try before you buy

[Samplejs]

Does anyone know of any LGS in the Indy or South Bend area that will let you shoot a pistol before purcahsing. My dad is looking for a new pistol for his birthday but doesn't have enough experience to know what he wants without trying it out.

 

[Snapdragon]

Valparaiso is a bit out of your specified area, but at Blythe's you can rent one of their used guns to try out at their range for $15. You must have ID and LTCH and must purchase the range's ammo.

 

[Dudley]

Applied Ballistics in Lafayette lets you rent guns. $10 rental (I think) + their ammo. A 7 minute training course is required to get an orientation card $10/ half hour lane rental.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Indy Trading Post, Beech Grove Firearms, and Pop Guns (think their official name is Family Indoor Shooting Range) and, yes, even ghetto-fabulous Don's Guns all rent firearms.

I'd steer you to the first two in the list first - then pop's a distant third.

-J-

 

[Piobair]

Kodiak Range in South Bend rents. So does Midwest Gun and Range in Elkhart.

 

[Meyer]

It is a little south but Atterbury shooting range has guns you can try out. They are more friendly than some of the places listed above (no offense intended)

 

[Samplejs]

do any of those have a large selection of rental guns? I have been to a few of them and the rental selection is often much smaller than what they sell. For example he would like to try out a M&P shield, Sig p938 etc. These seem to be hard to find as rentals.

 

[42769vette]

I don't think any shop is going to take a brand new gun and turn it into a used gun so you can try it. Your best bet is to find the rental place with most of what you want to try already used and make your selection.

 

[wildcatfan.62]

Here's a link to the rental guns at Kodiak:
http://www.kodiakrange.com/wpd/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/updated-rental-gun-pic-01232014.pdf

I'd call Midwest Gun Range in Elkhart to see what they have. I think it's standard revolvers, Glock/M&P's and a 1911 or two.

 

[dbrier]

Indy Trading Post has one of the biggest selection of handguns to rent.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Your dad can can go to any gun shop and "feel" a large variety of handguns. That will eliminate many choices without even firing one just by feel alone (i.e. too large, too small, too thick, too heavy, etc). After he has narrowed down the choices by feel (in my opinion, this is the most important factor anyway), it will be easier to track down a gun shop that has a rental unit, or find out if anyone on INGO has the same model they would be willing to let him try out (you will supply the ammo, of course).

 

[MadMan66]

Don't know where you are located, but Highsmith in Greenfield also rents guns. I've never rented one through them, so I don't know their rules. Most were listed at $7 to rent. They had about 4 different M&Ps to rent, if I recall correctly, as well as many other brands and models. No Sigs that I remember seeing in the rentals though.

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

kodiak Range near Michigan and RT 20 bypass

go to "kodiakrange.com"

 

[pudly]

Your dad can can go to any gun shop and "feel" a large variety of handguns. That will eliminate many choices without even firing one just by feel alone (i.e. too large, too small, too thick, too heavy, etc). After he has narrowed down the choices by feel (in my opinion, this is the most important factor anyway), it will be easier to track down a gun shop that has a rental unit, or find out if anyone on INGO has the same model they would be willing to let him try out (you will supply the ammo, of course).

Definitely this. Filter them down to a smaller number by research and feel. Once you have it down to 3-6 candidates, call the shops and see if they have any/all of them to try. If you can, the 1500 or other gun shows are a great way to handle a lot of guns at one time. In the end, there may still be some firearms that you can't rent at any shop. A request on INGO will often find you someone willing to let you try their gun at a range.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Pops at East Washington st and Post rd in Indy rents pistols, you have to buy their ammo for it though.

 

[Osprey]

If the gun you want can't be found via rentals, find a friend who has one. Better yet, try INGO. It seems there are a lot of very nice people here willing to share their guns and let others try them out.

 

[Indy_Hunter68]

High smith Guns in Greenfield.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Highsmiths