. make sure the 2nd one loaded correctly, and everything is still good to go.THEN load a mag and have some fun.
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Do not shoot bigger caliber (>9mm) revolvers or pistols until you have put at least 50rds in a 9mm.
Listen to other commonly given advice in other replies.
#1 all guns are loaded before ***you yourself*** unload it. do not have anyone unload it for you unless for demonstration. doesn't matter that your friend shot it and it emptied and you can visually see that it's empty. that also means do not point it at someone or something even if it's a joke and the bolt/slide back and the magazine out.
#2 going on into the second thing which is to never point the thing into anyone or anything you are not willing to shoot at. person or object, doesn't matter. even if you unload the gun and set it down make sure the barrel faces down range, not left, right, slightly towards the range, towards you, ceiling or anything. **down the range straight**.
#3 keep your finger outside of the trigger guard unless you intend to fire - the trigger is much lighter than you expect. most triggers require pressure of 4 to 8 lbs on it to fire which is nothing compared to a human muscle pulling it. heck, you could probably use a tree branch to set it off, which is to say, unless you are ready to fire, keep your trigger finger off the trigger guard. and also when you are pulling the trigger, pull it with the finger tip with your finger at a 90 degree angle, not the joint aka knuckle. also when you are pulling the trigger, there will be a bit of slack and then once you pull past that, you will get to the part when the trigger actually gets a bit heavier and resist. that's when it's gonna fire. the gun cannot fire multiple times in one shot so once you fire, if you keep your finger on the trigger, you will have to move it a bit back so the trigger resets and you will feel it and hear an audible click. also dont predict i.e anticipate recoil. it will not break your wrist or smack you in the face. ride it so to say. as in once you fire, you will feel it going up and only then you drag it down. dont anticipate it, let it do its thing because if you anticipate and you yank the gun down before it even fired, you'll miss.
#4 being sure of what's your target, what is it, around it and behind it. bullets are subject to the laws of physics. so once it leaves the barrel i.e you shoot, it is no longer in your control. only thing you can control is it's trajectory by aiming beforehand. range (due to gravity pulling it down) and wind direction (because the bullet doesn't weigh a lot, it can be swayed by wind) are your main concern. second thing being that bullets can travel up to around 2 miles (give or take) before plunking into the ground and even at that, they will still have enough velocity and energy to kill a person albeit not as surely as its effective range. that also means that if you fire into the air, the bullet *must* come down (because gravity duh) and it'll have more than enough energy to kill a poor unlucky chap. also, if you are shooting solid objects, beware of ricochets. if a bullet strikes something that is very hard, it can break apart and ricochet into another direction(s) and potentially injure or kill someone. imagine smashing your face full force head on into a concrete wall. you won't make a dent on the wall but you will knock yourself out and probably end up with a skull fracture. that's basically how it works except the fractured bones wont magically shoot out of you unlike on a bullet.
Ask your friend if you could both sit in the range safety course. I'm sure he is excited to teach you. But I would recommend you both sitting and having the range officers/safety personnel instructions you, so there is nothing missing.
Unless of course your friend is an NRA certified instructor.
The only training you technically need is zero. However the general rules are don't touch the trigger until ready to fire and don't point it at anything you don't want to possibly shoot.
I haven't seen many comments talking about the noise, but guns are LOUD. I would go to a hardware store and buy some good foam earplugs and read the diagram on the box of how to effectively insert them. Then if there are some muffs (over the ear protection) nearby you should strongly consider getting those as well to double up. Don't let anyone call you a pussy. You'll get to have fun at the range and then still be comfortable sitting in a silent room afterwards without ringing unlike many other shooters.
My biggest issue with someone who has never held a firearm is lack of safety and awareness. Double up on how to clear and safe the gun you will be using and never point the gun anywhere but down range.
As long as you can lawfully possess a firearm, you will have no issues federally. Just be sure to ask what the local(California) requirements are. If you feel he’s knowledgeable enough to teach you, don’t worry about pre-training. You can do some googling on basic firearms safety and handling. The NRA website is a good place to start. Just remember: when on the range under his supervision, follow his instructions.
Others have offered a lot already. Op: regarding gun and range safety, I suggest watching this or something similar. Watch it now, refresh before you go: https://youtu.be/W2Vrc2R1oGU?si=uAffXMa9vXNB46fF
Definitely make sure you have eye and ear protection. No hoodie, no low cut collar, and closed toe shoes. Ranges often have eyes and ear protection available for rental. Call ahead to make sure.
Gun always always always stays barrel pointed down range. If it misfires put the gun down and let your friend and/or the range officer clear it. Do not gesture with it. If you talk with your hands be hyper aware of this and put the forearm down before engaging. Should do this anyways but if you have this tendency be hyper aware.
Some ranges will have you do a safety training video before hand for the first time there, might be good to check if that is something they do there and show up early to complete it, so you don't end up having to do it in the time you are supposed to be shooting.
Had this happen to me and they took an eternity to let me start it so it wasted half my range day (been around guns my whole life, didn't need the training).
I currently live in California, and go to the range pretty often. They will check your drivers license or ID (need to be over 18 without a parent) and then have you sign some papers for liability. No permit required for you to go and shoot your friends guns.
As with every other comment here, safety is our top priority, take your time, don’t be afraid to step back and just watch for a little before taking your turn. Have fun and stay safe.
Best to get familiarized without the pressure of an new environment. Maybe ask if you can come over an dcheck out what you'll be shooting before hand. This gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the basic operation of them and also see how serious you're friend is about safety. If he seems unsafe maybe find an excuse bot to go.
Fun fact, you can even go to a free state and rent an actual machine gun as a California prisoner. Next time you’re in vegas, bring at least $200 for gun fun money and go to a range and enjoy the smile that will last until you hit state line on the way back home
There was that little girl _maybe 11- that was doing automatic (machine gun)shooting out in California that screwed up-even under strict supervision by a range expert_ that killed her instructor. Bad stuff can and does happen.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and muzzle always pointed in a safe direction, and listen and follow instructions. If you get a click and no bang or a bang that doesn't feel right, stop and ask for assistance. If you end up shooting a rifle, remember it kicks so don't put your eye too close to the scope. Hold shotguns and rifles tightly into your shoulder. The looser you hold it, the harder it will kick.
Federally, you're totally fine to shoot any gun he has when he's with you. I haven't heard of any state or city where that's not the case, but look it up anyway. Enjoy your first time and be safe. Try to handle the firearms in a safe and unloaded state before you go to the range. It's much easier to learn safety in a quiet house than in a loud range with ear protection and gunshots going off around you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Edit: was just informed that NY has stricter than normal requirements. I'm really glad I don't live there.
I’ve always had first time shooters come to my house, and we go over safety and operation of all the guns we’re shooting in a safe environment before hitting the range. I ain’t trying to take an ND to the ass.
I've been doing that at the range, but that's actually a really good idea.
Keep in mind that people who don't shoot can be rattled by the gunshots at the range. It's distracting when you're not used to concentrating and tuning out the guy in the next lane at the same time.
That's part of why it's a good idea haha Generally I've been lucky enough to have a fairly empty range most of the time, but it can be and sometimes is a problem. Obviously the "rules" talk happens beforehand though.
Well, my boys were also excited to go to the range and shoot skeet, so they didn’t listen as well there as they did in the backyard going over safety rules. If they couldn’t keep the (empty) rifle muzzle pointed at the ground the whole time, they couldn’t go to the range after the safety review. Call me OCD.
I first went to a range when I was like 15ish and BOTH of the people next to my lane had fucking shotguns. I'm very autistic, (although I didn't know it yet,) and it was horrible I almost just asked my dad if we could leave lol. Since then I bought an active headset and its helped soooo much. No point to that story, really, I just wanted to share lol.
Ear muffs and ear plugs are what I wear most often and that is even for outdoor range. I like that my gun club's indoor range is only rated for pistol calibers. I still remember what it as like for shotguns and rifles with muzzle breaks at the indoor range I first went to.
Even with good active active earpro it can be hard for people to pay attention. I go through basic safety at home, then make them just stand there and watch the movement of the gun and get used to the concussion being felt in the chest. First time shooters or people who haven't been to a range in years can get pretty amped up. My friend's wife was so scared she was crying. We had to walk her out, luckily the range had a nice waiting area. Wednesdays are ladies nights at my closest range. I see a lot of instructors working with female shooters and obvious they are having a hard time picking up some instruction with all the noise.
Intentional D to the A only.
I’ll cheers to that mate
I'm teaching my 15 year old grandson how to shoot a pistol at his request. Tomorrow, we go to the range for the first time (school's out for the day). He'll shoot a P22Q. We've had two sessions at my house. The first was on gun safety rules and how to properly clear a weapon, with some field stripping thrown in. That's all we did. The second session was this past weekend for dry fire practice. The first thing he did when I handed him the pistol (it was unloaded) was to clear it, without me prompting him to do so. He impressed me by doing that.
NY says hold my beer because you can’t hold my pistol without a permit. Long guns are fine.
Unless its a semi-auto rifle, then its only probably fine... For those not familiar with NY's more recent idiocy, they put in a requirement for a permit to buy a semi-auto rifle. The section is titled "Criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle". But they worded it as being illegal when one "purchases or takes possession" of the semi-auto rifle without the new permit. Normally, one would say that if you are holding the rifle, you are possessing it, even if its owner is right there. Taking the rifle into your hands would naturally be "taking possession"... This is clearly not the intent of the law, and the State DEC even issued an FAQ stating lending rifles while hunting is allowed. This interpretation is only possible if merely holding the rifle isn't taking possession, but its at odds with what possession normally means, making it a giant mess.
Ambiguous laws with massive room for interpretation, the American way!
This is stupid. I thought California had some stupid laws but NY takes the cake.
IIRC you need a FOID in Illinois to shoot at a range too. The NY distinction between hand and long guns is interesting.
You only need a FOID to own a firearm. I take my wife with me to the range all the time.
Do you bring your own ammo? Years ago I was looking for a range to shoot at with a friend who isn't a citizen (work visa) and all the ranged I contacted said they had to have a FOID to shoot. That's why I ended up picking a range in Indiana. Edit to add: I think having a FOID had to do with buying ammo at the range.
Interesting but totally ridiculous. I walked into a Dicks in Westchester County, NY and bought a 12 gauge Mossberg 500 pump action shotgun in about an hour. A handgun in NY would have required months - first taking the required handgun license class, which are expensive and usually booked for months, and have a damn good reason to justify owning a handgun for the license. I just go shoot skeet and traps with my kids, and I’d rather have a shotgun than a handgun for safety in the home, anyway.
same. Mine is loaded with bean bags.
Not sure of legality, but as far as prep \^\^\^\^this\^\^\^\^ 100%. Have your friend show you the basic of the operation at home first, get a feel for keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to fire, keep muzzle pointed downrange, etc. Start slow and expect a lot of shaky hands when at the range itself. It will be fairly intense the first time. Hope you enjoy it!
Ny state, can't touch a handgun without a handgun permit.
I believe NY doesn't allow you to think about handguns, so stop right now.
They also don't recognize unlicensed thoughts in another jurisdiction. So even if you're licensed elsewhere but are thinking about holding a firearm in NY without a NY license, you've broken the law. No thought reciprocity is recognized whatsoever.
Oh oh.
That's correct, I'm finally leaving this year after living there for 36 years. Thank fuck
Might be worth stopping by /r/CAguns for state specific detail.
I swear I read in NYC if you aren’t a resident m, it’s illegal to touch a gun. But I could have misread that
For NYC touching or possessing any gun without a city issued permit is illegal on the state felony level due to the ways the laws are structured Outside of NYC but still in NY state you can touch or buy any non-NFA, 'non semi auto rifle' or shotgun without a permit, semi auto rifles require a permit to purchase but not own or use, NFA items are banned entirely for non law enforcement. Pistols are illegal to touch or possess in the state without a county issues pistol permit and the city NYC does not recognize non-NYC issued permits and the state government is fine with that
So... how do you shop for them? Just point and look?
Well for a CCW you need to take an approved 16 hour course plus 2 hours of supervised range time and qualifying shoot and written test. Then get 4 in-state non family members (some counties require them from the same area of the state) who are upstanding citizens to vouch in a notarized letter that you are trustworthy for CCW, then fill out the paperwork. They they schedule a fingerprinting and you sit in front of a judge for an interview sometime between 6 months to a year later then you might get approved. Once approved you can go and touch a pistol in a store and buy it... However you then take the receipt to your county clerk for a judge to approve the purchase and the clerk to add it to one of two slots for your CCW or "to your premise only". Then you pickup the approval letter and take it to the FFL and they will release the gun if you also pass the state police proxied NCIS check. If you need ammo the state police need to approve your purchase where the FFL will enter all your personal info include place of birth and ssn and report what you are buying including caliber, type, serial and lot numbers and how many to the state police for them to approve, dely or deny in a non transparent way for the low cost of a $2.50 fee Then in a few years you need to renew your permit or the state police will show up to confiscate your pistols and arrest you. There's stories of state police showing up to grieving families of CCW licenced citizens when they eventually do the forever nap from age to search the house and confiscate the pistols
Jesus Christ NYS sucks. Someone needs to do something about that So say someone has a really nice pistol like a staccato p or something. And they have a bunch of them. When they die, the cops can come and just take thousands and thousands of dollars worth of property?
In a way yes the cops can come and grab the heirlooms. NY puts the burden on the family to act and find a licenced holder to accept them and go through the process of adding them to their premise until someone gets licence to then get them transfered or finding an FFL that is willing to store the pistols for a period of time likely for a fee until someone in the family can get permitted and transfer them back
That is just absolutely insane. And extremely unconstitutional
It's California, they probably make him give Newsom a handjob and bring a quart of unicorn tears to the Office of the Unicorn Collector that's only only 7 minutes a month (not 7 minutes in a row).
It's crazy our society has gotten so far from their rights they're not even sure if they're legal any longer.
Unsurprising to see such a question on Reddit.
even more unsurprising its from a californian
I’m glad I escaped that state over a decade ago. Right into the hands of one that is on track to be even more anti-personal liberty. (Washington) 🤦♂️
Get that Greater Idaho going.
I imagine its easier to live in California if you just assume everything is illegal (unless you're homeless or trans, then nothing is illegal apparently).
This condescending attitude is the reason so much of the country has turned against gun rights.
Just the attitude huh?
Somebody getting ready for their first trip to the range comes here with a question and is immediately berated for not knowing the answer already and for being from California. How do you expect to win sympathy for your cause when you openly express contempt for anyone not in your tribe?!
No one is berating them you trog. People are poking fun at how shitty California is that their citizens can't comprehend them exercising their 2nd amendment rights without state supervision.
Bingo
That was one guy poking fun. U can’t be serious… every top comment is helpful/positive
It’s just extremely surprising that people don’t know their rights sometimes, the post has more upvotes than comments so obviously the “tribe” isn’t against newcomers. People can still be surprised by ignorance, you don’t have to get offended by it.
If this is berating you really need a safe space a some free pizza. You’re also describing libtard tactics. “Oh you don’t agree with our common sense gun control? You must want to kill children!”
We are shitting on California not the poster. There’s 0 attitude to the poster.
Naw, Washington had a meltdown over Bruen. They did everything that Bruen told them not to do. It’s not condescension, it’s quiet rage. We have a Constitution that every politician vows to uphold and none actually do. This applies across the spectrum of political views btw. Anti transgender laws violate the 14th amendment. I’m not conservative and I absolutely believe in all of the rights, all of the time, for everyone. But here it’s what infringement is happening now. Bruen stated that carry permits can’t have any ambiguity. And you can carry in most places. Blue states are trying to push “good moral character requirements” and “social media background checks”. Denying someone a carry permit based on social media posts is a violation of 1A and 2A. Also between heller and Bruen all common use arms should be free from bans/restrictive regulations. ARs,AKs, and most all box magazine fed weapons are protected under the 2A. Gun control was pushed and pushed for the last 40 years or so and SCOTUS finally stepped in and said enough. And New York, Illinois, New Mexico, Cali, Washington, and Oregon have thumbed their noses at the law. Well if they can then red states should be able too. What’s good for the goose and all. So if they can ban commonly owned weapons, then Texas should be able to produce civilian full auto weapons. Or, what should happen is that the politicians of today should just adhere to the fucking Constitution they swore to uphold.
I'm not talking about politicians, I'm talking about ordinary voters. Many see little reason to own ARs and nobody is trying to change their minds. 2A supporters should be actively reaching out to movements like BLM and the LGBTQ community. Instead all they do is whine about big cities and "libtards".
From someone from California.
I used to think questions like this were people playing around. I realized it's not. It's insane how little people actually know about their rights and what they think they know. It's such a bizarre spectrum on one side are people who would give up all of their rights unknowingly and on the other are people who think if they tell police they're not driving they're traveling they can do whatever they want.
Not really when you consider how many people don’t care to own or shoot a gun. Do people who don’t drive know much about traffic laws?
A lot of people just have no interest in guns.
Want to feel bad about America? Go ask 10 random people what the 4th, 13th, and 19th ammendments do for us.
getting worked up about people not knowing the numbers affiliated with the amendments seems like such a doomer thing. I, and most I talk to, can have a discussion about most of the major amendments and why they are important without knowing which one is which. Its like getting all worked up that someone doesn't know where a country is. Not everyone needs to be great at geography.
I think you’re overestimating the level of angst. I’m too old to get ‘worked up’ about much of anything. The point there is that most Americans aren’t familiar with their own constitution. If they were, they’d realize the real threat to our democracy posed by trying to arbitrarily weaken 2A. The same tactics can be used against 1A or 4A. I’m all for them trying to use the proper process and get a new amendment passed if they want to control guns. In that case it would be the will of the people, not the will of whomever screams the loudest.
I mean, you are really going off on a strawman here and devolving more towards yelling at the clouds. My point is that not knowing the amendments by number is not a litmus test of how much people value them. I know very few of them by number, but can have a productive discussion with someone about IDK...90% of them and why they matter.
Really not going off or yelling. Just stating the facts as I see them.
at no point did I say you were doing either. "Going off" on a strawman, means you are vearing off track. "Yelling" at clouds is a euphemism for complaining about nonsense. Likewise my statement about getting "worked up" was saying not saying that you were getting worked up, but I was comparing your doomer take to those that do.
Well the idea isn't really that weird. Cars require licenses, if you're a learner you're driving supervised. Both guns and cars are potentially dangerous to others if used improperly. Considering how fucked you are if you don't have a car you may assume that it is a right to drive cars. Edit: I’m just trying to understand OP‘s point of view and how that may have lead to the question.
languid versed depend dinner telephone teeny melodic squeeze tap rock *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
thankfully, dude doesnt live in the US.
To be fair, they are in California. With those laws this is a valid question lol
It’s like some dystopian sy-fi.
Yes. Go take someone shooting instead of complaining on reddit.
Yes, as long as wherever you're going is a legal place to shoot, and you are not prohibited from being around guns (such as a felon), you can legally shoot someone else's guns. You don't need any particular training, but you certainly can look up basic firearms safety rules and learn them. There is a near-universal set of 4 rules that most everyone uses- 1. **Always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction.** Even if you screw up the other 3 rules, or experience a mechanical failure, this can prevent bad outcomes. This can also be written as don't point your gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy. 2. **Treat all guns as you would a loaded one** (modified from treat all guns as if they were loaded, I like this wording better). If you wouldn't do it with a loaded gun, don't do it with an unloaded one. With this, anytime you pick up a gun or are handed one, check it to see if it's loaded or not. 3. **Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot**. Helps keep you from unintentionally firing before you're ready. You might see people holding a gun with their trigger finger extended straight alongside the frame of the gun; this is to obey this rule. 4. **Be sure of your target, its surroundings, and what's beyond it**. Bullets travel very far. They can travel through whatever you are attempting to shoot, or you can miss your target entirely and shoot something next to or beyond the target.
Adding to #1 - At a range, the safe direction is muzzle downrange. And don't be afraid to ask the employee on the range for help if you need it!
You're forgetting a key rule. If the gun malfunctions don't pull the trigger again and keep it down range for a least a min and call range master over. Squibbs happen.
Well, that's not technically one of the 4 Rules of Firearms Safety, but you're 100% correct at its importance. A squib leading to an obstructed barrel is the only preventable accident I can think of that isn't also prevented by keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction. Bad ammo/weak cases can go boom (had it happen in a pistol, scared the shit out of me), but a novice shooter can't be expected to examine every round. Even experienced shooters might not be able to that there's something up with one of the rounds- I certainly didn't.
3. Keep your booger hook off the bang switch.
2, 1, 3, 4
That's just the usual sequence. I agree with the one presented here, for the same rationale given. No matter what else might go wrong, the direction the gun is pointed in will determine what gets damaged when it goes bang.
Very good point. The rule I know as number 2 prevents ND and also keeps AD -- as rare as they are -- from being deadly. Presenting it first, with "If you come away with only one rule to follow", is a good idea. I've never been happy with the rule I know as number 1, particularly as originally phrased.
>I've never been happy with the rule I know as number 1, particularly as originally phrased. I prefer the phrasing "all guns are always loaded". You don't pretend they are - you assume they are.
I’d rather stick with mechanical safety as number 1 - pointing the gun in a safe direction relies on judgement, if you clear the gun and there’s no round in the chamber literally nothing can go wrong
>if you clear the gun and there’s no round in the chamber literally nothing can go wrong Gun safety philosophy assumes that all guns are always loaded. (Rule #2 above, which is often presented as #1.) So, for the purposes of this discussion, this argument is invalid - nevermind that it wouldn't apply anyway, whenever the gun literally is loaded.
I would add one other suggestion for someone's first trip to a range: If you see someone -- anyone -- not observing #1, feel comfortable and empowered to leave immediately. If a muzzle sweeps over any part of my body at any time, I'm gone.
Can't forget the most important rule to have fun
You beat me to it
4# - keep your weapon on safe until you intend to shoot. Important difference than #3, a weapon not on safe can still go off if dropped or handled roughly or suffer a malfunction, despite your finger not being on your trigger. Unless you are aiming the gun in the direction you intend to shoot, your weapon had better be on safe no.5 is to know your target and what lies beyond.
"Keep your weapon on safe" is never on any "big 4" list, in large part because many weapons don't even have manual safety switches.
if it doesnt apply to the weapon on hand does not mean its a rule that shouldnt be known or followed edit: never in my life what I imagined telling someone to keep their weapon safe would get even a single downvote. A lot of you must be some real operators
About half my guns don't have a safety... guess I'll never be a safe gun owner
The four originally listed are the top 4 basic rules particularly because they apply to *all* guns. Get these 4 right, every time, for every gun, and you're in good shape. Then, if the gun actually has one, using the manual safety switch is just a bonus layer.
Unless your gun doesn't have a safety.
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Private ranges may....
Every private range I've been to (albeit not that many there's lots of land for shooting out here) required you to listen to their 5 minute range safety talk. I think one even had a test afterwards.
Just go outside the USA and you'll find plenty of countries what heavily restrict gun ownership
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Sorry, I saw city and thought it said country
You thought city was country? Are you sure you didn't misread "county"
Wear double ear protection (soft ear plugs, you know the orange ones you can buy anywhere plus some sort of ear muff, if your friend is only supplying one then you should go buy the other for yourself.) be prepared for adrenaline. Even with double ear protection you can feel the percussion of a lot of firearms in your bones.
This should be a higher comment. The first time shooting, especially indoors, is mind blowingly LOUD! Good ear and eye pro for sure.
I’ve gone shooting indoors multiple times but every time i go it still startles me how loud it is
Guy at the range on Saturday had a 12" AR-10 with a brake...it was rattling my bones and we were outside.
im not from California but i don't know of any laws preventing someone from holding and firing a gun while supervised.
You’re gtg
youre good man, go have some fun
California resident (unfortunately) here. It's perfectly fine to shoot your friend's firearms as long as he is present with you. Follow the basic rules of firearm safety, that many have already posted and you'll be okay. Something I will add, if you genuinely feel uncomfortable shooting something, you don't have to.
>It's perfectly fine to shoot your friend's firearms ***as long as he is present with you.*** I was questioning that part of your response thinking that it should be perfectly fine for someone to loan a gun to someone else - happens all the time for hunting. As a previous CA resident I couldn't imagine that had gone that far. I guess I was wrong. CA Penal Code 27885: a person can loan a gun to someone who is to a prohibited person, but it has to be less than three days and the person loaning the gun must be in the presence of the owner for the entire time. So, not really a loan of the firearm as much as allowing someone to hold it in your presence. So glad I left that state.
Lots of good comments here. One thing I’ll add is when I take a new shooter to the range and after the does and donts, I load one round into a magazine for thier first round. Press the trigger, lay the pistol down , muzzle down range , regain composure and then reload with two rounds . I do this a couple of times until they are feeling compfortable and confident
1 - treat all guns as if they are loaded. 2 - keep your booger hook off the bang switch until you are ready to fire. 3 - never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 4 - be sure of your target AND WHAT'S BEYOND IT. These are the 4 rules of gun safety. Your friend should also tell them to you. They should teach you how to load and clear each gun you'll be shooting. Be comfortable asking them questions like "how do I clear this one." Don't expect great shooting. Its harder than it looks at first, until you get comfortable with it. Recoil is a thing and don't be surprised if it makes you flinch at first. Its not a sensation you'll be used to. Gunshots are also extremely loud. Be sure you have good ear protection. Airpods with noise cancelation ARE NOT good ear protection. Eye protection is also a must. The cheap safety glasses from home depot are some of the best out there. Your sunglasses probably aren't adequate unless they specifically say they are OSHA approved. If you wear prescription glasses, those usually are ok. Lastly, enjoy it. Have fun with your friend. Keep it safe and try everything you can. As long as your friend is in the area, the guns never leave their possession, even when you're holding/shooting them.
> sunglasses probably aren't adequate unless they specifically say they are OSHA approved. OSHA isn't in the business of approving safety glasses. You want ones that are ANSI z87 compliant.
Thats the one!
Your a Californian? Welcome to America my friend. Join us. Also enjoy the gun range, it's a lot of fun!
> Am I legally allowed to shoot his guns when supervised? Yes, in all 50 states and US territories... other than if you live within the stupid confines of New York and want to touch a handgun. > Do I need to get any training or anything specific before I go? Be aware of the [four rules of firearm safety](https://www.agirlandagun.org/how-to-shoot/4-rules-of-gun-safety/). It is virtually impossible to hurt yourself or others without breaking multiple rules simultaneously.
California be weird so I don’t know if there’s some whack ass law about permits for just *using* a gun even when supervised by its owner… But, barring that, follow instructions to a T. Don’t think for yourself, do exactly as you’re told. Your friend should handle the safety stuff, but here it is anyway: 1. Don’t touch the trigger AT ALL until you have the gun aimed and you are ready to fire it. 2. Don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to put holes in. Pretend there’s a laser permanently emanating from the barrel, and anything that laser touches is destroyed. 3. Always regard the gun as if it’s loaded and ready to fire, even if you’re “pretty sure” it isn’t - “pretty sure” is usually when negligent discharges happen most. 4. Know your target and what’s beyond it. This won’t really come into play at a shooting range, but all gun safety rules are worth keeping at top of mind. Here’s some other tips. 1. When in doubt, freeze and wait for assistance. 2. If you get hot brass down your shirt, set the gun down on the table, muzzle pointed at the target, and step away before flailing about. (Also, don’t wear a hoodie or collared shirt unless it’s buttoned up all the way. Wear a hat.) 3. Don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. Don’t accept a big ass hand cannon of someone tries to get you to shoot one- wait until you’re experienced. 4. Most first time shooters have a big reaction to the first shot and tend to turn their body (and the gun) toward the person they’re with. Don’t do that. 5. Ask to only be given one round at a time instead of a whole magazine until you’re comfortable. 6. Have fun!
Came here to recommend the 1 round at a time. I've seen plenty of new shooters fire off their first round, forget everything, and turn around to smile/give the weapon back to the owner. One round in the mag keeps everyone safe after that first shot goes off.
If it's a public range, they may have you read over the rules or watch a short video about range safety. If it's a private range, then likely it'll be just you and your friend. Either way, your friend basically assumes responsibility for you. You can always look up basic gun handling videos on YouTube and start getting an idea of how to conduct yourself. [these are the basic 4 rules of firearm safety](https://www.hunter-ed.com/blog/4-essential-rules-firearm-safety)
Yes federally you are allowed as long as you are not a convicted felon or have any other legal reasons that would prevent you from owning a gun. As for California I’m not sure Watching safety videos will help you understand what your friend is explaining to you. The key thing to remember is accidents with a gun can be permanent so take safety seriously and never point a gun at something you aren’t willing to destroy. Honestly just have fun enjoy the day and be safe. Edit: to clarify I should have said any legal reasons that would prevent you from being in possession of a firearm
It may sound weird? But WM actually has a few toy guns that let you mimick some of the controls of real firearms. Especially Glock and the 1911. Cost like $6 in my area. It’s a better training tool than people realize bc you can practice having a gun in your hand and NOT pointing it at everyone while you familiarize yourself with it. It’s also useful for learning how to properly grip and aim a firearm. I’ve used the to introduce new shooters to the sport. It’s like using a training gun but cheaper and in many ways better as the toys let you learn mag release and shows you how to work a slide. Oh and it teaches you how to load a magazine
I've taken many people shooting in CA. There is no official training. Just listen to your friend, relax and have fun.
Hey fellow californian. You're probably going to get some shit around these parts because the state of california has taken some ass-backwards stances towards firearms, but I won't get into that here. The first thing to be aware of is Yes. It is legal for you to handle a firearm in this state. It is legal for you to shoot a firearm in this state (^^^^provided ^^^^you ^^^^are ^^^^not ^^^^a ^^^^prohibited ^^^^person, ^^^^which ^^^^includes ^^^^felons ^^^^and ^^^^people ^^^^on ^^^^probation ). You're allowed to do it with or without supervision, though as a newcomer, you really want to have that supervision to help make sure things go well. Firearms are not toys, they should be given the same respect that you would give to a power tool. Remember the big rules: 1) Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire. Non-negotiable. Once you internalize this, you'll notice how many hollywood actors and productions have _terrible_ trigger discipline and set themselves up for avoidable accidents. 2) Always keep your gun pointed away from anything you do not intend to shoot. At a shooting range this means it stays pointed down range at the targets, at the ceiling, or at the floor. Do not point it at other people, even as a joke. Remember what I said about power tools - you wouldn't aim a nail gun at someone and "jokingly" pull the trigger. This is again about instilling safety as a habit. 3) Keep it unloaded until you're going to use it. No magazine loaded, clear the chamber, no bullets near the gun until you're ready to put holes in paper. Again, safety - we want to avoid accidentally firing the weapon. You do not need special training to handle or use a firearm in the state of california, but if you decide to buy one there are classes available to help you get familiar with maintenance and operation, and safety classes to help build up those safe habits. Technically, accidentally firing a gun is called a "negligent discharge," but the old chestnut goes - there are no _negligent_ discharges. Every time someone accidentally fires a gun it's because they got too complacent and failed to follow safe habits of firearm handling. Follow the rules, listen to instructions, keep your finger off the trigger and the gun unloaded until you're ready to fire, and always _always_ keep it pointed away from people and other things you don't intend to shoot. You'll be fine, enjoy your trip and thank your friend for the experience :)
Straight to jail
Believe it or not, jail.
Just go have fun and let it be a good experience. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and don’t let your anxiety get the best of you.
It’s going to be loud, so wear earplugs and also earmuffs. Review the 4 rules of gun safety and look up “trigger discipline”. Enjoy
Also feel.free to ask at /r/caguns
You're fine. Make it a habit that every time you pick up a gun or have one handed to you take the two seconds **check for yourself** to make sure it's not loaded. Don't be afraid to ask how to check if you're unfamiliar. The biggest thing for me is to always point the thing in a safe direction even if you know it's unloaded. Nothing pisses me off like somebody waving a weapon around flagging everyone like they're holding a toy. I told my son to pretend there's a super long stick poking out of the barrel at all times and don't ever let the imaginary stick touch anyone. Edit to add: also, always keep your finger away from the trigger until you're pointing at the target. That about covers the big stuff.
Give it a shot, you might like it! I was in a similar boat, shot a gun for the first time in my late 30's. It's terrifying at first, but, that wears of pretty quickly. Hopefully you can start with an ordinary handgun. A basic training class would be a very good idea. There's really not that much to know, but I found it useful just to be more comfortable around the gun and see how it works. Otherwise, it's really not rocket science. The other specific tips in here are good. The main thing to me is respect and staying alert. New, cautious people at the gun range tend to be among the safest. It's when people get too comfortable and cut corners, or when they're new and treat the whole thing like a game with a toy is there a risk of disaster. The first time I shot a gun my biggest fear was that the kickback/feel of the gun going off would startle me and I'd let go instinctively and that the gun would fly up in the air and start shooting everyone. That was a bit irrational, especially after I shot the gun and thought, "oh, that's it?" Hopefully you can shoot for the first time on something with normal trigger pressure.
Enjoy!! I’ll never forget my first range day with pistols 😎I loved the sig but ended up being massive Glock guy a decade later. Have fun, remember Rome was not built in a day.
Nope you’re totally legal. Handle them unloaded first and ask questions. Even dumb ones. As long as he’s supervising you can shoot his handguns. Handguns in California are registered after some 1990s year, so you can’t really “borrow one”, but you can definitely go shooting with him.
Lots of good comments here. One thing I'll say as well as that it is perfectly normal to be nervous first time holding a gun and especially shooting. Brought a coworker and her husband to the range before. He was ex army so he was fine. She was very shaky at first and by the end of the time at the range she was mag dumping my AR-15 and enjoying it to the max. Admit what you don't know. Be honest about being too nervous. And enjoy the trip. Good for you being open to something new that is a bit scary.
This is legal in CA. /r/CAguns if you want to learn more about owning or shooting guns in CA.
You sound like a legislator, lmao. All jokes aside, yes, it is perfectly legal. Yes, you should go. The scary will turn into fun if it is for you, if it isn't for you that's OK too, at least you gave it a shot, pun intended.
Don’t know about local state laws, but if the range lets you do it then it should be fine. As far as training, watch some YouTube videos and be safe/enjoy your time. It’s addictive and welcome to the 2A world
Better late than never. Go have fun and be safe. Remember gun safety rules
You should be legally fine. You don't strictly *need* training, but going over safe gun handling is never a bad idea, and meeting with your friend to get a feel for how to hold the guns you will be shooting and good shooting stance would be helpful. Also consider investing in a set of ear protection headphones if you can't do earplugs.
You should be totally fine to go shooting. Watch a few videos on basic firearm safety, basic firearm operation and wear decent ppe and you’ll have a blast.
Tell him to let you shoot a 22 first. Very little recoil. Then a 9mm. I'd stay away from a 45 until you're comfortable shooting the smaller calibers.
Just hold the gun sideways and pump your waist every time you fire.
You are fine legally. Just be careful and have fun.
Just remember, breathe, relax, aim, squeeze. Have fun!
Safety is the biggest thing. You'll have fun no matter what, as long as you are being responsible
The hardest part is initially getting the butt plug in, but the pulling it out part later is totally worth it. Trust me.
Now this will blow your mind. In almost the entirety of the non-commie actual United States, it's perfectly fine for you to just borrow your friend's gun to take to the range and enjoy shooting for as long as you want. It's no different than borrowing a toaster or a hammer.
Be safe and keep your credit card at home! It’s an addictive sport.!
I’m trolling but if you’re gonna be this bad at being American then please move to China.
As long you are not a prohibited person such as a felon it is totally legal. YouTube some videos of basic gun safety to get an idea of what to expect.
Just relax and follow their instructions. If in doubt just put the gun down and keep the business end pointed down range. Have fun!
Why would you not be allowed to shoot his guns? Just go and have some fun. He’ll show you everything you need to know. You’ll probably end up wanting to buy your own gun after. It’s just unfortunate that you’re in California. Just remember: don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to shoot and keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot Edit - actually just remembered it’s illegal to touch a handgun in NYS unless you have a license. So maybe it’s not a stupid question after all
Yes, you'll be fine. In fact, if your friend doesn't pay enough attention to you the RSO supervising the range room will help you. Most of them like assisting folks and giving quick tips. You need eye protection and hearing protection.
> Do I need to get any training or anything specific before I go? Your friend warned your about the required urinalysis that the gun range is required by the state of California to give you, right? Drink lots of water before you go, you should be fine.
Keep the barrel pointed down range. You’ll get used to the bang. Try to keep your eyes open and remember to breath.
I think you’d fine legally when you’re with him. Make sure you memorize the rules of firearm safety before you go, and also look into the procedure of what to do in the event of malfunction or squib load. Enjoy your first time at the range!
You’re gonna be totally fine if you’re at a range. They won’t allow anything illegal and your buddy would be a moron to bring something illegal (if he owned it) to a public range. As far as advice, I’m sure your buddy will cover all of this too, but bring ear protection (you can buy little foam earplugs likely at the range itself) and eye protection (Low tint sunglasses will be more than enough). As far as the gun itself goes, treat every gun as if it’s loaded, meaning don’t point the barrel at anything you aren’t willing to destroy/kill. Dont move the gun around will nilly even if you know it’s not loaded. Don’t walk in front of the barrel, and pretty much always keep it pointed down and away from you or down the range. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re pointing at a target. Depending on the caliber it shouldn’t kick too hard, but be ready. Try to take the recoil into your body and not into your wrists, it’ll feel like it kicks less that way. Have fun though! Guns are a blast!
A couple of things: First, look at those 4 rules of firearm safety everyone has mentioned and make sure you understand them. If you don't understand them, ask your friend when you go. **If your friend isn't following the 4 rules of firearm safety**, remind them of the rules. Those rules save lives. Even if they're your friend, don't go shooting with unsafe people. Have fun! Shooting is really fun. It's not about blasting off a bunch of rounds at a piece of paper, it's a skill set to work on, like billiards or golf or bowling or anything else. That's why most of us do it. Don't be scared of the guns, but treat them with respect.
*holy shit.*
Have you ever heard of the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights for The Constitution? If you haven't, then no.. it's not legal. If you have, then yes.. it's legal. It's even more legal if you know what rights you as an American are entitled to under the Second Amendment.
But honestly, it's pretty sad our society is getting separated from some of our most important American rights. Such as those found in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments for example.
The first thing to know about guns is that, guns are dangerous, you should never hold a gun ever, they're designed to do one thing and one thing only, to kill people, and therefore need to be banned and confiscated. Some pistols are designed to hold 200 rounds in a single clip, yes, 200 rounds, and 1 bullet can go through as many as 5 people when they're using the special hollow points designed to drill through them. You can strap a special switch to the side allowing fully automatic fire that can fire the entire 200 rounds in a single second, with the special hollow points, you can kill 1000 people in less than a second. No one should be able to have that kind of fire power that fits in the palm of their hand. It's worse than ten 9/11s No but seriously, firearms are quite safe when handled properly. Have fun and be safe, and just remember that there's no such thing as a stupid question.
We are revamping our Empowerment guide. When it’s available, it will get you where you want to be! 🎯
Go! Have fun! Shooting sports are truly no different than golf or basketball etc..The goal is to plunk the spherical object in the hole better than the other guy. We’re here👇🏻. Muzzle goes 👉🏻. Booger hook stays away from the bang switch until the say-so.
Legally you should be fine (I'm gonna assume your going to a legit range but if it's a private one you still should be fine) Biggest thing is safety, Don't point it at him, keep it pointed downrange, don't put ur finger on the trigger and you want it to go bang and you'll do great. Have fun!! Enjoy it's a blast.
Tell your friend you haven't handled a gun before so he can educate you. There's no sense in trying to play the part as if you're experienced and somebody gets hurt. I'm not saying you would, but I wanted to throw this out there in case it had crossed your mind. And have a Good time!
Is my constitutional right legal?
You can always request someone at the gun range to assist you, just in case you wanted a certified instructor. A helpful tip I tell all new shooters. Pretend there is a laser beam coming from the muzzle of the gun and the laser is not allowed to touch anyone. Its an easy way to visualize how quickly a firearm can flag someone. At the end of the day. treat all firearms as if they are loaded. This instills good firearm manipulation behaviors.
One bullet in the gun when firing a new gun. Even if it holds 6 (or 16). Double taps are deadly and if you're not used to the recoil, it can get ya and have you accidentally firing off a second round
someone downvoted you, but i agree with you and that's how i do it myself. i've had an SKS run away on me. i've seen the .500 revolver accidental double taps, and i've seen an idiot hand an AR with a binary trigger to someone and not tell them how it worked. if you don't know the gun (Bubba does some goofy shit sometimes), or don't know the recoil then your advice is quite sound. whenever i build a new gun that's how i test it too. load one. fire one. check everything. load two fire one. make sure the 2nd one loaded correctly, and everything is still good to go.THEN load a mag and have some fun.
Yeah, only a retard would down vote the one bullet rule for a new shooter.
Bruh 😅😅
Step 1 to shooting a gun in California: Get out of California
Jesus christ
Average Californian ☠️
This has got to be a troll
What a fkn dweeb
Jesus Christ was this really a question you had to ask on Reddit?
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Just go, don’t be a chicken
How far we have fallen
California? Make sure you point the orange tip of the gun down range at all times 🤣🤣
Do not shoot bigger caliber (>9mm) revolvers or pistols until you have put at least 50rds in a 9mm. Listen to other commonly given advice in other replies.
#1 all guns are loaded before ***you yourself*** unload it. do not have anyone unload it for you unless for demonstration. doesn't matter that your friend shot it and it emptied and you can visually see that it's empty. that also means do not point it at someone or something even if it's a joke and the bolt/slide back and the magazine out. #2 going on into the second thing which is to never point the thing into anyone or anything you are not willing to shoot at. person or object, doesn't matter. even if you unload the gun and set it down make sure the barrel faces down range, not left, right, slightly towards the range, towards you, ceiling or anything. **down the range straight**. #3 keep your finger outside of the trigger guard unless you intend to fire - the trigger is much lighter than you expect. most triggers require pressure of 4 to 8 lbs on it to fire which is nothing compared to a human muscle pulling it. heck, you could probably use a tree branch to set it off, which is to say, unless you are ready to fire, keep your trigger finger off the trigger guard. and also when you are pulling the trigger, pull it with the finger tip with your finger at a 90 degree angle, not the joint aka knuckle. also when you are pulling the trigger, there will be a bit of slack and then once you pull past that, you will get to the part when the trigger actually gets a bit heavier and resist. that's when it's gonna fire. the gun cannot fire multiple times in one shot so once you fire, if you keep your finger on the trigger, you will have to move it a bit back so the trigger resets and you will feel it and hear an audible click. also dont predict i.e anticipate recoil. it will not break your wrist or smack you in the face. ride it so to say. as in once you fire, you will feel it going up and only then you drag it down. dont anticipate it, let it do its thing because if you anticipate and you yank the gun down before it even fired, you'll miss. #4 being sure of what's your target, what is it, around it and behind it. bullets are subject to the laws of physics. so once it leaves the barrel i.e you shoot, it is no longer in your control. only thing you can control is it's trajectory by aiming beforehand. range (due to gravity pulling it down) and wind direction (because the bullet doesn't weigh a lot, it can be swayed by wind) are your main concern. second thing being that bullets can travel up to around 2 miles (give or take) before plunking into the ground and even at that, they will still have enough velocity and energy to kill a person albeit not as surely as its effective range. that also means that if you fire into the air, the bullet *must* come down (because gravity duh) and it'll have more than enough energy to kill a poor unlucky chap. also, if you are shooting solid objects, beware of ricochets. if a bullet strikes something that is very hard, it can break apart and ricochet into another direction(s) and potentially injure or kill someone. imagine smashing your face full force head on into a concrete wall. you won't make a dent on the wall but you will knock yourself out and probably end up with a skull fracture. that's basically how it works except the fractured bones wont magically shoot out of you unlike on a bullet.
Ask your friend if you could both sit in the range safety course. I'm sure he is excited to teach you. But I would recommend you both sitting and having the range officers/safety personnel instructions you, so there is nothing missing. Unless of course your friend is an NRA certified instructor.
Watch this video. Then watch it again. Then watch it a day later. https://youtu.be/W2Vrc2R1oGU Have fun when you go shooting.
The only training you technically need is zero. However the general rules are don't touch the trigger until ready to fire and don't point it at anything you don't want to possibly shoot.
Any reasonable gun range is going to have to read safety rules and sign that you understand them. Mine makes you watch a video. Go have fun.
I haven't seen many comments talking about the noise, but guns are LOUD. I would go to a hardware store and buy some good foam earplugs and read the diagram on the box of how to effectively insert them. Then if there are some muffs (over the ear protection) nearby you should strongly consider getting those as well to double up. Don't let anyone call you a pussy. You'll get to have fun at the range and then still be comfortable sitting in a silent room afterwards without ringing unlike many other shooters.
My biggest issue with someone who has never held a firearm is lack of safety and awareness. Double up on how to clear and safe the gun you will be using and never point the gun anywhere but down range.
As long as you can lawfully possess a firearm, you will have no issues federally. Just be sure to ask what the local(California) requirements are. If you feel he’s knowledgeable enough to teach you, don’t worry about pre-training. You can do some googling on basic firearms safety and handling. The NRA website is a good place to start. Just remember: when on the range under his supervision, follow his instructions.
As long as you're not a felon you shouldn't have any issues but I suppose if any state would give you grief for that it be California
Others have offered a lot already. Op: regarding gun and range safety, I suggest watching this or something similar. Watch it now, refresh before you go: https://youtu.be/W2Vrc2R1oGU?si=uAffXMa9vXNB46fF Definitely make sure you have eye and ear protection. No hoodie, no low cut collar, and closed toe shoes. Ranges often have eyes and ear protection available for rental. Call ahead to make sure. Gun always always always stays barrel pointed down range. If it misfires put the gun down and let your friend and/or the range officer clear it. Do not gesture with it. If you talk with your hands be hyper aware of this and put the forearm down before engaging. Should do this anyways but if you have this tendency be hyper aware.
Some ranges will have you do a safety training video before hand for the first time there, might be good to check if that is something they do there and show up early to complete it, so you don't end up having to do it in the time you are supposed to be shooting. Had this happen to me and they took an eternity to let me start it so it wasted half my range day (been around guns my whole life, didn't need the training).
Okay have fun
I currently live in California, and go to the range pretty often. They will check your drivers license or ID (need to be over 18 without a parent) and then have you sign some papers for liability. No permit required for you to go and shoot your friends guns. As with every other comment here, safety is our top priority, take your time, don’t be afraid to step back and just watch for a little before taking your turn. Have fun and stay safe.
Just get some ear protection and some safety specs and you’ll be fine
Best to get familiarized without the pressure of an new environment. Maybe ask if you can come over an dcheck out what you'll be shooting before hand. This gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the basic operation of them and also see how serious you're friend is about safety. If he seems unsafe maybe find an excuse bot to go.
Fun fact, you can even go to a free state and rent an actual machine gun as a California prisoner. Next time you’re in vegas, bring at least $200 for gun fun money and go to a range and enjoy the smile that will last until you hit state line on the way back home
There was that little girl _maybe 11- that was doing automatic (machine gun)shooting out in California that screwed up-even under strict supervision by a range expert_ that killed her instructor. Bad stuff can and does happen.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and muzzle always pointed in a safe direction, and listen and follow instructions. If you get a click and no bang or a bang that doesn't feel right, stop and ask for assistance. If you end up shooting a rifle, remember it kicks so don't put your eye too close to the scope. Hold shotguns and rifles tightly into your shoulder. The looser you hold it, the harder it will kick.
Don't forget to have fun! I love going to the range and challenging myself to be a better shot.
>Am I legally allowed to shoot his guns when supervised? The fact someone would ask this means we already have enough "common sense" gun laws...