I know that many would not agree to make it a law for first time buyers to take a safety class. How about this. Encourage gun shops to give a class “free” with a new purchase. The cost of the class can be added to the gun and deducted for other buyers. The cost of the class can be added to transfers and similarly deducted. Males always put together things, or do things, without reading the instructions first it’s in our DNA.
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Disagree wholeheartedly. I read the manual on every firearm I purchase, just as I do with everything else I buy. Many FFLs do offer training. It is up to the user to decide whether or not to get it. Padding the cost of the firearm will not work, as most buyers look for the lowest cost. It would be impossible to advertise firearms without showing that one price is for “new” owners and the other for “current” owners. There are definitely some “current” owners that could also benefit from a safety class. We have all seen them at the range.
How would an FFL be able to distinguish between a “new to firearms” and a “new to ownership” purchaser? Being a first-time buyer does not mean the person does not know firearm safety nor how to shoot. I was in my 30s when I bought my first firearm. I learned firearm safety and how to shoot as a young child. However, I have also had several training classes since purchasing my first handgun. I also read a lot about firearms and watch training videos.
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My local gun shop already offers a variety of classes. If they thought it was cost-effective to include the price of a class with a gun purchase, I believe they would already have done that.
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Unfortunately impossible.
People get used to do whatever they want to do… if you spend sometime reading other threads you will find out what people think about having “mandatory”, even free, class.
My LGS / FFL / Range offers “firearm safety class”, "firearm introduction"for $10 - $50.
I wish to see every gun owner attending these classes.
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88 Tactical, in Omaha Ne ( and a few other cities) does offer a free class to the public— a VERY good idea.
Every person I help to acquire a firearm, I personally educate with ongoing lessons. Just my part…
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The SCOTUS settled a similar matter over voting rights decades ago. We do not need the same issue over the RKBA. We already have too many encumbrances on a right that “shall not be infringed”. As a founding principle, we believe in an egalitarian society. Firearm laws create special classes of citizens whereby some citizens become more equal than others. Look at the several states that are still “May Issue”, and the stats prove sex and racial discrimination. Also, many states impose fees to purchase, transfer, get “permits/licenses”, etc., upwards of several hundred dollars, that make firearm ownership more difficult for those on the lower-end of the economic spectrum. If it were voting rights, the Left and the media would be up in arms (pun intended) over the costs and bias.
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I understand the sentiment but disagree with “mandatory” or included in price. People should consider taking training but as one of us grew up with guns and trained by our fathers that were safety conscious. I cringed watching soldiers under strict NCO supervision. Some of the NCOs made me cringe. I didn’t purchase my gun until about 4 years ago. I had a shotgun in my early teens (12) and access to several of dad’s rifles. Handguns made me nervous because of the short barrels. But I warmed up to it.
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Maybe just slap a bright sticker with the 4 rules of firearm safety in big, bold letters on the outside of each new case. That way the new owners can’t even get to their new boomstick until they tacitly acknowledge some basic safety. Are they trained? Not necessarily. But we know they at least saw the 4 basic rules.
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I have been on plenty of plumbing service calls were the husband tried to do it himself winding up costing twice or more then he would have called in a professional first. Before I buy a gun I feel if the grip feels right for me I also ask them to show how disassemble and reassemble the gun. If they can not do it most likely neither can I.I appreciate the feedback on my post it was only a brain fart. I would say anyone participating on this website thinks of safety first and last.
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There is a magical phrase “reasonable person”. Thankfully most gun owners fit this phrase. I’m afraid of others…
What is it you believe is “reasonable” and why is that magical to you?
And who are those you fear?
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reasonable? I don’t think I have to explain this. This word should sit inside all of us. If somebody is not reasonable he shouldn’t even own a firearm.
magical -> remarkable
Others? I’m sorry if my sentence was not clear. Others, means those who don’t fit “reasonable person” phrase.
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I don’t think you have to explain it.
Those who need a definition, need more than a definition.
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You must be very careful using the title “newbies” there are 2 people on this site that are offended that that word is used… they will flag you.
Flagged again.
Good Morning Fred, So you would justify “requiring” a class BEFORE any person can take possession of their purchased product? Would this apply to any product that could be potentially dangerous like knives, baseball bats, hammers, nail guns, chain saws, etc. or just firearms? If you’re position is to “require” classes on one potentially dangerous item, then shouldn’t you have to apply that same logic and standard to any product that is also potentially dangerous otherwise there’s a serious double standard taking place.
Personally, what you and many forget, is that we’re adults and as such, WE’RE supposed to make smarter decisions for ourselves. It’s OUR responsibility to take classes if we don’t have the skill and not the dealer’s responsibility. This idea that we force others to step in and parent us because we can’t make responsible choices is purely silly. Are there people who certainly wouldn’t take a class and should…sure…and they’re the exceptions and not the rule and frankly, we shouldn’t apply laws and rules for the exceptions or we’re dumbing down our entire society. I wouldn’t want to take all cars away because some have used them to commit murders or suicides anymore than I’d want you to tell me I need a class because some twit decided not to and got hurt. If that twit doesn’t make intelligent choices, that’s on them…not mandating a nationwide law to govern the twits.
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Gun Safety for Newbies… TAKE CLASSES FROM A PROFESSIONAL!!!
At the beginning of this year at my local gun club, I began to notice how their inventory was really dropping, everything from Ammo to Weapons. I would shoot on the range and be next to an individual(s) that you knew had never held a weapon before. I quickly grabbed the RSO and moved to another lane or just left. It appeared to me that guns were just as popular now as a new iPhone, yet, not a single person took the responsibility to understand what they had purchased.
New Gun Owners, please protect yourself and everyone else, take classes from a Professional, get fit with the correct weapon for the correct situation.
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Danny28, good on the heads up and thanks, just to let everyone know I have found 7 Synonyms for the word " Newbie", so maybe ‘Abecedarian’ might be the right choice.
[ Huge flag of Sarcasm is waving no offense intended]
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The main issue is cost. Someone has to eat the cost, whether it’s the FFL or the gun buyer.
You can’t have a checkbox “Check here for your free class” and then add $50 to the receipt. No one would check the box. You could maybe bump up your cost by a dollar or two for every purchase and make up the cost of the class that way by spreading it out, but everyone is always looking for the cheapest deal.
There is probably a niche of FFLs that have a store selling not just firearms but accessories (and maybe clothes and gear), has room for a classroom, and a range attached who can offer a “free” class once a month or something. That class serves as a magnet to visit the FFL and you hope that every time they visit they buy something. The challenge there is how do you get enough traffic from new buyers who don’t know about your FFL in the first place.
I seem to recall an FFL handing out a flyer with each purchase that had info on safe gun storage, links to nearby instructors/classes, etc and that gave a boost. But we then have the challenge of getting people to read stuff when they won’t even read the instructions.
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