[mybigguns]

I went to my local range/gun shop that I frequent at least once a week.
I told the guy behind the counter that I wanted to rent a gun.
Instead of asking me "Which one? " he asks if there is anyone with me?
When I told him I was alone, he said that he couldn't rent me the gun because they don't want to be responsible if I blow my brains out on the range. I took this to mean suicide.
Luckily I brought my own gun with me to the range and just used that, and no I didn't even come close to putting it in my mouth.

But after I got home and thought about it, that's kind of BS isn't it?
I clearly walked in with a range bag and gun case, if I wanted to kill myself I could do that at home or right in front of him for that matter.

Has anyone run into this before?

[canebrake]

Rent-a-suicide is becoming an issue at gun ranges.

Most employees are trained to evaluate renters for this potential.

Sounds like you got one with really tacky bedside manners.

[Tackleberry1]

I've seen it before too. Like Cane says, this is policy at many ranges. No ones brings a friend or loved one if there planning suicide.

Were I you however, I would contact the owner. There is a difference between a person with there own equipment and someone who walks in with nothing.

I bet the answer would have been different if you'd spent time firing your own gun before asking to rent one. This sounds like an over simplified policy being miss applied by an employee. I'm sure the owner would correct it if you politely explained the situation.

Tack

[winds-of-change]

Originally Posted by Tackleberry1

I've seen it before too. Like Cane says, this is policy at many ranges. No ones brings a friend or loved one if there planning suicide.

Were I you however, I would contact the owner. There is a difference between a person with there own equipment and someone who walks in with nothing.

I bet the answer would have been different if you'd spent time firing your own gun before asking to rent one. This sounds like an over simplified policy being miss applied by an employee. I'm sure the owner would correct it if you politely explained the situation.

Tack

This is what I was thinking, too.

[mybigguns]

Originally Posted by Tackleberry1

I've seen it before too. Like Cane says, this is policy at many ranges. No ones brings a friend or loved one if there planning suicide.

Were I you however, I would contact the owner. There is a difference between a person with there own equipment and someone who walks in with nothing.

I bet the answer would have been different if you'd spent time firing your own gun before asking to rent one. This sounds like an over simplified policy being miss applied by an employee. I'm sure the owner would correct it if you politely explained the situation.

Tack

I know the range officers fairly well also, as I try to shoot weekly. I was thinking of maybe having one of them put in a good word for me.

[Tackleberry1]

Originally Posted by mybigguns

I know the range officers fairly well also, as I try to shoot weekly. I was thinking of maybe having one of them put in a good word for me.

That's an excellent idea. Most range operators I've encountered are cordial, down to earth folks who love shooting sports as much as we do. I RSO for my gun club and application of policies is always filtered through the lense of common sence.

Tack

[kdog]

Well we had a case, that a metally ill person wnt to a hunters gun range and shot a few rounds, and while the RO and another shooter was in front taking up the scores, the guy shot all three of them.
And no, it is not usual, that the guns are holstered here at the range.........all hell break loose once again here and the flipping Antis did theire thing again.

[Overkill0084]

Next time, ask him what a second person is supposed to do to prevent suicides. Do they have a pamphlet?

[axxe55]

have i been away from ranges for a while! i have never even heard of this type of questioning before. but i have for the most part been shooting on my land or land that belongs to family for almost twenty years now. suicide by rental. have never heard that one before.

[Shoobee]

I have never been to an indoor range, the kind where they rent handguns (pistols and revolvers), but I know they exist and are popular for inexperienced shooters who are trying to learn how to shoot and/or decide what to buy.

At the outdoor ranges that I do visit once or twice a year, everyone brings their own guns (shotguns, rifles, revolvers, and pistols) and renting is not available.

I spend most of my time at the archery range, since archery skills need to be practiced year round, unlike shooting firearms, which once you learn how to do correctly the first time, you never forget. Especially if you learned by the numbers, and you can still remember the numbers.

I have never read in the news locally where anyone did a suicide at a gun range however.

I do not doubt that the employee in the above description was doing what he was told to do. The ownership is probably who is a bit paranoid in this story.

You can tell the economy is bad, when range owners are afraid despondent types will use their range for a quick exit from reality.