Why Don't You Shoot In Local Matches?

[ny32182]

Several people listed personal insecurity ("I think I will suck/be embarrassed") as a reason why they have not tried matches. I don't see any reason to not recognize that and address it if it is indeed the last barrier standing between someone and an activity they would like to try. Nothing insulting about it.

 

[howlnmad]

- Time

- Money

- Knowledge

- I don't enjoy looking foolish

I'll stick to plinking and shooting clays with the family and friends.

 

[btg3]

I know several folks who belong to a golf club and have a standing tee time (or two) on weekends and play weekdays when there is enough daylight. Shooting is like that for some, not for others. Whatever "my/your thing" is there is the opportunity to obsess, find balance, move on to another "thing"... depending on priorities, however rationalized.

Good posts in this thead and good food for thought. Thanks all!

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I don't enjoy looking foolish

You won't. When my son was shooting IPSC, the late and great Eddie Rhodes talked me into trying it because I knew him from business. He was a Grand Master and I, quite frankly, was very lousy at it.

Eddie always had a big welcoming grin and a hello when I showed up. If he paid any attention to my scores, he never let on. Believe me, nobody will care how slow or inaccurate you are, as long as you are safe and helpful (brassing and taping).

The one thing that would have embarrassed me would have been to get DQed, so I was very careful not to let it happen (although anyone who shoots long enough will eventually get DQed, they say).

 

[22-rimfire]

The gun club I am a member of has matchs monthly. I joined expressly to start shooting in the small bore matches. It took me 4 years just to get in. Then I saw the equipment being used and I felt a bit out gunned. I don't mostly because I'm busy and somewhat lazy about shooting. The gun range is not the first thing I think of when I have some time on my hands.

 

[gym]

Maybe with more time, and a better system to get more people shooting faster and waiting less time to shoot. That seems to be the biggest complaint from the eye of an outsider looking at what's been said. Change the way somethings done and you can chnge the outcome. Spending your day off driving hours to shoot minutes has to wear a man down. You loose the edge and get bored, there needs to be a better time management technique integrated into the equation. You hit a peak in your day, and once you are forced to sit and wait, it breaks your rythem. Not being into this type of shooting, I can only compare it to other similar things.
To me if I have to wait, I won't go back, since my youth. I like fast moving things, driving and waiting to shoot a few minutes would just ruin my day. Not just shooting but anything. Almost everyone has that complaint, then the money and the family time being diminished.
If you could break it down so the entire thing would take 2 hours, would it still be possible, you come you shoot and leave. If you won you get a call, hey , you won.I don't know if that's possible but if you want more intrest you sometimes have to change the way it's done.I know the thing I love about shooting is similar to working out, I don't have to wait for anyone to go. Can't do either as well due to injuries but that is what makes certain things unique, you can go do them without waiting, waiting in todays times is a drawback for anything. Ever see a kid wait for anything. If you want to attract the youth of today it has to be faster.

 

[doc2rn]

It's also hard to sit around for 3-4 hrs (IDPA) and only shoot for a couple of minutes all day. Make it 1 to 1 1/2 hrs for steel plate matches and about 2 minutes of shooting.
I shoot a couple of matches per year and it's fun but it's bit of travelling, a long wait and not a lot of shooting. I will say that most of the shooters are a bit standoffish as well.
Matches are fun but they aren't that fun (especially after working the night before).

Patriotme already nailed it for me. Lots of down time vs. actual shootin, especially after workin all night.

 

[TreeDoc]

To macho for me, rather shoot some clays with friends behind the barn, take the 22 out and make a can dance for awhile. Competitions were to structured and seemed to take the relaxed fun out of shooting. Hunting at a young age with my father is where my love of guns started and after somtime has returned full circle.

 

[burnt09]

Has any mention been made of online matches? I shoot in a couple rimfire and air pistol online matches that are great fun. The air pistol matches can be shot in the garage/shop/house during cold weather.

 

[Shoot66]

The same as TreeDoc above. Even including his last sentence.

 

[Ignition Override]

My interest in guns began very late: in late '07 at age 52, and my only shooting tips began about a year ago, from two friends at the 100 yard range (MSSA) 100 yards. Never tried 200 etc.
One set two US records with the AR-15 (200 and 600 yards).

I don't really know the correct prone or kneeling stance. Most of my shooting is alone at a river, just blasting things in the mud from the high, steep river bank, enjoying nature and freedom.

It might be fun to try out the Garand or one of my Enfield #4s after trying to learn those positions, but I've never seen a match except on Youtube. Should do something before the eye vision really goes downhill.

 

[makarovnik]

I'm not shooting/practicing nearly enough these days. Ammo and range fees are too expensive.

 

[Justin]

Maybe with more time, and a better system to get more people shooting faster and waiting less time to shoot. That seems to be the biggest complaint from the eye of an outsider looking at what's been said. Change the way somethings done and you can chnge the outcome.

If time waiting between stages is really a big deal breaker, Steel Challenge would probably be the way to go. The stages are much simpler (five steel targets per stage) but you get to run each stage multiple times, and there's very little down time between shooters.

The downside, of course, is that the stages are pretty simple.

If you could break it down so the entire thing would take 2 hours, would it still be possible, you come you shoot and leave. If you won you get a call, hey , you won.I don't know if that's possible but if you want more intrest you sometimes have to change the way it's done.

Again, Steel Challenge can fill that niche. During the summer my local range runs a Wednesday Steel Challenge match. I show up at 5:30, shoot until about 6:15 and then go home.

Results are generally sent out via email.

Ever see a kid wait for anything. If you want to attract the youth of today it has to be faster.

I don't know, in the past couple of years, I've witnessed a significant influx of new shooters to the practical shooting sports, many of them members of Gen-X and Gen-Y. Downtimes are a bummer, but ultimately you can get out of that time what you put into it by helping out, speaking with better shooters and picking their brains for techniques and tactics and the like.

Not to say that the downtime is a positive. If there were a way to score, brass, tape, and set a stage in, say, less than a minute per shooter, I'd be all for it.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I started shooting IDPA and 3-gun because I wanted to continue to do the kind of shooting I was getting to do in training without having to shell out the money for training. However, as others mentioned, there was a LOT of standing around waiting to shoot. At first, it wasn't too bad, I learned a lot by talking to other shooters and comparing the different types of equipment used. But eventually you've seen your 101st Glock with a fuzzy grip or STI 1911 and you just don't enjoy standing around for 4 hours to shoot six stages. I also felt limited by the rules that were designed to keep beginners safe but made no leeway for more experienced shooters.

Once I found a range that trusted me enough to let me do my own IDPA/3-gun style shooting, I started using that range. However, I'd still shoot the occasional IDPA match because they had much better equipment than I did. Slowly though, I started gathering more and more of the gear I needed, until I had most of what I needed to do my own IDPA stages. The upside was I got a lot more shooting done; and while there were fewer people involved to share ideas with, the quality and knowledge of those people tended to be higher than the average IDPA match.

What ultimately made me cut back on shooting was just time and money. I could still come up with the money; but I could no longer justify a 4 hour round trip to the range in order to be able to shoot like I wanted. What used to be a once or twice a month trip is now more like a once or twice a year trip.

 

[Justin]

Because I suck at competitive shooting and I hate to embarrass myself in public.

Even if you come in dead freaking last, you still beat every single gun owner who didn't bother to get off the couch and show up.

 

[Baldy]

I shoot because I enjoy being with other like minded folks. Score wise I am at the bottom of the the board. I did shoot on a winning bullseye team one time but the other fellows carried me. I sure didn't add much, but I had a good time.

 

[gym]

Why would you?

 

[jcwit]

For the compition, same reason for football, baseball or any other competive sport.

Simple question, simple answer.

 

[Sam1911]

Why would you?

Got that covered:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=580557

 

[gdcpony]

1. Availability
2. Money
3. Time

 

[ch45x7]

I have been thinking of getting into the garand high power matches, but have run into several problems.
First, I have to belong to the range to take part in them, locally at least. That's $250-$400 a year for range fees, because only the most expensive ranges around me have them. Add onto that the cost of ammo, range fees for the event, practice time to even compete, and I just can't justify or afford it.
I find I have a better time just shooting with a friend for a few hours, mostly .22 maybe some high power. However, I greatly advocate Appleseed. I went to my first last year, and can't wait to do another. The people there are helpful and nice, unlike most of the guys I have meet at the local clubs that if they don't already know you have no interest in getting to know you. Around me clubs and ranges are struggling because they don't seem to want to engage new members in club activities.

 

[Nuclear]

I still shoot pins, but I stopped shooting IDPA. It is too early on a Saturday, takes up too much time, takes me away from my family time, and the safety nazi's that run the local matches managed to come up with a way to make them less safe by using steel on the cover. Not to mention it is too much of a game for me. I can't carry for IDPA the way I normally conceal carry, can't shoot my BHP with the "magazine safety" disconnected (which leads to a less safe manner of showing the gun is safe) and I can't use a laser sight.

 

[marv]

I shot pins, USPSA, BR .22. I quit because of advanced age and its fringe benifits, loss of vigor, cataracts, arthritis, prosthetic joints. Still have my guns, still shoot , but not in competition.

 

[wrs840]

Why would you?

Because I believe it's a good path to being a better shooter?

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Back when I was single I shot matches every week, sometimes several times a week. Well....family, children etc take over as priorities and the availablility of free time for shooting lessened for sure.