Florida's largest gun dealer bans gun rentals in wake of suicides

[Baitball Blogger]

Shoot Straight, Florida's largest independent gun-shop chain, has stopped renting guns to prevent its eight Florida ranges from becoming suicide parlors.

Khaled Akkawi, founder of the Apopka-based chain, made the decision last month after the latest suicides at one his gun ranges.

"We've had enough," Akkawi said Friday. "They've been increasing real fast and the one common denominator — everyone is done with a rental gun."

Shoot Straight joins a growing number of gun ranges across Central Florida that have restricted or prohibited gun rentals to stem the deaths.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-gun-rentals-stopped-shoot-straight-20140108,0,1684171.story

[Duckhunter935]

1. No problem with this.

It will make it harder to try guns before buying though. Trying a gun before committing is a good thing to make sure it is what you want. Buy a car without a test drive.

[doc03]

2. Didn't know you could rent guns n/t

[Duckhunter935]

3. very common

Like taking a test drive to see if you like it.

[littlewolf]

4. they just can not leave the range. I have rented guns often,

lets me get the feel for the weapon, lets me see how it handles
and if I would want to own it.

[doc03]

5. Don't know of any around here, I guess you would have to have

a range on the property.

[Eleanors38]

6. Common practice in Austin area. A help for those who are test-firing.

Typically, you must use the range's ammo as well.

[ileus]

7. Wait for it.....

"They only want to make a sale instead."


gosh, I can't believe I got to this before they did...

[ManiacJoe]

8. Stopping all rentals is over the top.

Due to suicides, standard procedure in the Seattle area is to rent guns to only people who either (1) bring a friend who will in theory prevent the suicide, or (2) bring your own gun which means you don't need their gun to kill yourself.

[sir pball]

9. I understand both sides and I like BYO

It makes it crystal-clear that you already have the option. You're really just there for the test.

Pity we don't have national FOID-CCW, it would make this so much simpler. Show your card and rent, for you or a friend, or don't rent at all.

[ManiacJoe]

10. How would the card help?

[sir pball]

11. Theoretically proves you own a firearm

And ergo aren't renting one to off yourself.

I used to hate the idea of FOIDs till it was pointed out my CCW pretty clearly told The State I owned guns.

[ManiacJoe]

12. You don't need the theory when

practice proves positively.

It is the folks without a gun that are in a bind.

[sir pball]

13. Which are the ones who wouldn't have a card.

It's a side effect of the whole FOID concept*, which I can't logically argue against as a CCW holder. Unless you can come up with a good reason to have a CCW and not own firearms.

* - ID w/o registration. "I am legally able to own firearms" without any list of the specific weapons owned. Simplifies NICS by making it a call and check the ID #.

[ManiacJoe]

14. Right, no card. How does that help them?

[sir pball]

15. No gun rental.

Which does make suicide a bit harder. We're a squeamish bunch, we like to make it quick and easy. Sure, our rates aren't as high as many others, but our method does vastly prefer the gun.

I take it you don't like the FOID idea..

[ManiacJoe]

16. The FOID defeats the ability to rent without owning.

The idea is to find a way to continue the renting while preventing the suicides.

[sir pball]

17. That was the point

I meant it as an alternative way to show you already own a gun, instead of having to actually carry one into the store.

Unfortunately I don't really see any other way to stop the suicides than BYO, even "a friend" isn't going to be able to do much.

[Bazinga]

18. I have a brother who owns a shooting range and gun shop in northern CA

And he has the same policy. He specializes in introductory and beginner firearms safety and training, so rentals are a huge part of his business. Thankfully he has never had one of these incidents.