Price of fuel drives the nails in the coffin

[Full Chisel]

@JMayo You could always apply the bean counter method, which is to total up the costs to shoot all your matches - ammo, gas, food, etc - then figure out what percentage the new fuel price increased that cost. Then reduce your match exposure by that percentage. New gas price increases match cost by 15%, attend 15% fewer matches. Gets you out of the house at least. Me, I'd probably consume 15% extra food and beer just sitting around the house not shooting.

 

[RKS]

I guess i should have known some couldn't resist. This thread isn't a political thread.

The fact is that just about every subject nowadays is political - from the cost of things to the ability and legality of doing them. And nothing more so than the subject of this forum.

You mentioned or referred to in your OP Covid, Ukraine, and food availabilty. They are all political issues.

Enjoy your hobbies to the degree you are able. When it is no longer any fun or the negatives outweigh the positives, find something else to do with your time.

 

[Bill Norris]

I too am blessed to be able to shoot right out the back door of my shop but only 100 yds. Still it's better than nothing for sure. Somehow I saw this coming back in 2019 and begin purchasing a little extra stuff at random. Not a huge amount but I don't compete so I should be O K for awhile I suppose.

 

[Ken]

If gas goes up $2/gal and your vehicle gets 20 mpg, that is 10 cents per mile additional in gasoline/diesel cost. A 4 hr drive = approx 200 miles one way or 400 miles round trip.
Using these assumptions, your additional cost for gas/diesel will be $40.
Only you can decide if this additional cost on top of everything else is worth it or not.
Good Luck with your decisions.

 

[hoz53]

I have a match to go to EVERY Sat & most Sundays for the next 8 months.
My limits are at 4 hr drive one way.

Now it seems that I'll have to go back to covid times of staying home watching the world through the windows.

On the lighter side at least the buildings around me aren't being blown up.

I went on a trip to that side of the world last Oct. I made some friends over there. They told me they are experiencing the bombs and smoke. I couldn't imagine that life.

Heck I've never seen lack groceries in the US like we've seen this year. Kinda upsetting all this stuff happening in my golden years.

i just never have been willing to travel very far to a match. Im really only interested in competing against myself to try to improve.
there is a 1000 yard range within 10 miles of the house and its all i need. im lucky

 

[1K6BRA]

Unless the boss aunties up a nice raise I will probably not go to some events.I love shooting at Williamsport but it is a 3 1/2 hour drive one way in a gas guzzling SUV. A friend and I travel together in the SUV and split the gas but at today’s prices I’m guessing probably $60-$70 apiece to get there and back. Probably will just go to the world open only. Might get down to Harry Jones in West Virginia once or twice. Most of my shooting is done in Ridgeway Pennsylvania that is only an hour and 15 minutes away and I can use my Honda Civic at 40+ miles a gallon to get there so I can justify that.

 

[1K6BRA]

If gas goes up $2/gal and your vehicle gets 20 mpg, that is 10 cents per mile additional in gasoline/diesel cost. A 4 hr drive = approx 200 miles one way or 400 miles round trip.
Using these assumptions, your additional cost for gas/diesel will be $40.
Only you can decide if this additional cost on top of everything else is worth it or not.
Good Luck with your decisions.

If gas were the only thing going up it wouldn’t be too much of a problem then but every time I go to replenish groceries etc. prices change seemingly on a weekly basis so it all adds up. Maybe I should just run a deficit and kick the can down the road.

 

[257ack]

I too am blessed to be able to shoot right out the back door of my shop but only 100 yds. Still it's better than nothing for sure. Somehow I saw this coming back in 2019 and begin purchasing a little extra stuff at random. Not a huge amount but I don't compete so I should be O K for awhile I suppose.

I too have a range on my property, and .yes it is a blessing. and I too have stocked up on components. Maybe More than i Will need since I am almost 80 now. I used to travel to many of the benchrest group matches but have got too old to travel by myself. I only have one covered concrete bench and a 200yd, berm but I still enjoy shooting a group or too. Even If I were able to travel the gas would be more than I could afford

 

[Downhill]

Price of fuel???? No comparison to the price of primers. Fuel prices will go down, primers maybe not.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have a new accurate air rifle and 15,000 pellets. I also have about a 3 year supply of centerfire componets for my normal 1 or 2 matches every weekend April thru Oct. Most matches are 1.5 to 2 hr's away. I think if fuel hits 4.00 per gallon a lot of matches will lose so many shooters to were its not worth the effort. I see me in the back yard shooting and having a ball for .04 cents per shot, no travel, no reloading, and no cleaning. If its hot I can drive 3 miles and shoot 25yds in air conditioning for 15.00 per month 7 days a week. I was a Boy Scout, motto was Be Prepared.

 

[r bose]

If gas goes up $2/gal and your vehicle gets 20 mpg, that is 10 cents per mile additional in gasoline/diesel cost. A 4 hr drive = approx 200 miles one way or 400 miles round trip.
Using these assumptions, your additional cost for gas/diesel will be $40.
Only you can decide if this additional cost on top of everything else is worth it or not.
Good Luck with your decisions.

Unfortunately it's not only fuel that is affecting one's ability to participate. Everyone has their line in the sand. Fuel, hotel for overnight travel, eating out, reloading supplies, match fees all have increased. I have a 3 day match coming up that I usually go to that is 400 miles away. I figure easily $750 to participate. Hard to justify the cost shooting 160 rounds in all 3 days. Almost $5 every time you pull the trigger

 

[jcline]

I have a match to go to EVERY Sat & most Sundays for the next 8 months.
My limits are at 4 hr drive one way.

Now it seems that I'll have to go back to covid times of staying home watching the world through the windows.

On the lighter side at least the buildings around me aren't being blown up.

I went on a trip to that side of the world last Oct. I made some friends over there. They told me they are experiencing the bombs and smoke. I couldn't imagine that life.

Heck I've never seen lack groceries in the US like we've seen this year. Kinda upsetting all this stuff happening in my golden years.

Let's do some basic math here. A loaded round = .80 cents to over a dollar. A gallon of gas has gone up $1.50 or so per gallon. By my math 2 less sighters for every gallon of gas and you are back to equal!
Johnny, See you next Saturday!

 

[Fuj]

Let's do some basic math here. A loaded round = .80 cents to over a dollar. A gallon of gas has gone up $1.50 or so per gallon. By my math 2 less sighters for every gallon of gas and you are back to equal!
Johnny, See you next Saturday!

A man with a plan....

You also have to factor in that some of us are real junkies.
Hard core addicts that need that fix of being among other
like minded people searching for that perfect target that
always eludes.....

 

[CaptainMal]

Fully understand the expense of travel, near or far. Today I took my quad and trailer to Manatee so we can do the IBS shoot there tomorrow. 75 miles round trip and less than 16 mpg diesel pulling trailer with quad.

Left quad there today as we need out to move the entire target line, with steel plates, downrange early before the shoot. I am physically not able to do it as the whole things weighs in the 1,000 lb range. If I do not drive over and return again tomorrow to help run the line and hopefully shoot, the shoot is NOT going on.

As a retired guy from 1999 on a fixed income far less than you might belive, the $4 a gallon diesel is brutal for me to deal with just to help put on the shoots.

As an aside, Tom Jacobs, from Vapor Trail and Sharon were there. I RSO'd Tom shooting and hitting so he is ready for tomorrow.

 

[Ccrider]

By Whom? Not a one of them on Hill had the balls to support Trump when he needed it.

Hell, Trump did not have the sense to support himself.

 

[Tempest]

I solved part of the gas problem for long distance match's.
Two years ago I went up to the Nissan dealer and picked up
a new 5 speed manual 36 mpg Versa. I still like to shuck gears.
And if you can win a little cash from the shoots, well that's
always put back into the tank. Gas here in Erie pa has hit an
all time record of $3.75 When I bought that little tin box, it
was 20 bucks to fill the tank, and now its double that. With
what's going on now in the world, I'll probably see $4.00 fuel
shortly. In the meantime, my truck stays idle.

Ditto on this. Cost of gas with my car is minimal to the price of components and hotel stay nowadays.

 

[Bill Clifton]

This guy is posting short vids on things he is witnessing.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXZs3e_VSlYgrUuTqm3GgVA/videos

I'm surprised they are just driving around with the enemy country soldiers about and such. If there was an invasion of the United States homeland the enemy couldn't consider themselves safe anywhere there were civilians. There would be civilian snipers everywhere.

As far as gas and traveling I'm glad we took our family vacation last fall and looks like I'll be just shooting on the farm and doing local matches in the near future. Need to watch my round count to make my primer stash weathers this storm anyway.

 

[mikeinct]

A man with a plan....

You also have to factor in that some of us are real junkies.
Hard core addicts that need that fix of being among other
like minded people searching for that perfect target that
always eludes.....

Oh well, sounded good at first but I need 35 gals. to do my round trip once a month.

 

[JFrank]

Ditto on this. Cost of gas with my car is minimal to the price of components and hotel stay nowadays.

Yep
Who can afford a coffin these days .

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Hell, Trump did not have the sense to support himself.

Yep but old Tweety Bird had this Country headed in the right direction!
The masses don’t have a clue that the free trough of feed in front of them is going to have a reckoning in the end!