Now this is just sad

[Justin]

I'm not sure if this is true. I don't know of any Olympic quality shooters that have chosen not to compete. I have shot some Olympic sports, they just are not that popular mostly because the cost of the equipment and the difficulty of the shooting. I've never heard anyone say they won't shoot a free rifle cause, darn it. the rifle is too neutered? Olympic shooting still is of the highest standard.

Thanx, Russ

Russ, starting after the 1968 Olympics the IOC began moving to neuter the Olympic shooting games when they eliminated the 300 yard International Centerfire Rifle event. Add to it the elimnation first of the realistic "hog" target in running rifle, the silhuette targets in the Duel event, and then the game itself and you end up with what the Olympic shooting sports are today: limited to .22s and air guns (and now lasers, evidently).

As for Olympic-caliber shooters who opt to not take part, back in the 1990s there was an attempt to recruit Olympic shooters from the ranks of US competitive shooters who were not currently competing in Olympic shooting sports. IIRC, this included approaching the likes of Jerry Miculek, Rob Leatham, and a number of other high profile competitive shooters.

Depending on who you ask, there was a parting of the ways due, in part, to these shooters finding the Olympic shooting sports to be unengaging.

Sent from my G1 using Tapatalk.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I truely miss 300 meter matches as they really seperated the men from the boys. I see folks who can not hit the target with accuracy off hand at 200 yards and to do it at 300 is lots of fun. still lots of those targets laying around.

I find it sad when they cancel any olympic event and to change it to a laser pointer is also sad. I forsee in the far future where other things may replace the firearm in the olympics but I hope not to see it in my life time. But then again everything changes I suppose.

As far as rifle sports waning? heck you would not know it from the crowd at the nationals. If I remember right and it was only a month ago a few of the matches were at compacity.
All of the matches here in this state have not fallen off much even with the recession going on.

I figure some day if any off these run and gun matches take off internationally which I doubt due to gun restrictions around the world but you never can tell they just may be included in the olympics.

I like all gun sports and with the great support from 4H shooting and some very good small bore clubs I do not see this sport going away in my life time.

 

[zoom6zoom]

If they were truly concerned with safety they would ban the luge. If you look at the list of the top ten most dangerous Olympic sports, none of the shooting sports even makes the cut.

 

[Webbj0219]

What this comes down to in a way is the heart of this gun control war thats being waged all over the world. Its hard to exagerate just how silly this is. I mean from airsoft, really? This may seem inconsiquential in the grand scheme of things. But then again maybe its not? Its just another battle in this gun control war. If we lose this on maybe nothing will happen? Or maybe this will give the brady's, the UN and other anti gunners more momentum? This will be a tough one, not sure if there is we can do here in the USA? Its more of an international thing. But if I lived in the UK youd better believe Id be making a stink.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Now the olympic shooting sports is just boring, bunch of people standing pointing gun looking things clicking them. There goes any hope of attracting spectators.

 

[russ69]

...Add to it the elimination first of the realistic "hog" target in running rifle,....

Yeah, I have a Feinwerkbau Running Target rifle and Premiere RT scope. I went through the target change. It didn't seem to help the sport as it is no longer in the Olympics.

Thanx, Russ