the shooting sport dying

[Link]

I was talking to a friend that is a top trap shooter today. He said he thinks a lot of guys are going to quit next year. Because of the way things are. I know we all hate to see this happen to our great sport that started with maybe William Tell.

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[Lapua40X]

If anyone in the rifle crowd is quitting you wouldn't know it from some of our ranges. Range membership is up 60% at one of them and with the other I'm lucky to find an open shooting bench. As for shotgun enthusiasts I can't say.

 

[MOShooter]

I disagree. My father is a shot gunner and ammo dealer. He also is a sponsor of the local high school and FFA trap teams. He has more participation than ever and is selling all the shotgun shells he can get.

 

[ReedG]

Trap shooting took about a 30% hit at my range this summer. But there are varied reasons. Two other shooting clubs have decided to open their own trap ranges, all within 20 miles of ours. The well-known shortages of ammo have played a part, too.

I think it will be better next year.

 

[dickn52]

And from someone who shot skeet, trap and sporting clays. Trap is boring to me. Not enough variation in target presentations etc. The rifle though is a precision instrument in the hands of accomplished shooters. Getting a 10 is not as important as getting a 10-X. But to each their own. Sponsorship is what drove the shotgun sports. If those companies don't see a return on investment, they'll bail, which will indeed impact the sport altogether.

 

[fdshuster]

Clubs that I belong to (three) have so many applications for membership that they have all needed to close the membership, until the number drops thru normal attrition. So, from what I am seeing, in the real world, I'm not buying that.

 

[CatShooter]

My club was a join on the spot 10 years ago, now there is a 9 year waiting list and they stopped taking names.

 

[ShootDots]

I belong to 2 shooting clubs.. 1.) PSC in Friendswood Texas. This club has 3000 members. They have shut off membership. "We" spend A LOT of money on improvements and WON the 2012 NRA Shooting Club of the Year! That's one MAJOR reason we have people banging down the door. and 2.) Bayou Rifles.. It is located just outside of Pearland, Texas and has, I believe, 1600 members and they too have shut off membership.. It also is known that we actually have MORE members per se from "defacto" membership based on "guests" coming all the time with members, when they attend the range(s).. Suffice to say that in Texas, we are overrun with shooters who WANT to join a club and can't.. We are not dying down here by any stretch of the imagination.. But then again, this IS Texas!!

 

[SS427]

Our club started a waiting list last summer. I think we have 5,000 members. Yet I never see the ranges really crowded even on weekends. I think we have a lot of members who do not really use their membership. Our cutoff to pay dues was in September and there were quite a few who did not renew their membership. I doubt we cleared the waiting list though.

 

[AR Shooter]

As a sporting clays shooter, I've not noticed that there was any drop-off on attendance at our 3-local venues. Nor have I seen any shortage of shotgun target ammo. In fact, I've taken advantage of various sales over the past couple of years to stock up on target shells as it costs the same as reloading and I'd rather not bother for my "fun" sporting clays shooting. Plenty to load with high power and BPCR.

 

[dickn52]

Plus you can't shoot reloads in NSCA major events.

 

[1911cwp]

My club capped off membership earlier this year at 600. Ther is a waiting list.

 

[snakepit]

You would never notice that in some shooting sports. Just order a barrel from one of the major barrel makers like Krieger or Brux and when you are told it will be a 6 to 10 month wait you will wish there was a decline.

 

[tiny68]

I started shooting trap 5-6 years ago just to teach my boys how to shoot shotguns. We haven't shot much in the past 2 years. I made a lot of friends in trap. I had several call me this year looking for any extra lead or primers. They were really having problems finding primers. When you go out and shoot +200 rounds for practice a few times a week and then similar in a weekend shot, you eat up your supplies. I was able to help a couple of guys out. I had ordered a case of primers shortly before we stopped shooting. I didn't see the need of keeping 5x the primers as I had of shot and powder. Cost is a factor with lead. $50 a bag shot adds up in a hurry.

Luck, Tim

 

[artbosco]

I was talking to a friend that is a top trap shooter today. He said he thinks a lot of guys are going to quit next year. Because of the way things are. I know we all hate to see this happen to our great sport that started with maybe William Tell. :

One man's comments don't count. Go for a consensus among thousands.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Like on this board. Many experts willing to share.

 

[hogpatrol]

The two clubs I belong to in PA are limiting their new members to the amount of non-renewals. Both have waiting lists. The last couple months, there has been a definite pickup in activity since ammo supplies have turned more normal.

 

[Link]

I am glad to see that the sport seems healthy in other area's. My bud says with the higher prices he is afraid some people that he has talked to will drop out.

I shoot in N.Y. Sport-er rifle and with the shortage of 22 ammo many are practicing far less. However they still shoot competition.

thanks Link

 

[GerryM]

some of the shooting is dropping off.
Lead {shot] prices are effecting a lot of shooters in trap also bullet and component prices.

 

[Milo 2.0]

some of the shooting is dropping off.
Lead {shot] prices are effecting a lot of shooters in trap also bullet and component prices.

I'm sure prices are effecting a lot of what goes on. If and when things level off, and SHOULD, touchy word here, come down somewhat, I see things returning to normal.
Fighting for components, and I'm sure the bulk of us didn't come into this crisis with what we needed, hasn't been fun. Searching daily, or 3 times a week on the web for components has taxed the rest of our lives also.

But to say the sport is dwindling is absurd, gun sales hit all time highs earlier this year, with more new owners than any point in the past. Where these newbies take it is anyone's guess, but by the number of new reloaders out there something's happening. It very well may be regional, but not many around here have cut back. I don't get to the public range as much as before, but the one thing I do miss seeing is Dad's with youngsters shooting their 22's, and will admit 22 ammo has taken a serious hit here, which is not good.

Might be out of line here,, and may be chastised for it, but people buying this ammo and turning a profit on the net and gun shows from it should be repeatedly drop kicked in their private parts.