"Take a Kid to Range" Day.

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USAFNoDak

New member
I don't know how we would get this going on a national level, but I think it would be good to have a national "Take a Kid to the Range" day. In my land of 10,000 liberals (and lakes) Minnesota, the state has a take a kid fishing day, in which adults who do not have a fishing license can fish as long as they have a child along with them who is fishing also.

If we could get gun ranges across the country to promote this, we could have a day when the range is open to the public, and to shoot you must bring along a kid to shoot with you. Any range fees would be waived.

I am going to bring this up at my local gun club. Maybe this is being done already and I just haven't heard about it.

It would also help to try and get publicity through TV, radio, and the local newspapers if possible.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to promote something like this on a national level, if it is not being done already. I get the feeling that there are gun owners here with some great connections and networks.

If this is a stupid idea, I apologize.
 
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K80Geoff

New member
New York has or maybe had, haven't checked lately, a special youngsters deer hunting day. Only kids under 18 with hunting licenses and a supervising adult are allowed to hunt deer on that day.

Good idea, but make a lesson in firearms saftey part of the day. Perhaps you could get manufacturers or dealers to donate ammo for the kids to shoot. And get volunteers to teach safety and marksmanship.

Bet the rugrats would enjoy this more than take you daughter to work day:D
 
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USAFNoDak

New member
I sent an email to the NRA with my suggestion. It is such a big organization that I don't know how far this will get. They have a lot on their plate. As a minimum we should each bring this up with our local gun club/range and have them do it on a local basis.
 
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shootist2121

New member
Don't wait for it to happen in the near future. To many people in the media would jump all over it..
Instead just do it..Take the neightbor kid (Wih permission from parent), or anyone even remotely interested no matter adolescent or adult.. Just take them. Show them that it's not like TV or the movies..Thatit is fun and alot of skill to hit the black circle. I've converted or soften over two dozen people these last couple of years by doing just that.
Sure it cost me time, money for ammo and some times even range fees..But it was well worth it. This is what the is really meant by GrassRoots.

:D :D :D
 
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Malone LaVeigh

New member
I've taken my son's friends to the range on a couple of occasions, including one whose mother was a MMMer. I think this is the most important and useful thing we can do. But not just kids. Introducing folks who have never shot to the sport and letting them see the reality of it is vitally important. If the NRA doesn't have time for this because they're so tied up in partisan politics, to hell with them.
 
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MikeK

New member
I think it's a wonderful idea! I'm takling my 13 year old nephew out for the 2nd time this friday. Have taken another and will be taking a 3rd on summer vacation, which is the only time we see him.

My range has sponsored a "Gathering" geared toward politicians, but we have ended up with a group of Boy Scouts both times. Did get some politicians, but they were some of the few pro-gun legislators in the state.

p.s. - USAFNoDak - If you were stationed in Minot, you may have met my brother, Major Dan.
 
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4V50 Gary

Staff
I think it's a great idea.

Want to take kids shooting and keep it super legitimate?

Well, become a Boy Scout Shooting Merit Badge Counselor. In the old days, merit badges distinguished between rifles, shotguns and blackpowder. Nowadays, it's an all-in-one merit badge and you can take the kids out and have them shoot the guns you're familar with. BTW, you do have to follow the proscribed Boy Scout training program for the kids, but it's well designed, teaches them safety, respect and responsible handling of firearms.

BTW, mere mention of a trip to the range with real guns gets the kids all excited and helps recruitment. Of course, Soccer Moms do go ballistic ("You're not going to let my son touch a gun!"). Let the Scout Master deal with the parents and in the end, it'll only be the parents who are liberal (in this sense, open minded) enough who will permit their sons to earn this merit badge.
 
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USAFNoDak

New member
MikeK, I was at Grand Forks. I too have been taking my kids and several of their friends to our range (after getting verbal permission from the parents). Getting kids exposed to firearms and safety is the right thing to do. My Son and my Wife just started Gun Safety training last night.

What my idea hopefully would accomplish, is to get the attention of folks who don't regularly go to a gun range because of cost, don't belong as a member, don't have time, the kids are too busy, etc. etc. etc. By offering a free day or opening up normal private hours to the public, with the criteria that you must be accompanied by a youth under 18 yrs. old, we may just create an interest. This may never fly, but I think it's worth a try.

As far as the media jumping all over this, GOOD! If they araise awareness, we just might get some people just from that alone. If they spin it negatively, we can prove to our friends, neighbors, family members, other acquaintences, just how biased the media is in attacking a "family" event. We might get others just to spite the media!

I am a novice at organizing anything like this. I have read thousands of posts here, and I see people who are intelligent, and seem well connected. How do we pull this off?

I don't think we want to tie this in with safety instruction or any other formal program. While that is always commendable, in this case it just might keep people away that otherwise might just come out to plink.

We need the clubs/ranges to work on this. Safety is of prime concern. Volunteers would be needed. This may be the biggest challange from a logistical standpoint. As I mentioned, I am going to talk to the officers at my club.

Then, we also need a date if it will be promoted on a wide scale basis. Do we do spring, summer, fall? Winter is probably too cold for a lot of the northern states.

Suggestions? Opinions? Input? Thanks to those who have done so already.
 
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Kharn

New member
4V50 Gary: Are you sure its not the other way around? In the old days, it was one badge for all disciplines of shooting (Rifle and Shotgun Shooting), when I was in scouting (~1993 to 2000, Eagle Scout in '98) they distinguished between Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting (black powder and air guns were options under rifle shooting, incase you didnt want to do .22s). I havent paid as much attention to the program as I should lately, as I'm in college and I prefer the milsurp guns to the .22s, so it might have changed.

Kharn
 
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