Getting in our sport can be very intimidating today. A new shooter goes to a match and sees what’s on the line and then hear what all that cost if you can find it, then comes home and starts looking at shooting forums and reading what people do just to prep brass, bullets and load and the cost of equipment and supplies to do that. They may decide to stay with playing Golf
Are Ranks of Shooters Growing or Shrinking?
- Thread starter Bottom Fodder
- Start date
I agree that the new shooters, regardless of discipline need to be apprentices to the old. The worst issue (and this has been for 70 years) is the marketing.
Teaching bad practices in handgun shooting that have saturated the police departments. Three cops carrying 36 rounds fire 43 round at 25 feet making 2 hits. At least one guy reloaded. Where did the other 41 rounds go. Home defense with firearms that can penetrate 3 to 5 walls of a modern home, the list goes on for ever.
The AR crowd doesn't have anyone to teach them basic rifle skills without force multipliers. Ex-special forces guys making YouTube videos and making money on marketing. They play games and influence the growth of silly beyond reason.
I would ask, where are the knowledgeable people to train new people, but in most cases that I've seen it's a waste of time. I've seen too many frustrating discussions on ranges that turn into arguments between those with 40+ years of real world experience and someone who believes that his or her pistol, rifle or some BS organizations certification combined with their arrogance actually means something.
Shooting sports has a significant amount of mess in it and the internet/marketing is not a help.
I have serious doubts about these claims.
SF, Seals, etc. They are everywhere. Wild claims. Guy told me he was in the FFL. (French Foreign Legion. ) Could not speak or understand one word of French. Anyone who is familiar with them, knows this is impossible. Not improbable, impossible.
I find the club members themselves as being responsible. The fixtures in the club welcome no one.
Go ahead and tell us why us 50+ geezers suck. Maybe I can work on it.
Oh no, look on you tube and check them out many of them are Bonafide special forces guys. I don't mind them making a buck but teaching BS is another thing.
Wolfdog91
Silver $$ Contributor
Comments like that tell me I don't need to open my mouth honestly
I hear you! I was invited to a range by a buddy for some tactical training by a CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.
I was sitting in the back listening but it was BS so I was a bit inattentive. The instructor ask if he was boring me I said yes. I ask if he'd ever been shot at, shot or shot anyone? He replied no. I said so all of this is an academic concept on your part. I ask if I could get my money back. He said no.
Ccrider
Gold $$ Contributor
Making generalized statements about people over 50? You should expect a little push back.
Also, the people in your generation that know me, regularly reach out to me for help getting on target or getting their rifles to shoot. They seem to respect the fact that I can shoot a lots better than they can.
No please do, it may be entertaining, or maybe we will learn something.
No not at all. I was serious about how we could be better at communicating with a younger crowd.
It doesn’t take long to get to 50 does it!
I know I've been ragging on training and the truth is that there's some of it that it good, basic range and firearm safety are good things and there is some of that going on. However not all certified training is good.
The shared information on competitive courses help improve the newbies up their game for that discipline.
Here's a hint, you know training is BS when they little or no discussion about situational awareness. How to avoid a fight, owning a dog, how to prepare your home and family for the possible situations. Especially safe and unsafe words when you come home. What to do, getting the police there. Arming the family with lethal and non-lethal weapons.
When they have little information about personal defense transforming into combat. Understand that you cannot fire unless a life is in danger and believe me once you fire it is combat.
The list goes on but that list was accumulated over nearly 70 years. My old man took a couple pot shots at me when I was 12. He had drinking issues, so I've been illuding projectiles for 57 years.
The shared information on competitive courses help improve the newbies up their game for that discipline.
Here's a hint, you know training is BS when they little or no discussion about situational awareness. How to avoid a fight, owning a dog, how to prepare your home and family for the possible situations. Especially safe and unsafe words when you come home. What to do, getting the police there. Arming the family with lethal and non-lethal weapons.
When they have little information about personal defense transforming into combat. Understand that you cannot fire unless a life is in danger and believe me once you fire it is combat.
The list goes on but that list was accumulated over nearly 70 years. My old man took a couple pot shots at me when I was 12. He had drinking issues, so I've been illuding projectiles for 57 years.
The younger generation are such weenies, you and I give them an opportunity to make their point however they take offense. I'd lose 75% of them in the first engagement.
My son has developed in a very interesting hand gun shooter. Real world stuff! He's better than I ever was or will be but I've got him on the rifle. Years ago we were shooting iron sights at 300 prone with AR's chambered in 5.56 in gusting wind. He was having issues so I told him, tighten up on you hold and shoot a faster paced rhythm. I showed him AR15 A2 HBAR with standard iron sight, 10 shots in 8 seconds into 5 3/4" at 300 yards. He looked at me and said I hate you!
He listened and got his Stag Arms S1 down to 6 1/2" in about an hour. He always listened to me but after that he hung around the old WWII and Korean dudes.
My 50th wedding anniversary is coming up! WTF!!
Bring it on. Don’t hold back. In your world I’m an “older guy”. Don’t be intimidated by my age.
Wolfdog91
Silver $$ Contributor
No I've just had these conversations enough to know where there gonna go and honestly it gets annoying
Wolfdog91
Silver $$ Contributor
Bring what on exactly?
If you're not willing or capable of presenting a reasoned argument then you're stuck where you are.
I get it the younger generation likes thigs that are different than the older generation, we've adapted our range to attract younger shooters. For member only! We're moving to static and moving steel as an example. We have old war horse shoots using old military rifles for older shooters, sporting clays. Just some examples.
What you need to understand is when we old guys see BS we call it.
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I believe he wants to hear your discussion points.
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