mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
If you were closer I would buy you a cup of joe. This is what its about.
Nbrsa
- Thread starter Lou Murdica
- Start date
If you were closer I would buy you a cup of joe. This is what its about.
adamsgt
Jerry Adams
Based on what you said there is a very limited number of participants who can be competitive then. When the difference between first and third place can be a few thousandths of an inch, that's pretty tight. I've shot bullseye pistol, skeet and trap, Palma, Service Rifle and Fullbore. All of those disciplines have a classification system for shooters. I'm sure this subject has been beat to death so I'm not going suggest it for short range benchrest. It's just that if you look at the scoresheets, there's a small subset of the competitors winning. I don't know what the true percentage might be, but maybe 10 - 15 percent. The other 85 percent hang in there for the fun or personal challenge. But that can get old after a while. I'm now resurrecting dormant guns in my guns safe to have fun with them. I remember one of the matches at the Whittington Center had a mandatory cash option of $100. Did that once and never again. It was just throwing money away as I knew there was no way in hell that I could win anything against all those top shooters. I was just donating. So I never went to that match again. I'm beginning to feel that way about benchrest in general.
Many good posts, so I won’t repost similar material with my spin.
If you are motivated for shooting competition that requires technical and mental skills where there are no handicaps, classes, or break outs, and you compete straight up against whoever came, this is it. You can never go to the Masters and tee it up with Tiger and Phil, but you can go to a BR match sit between Boyer and Campbell and work your butt off to beat them on a given group. Maybe catch a hot streak and beat them in a yardage. Half the field has that potential.
Like my wife always says, “thoughts are things”. HUGE part of this sport is mental. I don’t think that is very expensive.
Really would like to see some high visibility promotion that would reach potential shooters.
Mark
If you are motivated for shooting competition that requires technical and mental skills where there are no handicaps, classes, or break outs, and you compete straight up against whoever came, this is it. You can never go to the Masters and tee it up with Tiger and Phil, but you can go to a BR match sit between Boyer and Campbell and work your butt off to beat them on a given group. Maybe catch a hot streak and beat them in a yardage. Half the field has that potential.
Like my wife always says, “thoughts are things”. HUGE part of this sport is mental. I don’t think that is very expensive.
Really would like to see some high visibility promotion that would reach potential shooters.
Mark
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
So do you think the matches are over priced? Were the awards worth what you paid for entry fees? Was this at local matches or a big match?
I was told by a world record holder “if you cant handle loosing benchrest isnt for you”
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
John Kielly
Shari's fan club
... which possibly leads a potential newby to think:
- He said that I'll never be good enough to beat him? What a #$%@!
- He thinks benchrest is the only shooting sport where the first thing newbies have to do is swallow the pain of being w-a-y off the pace. What an ego!
- Gee, I don't think I'm going to get much mentoring in this game. What a shame! I could have liked this.
- What sort of jerks does this game attract. Bye!
No, I'm not thinking of shooting Benchrest. I dropped out back in the late sixties in Australia when factory guns like the 40X Br couldn't always cut the mustard.
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
How do you get that from what I said?
Think about it. Say you have 50 shooters at a big match thats a 1 in 50 chance of winning. Not like team sports where you have a 50/50 chance.
So you quit when you couldnt win?
John Kielly
Shari's fan club
No, that wasn't the point I was making. I was just qualifying the situation to say that I dropped out of the sport when it started to become more expensive than a person in his first 5 years of the workforce could afford - and that it was best part of 50 years ago, that I wasn't somebody likely to consider taking up the sport.
I've competed in many shooting sports when I wasn't competent enough to win - and a couple when I could. What I was trying to say that somebody who might have been interested in entering the sport would be hard pressed to come to anything other than one of the options I posited from a statement like that one you quoted, despite it being friggin' obvious in every sport and endeavour in the world. It's condescending BS & if somebody had said that to be I would have directed him to consider autopenetration.
In his excellent book, Tony Boyer warns that the sport is a serious challenge, but he sets out to show how to go about its technicalities. Many competent shooters offer suggestions about how you can develop a competent mindset. People respect that sort of encouragement.
But hey, that's a cute line of encouragement of yours that I've quoted at the head. I can see how you can surely encourage participation.
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
Sir
You said you guit when your equipment couldnt cut the mustard. To me that say you guit because you couldnt win. Now if you would have added and you couldnt financially keep up with the need to keep improving equipment thats some solid info us folks trying to grow the sport need to know. If it was that way back then and still that way now we know that fact will be hard to change and look at other issues.
No need to get upset over this.
Lets break it down even more. You have 50 shooters shooting 10 targets a class. That means you can get beat up to 10 different times by up to 50 shooter. And thats just for one day. Now make that a 3 day match.
I am honest with new shooters. I tell them they can make it as expensive as they want or as time consuming as they want. I offer my gear for them to shoot, my time or what ever they need. But I also agree and tell them If they cant stand loosing it might not be for them and they can ask any shooter in this sport. You have good days and bad days. Good targets and bad targets. I would recomend to them that they need to set personal goals like say shoot nothing larger then a .2 at 200 yards. Or be able to shoot in the top 3/4 or top 1/2 of the shooters. Or even as simple as being able to attend every local match.
Lets face it. Gary Ocock, Lou Murdica, Tony Boyer and other well know winners have been beaten a many many times. Hell I bet even by a new shooter as well.
Matt
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Dave Coots
64 Chevy 409 10.42 129
I would think the match fees are not overpriced. The clubs need an incentive to make money for the club to be able to continue matches and pay target crew ect.
Personally, I don't think the price of awards makes a difference.
When it comes to money spent at a match it's actually small compared to the investment of travel, practice time, supplies, and the cost of rifles and associated loading equipment. When you drive a Ferrari you don't burn cheap gas in it.
Later
Dave
jimmymac
J McGregor
Right on Richard!
I wish Kansas was closer. You'd have set the hook and reeled me in easily.
I wish Kansas was closer. You'd have set the hook and reeled me in easily.
John Kielly
Shari's fan club
qed
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
Jimmymac,
Thanks for the info.
It sounds like you held your own.
Matt
Thanks for the info.
It sounds like you held your own.
Matt
adamsgt
Jerry Adams
No, I don't think matches are overpriced when you are talking about the fees for running the match. But forcing me to throw an additional $100 into a pot I have no chance of winning isn't for me. If people want to do side bets that's fine as long as you're not forced to do it as a condition for entry in the match..
mrspradlin
Graham Wind Flags
I agree. Anything over the match related fees should be voluntary. I could see a match have a entry fee of X dollars and ask for X dollars to pay the target crew. But as a “pot” persay Some folks might be completely against gambling.
JerrySharrett
Senile Member
T'aint cheep boys and girls. Most all sanctioned benchrest is expensive in time AND money. Want something cheap, go play PutPut.
Just look at travel and housing. Stay in a cheap motel, $85/night. Travel in a camper, 6.5 mpg at $3/gal fuel for 750 miles.....each way.
I also shoot some rimfire. 22 rimfire, good ammo, $22/box.
Want Cheep?? Go play PutPut.
.
High Visibility Promotion
Good Points Mark,
My opinion on what I think you're saying.
If you’re lucky enough to get picked to head up an important decision making position with your organization.
1.A mission statement from the newly elected officers. Posted in Magazine or on forum. Mission statement? that simply means,What are your plans for the organization. Recognizing what needs to be done and more importantly making an effort to do it. Its easy to get behind your leader if you know what direction he’s headed. I know, it sounds like Politics. and in some respects, its treated that way.There are a bunch of good ideas. posted on this forum, which are,IMO, worthy of exploration for an action oriented person.
2. There is no such thing as a too expensive Sport. If that was the case, there would be no hobbies like Sail Boat Racing,The vendee Globe comes to mind. I sold my 20ft Fish/Ski boat in 1996. Never even seen a competition Sail Boat. If I had the money, I might be interested in sailing with the right exposure /mentoring. The point is, cost has never been and never will be a deterrent to some enthusiasts.
3. I saw my first Ugly Benchrest Rifle at a Public Rifle Range. I called it ugly because it was not fitted with a sling that I could carry it up the ladder to my tripod deer stand. When I saw the tiny groups that the owner was shooting,I developed an interest that I still have today. My savings account balance is undeniable proof. Benchrest Rifles are not ugly anymore. Every Rifle Range is a potential recruitment source. There is always an accuracy minded shooter interested in taking a closer look at what Benchrest is all about.
4. All organized sports have a recruitment program. The reasons are obvious. It works.
In an organization Where resources are limited, every member of the NBRSA is a recruiter. Dont hesitate to introduce, invite, encourage, bribe,
a friend, an acquaintance ,a millennium, to accompany you to your next Benchrest competition.
Glenn
Good Points Mark,
My opinion on what I think you're saying.
If you’re lucky enough to get picked to head up an important decision making position with your organization.
1.A mission statement from the newly elected officers. Posted in Magazine or on forum. Mission statement? that simply means,What are your plans for the organization. Recognizing what needs to be done and more importantly making an effort to do it. Its easy to get behind your leader if you know what direction he’s headed. I know, it sounds like Politics. and in some respects, its treated that way.There are a bunch of good ideas. posted on this forum, which are,IMO, worthy of exploration for an action oriented person.
2. There is no such thing as a too expensive Sport. If that was the case, there would be no hobbies like Sail Boat Racing,The vendee Globe comes to mind. I sold my 20ft Fish/Ski boat in 1996. Never even seen a competition Sail Boat. If I had the money, I might be interested in sailing with the right exposure /mentoring. The point is, cost has never been and never will be a deterrent to some enthusiasts.
3. I saw my first Ugly Benchrest Rifle at a Public Rifle Range. I called it ugly because it was not fitted with a sling that I could carry it up the ladder to my tripod deer stand. When I saw the tiny groups that the owner was shooting,I developed an interest that I still have today. My savings account balance is undeniable proof. Benchrest Rifles are not ugly anymore. Every Rifle Range is a potential recruitment source. There is always an accuracy minded shooter interested in taking a closer look at what Benchrest is all about.
4. All organized sports have a recruitment program. The reasons are obvious. It works.
In an organization Where resources are limited, every member of the NBRSA is a recruiter. Dont hesitate to introduce, invite, encourage, bribe,
a friend, an acquaintance ,a millennium, to accompany you to your next Benchrest competition.Glenn
C.L. Peterson
Active member
Recruitment Works
Chism G;816652 4. All organized sports have a recruitment program. The reasons are obvious. It works. In an organization Where resources are limited said:
Glen, I actually wrote a big long post explaining my thoughts. It was wonderful prose. Examples, arguments, ideas. Hit send and it never posted. I think there is a conspiracy!
Not doing it again, but the high points:
- you would never know about BR unless you bumped directly into it.
- we should have articles on the sport in all relevant mags. Scarborough shot a .11 agg and came in second. I’m guessing that is news that would blow ppls socks off regardless of discipline. Not going to happen being a passive victim.
- promote it for what is. “You want to compete in the F1 of......., if you want pull and pray this ain’t it, u want to play make believe...... this ain’t it”
- our website should have all match results. Isn’t it embarrassing that the only way anyone knows what is going on at our biggest matches is someone taking a pic on their phone, sending it to a bud, maybe 5 transfers later it makes to BRC.
- if we took the initiative in communicating what equipment winners use, then maybe maybe manufacturers might get a little involved with promotion, sponsoring. We do use brands others use.
Mark
Not doing it again, but the high points:
- you would never know about BR unless you bumped directly into it.
- we should have articles on the sport in all relevant mags. Scarborough shot a .11 agg and came in second. I’m guessing that is news that would blow ppls socks off regardless of discipline. Not going to happen being a passive victim.
- promote it for what is. “You want to compete in the F1 of......., if you want pull and pray this ain’t it, u want to play make believe...... this ain’t it”
- our website should have all match results. Isn’t it embarrassing that the only way anyone knows what is going on at our biggest matches is someone taking a pic on their phone, sending it to a bud, maybe 5 transfers later it makes to BRC.
- if we took the initiative in communicating what equipment winners use, then maybe maybe manufacturers might get a little involved with promotion, sponsoring. We do use brands others use.
Mark
