Just to throw this out there, I am a Small Arms Marksmanship Instructor, so if there is anyone who is gun shy, I'll be glad to help you out. However, seeing as how most of us are navy, or prior navy (ahem, J.D.
), there probably aren't too many gun noobs. I have a Connecticut concealed weapons permit, so if there is anyone who needs assistance with that as well, I am available. The only gun I have with me here in Connecticut is my 1911 .45 cal Springfield Armory. The rest are back home in Texas.
Without even doing a ton of research, I can already tell you what our options will be:
1.) We can try as a club to get into a local gun club, perhaps for a reduced annual fee, but probably not. These clubs don't get too many new members each year, and are mostly regulars who pay dues.
2.) As Alex posted, there are several places in Connecticut and Mass. to go and shoot for a daily or hourly fee. Most of these places have guns for rent, plus ammunition. I will do more research on this, because each of them have different requirements as far as licensing goes.
3.) The third and least expensive, but less probable, is finding someone with a sizeable amount of private property, who would let us use their land.
Finally, in case you didn't know, in the state of Connecticut, you can not transport a pistol from point (a) to point (b) without a concealed weapons permit. Even if you already own a pistol, and keep it in your home, you are illegal if you don't have a permit. As far as rifles and shotguns, Al would probably know more about the subject.