I have 3 that occasionally get loaned out, they are as accurate as any I have, the stocks are synthetic, the scopes are okay. They only get loaned to people that I know and trust. They are always hunting on our place and I am there with them. They do have to buy the ammo, and shoot half the box through it before they get to hunt, if they shoot satisfactory, they get to hunt, if not they shoot some more. I get all the left over ammo after they are finished. I cannot remember loaning them out to any person more than once, most will buy their own after the first time. Others decided that hunting was not for them.

There aren't many people I would let borrow a gun.

There are a few in the safe that I will only loan to a couple people. The rest Hey they are hole punches and if I trust the person I will loan one to them. Have made offers of my spare rifle more than once while on hunts to others that have had problems with the rifle they brought. One trip to Montana my main rifle had a problem but I killed out in a day an half. One of the other guys that brought one rifle had an issue so no question he used the rifle I had used. No big deal. Now if you want to borrow the Cooper or Dakota sorry will only loan those to one of 2 people and they have as many or more guns than I do.

I wouldn't let them take the go-to. But they would be more than welcome to the 30-378Wby, 338 RUM, or any other big "unbraked" magnums I had in the safe.

Then, tell them to check zero before they hunt.

Chances are, they'd shoot your gun one time, and buy their own.

I don't lend my guns anymore. I let my cousin use one of my rifles took me 6 months to get it back and my scope was cracked. Never again. I spend my hard earned money they can do the same. Realistcly they can get a nice setup for under $500.

What a touchy subject. The long and short of it is, no. For the most part, I will not loan out any gun I own. I have in the past and it was to my best friend of 25 years (he can borrow anything I have) and my parents of course. I currently have a Mini 14 on loan to an officer in my department because he doesn't have a rifle. Being an officer and a school officer at that, he needs one. I know he is taking care of it.

I am very careful with my guns, so I don't loan them out to very many people.

I try to take and teach new hunters with me every year. Last year 4 guys took their first deer with me. I generally will loan those guys rifles, but only if I'm with them. We do range practice sessions together, then go hunt together. I supply the ammo (they reimburse me), and only I adjust the scopes. Works out ok. They know to treat the guns with respect and care if they want to get invited again. I will loan a guy a rifle his first year, and maybe his second if he's real lucky. After that, I expect them to buy their own.

To the thread OP, you sound like you're being taken advantage of. Sounds like a real strong NO might change their behavior. It's the old "Give a man a fish vs. Teach him to fish" issue.

This year 3 brand new hunters are going with me, and 4 from past trips are returning. Of those 4, 3 have bought their own guns.

I also have a couple go-to rifles that don't get loaned, no exceptions. Those two are mine alone.

I let my best friend borrow guns from time to time but my FIL is a different story. 2 years ago he asked to borrow a rifle for a weekend, I didnt want to because I know he's rough on stuff. MY wife said "you have 20 guns he can't borrow 1". So I look over my guns a decide to let him borrow my 40 year old 30-30 because it has one of those camo covers on it. Needless to say 1 weekend turned into 1 month. When I got it back he had taken his dremel to it to buff out some little spots it had on it from getting wet 20 years ago. He planned on rebluing the areas but I got it back in time. Needless to say he never borrows one of my guns again and my wife doesn't say a word about it.

there arn't any people i'd let borrow my rifles.

thats like letting someone borrow your wife or girlfriend.

None of my family asks to borrow rifles or shotguns but I always carry one or two extras in case I or someone else at the lease has a problem with theirs.

I've offered people the use of my shotguns for dove hunts on which I was going... but I don't lend anyone my rifles, bows, or pistols.

Very few people will take care of your stuff like you do.

If it means that much to you then dont let them borrow it...i got a cheap .270 truck gun that i lend out to my friends and family whenever they need it..

Hey, can I borrow your rifle, I'm hunting at night and in the rain.. ...

Any time bud haha shes a nice custom faded rust color already but still shoots strait

Thanks bro...

My rule of thumb is you break it you buy it, so that limits the people that would even ask to borrow one of my rifles. Ive been thinking of buying a savage for a loaner rifle.

Thats what mine is...old model 110 it has been treated bad mainly just swipe the barrel after every two months...still pick it up over my A bolt most of the time. they are troopers

Actually the old savage 110 model is not a bad gun. That's the gun that kept Savage from going bankrupt.

There are few people who get to borrow guns. They are the ones who could replace them if needed. I have also borrowed guns in the past it was only from my father and one time form a friend that loaned me a gun for a hunt that I was invited on out of state.
I have taken people out to shoot before and used my guns to shoot for fun but to just give a gun to go on a hunt I have to really trust you and that list for me only has 4 people on it and they all have guns that they would lend me as well.

We loaned one out this season. It sure didn't come back in the same shape it was in when it left.
New rule in the house. We don't loan out guns.

As of right now, that is still my go-to gun. An old Savage 110 in 243. Leupold VXII 3x9x40, Winchester 95 grain Silvertips. She's been faithful, & never once had a problem dropping any deer or big boar hog.

my 2 go to guns(remington 5r & winchester stainless model 70) i will loan out to only 4 people in the world, son, uncle, and 2 friends (both ex military).. and i reserve the right to give them one of my spares at any time and they wouldn't mind bcuz both of my spares are shooters too.. i have a newer savage in 2506 that's pretty accurate, and a stevens 7mm08, both are better than average shooters.. when i have loaned outside of this group of people i have always been disappointed when i got my gun back.. i expect to get my gun back like i loaned it.. w/ a couple of empties and a pkg of sausage..or jerky.

another reason for keeping my spares is on a few diff occasions i have been hunting and someone has come along with either a broken firearm, or one got bumped, scope prblms, ammo pblms, or in a caliber that i thought was not a good choice for where we were hunting, whatever,, and before we went in the field i successfully talked em into my rifle as an alternative.. had one guy who didn't listen and he missed a deer and blew a frnt leg off another that morning,, he no longer hunts.. he is what i call a vegetarian..

vegetarian-- indian word for crappy hunter.

its a very short list of ppl who i loan my guns out to.


what really peeves me is ppl who continually want to borrow a gun from me, and i know they have more money than i do but wont buy a gun.......

I've got a life long buddy that I'd let borrow my "go-to". I'd trust him with any of my guns.. BUT!!!! He would be the only one..

Dad, and a few life long friends, yes.