Are Ranks of Shooters Growing or Shrinking?

[M-61]

that community needs to do a MUCH better job of welcoming new competitors

You have that dead on. I lived in NYC. I’ve walked into bars in South Brooklyn that were friendlier.

 

[JEFFPPC]

At the club I shoot various bench matches at we are up in attendance in all matches this year. We have a friendly group of shooters including some very good shooters. It is a private club open to the public for matches. Most of our shooters, like 95%, are not members. At several local public ranges I go to participation overall is way down, except for rimfire benchrest matches that are geared to fun shooting not serious shooting. During the week you see the same couple old guys but not much else. The cost of serious BR keeps most younger shooters away plus the time and work involved to be a contender. I guess the same things that keep a lot of older guys away. People today regardless of age as a group want one thing, instant gratification and no work.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

We had a new shooter come shoot his 1st. Match with a custom built rifle, he finished next to last. he never came back and last I heard he basically gave his rifle away. The guy that brought him said he was an excellent shot hunting
but as we all know shooting a deer at 150 yards is nothing like shooting an FClass target at 600

 

[jimmymac]

You have that dead on. I lived in NYC. I’ve walked into bars in South Brooklyn that were friendlier.

Some places are tough and less than welcoming. I’ve experienced it. Other places not so much. Any place I’ve shot UBR has been littered with a good bunch of friendly helpful guys.

 

[urbanrifleman]

The "shortages".

It's working.

 

[Ccrider]

I joined Brock's Gap and shot my first match this year. There were at least 25 new members at the orientation meeting with me. The room was full. It looks like the membership is definitely increasing.

Also, a class bunch of top notch shooters. Much like the members on this site, from the very start, everyone has been friendly and helpful, making me feel right at home. They even let me win a few times.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

I suppose it depends on the shooting discipline. For example a typical f-class match might draw in 24 shooters, NRL22 matches usually more than 36 and WYCO matches here in the Springs are closer to 50 shooters per monthly match. I do not believe the cost of BR equipment/components is keeping any new shooters away, have you seen the cost for a competitive PRS type rifle lately....not much cost difference!

 

[jackieschmidt]

What’s the average age of the people on this forum? It’s a generational thing. It’s also a thing that old retired guys have time/money. On the rare occasion I shoot at a “club”, or “range”, it’s 10:1 older guys. Older guys don’t last forever. I think younger ones shoot other places than benchrest or f-class. Just an observation from being on here.

At Tomball, we have a closed membership at 300.

In the past years we have had quite an influx of men in their 30’s and ’40’s. Many veterans of one of the Gulf Wars. However, very few compete in any Discipline that involve the yardages we have, 100/200.

Most use the range to tune for either F-Class or PRS.

 

[J.d. Popkes]

At Tomball, we have a closed membership at 300.

In the past years we have had quite an influx of men in their 30’s and ’40’s. Many veterans of one of the Gulf Wars. However, very few compete in any Discipline that involve the yardages we have, 100/200.

Most use the range to tune for either F-Class or PRS.

Asking because I don’t know, isn’t short range bench rest an age 50 and up game?

Personally if my shooting was limited to a range/club, I’d probably just stay home and find something else to do, especially if I was limited to short range. To me public lands are the best. But maybe some places you can only shoot guns in designated areas or something oppressive like that, again don’t know.

 

[Bill K]

Our club membership actually has increased. More ladies are also joining and seem to be enjoying the Skeet/trap shooting more than the rifle or pistol side. But that is just fine.
Age runs from teens into the 80's. We also have some 4-H shooters and a local teen trap shooting group/s .

 

[CharlieNC]

Gun ownership is increasing rapidly because people are in fear, and buying weapons for protection. While our club membership has increased to several thousand, over the last several years I see fewer shooters at the range and at competitions.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I see more bulk ammo brass on the ground than last summer(22lr,556/223,300bo) and the handgun plates see activity. But I rarely run into anyone during the week. I have a new tripod, as it cools down, I will be able to setup the chronograph without interruption.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

7 years 'til average, but probably won't have firearms by than(2030).

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Those 70 year olds when they started they didn’t have all the high tec bells and whistles we have now so is it old school Versus new school approach?

 

[davidjoe]

The ranks are shrinking, I hate to say. I put on midrange and attend monthly matches, - 50, 600, 1,000 yards. It’s thin right now.

Manufacturers know their sales figures and say “demand” is strong, but they don’t fully appreciate just how much product is concentrated at the high-volume end of their product’s users.

I’d estimate that 7% of the buyers of Berger match bullets buy 50% of them. Guys, quite a few, have bought 10k at a time. I have often had 50k plus match bullets on hand and 15k plus brass unopened, using another 15k.

Take A-Tips, Hornady might rather not know this, but Ii’m just one guy, who accounts for probably 300 boxes of sales, since introduced.

Demand is strong because there exist die hards in match shooting, but prices have kept many guys with guns at home, or at church, on that Sunday morning.

As to CF benchrest, I don’t know where in Texas this would even take place. And I sure wouldn’t open a range right now, if profit was the motive.

 

[Schippergreg]

Asking because I don’t know, isn’t short range bench rest an age 50 and up game?

Personally if my shooting was limited to a range/club, I’d probably just stay home and find something else to do, especially if I was limited to short range. To me public lands are the best. But maybe some places you can only shoot guns in designated areas or something oppressive like that, again don’t know.

I’d say that the majority of sr br shooters are 50+. That being said I believe that young shooters aren’t getting into sr because honestly it’s too hard. To be competitive in sr is damn hard. A lot of people want instant gratification, a loud ping and a plate swinging for instance. It takes the mindset of perfect is good enough not good enough is perfect.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Wow,at 6 1/2 years past 70, feel Ike I’m sticking around just to save funeral expenses.

 

[Jvance513]

I spend atleast 3 days a week doing some sort of shooting and the other 4 reloading to go shoot. In my area I see it shrinking in some areas, but gaining in others. At 32 I’m a long range benchrest shooter and have been since 2019. I have always been pretty much the youngest in the crowd. When I first started, you were at a match all day just trying to get through all the relays. Now we are combining classes because we have so few. But let’s be honest, benchrest is dying. People my age don’t want to shoot this discipline. Most don’t even want to shoot f class. They want to run and gun in PRS. Can’t blame them. Benchrest matches are boring . But it’s my passion, and I’ll keep on going until I’m shooting against myself lol. On the flip side, Our local 22 matches have gained massive popularity its cheaper to shoot, payouts are decent, and it’s truly for everyone. Even myself have bought and built a couple 22s. It’s nice to pick up the gun and a brick of ammo and head to the range and not spend all week prepping brass for one day. At the end of the day if benchrest goes away, I’ll find some sort of competitive shooting to dump my future children’s college fund into. No matter if it’s Rimfire, prs, trap, or even pistol

 

[J.d. Popkes]

I’d say that the majority of sr br shooters are 50+. That being said I believe that young shooters aren’t getting into sr because honestly it’s too hard. To be competitive in sr is damn hard. A lot of people want instant gratification, a loud ping and a plate swinging for instance. It takes the mindset of perfect is good enough not good enough is perfect.

Probably some truth in that

 

[Big_Daddy]

Our range has a consistent 2+ waiting list.
No decline in our area.