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Cheechako
Guest
Nothing lasts forever. Not even our sacred Benchrest. Or the good old U. S. of A., it appears. 
Herman, good post, I also agree to keep new shooters coming back. You have to either put them through a benchrest school like we do at Williamport or when they make a mistake you can't DQ them the first time out , I caught hell for not DQ'ing a new shooter who honestly didn't know that what he did was wrong. That guy never came back because there were people that were jumping on him and made him feel so bad we never saw him again. Now if an experienced shooter makes a mistake, that's different. They should know better... Maybe a good idea whold be to assign a new shooter a mentor the first couple of times they shoot. We do allow a new shooter to have someone on the line with them.
Joe Salt
Joe Salt
J
jcwit
Guest
To those that think costs have nothing to do with this problem. Check this out.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
I'm not able to remember about the costs of benchrest equipment but I do remember seeing surplus .303 British Enfields for sale in the $10.00 range and Jungle Carbines going for $15.00. This was in the mid to later 50's. Using the above link these should now be in the $75 to $100 dollar range. Don't believe my pricing? Dig out an old issue of The American Rifleman and check out one of the Ye Ol' Hunter ads.
I also remember buying gas in thge later 50's and early 60's for $ .16 to $ .18 cents a gal. That would calculate to $1.25 to $1.30 in todays dollar.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
I'm not able to remember about the costs of benchrest equipment but I do remember seeing surplus .303 British Enfields for sale in the $10.00 range and Jungle Carbines going for $15.00. This was in the mid to later 50's. Using the above link these should now be in the $75 to $100 dollar range. Don't believe my pricing? Dig out an old issue of The American Rifleman and check out one of the Ye Ol' Hunter ads.
I also remember buying gas in thge later 50's and early 60's for $ .16 to $ .18 cents a gal. That would calculate to $1.25 to $1.30 in todays dollar.
M
mike in co
Guest
francis,
the only worker is the guy running the match......we score as a group and we replace our own targets.....
we do have a few non members shoot my match, but there is not advertising of the events other than the club news letter.
mike in co
the only worker is the guy running the match......we score as a group and we replace our own targets.....
we do have a few non members shoot my match, but there is not advertising of the events other than the club news letter.
mike in co
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mike in co
Guest
a better inflation calculator is to go to common items then and now...
a loaf of bread, and a big mac work well.
a gallon of gas does not work...the usa has had protected sources of fuel and we were under paying....go look and a liter of gas in england then and now or italy or germany.
mike in co
a loaf of bread, and a big mac work well.
a gallon of gas does not work...the usa has had protected sources of fuel and we were under paying....go look and a liter of gas in england then and now or italy or germany.
mike in co
J
jcwit
Guest
OK, when I started working at my first job back in 1956 at our local hardware store a lb. of 8p common nails cost $ .08 cents, that calculates out to .67 cents, but in actuality todays cost for a lb. of 8p common nails is $1.80.
jackie schmidt
New member
Maybe I was a little strong in my statement about the Tactical Shooters wanting to simulate the actual killing of another person.
My apologies if I offended.........jackie
My apologies if I offended.........jackie
Wayne,
He is courting the environmental lobby and people who vote that way. That element of our population would rather see gas at 10 bucks a gallon to "discourage consumption". When does discouraging consumption cross the line to become severe hardship for millions? At near 4 bucks a gallon I think it has!! --Greg
That's right. When the republicans are running for reelection, gas prices go down -- for about one month before voting. Then they go right back up. Go look at the gas price trends for those years. You can find them in the newspaper archives.
What's annoying isn't that they'd stoop to this, it's that so many people fall for it.
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What is really annoying is that my cable bill (T-W) for "standard" service, regular internet, and one luxery, HBO, is now $2,000 a year. At $4.00 per gallon, that's enough to travel 10,000 miles. Talk about inflation, in the 1990s, cable was $200 per year. But there is no competition for cable where I live. The city gave the franchise to T-W, so T-W charges twice as much as it charges for the same sevices in Ohio.
Don't you love the "free" market?
What's annoying isn't that they'd stoop to this, it's that so many people fall for it.
Edit:
What is really annoying is that my cable bill (T-W) for "standard" service, regular internet, and one luxery, HBO, is now $2,000 a year. At $4.00 per gallon, that's enough to travel 10,000 miles. Talk about inflation, in the 1990s, cable was $200 per year. But there is no competition for cable where I live. The city gave the franchise to T-W, so T-W charges twice as much as it charges for the same sevices in Ohio.
Don't you love the "free" market?
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Everyone tells us all the bad things our government is doing, but why can't we just FIRE THEM, nevermind elections. I guess thats why they have all the control and rule us. Cause we no longer rule them! So I guess my truck won't leave the yard till I go to a match. Just have to us the wifes car for groceries.
Joe Salt
Joe Salt
Wilber Your a good man for trying.
At least you tried Wilber. Maybe your area isn't quite ready.
When I started i had a mentor. . He loaned me one of his rifles. loaded the ammo tought me how to reload for it,
invited me to come to matches . Frank would also analize my shooting telling me what i did wrong.
He was great friend and fine human being. We need more of this.
He always said you have to give something back to the game.
At least you tried Wilber. Maybe your area isn't quite ready.
When I started i had a mentor. . He loaned me one of his rifles. loaded the ammo tought me how to reload for it,
invited me to come to matches . Frank would also analize my shooting telling me what i did wrong.
He was great friend and fine human being. We need more of this.
He always said you have to give something back to the game.
C
Cheechako
Guest
All this talk about a factory class to re-kindle the spark reminds me of when the HBR Class was first introduced. The rules restricted the rifles to a factory rifle, more or less, shooting for score on a single target. But, each year the guys would lobby for rules changes that would allow them to make their rifles a little more accurate and we eventually came to today where the HBR rifle can shoot tiny dots, and has to do so in order to win. Factory nevers stays factory.
JMHO
Ray
JMHO
Ray
Yes all this talk about Factory class, when I started all I had was a 308 Norma I used for woodchucks and I progressed from there, there was just one class back then, shoot what you brought. Find out if you're going to like it or not, then you can brag to your friends how well you done with your hunting rifle! Its not about winning the first time out. I've only seen a few that have started winning right off.
Joe Salt
Joe Salt
Whoo Hoo Factory class again. Has anybody come up with a defination yet? Not being too cynical, but, I remember what has happened every time this comes up. I still believe the best way to increase participation is the old bring a friend and after they are hooked get them to bring one while you bring another .
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analretentive
Member
I'm just getting back into benchrest, and having my first custom rifle built (rimfire). At 64, and on fixed income, I can afford it far less than I could 10-15 years ago; without getting into my savings (The time/money conundrum). Anyone have a guess at what a very competitive shooter spends a year on travel and equipment? 5K? 10K? 50K?
I intend to get my grandson hooked. Recently visited Jim Williams at his shop in Grayson, and we discussed getting the grandchildren started. He gave me a suggestion y'all probably know (and should probably come with a "don't try this at home" disclaimer). Glue primers to the target X; space them well as they leave a serious hole. When they hit it, it's a little more exciting than seeing a small hole appear. May not compete with Mortal Kombat; but gets them interested in hitting a very tiny spot on the target, with significant results.
I intend to get my grandson hooked. Recently visited Jim Williams at his shop in Grayson, and we discussed getting the grandchildren started. He gave me a suggestion y'all probably know (and should probably come with a "don't try this at home" disclaimer). Glue primers to the target X; space them well as they leave a serious hole. When they hit it, it's a little more exciting than seeing a small hole appear. May not compete with Mortal Kombat; but gets them interested in hitting a very tiny spot on the target, with significant results.
Wilbur
Our local 100,200,300 yard range has 36 benches plus the same for pistols and about 15 more for 50 yard shooters.Today we were there for about 1.5 hours and never got a bench to shoot off of.We are paying $4.36 a gallon for regular gas.
The weather was around 75 degrees today and I spotted atleast a dozen lady shooters.Pink ear muffs and pink gun cases are easy to spot.
This public range is getting over a hundred shooters a day and over 50 shooters per day during the week.
We have 3-5 shortrange benchrest shooters that show up from time to time but most of the shooters there tend to not like them that much.
On average the shooters there use about $50 worth of ammo.
Lynn
Our local 100,200,300 yard range has 36 benches plus the same for pistols and about 15 more for 50 yard shooters.Today we were there for about 1.5 hours and never got a bench to shoot off of.We are paying $4.36 a gallon for regular gas.
The weather was around 75 degrees today and I spotted atleast a dozen lady shooters.Pink ear muffs and pink gun cases are easy to spot.
This public range is getting over a hundred shooters a day and over 50 shooters per day during the week.
We have 3-5 shortrange benchrest shooters that show up from time to time but most of the shooters there tend to not like them that much.
On average the shooters there use about $50 worth of ammo.
Lynn
Pete Wass
Well-known member
I have had the good fortune of spending the winter months in Florida for the last three winters. I have spent quite a lot of time at ranges here, either to tune and practice or to shoot in matches. There is no shortage of shooters here in Florida. There is a shortage of Competition Shooters, however.
Generally, when I go to the club I joined I am the only benchrest shooter there, except when there are matches. New shooters seem fascinated by my equipment but it is a quantum leap from where they are to where we are. Very few of those I have spoken to are impressed with the accuracy of the Benchrest Rifles, from what I have been able to tell. Most of them shoot at big sighting - in targets but most of the shooters don't look to see where they are hitting and don't seem to care, from what I can tell. They seem to only want to shoot the rifle. Where the fascination for the M-16 rifle comes from, at the prices they get for them, for one's first rifle, will always be a great mystery.
I guess where I am going with this is there are a few people interested in ultimte accuracy and even fewer who are interested in Competition. If one adds the fact that some of those who run these ranges and cubs don't have any appreciation for us either, we don't have much of a chance of gaining new folks to join us.
Perhaps the Money Thing has finally caught up to Sports. I noticed in the local paper that three of the local Golf Cources had recently been sold in foreclosure auctions. I know of one other, inside a 600 home development of $400K homes, that is in bankrupcy. Perhaps we are at a point where we need to be thinking of other ways to do things if we want to continue. I know, for me, .177 pellets that cost $10. per 5000 have become somewhat appealing.
Generally, when I go to the club I joined I am the only benchrest shooter there, except when there are matches. New shooters seem fascinated by my equipment but it is a quantum leap from where they are to where we are. Very few of those I have spoken to are impressed with the accuracy of the Benchrest Rifles, from what I have been able to tell. Most of them shoot at big sighting - in targets but most of the shooters don't look to see where they are hitting and don't seem to care, from what I can tell. They seem to only want to shoot the rifle. Where the fascination for the M-16 rifle comes from, at the prices they get for them, for one's first rifle, will always be a great mystery.
I guess where I am going with this is there are a few people interested in ultimte accuracy and even fewer who are interested in Competition. If one adds the fact that some of those who run these ranges and cubs don't have any appreciation for us either, we don't have much of a chance of gaining new folks to join us.
Perhaps the Money Thing has finally caught up to Sports. I noticed in the local paper that three of the local Golf Cources had recently been sold in foreclosure auctions. I know of one other, inside a 600 home development of $400K homes, that is in bankrupcy. Perhaps we are at a point where we need to be thinking of other ways to do things if we want to continue. I know, for me, .177 pellets that cost $10. per 5000 have become somewhat appealing.
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