A couple people had expressed interest in this topic, and I have a bit of extra time for a couple days, so here goes:
Bona fides: I am a former infantry NCO and sniper, hunter, competitive shooter, reloader, hobby gunsmith, sometimes firearms trainer and currently work in a gun shop, mostly on the paperwork/compliance side. Back in the day, was a qualified expert with every standard small arm in the US inventory circa 2003 (M2, 4, 9, 16, 19, 249, 240B, 21, 24, 82 etc.), and today hang around the 75th percentile of USPSA classifications. I've shot Cap-and-Ball, Trap and Sporting Clays badly; Bullseye and PRS somewhat better and IDPA/USPSA/UML/Two-gun with some local success. Been active in the 2A community since the mid-90s, got my first instructor cert in high school, and have held a CPL for almost twenty years now.
I certainly don't claim to be an expert in every aspect of firearms, there's huge areas that escape my knowledge base, but if you've got questions I'll do my best to answer.
Technical questions
Gun control proposals for feasibility
Industry
Training
Wacky opinions
General geekery
Some competition links (not my own) just for the interested.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=U5IhsWamaLY&t=173
https://youtube.com/watch?v=93nEEINflXE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=utcky0zq10E
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Notes -
I kind of want to shoot an AR-15 for kicks, and I can rent one at the local gun club. Cool. But uh, I have never shot any rifles other than my dad's single-shot .22, and I'm embarrassed to ask for some stranger at the range to show me how to use the gun. So, is there any sort of good guide for "here's how to use an AR-15 for complete noobs"? I took an intro to pistol shooting class there (which was very helpful as I had never shot a pistol before), but they don't have anything comparable for the AR. I figure the internet has to have some info though.
The army has been making noob friendly videos for several generations now.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=iN_W2UJutss
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The other suggestions are solid, but I'd add one additional thing. Use the videos and such to show you where the major controls are (mag release, bolt release, charging handle, safety) and how they function. When you rent the actual gun, before you start loading magazines, run through the functions with a dry mag. Insert and eject a mag, charge the bolt, drop the bolt, work the safety, do a couple reps to get a clear idea of how it feels to work the gun while maintaining safe handling. The charging handle and bolt release in particular can require a surprising amount of force compared to everyday objects, and you're going to be working the former while holding the gun by the grip; get a feel for operating it while keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger. A few reps with a dry gun can save the discomfort of trying to figure out how to work an unfamiliar firearm that's already loaded.
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The AR is great fun, and significantly easier to manage than a novice might expect.
When I was first getting started, I was in your exact situation and asked the guy manning the rental counter. Or maybe he asked "have you shot one of these before?" Either way, he gave a competent rundown.
Alternately, @yofuckreddit has the right of it, and a lot of shooters like teaching new people. I tend to drag along family members or coworkers when I go. Though if anyone here is in the Dallas area and wants to learn, send me a message!
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Shooting an AR is a blast. Asking a stranger is less weird than you think, so it's not a bad option... but there's a chance you'll talk to someone that actually doesn't know what they're talking about.
If you know anyone even casually who's a gun person ask them to come with you for your first time. I can virtually promise you they will. We love taking people out to the range for their first rifle experience.
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=mL-ZzgwkuzE
This channel has a lot of great stuff for new and intermediate shooters.
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