Who should buy the ammo

[nwwoodsman]

If a friend ask you to take him and his friend and his friends wife to the movies they've never seen, who pays? What about taking them all to dinner to a restaurant they've never patronized before? Or to the zoo because they've never been there before? I would lose some respect for the person who initiates the event and ask that you pay for them. If they're an able bodied adult of a sound mine they can pay for their own fun. Now if it were a child who's never gone shooting before or perhaps the fairly attactive neighbor gal then by all means, shell out the dough

 

[Ironbar]

If you invited him, then you pay.

If he want's you to take him out, then make him pay for his own ammo.

Simple as that.

 

[teflon6string]

Good point by NWWoodsman. Cute gal with great zoomers? Let's go shooting!

Personally, here's my take - and a suggestion:

I've worked MFAO for decades. I'm hardly affluent but I've prioritized shooting as one of my hobbies, and I get pleasure from sharing guns/ammo with legit first timers. My hobby - my friends - my treat.

It helps to stock up on bargain bulk ammo between outings, and no law says I have to shoot a dozen different calibers every time I go. So my big expense on shooting day is a burger and beer on the way home (sometimes covered by appreciative friends who enjoyed the experience). Most offer to pay for gas and ammo, but the first time is on me. Want to go again? Refer back to paragraph-1 above.

However...

Although I've always had income, I really had to scrape to pay rent when I was young. I had a .22, a 12 gauge, a .357 mag pistol and a 1911. Turning money into noise was a distinct luxury for me into my 30's. So back then, if someone asked me to take them shooting, I'd jump at the chance. I'd also tell them beforehand what ammo and clay pigeons cost, and we'd stop at Gemco (yes, I'm that old) on the way out of town to buy what we needed. Sometimes we'd just rip through a brick of .22 and call it good.

 

[Chalupacabra]

If they're both first timers, I would be surprised if they put anymore than 50-100rds, .22lr aside, out of a long gun combined. I think as the caliber gets bigger, the ammo spent will get smaller. I would just look at it differently and say that I would have blown off the ammo anyways so as they are reloading, I will be getting my .22 practice in. Then, just work it in to the conversation how expensive the hobby gets. If they start outshooting their welcome, suggest they try the 12ga. Appeal to their shoulders

 

[DuneHopper]

I got a friend that's visiting his family here in Oregon and he asked if I could take him and his wife to shoot gun for the first time. Now should I provide the ammo or is it only fair that I tell him to buy the ammo? He doesn't even have a car to get around so I might have to pick them up also. He is a good friend of mine but ammo isn't cheap either if I were providing ammo. If they just wanted to shoot 22's no problem I got that covered but he is going for the bigger caliber's...

Etiquette would say you invited you pay, it is like inviting people over for steak and asking them to pay for the stake and hotdogs are free. Tell them its my treat this time, next time if you like shooting still we can go in together on ammo.
I disagree a guest should pay for anything especially when it is a private affair.

 

[oknow]

Etiquette would say you invited you pay, it is like inviting people over for steak and asking them to pay for the stake and hotdogs are free. Tell them its my treat this time, next time if you like shooting still we can go in together on ammo.
I disagree a guest should pay for anything especially when it is a private affair.

"he asked if I could take him and his wife to shoot gun for the first time."

 

[DuneHopper]

"he asked if I could take him and his wife to shoot gun for the first time."

I hear ya, I still think its a good gesture it would be a cool thing to do.
Sorry before I misread that.

 

[leadcounsel]

Depends on my and my friends' financial situations. I really like introducing new folks to shooting, but I don't want to be taken advantage of and the stuff just ain't free either.

If I were asking a friend to learn a sport like skiing or something, I wouldn't expect them to pay for my gear or rental of equipment or lift ticket... I don't think my real "friends" would expect to use up all of my ammo for free either.

I do mention the cost of ammo, and let it go from there; "9mm is about $10 per box..." or "5.56 is about 30 cents a bullet..." will send the message that it isn't free.

ALSO, and importantly, people tend to aim better and shoot more carefully when each pull of the trigger is costing THEM 30 cents and isn't free. You get folks out there with boxes of free ammo and they shoot it all up a lot faster than they do when THEY bought the ammo.

Generally, I'm picking up the range fee or inviting them as my guest on my membership. They're getting free quality training and free use of my variety of guns. That alone is probably worth a fair bit of bread. I often also get stuck with cleaning the guns afterward.

Generally, I'll pay for the first box on the first outting. After that they can pay for the ammo.

I have started "showing" friends how to take down and clean the guns after use... that helps me with the cleaning.

Final thought, ANY invite implies that the inviter pay for most, but the invitee pay for SOMETHING. If I'm invited to a dinner party, I bring a nice bottle of wine that probably covers the cost of my meal ($20...).

I would expect a good friend to offer to pay for ammo, or take you to dinner or drinks, etc. in return for the instruction and use of your guns/ammo.

 

[OregonPlinker]

I usually take a bunch of 22's and pay for the ammo. I have everything from single action revolvers to AR types in 22 so they generally keep newbys entertained quite well. I might take a mag of 9mm, 40 and 45 for each person or something. If I really like the person I will let them burn a mag or 2 out of the AR15 or CETME. If I dont like them Ill set them up with a compressed load for the 7mag.lol

I did have an experience with some of my wifes college friends that all wanted to shoot some guns. I knew all their parents gave them credit cards and were loaded... So I gave them a list of what I had available and told them if they wanted to shoot something to bring ammo for that gun. They all went and bought value packs of 22 and different varietys of 12 gauge, 223, 9mm,45 mostly. Then they shot each gun they brought ammo for a little and then gave me all the left over ammo for letting them shoot my guns. I probably came home with 300 dollars worth of ammo.lol.

One of them went out and bought a gun so it was worth the trip in other aspects as well...

 

[SonicBlue03]

Are they asking to go just to shoot to say they have, or is there some genuine interest in learning about firearms?

 

[jonn5335]

When I go shooting with my buddies I grab what I want out of the safe then tell them they can grab anything out of the left side of the safe. I keep all the fancy/sentimental rifles on the right side. I reload so it's fairly cheap to shoot so I don't sweat the cost of having fun with friends.

 

[mjbskwim]

I have some friends/relatives that come out here to shoot.
They work across the parking lot from Mac 'n' Jacks.
See where this is going? There isn't any discussion.They buy lunch or bring beer and food for a BBQ. I have the guns,ammo and pit.
Now some friends I just tell them to bring an extra box of ammo if they want to kill co workers/neighbors.(their stress level is high). Otherwise I have a few extra rounds for them.

I watch what I am shooting sometimes,but when others are shooting my ammo,I don't seem to care when I look at the fun they have.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

My generosity tends to get the better of me in these situations. I like to let them shoot whatever they want, as much as they want. My friends are worth the investment.

I want to be this guys friend.

 

[FA9]

Well this day has come and gone. It goes like this: I brought about 200rns of 45acp, 1 brick of 22lr and about 150-200 rnds of 223. My friends wife was too afraid to shoot, so she shot 1 mag 1911, 1 mag sr22, 10 rnds 223. My friend was just there to support his wife and he too also shot about the same amount and they were pretty satisfied. But the main reason why the day was cut short...It was too cold for them HAHA. I guess I know what to do next time to newbies that wanna shoot. Also they helped with picking up brass around the range lol, so it was worth it for me.

 

[oknow]

need any help with leftover's:gun10: