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Idea for club match

924 views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Nightops 
#1 ·
A new indoor shooting range is opening in early May 2017 in Cumming, GA. An hour north of Atlanta (Country Folks Superstore, Hwy 9 at Post Rd.)

I don't know what shooting matches or competitions they will have there, but in the interest of attracting new people to the sport of shooting, I'm considering meeting with the owners and suggesting this idea:

The range itself buys 12 inexpensive, light weight, user-friendly .22 rifles and an equal number of .22 pistols as rental guns or "loaners" for shooting matches.

They advertise and promote some easy .22 rimfire matches that are strictly limited to inexpensive, common, rack-grade (or field-grade) plinking guns with standard factory components and no significant accuracy-enhancing upgrades. Bring your own or rent one of the range's guns.

Every shooter would get a short sight-in period, or a few sighter shots on the first target at each distance to check the gun's zero.

The shooters would have their "user names" (handles, fictional names) and scores posted on the range's website, and it would show both their raw score (and ranking) and an adjusted or handicapped score (and ranking) that is based on regular improvements over time.

What do you guys and gals think?

Would YOU participate in this, and pull that factory-standard plinker-grade gun out of your gun safe for this kind of match?

Even if this is way below your pay grade as a serious RFC member, what about your friends, co-workers, siblings, nephews, and kids? Would THEY be more interested in rimfire shooting if such a newbie-friendly competition were held?

(P.S. For safety reasons, perhaps each competitor would have to have a few minutes with a range safety officer and demonstrate safe and effective gun handling, loading and unloading, and at least a basic level of skill with a gun-- to show they can line up the sights and at least hit their own target, not the target of the dude the next lane over. Once a person passes this safety check, a record of it is made in the range's computer system and they never have to do it again on subsequent visits).
 
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#2 ·
Clarification:

The above is an IDEA that "I" have come up with and will present as a SUGGESTION to the range's owners.

I'm not saying that this range HAS, or is even considering, the kind of shooting competition and rental/ loaner gun program that I propose.
 
#4 ·
Thanks.

Would any other RFC users like to chime-in on this idea?

It's not aimed at you, but think of others. It's something to get "the public" interested in sport shooting, and increase the percentage of our population that has had a positive, satisfying experience with shooting firearms.
 
#5 ·
Brother GS; I'm wondering about the matches? Would it be paper or silhouette targets, or something else? Paper can soon become boring for some shooters. We need to educate new shooters. Hope ya get a program in place. If you get the folks on RFC to help mold it, it should be successful. Good luck.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I like the idea. I agree with others that new shooters would get bored with paper real fast. Being creative and offering different targets either by rotating locations and various target racks will keep their interest. Seeing and hearing a reactive target is what new shooters like. You could have a stage or two where precision counts just to help them keep tweaking their skills to separate the top shooters.

We've found having various size targets and letting the shooter select their target size which affects their scores is a good way to also let them make decisions based on their skill. Maybe you could have them meet a certain score before they can move over and try a harder/smaller target at that distance which might also give them a zero.

Everyone likes challenge but I think everyone needs to be able to hit targets to not get frustrated. Some types of competition can be tough and you don't want to lose shooters just because some of the top shooters desire really hard targets which they can hit and be the range Kings.

I just love when a new shooter comes to my range and sees the targets out to 197 yards, their initial reaction is whoa I can't even see them alone hit them. With a bit of coaching and using one of my guns/ammo and settings they are hitting things they only dreamed of before they tried it.

I have a few novelty targets such as the axe they can split a bullet on, another to shoot matchsticks thru, some shoot thru various size holes to hit a target behind it, another with 9 squares they have to do some math to shoot 5 targets to add up to a numbered ball they draw from a box, couple of Know Your Limit racks. Lots of weird shapes such as stars, candycanes, horseshoes , playing card shapes, Circles cut into quarters, diamonds and dominoe shapes. Rotating them keeps them having to move their point of aim a bit to keep in the meaty part of the target. Your imagination and having someone that can fabricate is your only limit as to what you can make to shoot at that keeps it fun.



Good luck with your matches, hope it goes really well and gets a lot of new shooters.

Topstrap
 
#8 ·
I'd love the idea of an indoor .22 match that is more than just straight square range shooting. The NSSF Rimfire Challenge matches are great fun, a good way place for shooters to transition from simple target shooting to competition, and fit inside pistol bays/indoor ranges. Divisions are broken up between irons and open. However, supervising new shooters is a herding cats operation. We play games with guns, and the shooting sports have a better safety record than any other sport because of safety rules and safety officers being a double check. Cold range, no loaded guns, no gun handling until "make ready", and two people confirming guns unloaded.

Often times these seem excessive to people new to competitive shooting, and trying to wrangle a dozen new shooters in a competition sounds like a nightmare. There is a reason new shooters at competitions get pulled aside for an additional safety briefing, and the RO watches them like a hawk.

I'd suggest instead of spending that money on a dozen rifles and pistols, and staff to maintain them, spend it on some good steel targets. Put the match on in a way that people can spectate, and it will bring its own business in. If people can see the action without having to be on the range, it will sell itself. Experienced shooters will bring in new shooters through word of mouth with a well run and fun match.
 
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