Newbies - expected and unexpected

(Just for the purist among you, this is out of time sequence ...)

Last Monday I had arranged for a friend to bring his daughters and a couple of friends up to the range.  As the weather forecast was for a HOT day (37C) I suggested that they get there around 4pm.

We went up at 2pm as Miss 8 wanted to take some photos of her shooting her rifle as she is using it for news next Wednesday.  She (Dad & Miss 10) had to leave by 3pm to get to basketball.  This gave Shooting Buddy a me a break of an hour where we were planning to do some shooting ourselves ... However ...

A car drives into the parking lot.  I went across to see who it was and discovered two women and a kid in the car.  They were looking for some rock pools and had discovered the range instead.  (Apparently there used to be some rock pools up near our old range, but they had been filled in and were inaccessible due to the TRG now owing the area).

While chatting about rock pools they asked what we were doing and why there was red flags flying.  We explained that it was a shooting range and I offered them a walk around.  I showed them some of the ranges and they asked additional questions along with one about the boy having a shoot.

So I offered them the opportunity to have a go.  The kid started out with my Ruger 22/45 and did well with that.  Then the women asked if they could have a go too.  We let them use the Ruger and they loved it.  We then let the kid have a go with the 9mm Glock - which surprised him a bit.  Photos were taken all around and email addresses given.  They then headed off saying that it was the "best day they've had in a long time".

WOO HOO

By this time our "real" visitors had arrived.  Of the five expected only four were able to come (one guy & three gals).  Of these only one hadn't shot at all before.  The others had attended the Scouts shoot we had last year.  So again Ruger 22/45, 9mm Springfield & Glock and then the .22 rifles.  I also got the Tuffy out but only one person was willing to give it a go - and they only shot once :)

By this time it was getting quite late so we had to quickly pack up and head.  The lady who hadn't shot before LOVED it and wants to do it again!

So in one day we had 4 total newbies & 4 not-so-regular-shooters!!!!!!  And I think I only got to shoot about 10 rounds all up (and the Tuffy!).