The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Been shooting since I was twelve and I'm proud to say my eldest son has just got his FAC aged fourteen - start em young!

Had my FAC 19 years had it at 15 years old.

Damn that means my Ruger and Marlin are 19 years old!

It seems to be that all Shooting discipline are subscribed to more by the age group 40-60, probably points to the fact that the younger generations are not that interested!!! aaarggh

Well I was only introduced through family who was at the time club captain.

It’s not exactly an easily accessible sport. Or a cheap one to get into.

Keithkilvo1 wrote:It seems to be that all Shooting discipline are subscribed to more by the age group 40-60, probably points to the fact that the younger generations are not that interested!!! aaarggh

It's probably not that they're not interested but that it's so much harder to get into these days. Aside from the usual hurdles of clubs and police authorities younger people also have to overcome their parents and the poor image of guns thrown up by the media and other useful idiots. It was a lot easier for us now middle-aged peeps back in the day. I was a regular shooter from fifteen onwards and had my own FAC and firearms by nineteen. The bulk of us hail from a much more free age - an age, for example, when you could send an FAC off in the post and have a firearm delivered in the post. We've stuck with it because we're already established - hence the bulk of our stats being middle-aged.

As well as that there are far fewer clubs in some areas that there were back in yesteryear. Oxfordshire has a woeful amount of clubs with their own range. Thirty years ago there were an abundance of works clubs in the neighbourhood where you could at least shoot .22 And there were a few good full bore-pistol clubs in the area too. I expect things are not much better in much of the South.

I shoot with a quite a few folk under 40, they do tend to like mini rifle and PSG more than traditional prone rifle shooting.

I guess a lot of it has to do with the types of shooting.

I got my license in 97 just as people were handing back their Handguns so it was an interesting time.

Practical shooting seems to be on the rise at the moment increasing in popularity. If it means more people in the sport then great.

I'm about to turn 70, so have been shooting for 62 years - cripes!

My son (39) has had his FAC/SGC for 5 years and my daughter is now applying for hers.

I am introducing my 2 grandchildren and about 4-6 of their friends to shooting at ages 10 - 16. Costs me time and ammo, but I see it as an investment.

Shooting one form or another 30 years. I am late 30s.
Member of a pistol club around from 14 for a couple of years till it was banned.
Had my SGC for 16 years and been shooting reasonably competitively English Sporting.
Just going through FAC application now, better late than never.

I'm 57..my son is 21...& we are members of 2 x shooting clubs. most of the members are around my age or older. My son is definately one of the youngest in both clubs. I do wonder where shooting will be as a sport once us older codgers are worm-food??

John