Lack of interest

[StevenDzupin]

Anyone notice a growing lack of interest in the target shooting sports ?

If you belong to a shooting club, has the membership been in decline ?

My club has had a decline in membership renewals and I wonder if lack of ammo or

components is to blame.

Other interests or lack of time to participate might be a factor as well.

Just wondering !

Regards,

Steve

 

[watercam]

Club membership has been a problem for a while now but here in Southern California things seem to be changing for the better. Interest by younger shooters in F-Class Mid-Range and Long Range matches seems to be up and interest in Tactical Matches is growing nicely. Now I am seeing F-Class shooters trying conventional High Power shooting as well. Personally I started Across the Course a bit late and became involved to make myself a better shot on game when hunting. My interest was peaked by Long Range and I shoot every match I can. Have always been a believer in shooting with a sling whether hunting or competing and so continue to challenge myself in that way.

 

[TonyR]

I have seen a lot of growth in F-Class, both F-T/R and F-Open, everywhere I go. It does appear that the average age of target shooters is increasing probably due in part to the elimination of rifle clubs and shooting teams in schools and the growing urbanization of the population. The NRA now seems to recognize the growth in F-Class and it now seems to be a permanent part of the Camp Perry National Matches. But there does seem to be either a decline or leveling off of the numbers of benchrest and sling shooters at least where I shoot. Shotguns, blackguns and handguns seem to dominate the shelves at local retailers that still sell guns and reloading equipment and there does seem to be more interest in IDPA, Cowboy and Bullseye competitions as well.

 

[IA_shooter]

New F-class shooter here. Lack of interest isn't my problem, lack of matches/facilities close to me is.

 

[Immike]

I think it is important to let the younger shooters take charge of the matches for the clubs sake. Their energy draws more participation by others their age. I have noticed that old clubs struggle after 30 yrs and may perish with the founder's if there is not a change of leadership. We have to offer prizes for winning and keep the entry down to gain attendance. Keep it fun.

 

[Hopkins]

In our area the NSSF has been promoting competitive shooting at the high school level in sporting clays. This has been welcomed at a number of independent private schools in the area. The cost of participating in any of the shotgun target games is very high in comparison to rimfire or precision centerfire for the most part.
It seems there should be an opportunity to divert shooting interest toward target rifle games based on economics alone.

 

[CJ6]

I'm not so sure it's lack of interest as much as I didn't win so I'm taking my toys and going home attitude. Our club (roughly 1100 or so members) has tried several times over the recent past to get CF/RF/and Pistol shoots going. Might get 20 shooters the 1st time then 8 on the second shoot, then 3 or 4 after that. When asked (surprisingly) allot of them have said ...Well I didn't win so why bother coming... HUH ? Seems the younger crowd HAS to win to keep coming. Camaraderie/Sportsmanship must not be in their vocabulary yet, I dunno. Trap /Skeet seems to do OK but it's still predominately us OLD FARTS.

 

[queen_stick]

Lack of interest isn't my problem, lack of matches/facilities close to me is.

+1

that's the biggest deterrent for a lot of people.

3.5hrs drive one direction... gets old pretty quick.

 

[ShootDots]

I belong to PSC shooting club in Friendswood, Texas. It is a suburb of Houston. We have 3600 members and can take no more. There are over 500 on a waiting list. When one person leaves, one on the waiting list has the option of joining! When I first joined the club over 20 years ago there were barely 600 people. We have experienced HUGE growth. I attribute it to a CONSTANT up-grading of the range. It is, without a doubt, the nicest range just about anywhere in the country. I am sure there are other ranges just as nice>>>But I believe this has attributed to the growth.

 

[SS427]

Recently our club had to stop taking new members because the club had reach capacity. That has not occured in a very long time. It is ironic because the club I attend is in a extremely democratic metro area.

 

[gtl1946]

Our club in S. Wisc. went from 700+ members last year to 800+ this year and goes up every year. Offers ranges for all types of shooting plus an indoor pistol range .Now under construction is a 500 yd range . All of these things attract members but it isn't free . You have yearly dues but can work off part of them and thereby save money . Younger members HAVE TO be brought in and let them start to take over because you need fresh ways of thinking /doing things . The older members sometimes look at it as their club because they've put so much effort to bring it to where it's at now . To them a very big THANK YOU ! The only problem is that new blood has to be brought in to help run it and the other is it's not THEIR club and don't run it that way !!!! It's our club even though you may not agree with things at times . Their are some things mentioned here that "might" help some clubs expand membership - one takes $ and one takes time .

 

[VaniB]

It would seem to me that 2013 should not be a good year to gage anything. If you can't easilly get your reloading supplies since December of 2012, and the problem looks to be continuing through the rest of the year, then that should be a hinderance and put a damper on things.

I go to the public range where it has been exceedingly busy on Weekends. But a lot of that heavy activity has been due to the gun-ban panic and I don't gage longevity on that.
Can we depend on some of these new shooters to stick around? That's the question.

 

[CatShooter]

Joisey...

I think VaniB has a good point.

Out club has a waiting list of about eleventeen million, probably cuz we are the only club in this crappy state to have a range over 20 feet )

But shooting courses, events, and matches all over the country are being canceled because no one can find ammo. My ammunition company is struggling - we can paper the walls with open orders, but can't get supplies.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

It's a complex answer to a complex question. It's a different problem in a different region when there is a decline. There are people who join a club to shoot a particular discipline. While that discipline is being contested among a number of equally adept shooters, all is well. When Joe wins every week, Pete grumbles. The juices of competition run at varying degrees in different people. Some thrive on it, others merely survive while the rest leave. So Joe stands alone, thumps his chest and waits for Paul, the new guy, to show up. The cycle repeats and there comes a time when Joe is thumping his chest and suddenly realizes that the workers have also left and he is left with the work load. There is a very limited number who give to the club in the form of work. Some clubs charge members for unworked time at the club but they never pay the worker who goes above and beyond. This becomes tiresome and Joe goes to greener pastures while Tom takes over the reins and the cycle begins again. The economy is a factor without doubt and the price of gasoline drives the price of everything up including grass seed and fertilizer. Guns and ammo have never been cheap but when the cost of everything else drives you to wonder where to cut back, the good old gun club doesn't stand a chance. So that's a very small insight of what comes through my very small window.

 

[M14AMU]

Older shooters that 'cut their teeth' on NRA HP shooting are GETTING OLDER and that generation know and understand the usage of aperture sights whereas this younger group has grown up shooting basically scopes and the foundation sport of National Match Course shooting DOES NOT allow scope shooting; only in specialized events such as the Wimbledon Cup and the Leech Cup matches. When F/Class shooting was born I knew it meant the death knell for the old game basically due to the fact that the younger generation would opt out of shooting iron sights for the game involving the scope....since that is what they are most familiar with! Frankly when the 'Rat Gun' came into being....I opted out of the Service Rifle class and changed over to the NRA Match Rifle category! The standard M16 'Service Rifle' of today with a very short sight radius is good for maybe and 18 year old but for the older shooters....it's the pits! I hate the damn things!!

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I dont think there is a lack of interest at all. In fact I would say there s more interest in shooting now, than say 10 years ago. Lately though, components and ammunition are impossible to get. Our match numbers are down slighly. Some guys got caught with out enough components to keep going. The pistol lanes that should be completely full are empty. That is a good indicator of the ammo shortage. I think this shortage is worse than the one we had 4 years ago...

 

[snakepit]

I belong to PSC shooting club in Friendswood, Texas. It is a suburb of Houston. We have 3600 members and can take no more. There are over 500 on a waiting list. When one person leaves, one on the waiting list has the option of joining! When I first joined the club over 20 years ago there were barely 600 people. We have experienced HUGE growth. I attribute it to a CONSTANT up-grading of the range. It is, without a doubt, the nicest range just about anywhere in the country. I am sure there are other ranges just as nice>>>But I believe this has attributed to the growth.

I just looked at your club web site and I may have missed something but it does not really go into much detail about the different ranges that are available. I see no mention of long range shooting, mostly small bore and pistol. What ranges are available for the medium and long range shooter? When you said it is "the nicest range just about anywhere in the country" I would like to know more about the rifle ranges that are available at this club.

 

[ShootDots]

Hey Snake! There is no LONG-RANGE anything there... They have 2 ranges that go from 50 thru 200 yards and on "range 1" there is a few lanes that go to 300 yards. However, for rifles, there is metallic silhouette, a 200 yard F-Class shoot, numerous pistol shoots and bow and arrows and according to some people, the best trap range going! Everything has concrete slabs in the shooting ranges, on one range they have concrete benches, the other range has wooden benches but they are heavy and stable>> but must be movable for the silhouette shooters. The backstop for targets are constantly being made and replaced, Mylar backboards. They even paved the roads inside the range! Closed circuit cameras everywhere, CHL classes, hunter safety classes, etc... It is an awesome club!

 

[snakepit]

ShootDots, thanks for the information on your club, sounds like a nice place to shoot at. We need more clubs like that. Do they have enough land to put in something like 600 yds?

 

[Forum Boss]

Personally I would like to see more matches with reactive targets, at multiple yardages (say 100, 200, 400). Let guys start on the easier stuff and then work their way out, after they experience the satisfaction of getting hits at 100. I think targets that go "clang" and/or fall down, are a good way to capture the interest of newcomers. Instant gratification is a good thing for the Gen Xers (and us old guys too!).

I think more clubs should sponsor something like the Pala Varmint Silhouette match. This is, without question, the most fun I've ever had at a rifle match.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/competition/varmint-silhouette-california-style/