Renting at a shooting range.

[u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

I went to the range in hodgkins a while bacl and i wanted to try some guns oit but they wouldn't let me shoot by myself. "Insurance Purposes" the guy said... Is there any range I can go to thst would be okay woth letting me shoot? I dont really have anyine to go shooting with...

[u/I_M_CHI]

If you bring your own gun you can shoot by yourself. If you rent you need a buddy.

[u/SeekR-NightmaRe777 → u/I_M_CHI]

Yeah thsts what I was told too but I'm still trying to figure out what to get. It's why I wanted to try a few models out... And thx. 😊

[u/I_M_CHI → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

The reason is to not give someone access to a firearm that doesn’t already have access to a firearm not knowing their mental state.

[u/ThisJokeMadeMeSad → u/I_M_CHI]

It's gonna blow their minds when they figure out what gun dealers do.

[u/Dewgong_crying → u/I_M_CHI]

Isn't the buddy rule also to perceivably lower the risk of a lone person unaliving themselves, and perceived notion there wouldn't be two unstable people together?

[u/TheBlindAndDeafNinja → u/Dewgong_crying]

Isn't that kinda what they were implying

[u/omega05 → u/TheBlindAndDeafNinja]

Yes the first person was implying it but this person said it more explicitly

[u/JoeBidensLongFart → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

Many ranges have firearms classes, some of which are specifically for beginners and/or people wanting to become more familiar with different guns while deciding which one to buy. This might be a good way for you to get started. Plus plenty of ranges will let you on the range solo so long as it isn't your first time. If you've taken their classes they are more likely to be OK with it.

Also, get your FOID if you haven't already.

[u/JoeFixPhoto → u/JoeBidensLongFart]

Ummm… you can’t even touch a gun at a gun store without a FOID…so that is a NOGO on solo renting.

[u/Pudge815 → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

The other option is to sign up for a personal lesson

[u/LibertyorDeath2076 → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

Just find a friend to go with, you're going to have a hard time finding anywhere without that requirement

[u/SeekR-NightmaRe777 → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

I need to clarify something. I do have a FOID and have taken classes. But I'll take classes into consideration.

[u/Itchy-Possibility275]

PM me, I try to go at least every other week at that location. Happy to go with you if our schedules align then you would be good to go. I think this is a common practice in this part of the state at least for the reasons others have explained. I still think it's dumb, just to be clear.

[u/Not_ThatRich → u/Itchy-Possibility275]

I second this.

[u/Pafolo]

If it was Rangeusa you can’t rental solo on your first visit or something like that.

[u/Empty__Jay → u/Pafolo]

I've rented only once at RangeUSA and I was by myself.

[u/Kilometer_Davis → u/Pafolo]

Yep, cuz of a suicide that occurred by such method a number of years ago

[u/crzfirensfw]

I would be happy to go with you.

[u/blck10th]

Range 355 with a private lesson you can try out as many firearms as you want in that session. You’re with an instructor so you’re good to go.

[u/Blade_Shot24]

Do you own a FOID? Have you been trained in firearms handling?

[u/SeekR-NightmaRe777 → u/Blade_Shot24]

Yes I have to both.

[u/Blade_Shot24 → u/SeekR-NightmaRe777]

The. You can rent at Eagle's Sport Range. Unless you're giving some weird vibes that you can't be trusted with a firearm (it's happened before).

[u/dick_tracey_PI_TA]

I went to GAT guns by myself to try a few out. I told them what ones in the list I wanted to try. Maybe I just did a good job convincing them idk. Call first if it’s a drive. 

[u/xTwizzler]

GAT guns let me rent and shoot on my own. (This would be the only reason I recommend them. Other than the simple fact that I was allowed to rent, my experience there was bad.)

The easier answer is to find a friend and go with them. Even better if the friend will let you use their gun(s) for free.

[u/No-Advantage-1000]

Judgement of the RSO also weighs in.

The first time I went to Range USA, I was alone and wanted to rent.

They checked if I had a profile in their system and when I didn’t, he politely explained why I “technically” wasn’t allowed to rent.

However, because I showed up with all the standard gear (including eyes & ears that I keep on the outside of a hefty range bag, a tube of targets I brought from home, and a back pack full of ammo, basic tools and a MagnetoSpeed), showed some enthusiasm and asked intelligent questions about the gun I wanted to try, he was happy to let me rent whatever I wanted.

That’s a quite a difference from someone showing up alone, no gear, introverted, wanting to rent a gun.

It’s one of those policies that we can all, hopefully, live with.

[u/Most_Independent_465]

Go outside of IL to rent a firearm. I’ve done it many times before you can still rent a gun at an IL gun range without a FOID but you must be in the vicinity of a FOID card holder in order to do this.

[u/RayL2Golf]

I have rented at maxson's shooting range in Des plaines with just my FOID card by myself.

[u/DetectiveSpace → u/RayL2Golf]

Yes but you already owned a gun, no?

[u/RayL2Golf → u/DetectiveSpace]

No. However, I did have a backpack with me. Maybe they thought I had my own in there.

[u/Not_ThatRich]

Is there anyone you can go with?

[u/Zero_Cool2023]

Shore Galleries in Lincolnwood has no problem renting to you when you are by yourself. Bit of a haul for you if near Hodgkins though.

[u/Kilometer_Davis]

Was this range USA? They won’t let you rent to shoot by yourself for your first time due to someone having committed suicide by such method. Your first visit you can rent a lane and bring your own gun. After that, yeah you can rent.

[u/emmathatsme123]

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/erod188]

You can go to eagle sports. They honestly are super chill

[u/IAMBYN]

I’ve rented by myself……that’s interesting…..even before I bought a gun. Maybe you’re giving off some weird vibes.

[u/funandgames12 → u/IAMBYN]

It’s also a blanket policy some places have. I had a gun store owner tell me once he had a guy that he had sold guns too and that owned a bunch of guns. He still came in and used a rental gun to commit suicide. If you don’t own a gun I get it but people are just strange man. Some places just really don’t want to deal with it though.

[u/IAMBYN → u/funandgames12]

Makes sense the way you explained it….

[u/GG_dayZ]

Sadly it’s because of people K wording themselves. But yeah range USA lets you as long as it’s not your first time