Current State of Shooting Sports

[Taurus the turtle]

The regulars are always going to be there. I don’t think round counts or calibers are going to affect that.

What is missing is the casual shooters and the first time shooters. Nothing but price and availability is going to fix that. I think we sometimes under estimate the number of people that signed up for a match and then bought ammo for the match in the days prior.

Gander Mountain is gone, Walmart quit selling ammo, Meijer doesn’t have any ammo. Local gun stores are still around a buck a round.

So….a casual shooter wants to go to Riley Saturday for Steel Challenge and it’s Tuesday. Where does he get 4 boxes he needs for this weekend? Internet won’t have it delivered in timez

 

[sv40sw45]

Some might have just stopped because they don’t like shooting with Jeff.

I know my sights are not set very high!!!! BUT shooting with Jeff is the only reason I still shoot matches after 35 years of competition.

 

[JCSR]

I know my sights are not set very high!!!! BUT shooting with Jeff is the only reason I still shoot matches after 35 years of competition.

 

[Twangbanger]

...Yes, there is definitely a conspiracy happening to keep 22lr out of USPSA so that the PCC guys won't rob open shooters of HOA anymore. Let's be real. If 22lr were in the game, the average casual competitor still wouldn't stand a chance of being at the top of the standings.

Take it easy, Carly. This song wasn't about you (...I don't think?)

...And last, I think pistol sports have a better chance then, say, Trap. I used to shoot Trap and really liked it. But that is definitely filled with the "old guard"...

You got that right. Or more correctly, the "old guard" and their teenage kids, roaring around in golf carts with $30k in guns on the back, running over people . (Have they banned golf carts from Steel Challenge yet?)

 

[riverman67]

If we were to repeat 2019 the report is attached, which was the best year in the history of USPSA as far as total matches, total clubs, and total membership, it would be very good.
Needless to say 2020 and 2021 have impacted every aspect of everyones lives, hell I can't get a cinnamon dolce latte at starbucks because the world is out of cinnamon dolce syrup. Jan/Feb/March of 2020 was on a 15% increase of activity and membership as far as USPSA/SCSA goes. Then pandemic, civil unrest..etc etc.
People take stock in what is important to them, they make decisions, they stop doing things.

At the end of December 2015 there was approx 24k USPSA Members, about 400 clubs and around 100 Steel Challenge Clubs. That was after 8 years of record guns sales and ammo shortages and component shortages. High gas prices, collapsed housing markets, high taxes etc.

New gun sales do not equal new shooters, not when bought under the “buy it because I might not be able political threat” or “buy for protection, civil unrest” we saw last year. Some might decide to try it, some might get hooked, some might see it as exciting, but excessive with regards to time and money. In the 21 years I have been competing and involved I have seen lots of people come and go. Same as with every lifestyle hobby and sport.

Growth in shooting sports, hunting, gun sales, and all types of other hobbies go up with good economies and go down with bad ones. USPSA has been around as an organization since 1984, and IPSC was started in 1976'ish. The ups and downs are nothing new. The political climate is nothing new, the rise in pricing, lack of components is nothing new.

What is new, people thinking that there needs to be immediate change, immediate response, immediate "make it better for me" actions without thinking about unintended consequences. This is a lifestyle sport and a hobby. There is a time commitment, there is a financial commitment, and there is a certain level of involvement in participating. That can be as simple as knowing where to find a club (uspsa.org, scsa.org, idpa.com), reviewing the rules, knowing how to sign up, having a minimum expectation of what will take place at a match. This can then be all the way up to designing, setting up stages, becoming a RO, running matches, practicing and even training others, traveling to big matches and even having others in your family shooting.

As far as USPSA goes we have lots of analytical tools that tell me how often a member a shoots, how soon a new member goes to a match, the average distance they travel to their matches, how long between matches and other “life cycle” of a member reports to review.
I don’t have a “why don’t you shoot anymore” report. We are in the process of working out surveying stuff, but it takes time to develop that because you can ask questions on surveys to get the answers you want.
Some might have just stopped because they don’t like shooting with Jeff.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve this...
It's likely true.
I'm not shooting much this year because I can't seem to to get a damn day off.
I don't have as much ammo on hand as I would like. Reloading components are scarce and expensive when you find them.
The situation is suboptimal. I'm working several matches this year, I wouldn't say I'm shooting a bunch less matches,I'm shooting different matches. I'm shooting more steel challenge and I'm not practicing at all.
I started attending competitions in 2008 or 2009 at that time 30 or so at a club match was a good turn out.
That was for 4 stages and a classifier.
Over next several years attendance at club matches increased to the 50-80 shooter range, depending on the club, and stages had to be added to decrease squad size. If you've ever been on a 17 person squad at a club match, you never want to do it again.
It may be time to look at decreasing the number of stages in response to the lower turn out.
Keep the stages what they are, 28- 32 round field courses , but have 4 and a classifier instead of 6.
Effectively lowers the round count somewhat with out changing the stages at all.
Helps out the MD's and set-up crews that have been light so far this year.


Oh yeah
If I'm the reason every one is staying away just let me know
I've got tons of other **** to do

 

[cedartop]

IDPA matches in my are are running half to two thirds normal attendance. USPSA is unfortunately done with no match director for BORCC but those numbers were down as well.

 

[Grelber]

It may be time to look at decreasing the number of stages in response to the lower turn out.
Keep the stages what they are, 28- 32 round field courses , but have 4 and a classifier instead of 6.

The two local IDPA clubs have gone to setting up 3 (sometimes 4 when they are frisky) and shooting each twice. Does not help conserve ammo but it saves a bit on targets and cuts down design and set up and tear down labor needs. Changing starting positions can make it a lot like shooting 2 different stages. For me that is not quite as nice as 6 stages but still a lot of fun.

Bowling Green ran USPSA for 2 or 3 years with 5 stages and a classifier due to range constraints, I didn't like that personally.

 

[jakemartens]

I'm not sure what I did to deserve this...
It's likely true.
I'm not shooting much this year because I can't seem to to get a damn day off.
I don't have as much ammo on hand as I would like. Reloading components are scarce and expensive when you find them.
The situation is suboptimal. I'm working several matches this year, I wouldn't say I'm shooting a bunch less matches,I'm shooting different matches. I'm shooting more steel challenge and I'm not practicing at all.
I started attending competitions in 2008 or 2009 at that time 30 or so at a club match was a good turn out.
That was for 4 stages and a classifier.
Over next several years attendance at club matches increased to the 50-80 shooter range, depending on the club, and stages had to be added to decrease squad size. If you've ever been on a 17 person squad at a club match, you never want to do it again.
It may be time to look at decreasing the number of stages in response to the lower turn out.
Keep the stages what they are, 28- 32 round field courses , but have 4 and a classifier instead of 6.
Effectively lowers the round count somewhat with out changing the stages at all.
Helps out the MD's and set-up crews that have been light so far this year.


Oh yeah
If I'm the reason every one is staying away just let me know
I've got tons of other **** to do

the other Jeff
I will squad with you anytime

 

[downrange72]

I'm not sure what I did to deserve this...
It's likely true.
I'm not shooting much this year because I can't seem to to get a damn day off.
I don't have as much ammo on hand as I would like. Reloading components are scarce and expensive when you find them.
The situation is suboptimal. I'm working several matches this year, I wouldn't say I'm shooting a bunch less matches,I'm shooting different matches. I'm shooting more steel challenge and I'm not practicing at all.
I started attending competitions in 2008 or 2009 at that time 30 or so at a club match was a good turn out.
That was for 4 stages and a classifier.
Over next several years attendance at club matches increased to the 50-80 shooter range, depending on the club, and stages had to be added to decrease squad size. If you've ever been on a 17 person squad at a club match, you never want to do it again.
It may be time to look at decreasing the number of stages in response to the lower turn out.
Keep the stages what they are, 28- 32 round field courses , but have 4 and a classifier instead of 6.
Effectively lowers the round count somewhat with out changing the stages at all.
Helps out the MD's and set-up crews that have been light so far this year.


Oh yeah
If I'm the reason every one is staying away just let me know
I've got tons of other **** to do

Well

Let's just say I witnessed a horror of all horrors at South Central this month. The Jeff that he is referring to showed up with some cut off Jean shorts similar to those we had as kids in the 1970s. Let's just say I'm glad I wasn't on his squad for 3.5 hours

The horror

 

[longbeard]

Well

Let's just say I witnessed a horror of all horrors at South Central this month. The Jeff that he is referring to showed up with some cut off Jean shorts similar to those we had as kids in the 1970s. Let's just say I'm glad I wasn't on his squad for 3.5 hours

The horror

Jorts, I hear that's what the millennial PCC shooters wear to matches. Guess we finally know why he's always spewing that PCC hate. He's secretly envious.

Busted.

 

[IsThatLegal?]

I may or may not have ROCKED jean shorts in the 70s and 80s. . . . with an impressive mullet and sleeveless t-shirt and hightops (or Timberlands) and a flannel shirt tied around the waist.

 

[riverman67]

Cut off jeans?

why?

 

[downrange72]

Cut off jeans?

why?

You got me

 

[downrange72]

Jorts, I hear that's what the millennial PCC shooters wear to matches. Guess we finally know why he's always spewing that PCC hate. He's secretly envious.

Busted.

It wasn't me but PCC is dumb in uspsa

 

[downrange72]

I may or may not have ROCKED jean shorts in the 70s and 80s. . . . with an impressive mullet and sleeveless t-shirt and hightops (or Timberlands) and a flannel shirt tied around the waist.

I think we all had that Mom. Lol

 

[jakemartens]

Well

Let's just say I witnessed a horror of all horrors at South Central this month. The Jeff that he is referring to showed up with some cut off Jean shorts similar to those we had as kids in the 1970s. Let's just say I'm glad I wasn't on his squad for 3.5 hours

The horror

I have seen that and the “I pooped today” tshirt
I stand by my original statement.
That is the official PCC team outfit

 

[Grelber]

Cut off jeans?

why?

Yakkity yack yack yack.

Yack yack.

Yack.

Although, this stuff might explain why coach kept trying to buy back my BFT shirt.

 

[04FXSTS]

I have seen that and the “I pooped today” tshirt
I stand by my original statement.
That is the official PCC team outfit

That is my shirt. Had fun with it at an IDPA match at Wildcat Valley a couple years ago. Of course I may not be the only one with that shirt. Jim.

 

[blkrifle]

It wasn't me but PCC is dumb in uspsa

give up the hate, you have been proven wrong

 

[rhamersley]

Well

Let's just say I witnessed a horror of all horrors at South Central this month. The Jeff that he is referring to showed up with some cut off Jean shorts similar to those we had as kids in the 1970s. Let's just say I'm glad I wasn't on his squad for 3.5 hours

The horror

?