What can we do to popularize shooting?

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fedlaw

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Although I have not looked at the demographics lately, I have read that the number of new shooters is declining. It seems to me that unless we want to be the last generation that thinks the 2nd A is more than a curiousity,we need to bring in more young people.
I grew up in Chicago, but when I was young, learning to shoot was a given. Chicago itself and many suburbs had gun clubs and every amusement park and kiddieland had an arcade with a shooting gallery. Parents and teachers seemed to know the difference between an evil object and an object that was used for evil. Guns were not demonized, only the people who used them for evil were. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was because our fathers had just come back from WWII and had used guns to defend our country.
I would never suggest that the 2nd A refers to hunting and sport, but the fact is shooting is fun. And like anything involving skill, the better one gets, the more fun it is.
I don't have anything specific in mind right now, but I'm sure a lot of THRers do. BTW, I am as guilty as the next of neglecting to teach my kids how to shoot when they were very young, but I am making up for it now.
Steve
 
There are some very positive programs to get folks interested in all manners of shooting including competition, hunting, trick shooting, and self defense. Some of the really nifty campaigns are by programs like American Shooter on OLN and some of the similar specialty shooting shows. What some of these have in common is portraying shooting and shooting activities in a positive light without trying to beat down the viewer with 2nd amendment issues. In other words, the programs are often non-political in a direct sense and so the viewer has the chance to actually enjoy and learn about shooting from the program without being lobbied.

Here in Texas, there are a couple of Texas Parks and Wildlife shows that show TPW introducing kids into the shooting sports such as skeet and target shooting in programs they sponsor, promoting safe and responsible gun handling along the way. I think this is way cool.

I think part of the problem with shooting NOT becoming more popular stems from various political stances taken by pro and anti-gun folks. While the NRA has some very positive gun promotions, they often take a distant back seat to the NRA political agenda. While his end of speech comments served to solidify many of the pro-gun and politically active people's, Heston's dramatic "From my cold dead hands!" display with a long gun raised over his head probably did more damage than good when it came to popularizing shooting by those not already involved. So there was Heston, president of the NRA, daring anti-gunners to try to knock a ballistic chip off his shoulder and putting them on notice that he is willing to fight and die for the cause.

Heston's speech has been repeated on TV many times and in many programs. I doubt that anybody thinking that they might be interested in learning to shoot has seen that segment and thought how great it would be to get involved and associated with gun owners who are ready to engage in life or death fighting for their guns, led by a particular special interest organization. If you were not already a gun owner and politically involved with the situation, do you really think that after seeing Heston's oft repeated display that you would want to get involved in some highly controversial activity where the number one organization promoting guns is regularly using words like patriot, revolution, and "from my cold dead hands!"? Probably not.

Heston's display was very positive within the gun community, but did not seem to do anything to bridge the gap between gun owners and potential gun owners and definitely didn't do anything to positively sway antis.

If we can get more folks involved with shooting for all manners of reasons, recreation, sport, competition, and defense, the political power will come along as well.
 
Hardest part is a place to shoot

When I grew up, the access to public and private lands for shooting was much more readily available. I knew any number of farmers and ranchers that would allow shooting on their lands, and lots of access to public land as well.

The rise in lawsuits and movement of population from rural to suburbs have made that difficult these days.

For example, I live just outside of Ft. Worth, TX and in this entire county I can find 2 places to shoot; one indoor and one outdoor range, both of which are certainly not inexpensive to use.

There are no public land ranges at all within several hundred miles of here.

What I find when I want to take new shooters out is not that they have some bias against guns, it's that they just think of any sport shooting as a rich man's game.

Unfortunately they are more and more correct.




Double Naught, where in the world do you see TPW offering any kind of shooting programs? I'd be interested in that, it's a well kept secret I am afraid.
 
Just bring a couple friends who are not really shooters.

I have done this a couple times recently, two of them even bought moisin-nagants on the spot.

I have found that when you introduce people to shooting in an overly structured way, you tend to scare them off (like precision smallbore). Instead, you need a more relaxed and fun atmosphere (not neglecting safety, of course) where they can try several different weapons and do more than just punch holes in paper. Nothing made my friends happier than getting the instant feedback of hitting a gong more than 200 yards away.

When I take a new shooter, I try to have some light loads, a pistol or two, and my ar-15 and a .22. We start on targets, and then break the monotony by switching weapons or blowing up a few oranges or shooting at a gong. I also mention all the "really super neat" shooting sports out there, from IDPA to battle rifle matches, to precision shooting sports. It gives people something to get interested about, and the justification they need to go ahead and purchase a weapon.
 
Soda bottles + water + hollow points = much fun.
It's the best thing about shooting...200 yards...AR-15...jug of water flying 10 feet in the air spraying its contents everywhere...oooooo
 
I intend to do something that few people seem willing to. I'm going into an urban area to talk to kids about responsible gun ownership. Too many of them rely on TV, movies & music for information on firearms. I think that's wrong, and I want to do something about it.
 
When me and my dad first got into shooting, me at age 17 and him at age 42, we had so many problems getting started that its amazing we are both now avid shooters.

We did not have a friend to guide us, so we relied on salesmen at gun store counters. BAD IDEA.

Between all-out price gougers, and guys wanting our first rifle to be their most expensive 300mag hunting rifle, and range officers telling us that any mil-surp gun other than American will blow up in your face if you shoot it, we were really lost.

The only thing that salvaged our interest is when I found boards like this.

The shooting "community" is NOT newbie-friendly, in my experience. Making it more-so would be a benifit.
 
It seems to me that access to facilities is a big problem in expanding our sport regardless of which discipline- living in rural Mo it is a given that most of the kids grow up and use firearms as a matter of course- urban areas are entirely another matter- getting new people involved with any activity requires timely access to places to carry out that activity- if there are not ranges relatively close to where people live it is a difficult proposition to entice new shooters- just look at the number of places in urban areas set aside for sports such as soccer and baseball- if we hope to compete with activities such as these we need more facilities-
 
I'm running a biathlon event involving mountain bike riding and pistol shooting. So far it's drawing from the bike riders at least as much as from the shooters, so I'm increasing the ranks, however slowly.
 
Perhaps the NRA needs to work with local shooting ranges to offer free shooting classes.
 
The way I work on it, is that I have an open invitation at my place of work. I will take any new shooter to the range. So far I have taken 6 or 7 newbies. Most were females, I can think of 3 off hand that will be shopping very shortly. So I'm at a 50% success rate. Also we started pistol and skeet teams at the my base. Unfortunately the pistol team has not done well in a while so I plan on trying to get that back up and running.

The biggest problem is a place to shoot. We have a range about 20 minutes away, but it is a private club and the old team captain was a member, I'm still on the waiting list.

The best places would be the on base range. SP only, also under construction or the Local PD range, Local PD is not Military friendly. My guess is if we asked they would tell us to stuff it.

Shooting sports are surpisingly rare here in a state where you would think it would be a sportsmans paradise. Guess the locals are too into thier college team. The saying here is that if Gun rights had anything to do with football, Nebraksa would be a Vermont, Alaska, carry state.
 
Venues for shooting is a big problem. Another problem is politics. Newbies can get turned off by the constant "liberals are evil", "liberals want to take our guns", etc. Probably the best way to get nonshooters involved in the beginning is to make it a fun, politics-free, sport. Reactive targets, light recoiling guns, low noise guns, etc will make things fun and entertaining. There should be no talk of politics, policies, MMM, etc, just talk of that great shot your buddy just made or tips to help him/her make that next great shot. A 10/22, a couple tin cans, and a 500rnd box of 22lr will complete the picture.

Chris
 
As has been pointed out, the biggest problem is a place to shoot. Where I used to shoot as a kid it is now million dollar homes and championship golf courses. Now I have to drive about an hour to shoot. And it really saddens me to see that the majority of the people at gun shows are grey haired white guys. So everyone must take a kid shooting. No excuses. ;)
 
A prime reason - if very late in life - that I got my NRA certication is all disciplines is to better be able to bring on new folks.

Glad to say - the last course we ran on Basic Pistol .. we had all the people we could fit in - including three teens. We have another course going next month and hope to follow with personal protection. The word is getting out and so hopefully this year we'll see a good number of new folks brought in.

Three from last course BTW have been well ''bitten'' .... and have not only been buying guns but - have been coming along to our Weds eve pin shoots.
 
There was another thread in the "General" forum about "what to do with your guns when you die?" If you look at that, you'll see that there are a number of guys that have no one behind them to carry on.

When I grew up on the farm, everybody had a .22 and shotgun. They were purposely kept where kids could always get at them to shoot varmints. No one that I ever heard of got shot or shot anybody else. Today, the media and lawyers have done an excellent job of making guns evil. Now you're almost afraid to admit that you own guns in some situations.

We'd go out behind the barn and shoot all we wanted. Now most people seem too busy, and you're looked at with suspicion if you shoot a lot. Changing times and situations.
 
Don't worry, just wait for the barbarians to reach the gates. When shooting is really in the self-interest of more people, it will grow, just as concealed carry has become more popular with people who have the eyes to see.
 
Billl--I sure wish I could come up for it!

Fedlaw--I really don't see the decline down here in Texas. Actually, it seems that we're getting more and more shooters in the IDPA matches. And, anytime I go to any gun store there are always customers coming in and out, and people are always buying guns. In fact, in the Austin area, they can't seem to keep popular guns on the shelves (Glock 30, Glock 23, etc.)

I noticed this weekend there seem to be more IDPA shooters than even last year.

I attribute this recent shooting boom-let to 9-11. People are realizing they can't depend on the government to protect them from everything. I'm sure it's different up there in Chicago, and I can see why--lots of restrictive laws and a handgun ban. That probably runs off a lot of potential shooters. But it's definitely booming here in Texas.
 
Some ideas:

Try to steer more of our shooting-related excise taxes into shooting ranges instead of having it all siphoned away for game lands. I'm pro-hunting, but as a nonhunter I am a bit peeved that even though 80% of us don't hunt, the excise taxes we nonhunters pay all go to support the hunters' game lands here in NC, and as far as I know not a dime goes to shooting ranges. And we're not even allowed to shoot on National Forest land here, and there is a lot of official paranoia about people carrying guns anywhere near an area designated "game lands" even outside of hunting season. (So I can't carry my 9mm (never mind a rifle) when taking my family for a hike because officials are so worried that nonhunters like me might go on a poaching rampage and wipe out all the deer in eastern NC... :fire: )

Dynamic shooting (IDPA, "practical rifle") is more fun for newbies than long-range slowfire paper-punching. Not that the latter can't be fun, but having opportunity for the former is important. That's where the wheels really fall off the wagon where I live in eastern NC; there is NOWHERE that I know of to just go out and legally do anything but punch paper, and the rifle range has no target locations inside 50 yards.

Make shooting ranges appealing places to visit...

Keep fun-to-shoot guns legal; fight bans on handguns and EBR's. I'm not speaking of everyone here, but a lot of newer shooters (not all, but a lot) aren't as interested in the blued-steel-and-wood aesthetic and are really drawn to self-loaders. This may be a Gen-X-and-newer thing, but I've always thought an AR-15 or an AK in good condition was way more attractive than a Weatherby or Ruger No. 1. The only American-made rifle I own is a Ruger mini-14 Ranch Rifle in stainless steel with a Butler Creek folding stock. My wife got into shooting because she loved the aesthetics of a friend's Glock, and decided she wanted to learn to shoot so SHE could get one (she now is the proud owner of a G26).

Fight the stereotype that all gun owners are tobacco-chewing, pickup-driving, southern-drawl-speaking, camo-wearing NASCAR fans of anglo-saxon descent. No offense at all meant to those who fit that mold, but the gun community is a LOT more diverse than that.
 
Malice said:

The shooting "community" is NOT newbie-friendly, in my experience. Making it more-so would be a benifit.
Click to expand...

Yep. I've been a member of a club for five years and I'm still a
newbie. To be fair, there are some very friendly folks at the
"club", but it seems like if you weren't born and raised there, for the
most part you're never really one of them.

I need somewhere to shoot (in Taxachusetts, no less) or I'd say f**k
'em and leave.

As long as shooters (and their "clubs") are like that, folks with thin
skins won't bother. Me? I just ignore tham and do my own thing. In
over half a century, I've learned to quit caring 'bout folks like that
and their cliques.

I've seen newcomers put off, though...

Peet
 
mtnbkr says...
...Another problem is politics. Newbies can get turned off by the constant "liberals are evil", "liberals want to take our guns", etc. Probably the best way to get nonshooters involved in the beginning is to make it a fun, politics-free, sport...
Click to expand...

I agree completely. I'm a pro-gun liberal. I have a LOT of moderate liberal friends who could probably get into it including probably a few million more of us thoughout the US. I often feel like checking out some gun shops or shows on Saturdays but don't because I'm not in the mood for all the "Liberal-bashing" political BS.

It almost seems like a cult where "d*#m liberals" is the secret password.

My advise:
Reach out to the moderates and sportsmen and you'll be surprised. There are plenty people in the Democratic Party who have fishing rods in the backs of their trucks and don't support gun control. If you'd reach out to these people instead of insulting them every time you draw a breath they might be able to HELP.

Another thing...
A lot of gay people are interested in applying for CCW permits because they're afraid they're going to be taken out, tied to a fencepost and beaten to death. They believe in the right to defend themselves. Don't f#*@ up this great opportunity to make some friends from across the aisle.
 
My problem is that there is no place to shoot. How do you introduce people to guns and get them tp purchase guns if all they can do is look at them. The local gun club in Miamisburg is not accepting new members so I have to either drive to Cincinnati or to Spring Valley. There is a new club in Dayton but it cost $250.00 per year. It is an indoor range and shotguns are not allowed. :(. My favorite gun dealer "Old English Gun Shop" sells guns but dosen't even have a range. If you want to keep the 2A alive and well we are going to have to give newbes a place to shoot.
 
How about brining back the shooting galleries?
When I was growing up EVERY carnival had a shooting gallery. At first they had 22 rifles with tubular magazines and used real .22 shorts. Later they got to using air rifles with either BBs or pellets. They were still fun, but not as much fun as the real bullets.
I have not seen any of these shooting galleries for years.
When I was about 7 or 8 (now 70) I spent a lot of my money in those galleries.
I do recall one time though, I heard some nut case paid his money and used his own head as the target. He didn't miss.
 
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