Amount of shooters at competitions.

[rjtfroggy]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about how the ranks of shooters was dwindling at competitions and I said cost was a factor, some agreed, some did not. It got me to thinking and I just added up what my 30BR cost me (was just finished), here goes; Used action with stock $1500, barrel with threading and chamber $600, used scope $600, rings $85= $2785 to date.
I also am in the process of building another 6BR, so far $1500 for action $500 total for used stock(includes inlet and bedding) $700 for barrel when finished scope and rings $1400= $4100 total.
Now you tell me that cost is not a factor, I can't see a younger family man being able to afford this game we play. This is why I didn't start until I was 61 retired and family grown and out of college. Just plain couldn't afford it. Last match I shot at average age was probably 69-70.
So I will stick with my original thought- Cost to play.

 

[Emmett Dibble]

Funny thing is I’ve heard the same thing about people not shooting silhouette… costs a third of that to play. part of the problem is people just don’t do physical/outside stuff as much anymore.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I’ve seen this time and time again. A new shooter spends a bunch of money on the complete set up comes to a match and DON’T win, comes back and DON’T win and you never see them again. in todays times people think if you have the best you automatically win.

 

[rjtfroggy]

I’ve seen this time and time again. A new shooter spends a bunch of money on the complete set up comes to a match and DON’T win, comes back and DON’T win and you never see them again. in todays times people think if you have best you automatically win.

Thats the participation group, if they don't get a prize they don't want to play.

 

[Boilermaker]

I think cost is a major factor preventing new/younger shooters from getting into it. The first time I went to a match to see what it was about I left thinking “I will never compete in this sport.” I was in my mid 20’s with a family to support. The equipment costs for gun, scope, and rest appeared to be too high for me to invest in.

I was fortunate to have a great group of local shooters at our match to help me get started. I bought used equipment and was competing in custom and factory class the next year. Some of the items I purchased were on payment terms of “pay me when you have some extra cash.”

I will conclude with saying, if you have new/interested shooters come out to a match don’t discourage or overwhelm them with entry costs into the sport. Some of the high end optics, rests, and rifles are nice, but new shooters can still have fun and be competitive with older equipment.

 

[Krogen]

I run a monthly long range silhouette match at my club. It's for 22 LR rifles with metallic animal targets at 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters. It's known simply as a "fun match." There are no winners. Your only competitor is yourself. Do better than last time and you can grin about it. If you don't, then there's always next time.

We see anything from iron-sighted 10/22's to Voodoo's. There is no equipment race because there are no winners. The price of entry is whatever 22 you have and a couples boxes of ammo. Honestly, we're all winners because we seem to have silly grins on our faces. By far, the biggest grins come from Dads when their kids outscore them with Dad's rifle. Not long ago, one Dad got beat by both daughters in one match; with his rifle!. That resulted a bunch of grins from the family and from fellow shooters.

No winners, just grinners. And it takes us back to our childhood of plinking at cans with 22's.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

This has never been an inexpensive sport, my NRL22 rifle and both of my centerfire rifles exceeded that cost. Still do not think it's the cost that keeps new folks away, we have a local monthly PRS type match with 56 shooters and it sells out every month. Every winter they offer a train up match where experienced match shooters work with squads all day to try to help them with any questions or tips to help them shoot higher scores and/or assist with equipment that could be helpful. I have shot f-class for many, many years and have never seen this type of outreach to bring in new shooters and that has nothing to do with cost.

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

I used to enjoy high-power...started w Garland and went to a factory bushmaster for service rifle. When I shot at Medford Oregon,you competed with kids( then) the Wand and Fox brothers with tricked out ar s and shot twice a week in practice... anyone who shoots high-power at perry has probably seen Ben Fox.
We still have a need for those fun matches,where it's shooting skill not equipment that wins the match...deer hunter matches are a good one...off hand at 100,10rds in ten min...5rds at 50 one at a time w 5sec from command....5rds at 200 prone,load and fire in 1-2min....brings a lot of factors into play,recoil being one of them...ie hunting rifles,mob rule.
Vintage/ antique matches..bring enough ammo so others can try it...those of us that are sometimes in a time warp have ammo for obsolete calibers and usually handload for them...even many sweeds,Mausers,smiles, Springfields..all trapdoors,rollers....who can't have a smile with a 130 yr old td,or a 66 in 50-70??....ok , I'm a relic

 

[Fairchaser]

Show me a sport that doesn’t cost a lot of money! Golf?, bass fishing?, hunting? etc. gotta pay if you want a play! You can spend as little or as much as you want.

 

[xswanted]

Funny thing is I’ve heard the same thing about people not shooting silhouette… costs a third of that to play. part of the problem is people just don’t do physical/outside stuff as much anymore.

I think the biggest issue with Silhouette is its fricken hard.

In all of rifle disciplines I don't think there is a single form of competition that is more difficult.

Guys shy away from it because they can't hit stuff until they spend a lot of time practicing and even then, they might not be very good.

 

[JFrank]

Local run what ya brung matches without a bunch of stuffy rules have pretty decent turnout and plenty of fun.

 

[xswanted]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about how the ranks of shooters was dwindling at competitions and I said cost was a factor, some agreed, some did not. It got me to thinking and I just added up what my 30BR cost me (was just finished), here goes; Used action with stock $1500, barrel with threading and chamber $600, used scope $600, rings $85= $2785 to date.
I also am in the process of building another 6BR, so far $1500 for action $500 total for used stock(includes inlet and bedding) $700 for barrel when finished scope and rings $1400= $4100 total.
Now you tell me that cost is not a factor, I can't see a younger family man being able to afford this game we play. This is why I didn't start until I was 61 retired and family grown and out of college. Just plain couldn't afford it. Last match I shot at average age was probably 69-70.
So I will stick with my original thought- Cost to play.

I'm going to disagree a bit.

I'm 41, kids, wife all the stuff you mention and I've managed to put together a few nice rifles on my budget. My NRL22 rig is the gun I have the most invested in at the moment.

My centerfire PRS rigs are built on donor 700s.

It's possible to spend less money on things and still be a part of the show, compete to an extent and have fun.

I'm sure a basic rebarreled 700 would have a tough time in most BR leagues however I won a number of F Class matches with one so I know they can be accurate.

I will agree with the age though......TIME is invaluable to most guys my age. BR shooting is certainly a sport where you need A LOT of time to be competitive.

I believe the NRL22 and PRS are doing some things correctly in terms of new getting new shooters involved in the game.

 

[M-61]

I see a total lack of interest. When I see thousands running sound with $1,000+ I phones you have to wonder if money is the problem.
Gun clubs I’ve seen are not what I call ‘friendly’ places for both the young and newcomers.
Politicians have convinced the millennials that guns are a bad thing.
Is the sport dieing? Not yet, but it’s twisting in the wind.

 

[1K6BRA]

Life’s happenings, the economy, the availability of components, the cost of components, the wait times ,the travel expense, etc. etc. etc. And a big drop in true accuracy aficionados per capita. We are a dying breed for the most part, except probably PRS shooters. We are being replaced by the spray and pray crowd.

 

[bpd459]

I run a monthly long range silhouette match at my club. It's for 22 LR rifles with metallic animal targets at 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters. It's known simply as a "fun match." There are no winners. Your only competitor is yourself. Do better than last time and you can grin about it. If you don't, then there's always next time.

We see anything from iron-sighted 10/22's to Voodoo's. There is no equipment race because there are no winners. The price of entry is whatever 22 you have and a couples boxes of ammo. Honestly, we're all winners because we seem to have silly grins on our faces. By far, the biggest grins come from Dads when their kids outscore them with Dad's rifle. Not long ago, one Dad got beat by both daughters in one match; with his rifle!. That resulted a bunch of grins from the family and from fellow shooters.

No winners, just grinners. And it takes us back to our childhood of plinking at cans with 22's.

Poulsbo?

 

[59FLH]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about how the ranks of shooters was dwindling at competitions and I said cost was a factor, some agreed, some did not. It got me to thinking and I just added up what my 30BR cost me (was just finished), here goes; Used action with stock $1500, barrel with threading and chamber $600, used scope $600, rings $85= $2785 to date.
I also am in the process of building another 6BR, so far $1500 for action $500 total for used stock(includes inlet and bedding) $700 for barrel when finished scope and rings $1400= $4100 total.
Now you tell me that cost is not a factor, I can't see a younger family man being able to afford this game we play. This is why I didn't start until I was 61 retired and family grown and out of college. Just plain couldn't afford it. Last match I shot at average age was probably 69-70.
So I will stick with my original thought- Cost to play.

Still cheaper than, Golf, Race Cars, Snow Mobiles, Boats, RV's, Motorcycles, Women, etc.....even used.

 

[M-61]

We are being replaced by the spray and pray crowd.

I don’t agree with that completely. The spray and pray guys are out there for sure but there numbers are small and they’re not really replacing anyone. Here today gone tomorrow. I actually like them, and I’m a BR guy! Anyone shooting I think is a good thing.
I originally come from a place where school was closed on opening day of hunting season. Everyone hunted. Today? Replacing those hunters is not happening.

 

[coldboreshot]

I’ve seen this time and time again. A new shooter spends a bunch of money on the complete set up comes to a match and DON’T win, comes back and DON’T win and you never see them again. in todays times people think if you have best you automatically win.

Exactly^^^^^^
No matter what you spend, you can't buy and X. You have to earn it.

 

[coldboreshot]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about how the ranks of shooters was dwindling at competitions and I said cost was a factor, some agreed, some did not. It got me to thinking and I just added up what my 30BR cost me (was just finished), here goes; Used action with stock $1500, barrel with threading and chamber $600, used scope $600, rings $85= $2785 to date.
I also am in the process of building another 6BR, so far $1500 for action $500 total for used stock(includes inlet and bedding) $700 for barrel when finished scope and rings $1400= $4100 total.
Now you tell me that cost is not a factor, I can't see a younger family man being able to afford this game we play. This is why I didn't start until I was 61 retired and family grown and out of college. Just plain couldn't afford it. Last match I shot at average age was probably 69-70.
So I will stick with my original thought- Cost to play.

Interestingly, I'm not seeing this in the Precision Rifle Series. It had exploded in popularity among younger shooters and firearm magazine publications have leaned more toward it.

 

[coldboreshot]

Interestingly, I'm not seeing this in the Precision Rifle Series. It had exploded in popularity among younger shooters and firearm magazine publications have leaned more toward it.

Not to mention, mfg's.