FCrom the perspective of an NRA instructor and a life long educator, ranges and/or instructors who make guns available for the new shooter help said newbie to make wise choices which encourage said newbie continuing as an active shooter.
There is no better way to decide on a gun than actually shooting one like one is considering.
As for an occasional suicide, it we have free will, that is not our choice to make. AND, to deny the many an opportunity to try a variety of guns before buying one just to prevent (make that maybe prevent) one suicide is an argument which only the Brady Bunch would be able to rationalize.
How, you may ask, can even the Brady bunch rationalize such an argument?
Correct answer: Small brains can only handle small ideas, and with little success.
lending a gun to someone you know so they can try it, absolutely.
“renting” to a stranger, hmm... not so sure about that one.
as for trying guns, at our range you can pretty much try anything you want just by asking, people are always ready to help with that, but then again, everyone is pretty much known.
thats not such a bad system.