ok how do we get more to compete??

I should also add that there needs to be some local/regional mentorship...
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check out the OSA all you have to do is knock on the door
outside of that I feel its every competitors responsibility to be a "good sport" and a good mentor and not sour first shooters expieriance
eg ...my last comp, I was sucking bad , out of the zone everything going wrong i knew it ........then the new shooter/competitor in the buts PATCHED MY TARGET BEFORE SCORING !!!!!!! I laughed and told him not to worry about it ........BUT DON"T DARE DO IT TO anyone else .........point.... new shooter learns an important lesson .....nothing lost and he'll probably be back

My first comp.........an older more seasoned and wise shooter (You know who you are) was scoring for me and (ahem) directed me to my target at 500(for my sighters. because I wasn't sighted in .......I wasn't going to win but that little bit of compassion is what makes a "good shooter " and illistrates the best of our sport not some of these cry babies I see whining about 1 point (and some are pretty good marksmen)
 
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I honestly would like to try distance shooting. I even went out and purchased a Savage specifically in order to get into competition however there just does not appear to be anything going on in Alberta.
 
Ditch, check www.albertarifle.com, then fullbore group. The schedule for Homestead Range is there. If not, PM me and I'll do all I can to make sure your informed per the schedule, directions etc. Where are you located? Hell, I'll even pick you up and drive you there, pay your match fee's or anything else you need to actually get involved. We need shooters! We got 2 new shooters this year, one with a Sako TRG and another with a M77 both 308's. Both doing quite well in F class "F". There's one fella bitten bad enough to go with us to Sask for the SPRA Provincials.

Cheers, Glen
 
Inspector said:
Ditch, check www.albertarifle.com, then fullbore group. The schedule for Homestead Range is there. If not, PM me and I'll do all I can to make sure your informed per the schedule, directions etc. Where are you located? Hell, I'll even pick you up and drive you there, pay your match fee's or anything else you need to actually get involved. We need shooters! We got 2 new shooters this year, one with a Sako TRG and another with a M77 both 308's. Both doing quite well in F class "F". There's one fella bitten bad enough to go with us to Sask for the SPRA Provincials.

Cheers, Glen
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Holy sh** doesn't get any better than this folks!

Glen hope you do well at your provincials... I've even thought trying to figure a way of getting out there and shooting them but not this year. I do plan on making it out there at some point. It's a promise! Even thought of trying to get to a match in BC... I love the look of the Volkes range even if it's only 600 or whatever... BC pretty far to trek but Sask is doable for sure...
I'm saving to go to Bisley in 2009... I've already committed to that one. Our provincials and nationals are happening in August... wow we're almost 1/2 way through the season!

Ditch... just do it... you'll get help to start and if you show you're trying you'll get even more... screw worrying about your scores to start... get in the matches and shoot... it will come together...
 
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Thanks John. I'd like to have made it to the CFRC again this year but with all the contracts I said yes to, a bit of schedule re-arrangment and the BC/Oregon thing going, I just can't get there. I'm saving for the CFRC '08 and Bisley '09 too and with the Alberta Advantage (read "a buck bloody 14 a litre") I should have enough by 2014.

Had a crappy start to '06 CFRC with a contemptable 6mm. Didn't do anything 'til I went to the back up gun. Should've started there first. Oh well new plan for '08. I think I might have met you when I was BSing with Leo and Dave during the america cup match but can't prove it. I bet if I quit BSing so much with everyone, I'd shoot better. Wouldn't have as much fun though. You might remember me by that old beater straw cowboy hat I wear. It's shady and cool and keeps my red neck from sticking out to much "back East". Anyway I'm glad I started posting on this forum. I haven't been this encouraged for some time. I've already gotten 2 messages from prospective shooters. So far so good.

Nokomis Sask hosts another match in September that may interest you, the Prairie Provinces Rifle Association and it's a blast, but then every match is (in my mind).

Good luck for the season.

Cheers, Glen
 
Is there a free rifle in the deal too? If so I am in. Seriously though once I get my LR rifle and some time with it a competition might be fun. The main things I can tell you as a newbie the comp has to stay fun. Once it gets too serious and there are too many range nazi's watching your every move it kinda sucks and is a waste of time.
 
Wild 1, F class is a ton of fun, however, I'm not sure what you mean by range nazis. There is a specific match format and course of fire in all competitions. There are Range Officers to ensure the match is run according to the rules, in our case, the DCRA Fullbore Rules, and to conduct the match progress. Above all, safe conduct and firearm handling are primary resposibilities of both the Range Officers and Competitors.

The Fullbore discipline/match format is highly structured and defined Internationally so shooters can participate in every Province in Canada and most places in the World. It is a bit different than shooting at a plate in front of a dirt pile. The only one who makes it serious and intense, is the individual himself.
Hope this helps
Cheers, Glen
 
So now that we're nearing the end of the outdoor shooting season... what can we do next year to improve the situation?

EVERY ORA event in Kingston was cancelled this year... couldn't get 5 people out at the same time to shoot...

I like the idea of the provincial competition boards that people were mentioning earlier...

The ORA training series that was held in Burlington was an excellent idea... but I think it would make a great road show!

Thoughts

EB
 
I did in fact get out and compete in TR for the first time in 20 years this summer.

I learned how to reload rifle, bought some half-decent second hand gear and had a great time struggling with the wind at BUll Meadow.

The NSRA guys treated me extremely well and a very good time was had. Thanks guys.

I actually managed a 48 2V with my old P14 at 800m to end the season. Yes, witnessed.

So, I have a heavy barrel for my F class gun now for a winter project and hope to do some more stonking in the spring.

I have a brand spanking new stainless tikka lite in 270 that shoots like a laser gun too - so life is good.
 
Ive never been to completion, but I would like to. I allways seem to miss them, Ive got email notifications from my range a few times (KTSA) but they are often with very little notice

the last one was for the IPSC blackbadge, emailed on sept 10th for the course on sept 22nd. Im sure this was an extra ordinary case, but I would have loved to attend, but 12 days notice just isnt enough for me to get time off. maybe im not the norm, but for me to get time off I need at least a months notice, more the better.

The LR stuff is what really interests me, I LOVE the idea of the mentoring competion, having someone thats knows the basics would help a guy like me learning the basic SO much.

prizes are great, who doesnt love free stuff, but it doesnt have to be expensive. Id pay $5 to enter a competition to win a $10 baseball hat, or a $10 tshirt that said "I paid $5 to compete at 1000m and all I got was this stupid shirt" lol
 
maynard said:
A lot of talk here about not knowing about when or where the competitions are held. Have a look at the DCRA web page. There is a link to every PRA. Contact your PRA Rep and find out more.

If you look halfway down the Long Range/Precision Shooting Competitions page you will see the Cedar Springs Club Championship advert for last Sept.
I offered "No Guest Fee", free ammo for .308 shooters and no target pulling for a price of $75 for two days of shooting. I had ZERO takers from CGN in Ontario. I don't know what more I could have offered to get shooters out.
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If you ever do that again, please let me know, I can think of interested people that would come including myself :D
 
windborne11 said:
The DCRA is begging for entrants for F class match at Ottawa this year.
I would like the rest of you guys opinions. Is the ORA doing enough to promote 1000 yard shooting?? It seams like the only way to get any practice at 1000 yds is to drive to Mons on a few select Tuesdays.
Why are there such few 1000 yd events promoted at Mons, our only real range available to shoot 1000 yds. It seems like there are more short range events at Mons than long range??
we can shoot up to 600 yds just about everywhere.
How about making Mons the long range, range.
Opinions??
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I'd be in on that, next year will be my first competition year :D (got to start load development)
 
Getting more people shooting is not the same as gettign more people competing.

i love to compete - at anything.

But there are others who would like to shoot alongside but not compete.

Also, when a newbie comes out and gets spanked it is not exactly fun for him. he cannot begin to understand the depth of experience and skill the old boys have.
 
how very true ganderite....I have been out several times and still I feel inadequate. All I hear is discussions among the "older" members and no real explanation of whats happening and how it all works....What is MOA???? saying the words tells me nothing. i have spent a lot of money on equipment to try to become a competing member but keep getting told that I should get a bigger caliber gun if I want to compete. I have a lovely gun as you very well know and I think I shoot it to the best of my ability. The joining fees are high and i see nothing but forms and money signs. If a newbie was to pay half of what is required, then more interest may occur. Perhaps a sliding scale. More open days for a nominal fee.Noy shoot two days then you have to join to shoot anymore. A buddy system where a older member spends time talking and showing a newbie what the charts mean , how to mark your shots. what minutes mean... Instead of competing amongst eachother and laughing and joking behind a person on the line . it gets very distracting and we do not know if it is us being laughed at. If the club wants more members, then more time must be spent earning a newbie's trust and helping build his confidence. Allowing more attendance without the pressure of joining when we are surely not confident enough. There is so much more that could be done to improve membership . I cannot name everything but I hope I have mentioned a few. I would love to spend more time competing and shooting but many of us are on limited incomes and "big dollars" are not available. I have a few friends interested in shooting but they do not want to come if I do not, but prices are too steep.
 
Toymaker, You need to talk with your PRA about membership fees. Here in Ontario we have reduced fees for new members and also have a new "club membership" for people that will only shoot at one club. Also talk to them about a "mentor program", I am sure if they don't have one they might consider starting one. Membership fees and entry fees are what is needed to run these shoots, target faces, wear centers, patches, target frames, wind flags, radios, batteries etc all cost money. If you have paid markers for a shoot most of the entry fees go to pay them. In the end if the match makes a couple hundred bucks profit you have done well.
One way to think about membership fees is this, if you buy a membership you will be more inclined to use it. No different then joining a health club or a golf club, if you are a member you will make an effort to use it.
Don't worry about what happens behind the line, if it gets too distracting kindly ask them to STFU.
 
Toymaker, while I understand your observations, I don't see many things changing costwise in the near future. I think we all agree shooting is probably not the cheapest hobby to entertain. In Alberta we are trying to attract new shooters via the "Clinic / Introduction Days". These are conducted free of charge, with the request of a small donation (5 bucks) to cover target accessories. If we get it, fine, if we don't, that's fine too. I believe we've introduced about 10 or so new shooters to fullbore in the last two years, of which we have 2 that now shoot competitions regularly. The reasons for the ratio are immaterial but about average. You can see there would need to be an abnormally large number of introductee's to grow the club a very small amount.

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, we have private PRA ranges. Most other regions depend on the DND for access to a military ranges This situation has it's own inherent trials and tribulations and in most cases, will not change in the near future.

I'm also assuming you're describing your experience at St. Charles Range in Winnipeg and I'm sorry to hear about how it went. We ask all our new shooters what they'd like to get through and we focus on trying to get them at least a working knowledge of fullbore. We set things up on a mentoring basis and spend the whole day for instruction. This is not a match situation. We have time to explain the magic "MOA" and how elevations and windage knobs really work. Most other PRA's don't have the luxury of nonscheduled range usage at their discretion. We're lucky to be able to do what we want, when we want.

I'm also in full agreement that the attitudes of some undoubtedly affects the initial outing for new shooters. It has to be fun for a while at least or why would anyone come back.

I'd suggest giving John Chapman (MPRA Pres.) a call and let him know what happened and if there's anything that can be done to improve new shooters first experience. However with the severly limited range access availlable to the MPRA, I don't know there's much that can be done.

Cheers, Glen
 
Maynard.....I see your point ...BUT....why join a "club"....A daily fee also pays the "bills"....many of us cannot "use" the range due to work schedules etc. why pay the member fees if you cannot attend when the range is "available or unavailable"? I have asked about mentoring and daily fees but a "wall" appears. Becoming a member and paying the required fees seems "mandatory"....I would like to get out to shoot to build my confidence in target shooting without the pressure of having to join... until i feel I am ready. Just because you join does not mean you will or can use the range more often. It starts a person thinking about if the "stiff" fees are worth the time you get .
 
Thanx for the response Inspector. I know John Chapman and have spoken to him often. As you know the range and availability....you have a kind of insight many others do not. I appreciate wholeheartedly the efforts of guys at the range when I am there ...I know operating fees need to be paid...
 
Winnipeg Toymaker said:
Maynard.....I see your point ...BUT....why join a "club"....A daily fee also pays the "bills"....many of us cannot "use" the range due to work schedules etc. why pay the member fees if you cannot attend when the range is "available or unavailable"? I have asked about mentoring and daily fees but a "wall" appears. Becoming a member and paying the required fees seems "mandatory"....I would like to get out to shoot to build my confidence in target shooting without the pressure of having to join... until i feel I am ready. Just because you join does not mean you will or can use the range more often. It starts a person thinking about if the "stiff" fees are worth the time you get .
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No matter how you cut it shooting isn't a cheap sport. Along with your membership dues you are also get insurance, something DND demands you have to shoot on their ranges.
The one thing that seems to always pop up when talking about membership fees/user fees and such is comparing it to golf/greens fee. What does the cost of 18 hole of golf cost? Throw in a cart, and couple beers and a burger you are looking at $80-$100 a day? I don't think the golf pro will come out a give you a couple free pointers either.
If you divide the number of days the range is available to you by the cost of membership, it really isn't that much.
Say Hi to John Chapman for me.
 
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