Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

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dromia
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Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#1 Post by dromia »

I have noticed a few members here seem to be packing in or reducing their shooting and firearms held.

How prevalent is this and what are the reasons.

The nature of my shooting and frequency has certainly reduced over the past five years or so as a direct result of the demise of suitable ranges over 100 yrds which is mainly due to the deterioration of 600 yrd MoD gallery ranges and their availability.

Also I find that less and less shooters are prepared to do marking for their colleagues on the rare occasions that I do get a chance at a 100 yrd plus shoot that has functioning targetry and frames.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#2 Post by FredB »

We have just over 200 members and a long waiting list. Every year, when subs are due, we lose around 12. Usually, half of these give up because old age forces them to: the rest are often relatively new shooters who find that it is a difficult sport to excel in and lose interest.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#3 Post by Christel »

I do not shoot less however the disciplines I shoot have changed over the years.

Also our local club is huge...membership just grows and grows which of course is good to see given the various firearm departments' and the public's approach to firearms ownership.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#4 Post by PeterN »

I am not packing in or reducing firearms held. I am not really looking to increase the numbers held as I have enough to keep me occupied. I still see the occasional firearm that I fancy having but have not gone for it. Just recently, I let one go by and now I see it has sold I wish I had gone for it after all. I did buy another three last year, a P14, an Argentine 1909 Mauser and an 04/39 Portuguese Vergueiro. You can't have them all though. I will carry on until body or brain start to fail me.
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Pete
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#5 Post by Pete »

Pre covid, we were shooting maybe 25-30 times a year (at Bisley, because it's a great venue, and only 45-50mins drive now that the M3 is "smart" at the top end...).
From around 2010 until 2019, I organised Bisley sessions at various distances for a group of 7 or 8 mates.
Now it's just myself, partner and occasionally a mate, the others having dropped out for various reasons.
We had 16 sessions last year, which will probably be the norm from now on in.

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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#6 Post by greentangerine »

I shoot roughly five times a week in calibres from .177 air pistol, .22LR target and sporting/gallery through 9mm and .308.

Shooting the same, if not more.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#7 Post by Alpha1 »

I can currently shoot twice a month on MOD ranges but I have the same issue as Adam there are very few ranges that you can shoot over 100 yards and no body wants to do butts marking.
I have resigned from the Committee this year at one of my Clubs I found I was spending all my time organising shooting or training for other people.
I shoot one night a Week underlever at my local Club. The Club is open five nights a week and on Weekends but my shooting has changed a lot of the discipline's I no longer shoot. They also have an outdoor range open from dawn till dusk seven days a week but the access is terrible and my old bones can not cope with it so I don't use it.
Before Covid I could access MOD ranges three times a month. Once Covid is over hopefully it will return to three times a month and I am not as young as I used to be climbing in and out of shooting pits is a chore and getting up at daft O Clock in the morning to get to the range for 08:00 does not appeal to me any more.
I have down sized my collection I only keep guns I actually shoot. I have a couple of calibers I would like to add a 6.5x55 a .222. I would like a decent P14 mainly for cast bullet shooting and that's about it. Oh and I keep meaning to buy a shot gun. I have never owned a shot gun. But I do have a Shot gun certificate. The majority of my shooting buddies are retired and they all meet up for breakfast at Thimbleby shooting ground on a Wednesday morning then shoot some Clays then naff of home. I keep threatening to join them but I don't have a shot gun.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#8 Post by phaedra1106 »

Since taking over as secretary for our full bore club I've certainly shot less.

One of the reasons is having to RCO, we have several RCO's but getting them to do it is another story.
An added problem is that to shoot on Otterburn or Ponteland ranges the RCO's have to attend a briefing at Otterburn camp.
This is a 100 mile plus round trip for most of us and the briefings are only held during the week when many are working.

At the moment we only have 3 RCO's who have been "signed off" by Otterburn.

The RCO who I usually share duties with when shooting at Otterburn was in a plane crash and is still unable to attend any shoots, that leaves me to do 1/3 of the Ponteland shoots and all of the Otterburn ones.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#9 Post by Alpha1 »

phaedra1106 wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 12:18 am Since taking over as secretary for our full bore club I've certainly shot less.

One of the reasons is having to RCO, we have several RCO's but getting them to do it is another story.
An added problem is that to shoot on Otterburn or Ponteland ranges the RCO's have to attend a briefing at Otterburn camp.
This is a 100 mile plus round trip for most of us and the briefings are only held during the week when many are working.

At the moment we only have 3 RCO's who have been "signed off" by Otterburn.

The RCO who I usually share duties with when shooting at Otterburn was in a plane crash and is still unable to attend any shoots, that leaves me to do 1/3 of the Ponteland shoots and all of the Otterburn ones.
So why don,t you move your bookings to Catterick. Tees Valley Target Sports are running RCO training monthly in Middlesbrough so why are you not booking places for you members.
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Re: Packing in or reducing partictation in shooting?

#10 Post by Airbrush »

Strange one for me, having fulfilled a long held ambition moving to Devon with my own land I hardly do any shooting now. troutslapping I’m still trying to get to Bisley as often as possible to shoot CSR but practice & club sessions are history.

I still love shooting but new priorities have taken over.
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