Where all all the shooters???

[Alex Wheeler]

Benchrest is not for everyone. In fact its not for most. As older shooters start to retire the newer ones are just not filling their shoes. Part of it is there are a lot more options today than 20 or 30 years ago. Another part of it is most have never heard of BR and if they have they have very inaccurate views on what it really is. We have done a poor job of exposing people to it. Two things I think we have to do is avoid changing the game in hopes to attract new shooters, because you upset the older ones and it doesnt work anyhow. And have fun, its a sport that gets taken very seriously and sometime we forget its fun. In reality we mostly go to enjoy the company. I dont think many would do this if there was no one to compete with. In LR we now have so many sanctioning bodies Im loosing count, we are not stronger divided in my opinion.

 

[1CTShooter]

We don't really have any local matches or places to practice anything over 200 yards and it isn't cheap to put one of those custom rifles together.

Will my box stock rifle even have a chance against the 4k entry class rifles?

The "prep for competition class" that's being offered is nice, expensive for a new person.

And for me, no one I know is involved, I'm tired of going to the range alone, 5 years of battling cancer, I want to be out with others.

A few observations as I have been looking at entering competition.

 

[hogpatrol]

From this chair, it's like the hunting sport, a thousand other things to spend time and money on and the youngsters are not filling the baby boomers shoes. Esports is the big thing now with youth. The local university has just started construction on an arena for these games. Not my cup of tea but the world is changing.

https://sites.udel.edu/usc/esports/

 

[Mulligan]

From this chair, it's like the hunting sport, a thousand other things to spend time and money on and the youngsters are not filling the baby boomers shoes. Esports is the big thing now with youth. The local university has just started construction on an arena for these games. Not my cup of tea but the world is changing.

https://sites.udel.edu/usc/esports/

I had never heard of esports until this post.
Watched the video.
Like you said, The world is changing....
Is this somehow better? What are we doing?
CW

 

[XTR]

We don't really have any local matches or places to practice anything over 200 yards and it isn't cheap to put one of those custom rifles together.

Will my box stock rifle even have a chance against the 4k entry class rifles?

The "prep for competition class" that's being offered is nice, expensive for a new person.

.

Not having ranges is a hard one. If the CT in your handle is the state I get that. Though there are 600 yd matches in MA and NH pretty much every month after the snow melts in May.

A box stock Savage will in fact compete in FTR, I’m pretty certain you can probably shoot out the factory barrel before you threaten HM. Jim Croft won the FCNC a couple of times with a Savage action. In XTC you’ll shoot out the first barrel long before a factory AR would limit you... ok you’d need to get a free floated hand guard, but that’s cheap plus couple of hundred for a trigger and you’re covered. Can’t help ya with BR, probably going to be hard to be competitive with a factory setup though that will depend on the local competition.

 

[Shooter13]

Not having ranges is a hard one. If the CT in your handle is the state I get that. Though there are 600 yd matches in MA and NH pretty much every month after the snow melts in May.

A box stock Savage will in fact compete in FTR, I’m pretty certain you can probably shoot out the factory barrel before you threaten HM. Jim Croft won the FCNC a couple of times with a Savage action. In XTC you’ll shoot out the first barrel long before a factory AR would limit you... ok you’d need to get a free floated hand guard, but that’s cheap plus couple of hundred for a trigger and you’re covered. Can’t help ya with BR, probably going to be hard to be competitive with a factory setup though that will depend on the local competition.

Thing is IF they have a UBR range there is a real factory class, the only problem with the factory class is the Savage BR gun is almost 13 lbs before adding a scope and rings and with a 13.5 lb limit your screwed, I never even thought about that and purchased the Savage br and now it is just added weight I don't need so you would need to find a gun to fit the parameters you are shooting (don't be like me).

 

[hogpatrol]

I had never heard of esports until this post.
Watched the video.
Like you said, The world is changing....
Is this somehow better? What are we doing?
CW

Amongst the younger generation, esports is HUGE. Arenas have heat and AC, food and refreshments, fixed toilet facilities and the cost of entry to a tournament is low, ten to twenty bucks to participate.

 

[drags]

I look at the members list on this site and see thousands and 10s of thousands, but yet many competitive shoots are going away or have shrinking numbers attending. Why are all these people out there interested in accuracy while having a lot of great shooting rifles but attendance at matches shrinks. Do less and less have the confidence in themselves to try themselves and their equipment against other folks? Do guys just like to look at a shiny new rifle and find out what makes it tick by reading how others figure out how to improve to higher standards. To me it's quite obvious the vast majority of readers of this forum compete very little or not at all. So you who dont, I would like to know why, I am not interested in those of us who do, but why those who enjoy accurate rifles shy away from competition .

Hi Jeff, a fellow posted on the hunting Pa. site about a groundhog shoot they were having another fellow replied that if it was closer (he would be all over that shoot) me being the co-chairman of the Lawrence Co. Varmint shoots I checked and he was close to our shoots. I Pm'em him and said our shoots were close to him and he said he didn't have the time to shoot our shoots even though that our shoots were almost the same as the shoot that he would be all over if he were closer. I believe that people find the time to do the things they want to do. I believe that this fellow and others are hesitant to shoot because they think that everyone is watching and they might be embarrassed. For myself I started when I was 59 years old (I'm 78 now) but I was always interested but with my job and family obligations I didn't but looking back I wish I had started earlier and I could have but that's water over the bridge. I guess I didn't follow my advice of finding the time to do the things I wanted to do.
Joe

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Around me there is nothing to attend? Only local club matches and those are few and far between. I really want to get into shooting more matches but don't want to drive hours and hours to simply find out I'm ill-equipped for the task at hand. Don't really care if I even score well its not about that for me, its more of a personal challenge.

 

[Liven The Dream]

I look at the members list on this site and see thousands and 10s of thousands, but yet many competitive shoots are going away or have shrinking numbers attending. Why are all these people out there interested in accuracy while having a lot of great shooting rifles but attendance at matches shrinks. Do less and less have the confidence in themselves to try themselves and their equipment against other folks? Do guys just like to look at a shiny new rifle and find out what makes it tick by reading how others figure out how to improve to higher standards. To me it's quite obvious the vast majority of readers of this forum compete very little or not at all. So you who dont, I would like to know why, I am not interested in those of us who do, but why those who enjoy accurate rifles shy away from competition .

Great post . I spent 4 years plus finishing a KD Range in Central Oregon . We now have 12 Shot Marker Targets , Monthly Matches and Practice Days .
The Turnout is 5-12 people . Yet we have a Gong Range and $$$$$$ Rifles lined up to hear the ding ?

 

[Liven The Dream]

Around me there is nothing to attend? Only local club matches and those are few and far between. I really want to get into shooting more matches but don't want to drive hours and hours to simply find out I'm ill-equipped for the task at hand. Don't really care if I even score well its not about that for me, its more of a personal challenge.

As a Old Match Shooter , it is sad but Driving is a Must . I will leave for March Madness in CA. in March 8 hr. Drive and we Rent a Air B&B .
But for retired Guy's 2 to 14 days of Blasting and fellowship is good .

 

[1CTShooter]

I have a Savage 10 HS LE 308, hoping to shoot PRS type stuff.

 

[Shooter13]

It is like my friend that shoots, hes says he has a "tack driver", I ask how big are your tacks? Well last year he came to my range and I took my 30BR and he came with a .243 bolt action, he left with a new understanding of precision for sure, at one point he looked at me and said "I use BIG tacks!" LOL, I have tried to get him to come and shoot factory class just for fun and to compete but so far it is a no go!

 

[dragman]

Many reasons:
Time, Money, and people
Time (there is never enough) people are working more hours and different hours than before working Saturdays and Sundays. Kids are doing more and more so that demand is pushed off to the parents. Not like the old days 9-5 Monday - Friday we live in a 24/7 world now a days.
Money - This is an expensive sport to play in especially if you want to be competitive. And it's not main stream so it's never going to pay like a real sport.
People - People suck while some matches are run awesome and are full of great people and others are an old boys club and new or young people don't want to deal with it.

 

[Killick]

The answer is they're all at ONE match, the Berger Southwest Nationals!

 

[rogina]

I had never heard of esports until this post.
Watched the video.
Like you said, The world is changing....
Is this somehow better? What are we doing?
CW

Not many people are competitive, some think they are until they run into some stiff competitors. Then they find out they cannot take the butt kickings week after week. There are different winners and losers every week. You have to accept that or you will not be in this game long. Our Grandkids are taught from Kindergarten on not to be competitive. Everyone is a winner. I think this is some of our problem.

 

[r bose]

Great post . I spent 4 years plus finishing a KD Range in Central Oregon . We now have 12 Shot Marker Targets , Monthly Matches and Practice Days .
The Turnout is 5-12 people . Yet we have a Gong Range and $$$$$$ Rifles lined up to hear the ding ?

Everybody loves hearing the DING. Means you actually hit something. We have 17 benches at the local 100 yd range and all are equipped with a gong. I see so many shooters who don't even bother putting up a target at 100 yds (walk all that way) HAHAHA. They shoot, ding, ding, ding, and are happy.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

I look at the members list on this site and see thousands and 10s of thousands, but yet many competitive shoots are going away or have shrinking numbers attending. Why are all these people out there interested in accuracy while having a lot of great shooting rifles but attendance at matches shrinks. Do less and less have the confidence in themselves to try themselves and their equipment against other folks? Do guys just like to look at a shiny new rifle and find out what makes it tick by reading how others figure out how to improve to higher standards. To me it's quite obvious the vast majority of readers of this forum compete very little or not at all. So you who dont, I would like to know why, I am not interested in those of us who do, but why those who enjoy accurate rifles shy away from competition .

In my case, I am not a competitive type. My only competition is myself. I also don't do well in crowds.

 

[r bose]

Many reasons:
Time, Money, and people
Time (there is never enough) people are working more hours and different hours than before working Saturdays and Sundays. Kids are doing more and more so that demand is pushed off to the parents. Not like the old days 9-5 Monday - Friday we live in a 24/7 world now a days.
Money - This is an expensive sport to play in especially if you want to be competitive. And it's not main stream so it's never going to pay like a real sport.
People - People suck while some matches are run awesome and are full of great people and others are an old boys club and new or young people don't want to deal with it.

Money has become a major factor. 40-50 dollars for a 66 shot f-class match with e targets is not unusual. I've seen 50 dollars for a 35 shot Garand match on e targets. Plus travel, hotel possibly, reloading components time away from family, etc. pushes a lot of would be competitors away. My local range is 6 dollars........all day of shooting with no commitment of membership fees. I attend as many matches as possible but, I understand why some don't/can't.

 

[rogina]

Everybody loves hearing the DING. Means you actually hit something. We have 17 benches at the local 100 yd range and all are equipped with a gong. I see so many shooters who don't even bother putting up a target at 100 yds (walk all that way) HAHAHA. They shoot, ding, ding, ding, and are happy.

It is instant gratification.