How many people participate in shooting games?

[Buck13]

Anyone know the figures for how many people in the US participate in the newer types of shooting sports, i.e. IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun, SASS (what am I leaving out?), that involve some sort of "realistic" scenario vs. just courses of standard courses of fire? I'm curious if the LARPing aspect has made competition shooting more popular.

 

[twofifty]

Maybe revolutionary and civil war re-enactments were the catalysts to the new games.

 

[sauer1911]

My wife and myself shoot IDPA. We do it because we have guns for personal and home protection. It is getting more popular.

It is one step up from punching holes in targets at the range. It makes you think about what your shooting, how your shooting, and how accurate you shoot.

Not so much a game as it is learning to use your weapons as safe and as accurately as possible. learning is fun, but focused and serious. You'll meet some real nice people too, but I dont think they would call it a game either. YMMV

be safe.

 

[taliv]

if there is any crossover between realistic shooting games and LARPing, I haven't seen it. They aren't ren fair or SCA either. Nobody dresses up for it (ok well sometimes there is "that guy" but 99% don't. heck, i didn't even own any camo until last year and I sure didn't buy it to fit in at comps.)

people aren't imagining or role playing in comps. They are almost exclusively focused on technical proficiency.

the purpose of 'realistic' scenarios is just to keep competitions 'practical'. i.e. after doing these a long time, people get really good and start to get bored and start looking for new challenges, and sometimes these get pretty goofy or into trick shooting circus stuff. scenarios are just a way for the match director to say "see this is practical", and the competitors to agree or say "you're full of it".

 

[tarosean]

What is LARPing?

 

[Sam1911]

I'm guessing, "Live Action Role Play?"

In SASS, what everyone calls "Cowboy Action" shooting, definitely this is a strong factor. They spend about as much on outfits and accouterments as they do on guns -- and that's a HUGE part of the fun! If you ever have the chance to hang out at one of their matches, do it! What a hoot!

For the rest? I don't see it. While there's a certain level of convergence in dress and gear (what works, what's cool, etc.), the only "costume" or persona that's taken on is that of a serious, squared-away shooter. Unless you're role-playing the part of being a shooting competitor... how "meta" is THAT?

I suppose there are a few informal and generally low-key competition groups that do some level of cross between re-enactment and competition -- like the NSSA, for example, but you aren't going to find that in DCM, IDPA, ICORE, USPSA, 3-Gun, and so forth.

...

I can sort of see a dialog in my mind's eye about this: Some plaid & bearded onlooker asking, "What are you guys, playing soldier or cop or something?" With the rejoinder being a laughing scornful, "Nope, I didn't come here to shoot slow and finish LAST!"

 

[twofifty]

Anyone know the figures for how many people in the US participate in the newer types of shooting sports, i.e. IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun, SASS (what am I leaving out?), that involve some sort of "realistic" scenario vs. just courses of standard courses of fire? I'm curious if the LARPing aspect has made competition shooting more popular.

USPSA has about 25,000 members according to Wikipedia.

 

[taliv]

yeah, ok, I wasn't thinking about SASS. they are pretty LARPy

 

[tarosean]

I'm guessing, "Live Action Role Play?"

Oh okay... I guess I need to have me a custom jersey made up now...


Just a guess judging by younger and younger participants. Maybe the upswing is due to the massive amounts of FPS (first person shooter) video gamers that have came of age? Nothing like the real version of something that has broke records year after year for the last ten years or so.

 

[Buck13]

In SASS, what everyone calls "Cowboy Action" shooting, definitely this is a strong factor. They spend about as much on outfits and accouterments as they do on guns -- and that's a HUGE part of the fun!

Yes, that was what I was thinking of WRT LARP.

Just a guess judging by younger and younger participants. Maybe the upswing is due to the massive amounts of FPS (first person shooter) video gamers that have came of age? Nothing like the real version of something that has broke records year after year for the last ten years or so.

Bingo. YMMV, but I think the odds that I will ever be running and shooting at people from windows and doorways is vanishingly small, so I wouldn't consider it training. If I was to participate in IDPA, etc. (which I don't, due to my modest interest in it losing out to my other interests and demands on my time), I would see it as essentially a live-action video game.

If you care much about your score vs. other competitors, I would call that a sport/game perspective. I would expect that would be true for most people who participate more than a few times.

 

[Sam1911]

Bingo. YMMV, but I think the odds that I will ever be running and shooting at people from windows and doorways is vanishingly small, so I wouldn't consider it training.

Well, more or less nobody considers it "training." Training implies being trained, which isn't happening in an IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun, or other sorts of competition. Some consider it good and highly varied practice that stretches your skill set a long ways farther than "square range" bullseye shooting/plinking by presenting more complicated shots under time pressure. You don't have to expect to be running and shooting through windows ... just like the guy in warm up circle isn't expecting to have to swing a weighted bat or three when the ball comes across the plate.

If I was to participate in IDPA, etc. (which I don't, due to my modest interest in it losing out to my other interests and demands on my time), I would see it as essentially a live-action video game.

Hmmm. Ok, that's interesting. Life imitating an imitation of life?

If you care much about your score vs. other competitors, I would call that a sport/game perspective. I would expect that would be true for most people who participate more than a few times.

Of course. Most folks who participate in a competitive sport care about scores.

And a score is a convenient way to measure your own progress as you work harder and push yourself to excel. Nobody manages to push themselves to build their skills as hard on their own as they do when working with, and in competition with, others.

 

[tarosean]

Bingo. YMMV, but I think the odds that I will ever be running and shooting at people from windows and doorways is vanishingly small, so I wouldn't consider it training.

Maybe not, but footwork and drawing under pressure certainly can be advantageous.

I would see it as essentially a live-action video game.

While I've admittedly played FPS's with my son. I don't see them anywhere in the same ballpark, other than planting an real interest for guns since some of the games do showcase guns we can buy.

 

[mgmorden]

I think the video game aspect is there. It was for me. I played (and still play) a lot of video games. There is some excitement level to the sport (I shoot mainly USPSA, with a little SCSA and GSSF here and there) that mimicks video game playing. Heck the first time I put a shooting video from one of my matches on my Facebook page the immediate response from a friend was that it was awesome that I got to play a real life version of an FPS.

I've also noticed that in the sport, the representation by folks in the IT/Computer profession is a LOT higher in normal life (myself included in that). I swear it seems like every third person I talk to in a match works in IT. I haven't asked any of them about game playing but certain from knowing my peers at work most IT folks either play or once played a lot of games.

 

[oneounceload]

(what am I leaving out?),

Trap, Skeet, 5-stand, Sporting Clays, FITASC

 

[Sam1911]

Trap, Skeet, 5-stand, Sporting Clays, FITASC

That's just folks Live-Action-Role-Playing the old Nintendo "Duck Hunt" game.

 

[tarosean]

That's just folks Live-Action-Role-Playing the old Nintendo "Duck Hunt" game.

LOL, now thats funny...

 

[chiltech500]

I started NRA pistol = Bullseye recently, but I'm handicapped and could not do the action shooting sports movements safely. I would probably prefer them if I could.

 

[shooter1]

I shoot every weekend either IDPA/USPSA/STEEL CHALLENGE. Of the scores of shooters I know and have shot with, none consider what we do as training.
It is great gun handling practice with an emphasis on safety. While there's not as much pressure as even FOF training, the timer does put a bit of pressure on the shooter. Add to that all the great people you meet, and you have a real winner.
Everyone comes away a better shooter than before these competitions. Anyone aspiring to become a better shooter, faster, more accurate, and much improved overall skills, should give these games a try. Anyone who likes to shoot will likely be hooked after their first match!
str1

 

[klcmschlesinger]

Pretty much once a week

I usually shoot IDPA but will do USPSA if it fits my schedule better. I shoot a 4 stage IDPA every Thursday evening after work, then usually one kind of something on the weekend.
I do it because of the people and the fun of getting to shoot my guns at something other than a target at the range. Fun to hang out with like minded people and I also learn alot as there are lots of knowledgable guys there.
Just an overall good time.

 

[Justin]

Anyone know the figures for how many people in the US participate in the newer types of shooting sports, i.e. IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun, SASS (what am I leaving out?)

According to Wikipedia, USPSA has around 25,000 members, IDPA has around 11,000 members.

There's no governing body or membership requirements for 3 gun, but you can probably get a decent idea of the number of serious 3 gun competitors by looking at how many regional/national level matches are held and adding up the numbers of participants. Most of the large matches seem to start at around 300 competitors and the biggest one I attended had over 500.

I don't have numbers handy, but as I understand it, SASS is probably the largest action-oriented shooting sport. I was quite surprised at the number of members a few years ago, it sticks in my head that there's around 100,000 members.

 

[waktasz]

IDPA has a good bit more than that worldwide. I heard maybe 28,000

 

[David2011]

SASS has a huge membership by comparison. Last I head was over 70,000. That's pretty impressive considering how expensive it is to get started in SASS.

David

 

[btg3]

Left out paintball.

And how about airsoft... here's a video of how they do it in China.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec1nfKvhNPs

I'm not a fan of either, but they have a following.


Personally, in addition to some of the venues already mentioned, I've participated in these competitive shoots:
2-gun
Defensive shotgun
Steel Challenge
Pin shooting

 

[oneounceload]

From the ATA website:

Clay Target Shooting Information (source: National Sporting Goods Association.)

Target shooting is the third fastest growing sport
7.7 million people participated in target shooting in 1996
3.7 million people participated in Trap and /or Skeet in 1996
15.4 % are between the ages 25 - 34
Average days of participation is 8.4

 

[jtischauser]

I'd guess 3-gun to have around 5,000 register for competitors with 3-gun nation. You probably have double that in people, clubs, and matches that aren't sanctioned by 3-gun nation yet.