Average BR shooters age

i agree nowhere near 73.....




more like 70-71......

there are one young shooters at our club...40 something......all the rest 50 plus..most collecting SS.

mike in co

No way it is 73 , but it might be around 60.
 
i agree nowhere near 73.....




more like 70-71......

there are one young shooters at our club...40 something......all the rest 50 plus..most collecting SS.

mike in co



The natural progression of things. Age often brings more time, family grown, more disposable income hence we play at the things we couldn't play at when younger.
 
Dan thank you for the kind words, your right Earl didn't want to quite, he love it there. And I hope to see you more often, your brother is always there and what a gentleman his is, He loves beating me. And Wilbur thats how I got all my miles on my truck, after twentyone years I had to give her up. And Mike are you that old? I didn't think ROCKS got that old HA HA. Maybe there will be some nice ranges, when we get to the other side.And my wife god bless her lets me do what I want and I stay out of the BARS!

Joe Salt
 
remember....YOU guys DO NOT CONSIDER ME A BENCHREST SHOOTER...i'm a benchrest shooter..only 64..i gave up competive ipsc/psac pistol the end of last yr.
mike in co
 
Money and time
Time and money

Serious BR shooters are those who have both.
Generally this doesn't fit middle aged family guys.

IME

al

Al, I agree with you. It's not that us younger guys aren't interested in accurate shooting, I don't think many are willing or able to afford the time/expense required to compete and not just be an occasional participant. I know I certainly have buddies I could have attend matches with me, but I doubt they would be up for diving in. Heck I can hardly afford the little BR shooting I do.
 
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Another observation

Money and time
Time and money

Serious BR shooters are those who have both.
Generally this doesn't fit middle aged family guys.

IME

al

One of the replies received in this thread was BR shooting didn't have enough action in it. Yep unless you are the one pulling the trigger there really isn't any. But hang on a minute golf tournaments are similar action wise and get air time on TV pull good crouds and is about as full of action as watching grass growing. In fact I saw them telecast chess match on cable last night. Uhmm?

BR is expensive yep but I can afford it. However I would have to think seriously about whether I could afford to pay a golf club membership. Also those serious about swinging the club rarely miss a weekend no matter what the rest of the family is doing. Several of my friends and family members are involved with that sport so I know I have accurate info. Some more things to thing about.
Andy
 
47

Challenges for us pups:
- Job - limited vacation, sometimes your just too busy to leave.
- $$$ - It does take some disposable income. But like Wilbur said, more could do it, its just what do you want to spend it on. You also must restrict your wife's "knowledge" of the sport. With new barrels costing up to $75 she could get upset.
- Kids - I got started a little late. Hard on family when you travel all week, come home tell everybody you miss them and love them ,,, then walk out the door for the weekend or week.

But what a great sport for ppl that love a challenge. If it was easy, it wouldn't interest me, but I'm sure this drives alot of the young instant satisfaction crowd out or keeps them from starting. Don't know of any "participation" trophies in this sport.

Mark
 
Everything changes with time, but you can just change so much! And as for you younger guys or girles, I've always told people I bring along an extra H.G. for anyone that wants to give it a try! You have to at least come to a match an get to know the guys, if I see someone that comes to any of or matches I ask if they would like to try it. a lot of them are there to observe, or to shy. But 90% of the guys I shoot with are always willing to help. We even get some older guys once and a while that are retired and want to give it a shot.

Joe Salt
 
Hi All , Going through to core of our LRBR shooters at my range in Northern AUS the average age is 54 years .. spread form 35 to 70 ..JR.. Jeff Rogers
 
Hi All , Going through to core of our LRBR shooters at my range in Northern AUS the average age is 54 years .. spread form 35 to 70 ..JR.. Jeff Rogers

Gee, Jeff, nobody over 70? We had more than a couple at the old Hawks Ridge club. I'm giving away my age by temporarily forgetting his name, but there was a gunsmith who was 75 & still going strong. Think he gave up on 1,000 yard & moved to 600 to supplement his short-range match shooting.

I will allow a HG gets a might hard to carry as the years pile up. I have enoguh trouble with a 20-pound sack of bird seed.

The current NC 1000 Yard Benchrest club doesn't have anywhere near as many members as the old Hawks Ridge (neither does the new Hawks Ridge), but it has a good spread with age. While I don't know the exact ages, I'd say from the early 30's to, oh, uh, 67 or so.

And the short-range matches I go to have their share of 30- & 40-something shooters. Not a lot, but enough so that no one points their finger at them & giggles.
 
I started BR last year at 72. I guess I'm dragging the average of 73 down a bit. LOL
 
Recruitment Drive

I was just thinking has there ever been a recruitment drive done through the NBRSA or IBS or even at a local club level to attract BR shooters to the sport. I am pretty sure nothing like that has ever been done in Oz. But something like that might be worth considering if we want the sport to grow and develop.
Andy.
 
As a person who's considered returning to bench rest (I shot back in the late 60s & early 70s when gear was less demanding), perhaps my conclusion might be of interest.

I pretty much applied Wilbur's call to my situation & concluded that as it wasn't to be my sole shooting sport & as I have been reasonably successful in the ones I participate in, then I didn't have the time & cash necessary to allow me to train to be a winner. I try to compete by Lanny Bassham's motto, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose - until you lose."

I wouldn't be surprised if many look at this & other sports that way.
 
That is an excellent idea Andy. It is one that each of us can supprot without much effort. Do you practice at a public range? If so you can promote the sport just by opening yourself to those around you who may be interested in BR shooting.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of benchrest shooting, for me, is to get others interested in the sport. At my home range, most shooters have never seen a benchrest rifle, or wind flags. During range visits I get at least one person who comes over and asks questions about my gun and the flags. I will take a break from my shooting and talk with the interested shooter as long as they care to talk. I will then ask them if they would like to shoot a group with my rifle. More often than not they will say yes. The smile on their face when they finish their group and the cheer in their voice as they talk about how fun it is to shoot that rifle is enough to make my day. I got one guy hooked on the sport and made several friends this way. Being open and friendly with other shooters can go a long way toward sustaining our sport.

When I am at the range practicing, I do all I can to dispel the stigma that benchrest shooters are unapproachable or arrogant. My intention of being open and friendly with other shooters is to provide them the thrill of shooting a benchrest rifle and giving them the opportunity to find out what they can do with good equipment. In the process they will see that benchrest shooters are a good bunch of guys and that benchrest competition might be a fun endeavor. If they chose to pursue the sport, that is a bonus. In any case, it has always been a positive experience to share my knowledge and equipment with other shooters. It boils down to having fun and being a good steward of the shooting sports. I will continue to do my part and hope that other benchrest shooters do the same.

LE Hanson

I agree with you and your approach when people ask me questions like what kind of gun is that and what are the flags for. Many people are surprised when you offer them a chance to shoot your rifle. About the middle of last year I was tuning up my former BR rifle. A 222 that was refitted with a hunter class stock and had the magazine reinstalled. A 15 YO girl ask her Dad if she could take up the offer to shoot it. She was stoked when she finished up with a .385 group at 100yds which blew away her Dad whith his 22/250. It made my day too.
Andy.
 
This would be a great sport if it wasn't for the young pups trying to change it.

I'm at the crossroads of trying to find the desire to go back to another match or sell all the stuff......

I had a lot of my own and I inherited a LOT of stuff.

I started shooting in the late 60s......not to be confused with MY late 60s.

I quit shooting when Dad got too sick to go to shoots and compete.

I miss it sometimes and others.....I could care less.

I'll figure out if I'm supposed to shoot more Benchrest in the coming months.....right now, I just don't know.
 
Yes, the NBRSA and IBS have launched numerous "promotional" efforts. "Launched" should be noted. Once the launchers discovered they were the sole participants the efforts quickly ended.

Above mentioned is the local range "ambassador". Not only should we sell ourselves and benchrest shooting, we should invite folks to come along to a match with us. It won't hurt too bad to sacrifice a weekend and whatever the expense may be.

There are often spectators drooling around quietly at matches. If you ain't winning (which is the case for 80% of the attendees), why not ask these spectators if they would like to finish the agg for you. Be sure to notify the Rangemaster or scorer if they take you up on it.
 
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