Let’s put the blame where it belongs….

[Jim Kidwell]

Over the last years we have seen our Nationals attendance dwindle. There have been many who have the answers and like to expound on them, but the real problem lies at the top of the “food chain”. The Competition Department has done everything they can do with the yearly decline in budget restraints they have to work with.
I give them kudos with what they must work with. They are an easy target to vent our frustrations. We think as competitors; we have a big voice in the theme of things. We don’t! We are a very small part of the NRA membership. Most members are like the average citizenship. “Sheeples”… They are mostly gun owners and hunters that pay their dues to save the Second Amendment.
We have a Dep. Director of Comp. Shooting Div., Aaron Farmer, who shot in this year’s National Silhouette matches, who is on our side. It was a shame to see some who disrespected his role as an NRA representative. We, also, had a Match Director who tried to make the Nationals a fun event, and it was.
Let’s give both a round of applause and give them our support. Those that attended this years Nationals need to go back to their clubs and talk up the fun experience they had. That will help bring back the numbers we used to have. Enough… Flame on……………………..

[GrumpyBear]

Well said Jim, and from someone who knows what it takes to run one of these endeavors, and what goes on behind the scenes.


I did not attend the Nationals, but after viewing the pictures and reading the write-ups I certainly wish that I had been able to be there.

Thank you to Aaron Farmer, and the match directors and support staff, who I hear did a great job running the match, hope to be there next year.

[BFD]

Jim, I agree with your assessment. But unfortunately, it is not likely to change. We can complain and wait for a change that that never comes, or we can talk up the matches, promote the matches in any way we can think of, and carry on with whatever is available. This year, we had an excellent set of matches. They've never been better, except for attendance, in the 12 years I've been shooting. So, let's run with that and see if others will come out and play. Let us not get bogged down in whining about the NRA brass and instead, think about what we can do, right now, this winter, and next year, to make them better in anyway possible.

For instance, those crafty .22bpcra guys put on the coolest side match for the last two years running (maybe longer - my memory...). Those juniors and their granddads and dads were a blast to watch. Could we pull off something like that for bpcr? How many junior BPCR shooters were there? I have no idea. But if we had such a match and promoted it from now until next spring, we just might get a few new folks.

Just thinking out loud.

[Woody]

I'll be back. Where else can I shoot so many matches with so many great people? It was great to see Aaron on the mat shooting with the rest of us. Jeanne ran a well run match. I hope she continues. I'll still "talk" it up when I get the chance, and continue to assist and encourage new shooters to play in our sandbox. I said my piece during the shooters meeting and won't dwell on it any more. Time to get ready Friendship this weekend. Three more days of shooting. YeeHa!!! More grilled steaks, and a campfire to solve all of the worlds problems.

Woody

[Glen Ring]

Well said Jim.
Recruitment starts at the club level. We will start having side " fun " matches. 500 meter prairie dog shoots?? Yep. How about " Combat Tactical Buffalo Rifle' ? Pepper Popper Hostage shots with a BPCR gun?? . Three man team speed shootouts at 200 meters? Those are all in the works here in Oklahoma.

I shot run and gun for years and IPSC/USPSA competitions are WAY more popular because they offer variety and fun.
I'm with Brent ...let's have some fun. I would have given anything for my 11 year old Grand Son to have been in that 22bpcr shoot off.

I know of only two folks that disrespected Aaron and , unfortunately , they are from Oklahoma. We showed our displeasure with one and we'll have a talk with the other at the first opportunity. THOSE are the kinds of things that hurt the sport and they embarrassed us .

Juniors always shoot FREE at any of our matches and we'll start offering discounts to adults that bring juniors.

I hear grumblings and rumors of changes that will be GREAT for the shooters in this sport. We'll see if they happen.

[Glen Ring]

I have been thinking about your post for the last few weeks. We had BPCR and Lever gun regional s back to back. We had NO drama with the BPCR crowd.
We have made it clear we will send drama queens packing.
We had Drama with some of the lever gun crowd. same old predictable folks...they will not be back next year.
I was reading a forum tonight and someone verbally jumped on a person asking a question ..that is what's hurting this sport.

We eliminate or ban drama queens from our range and that seems to be working to increase our numbers...saying a trouble maker is just ole so and so and that's what they do doesn't grow numbers.

[SSShooter]

The folks at the top of the NRA can certainly shoulder their share of the blame for sticking our money in their pockets (or wearing on their backs & feet with $30K suits & shoes). Hopefully, the lot of them will spend some time behind bars for misappropriating our money to their personal use and not using it to support the 2nd Amendment and competitions and all the legitimate uses for which it was intended.

Having attended matches pre-Kidwell, Kidwell-era (thanks Jim) and post-Kidwell, there has never been one that I've not thoroughly enjoyed. Like all the BS on the internet, the drama of the matches seems to be primarily at the finger-tips of a few "internet experts". Just more "fake news". Ignore it. Show up, shoot, enjoy the company of a few hundred like-minded folks and have a great time. Could not ask for a finer venue then the Whittington Center (even with their scheduling problems).

[jackrabbit]

I have been thinking about your post for the last few weeks. We had BPCR and Lever gun regional s back to back. We had NO drama with the BPCR crowd.
We have made it clear we will send drama queens packing.
We had Drama with some of the lever gun crowd. same old predictable folks...they will not be back next year.
I was reading a forum tonight and someone verbally jumped on a person asking a question ..that is what's hurting this sport.

We eliminate or ban drama queens from our range and that seems to be working to increase our numbers...saying a trouble maker is just ole so and so and that's what they do doesn't grow numbers.

Kicking people out seems like a great way to grow numbers..... By the way who exactly gets to decide who the "trouble makers" are and what language is forbidden? Adolf Junior the match Nazi??? As far as I am concerned, unless they are cheating, everyone should be welcome.

[stevewhr]

The matches I've attended encouraged all shooters to come. Encouraged a good time. Yes there needs to be some rules but even these need some wiggle room at times. Of the matches I've been lucky enough to attend, the match directors had a sense of humor and good people skills. I'd submit that if the guest are on the "fight", they might have reason to be. The Quigley, Worland State BPTR mid range, Byers National Championship long range match, Cheyenne Rifle and Pistol Club BPCR Silhouette match, and lastly both of the Smithmoor Range matches have been nothing short of pleasant and well run. The directors of these all were welcoming and warm. None of them came across adversarial and I saw nobody being kicked out or otherwise sent packing.

[jackrabbit]

I'd submit that if the guest are on the "fight", they might have reason to be.

AMEN!

[desert deuce]

There's that word again, shows up every once in a while...….reason.

REASON: normal or sound powers of mind; sanity.

FACT: something known to be true

OPINION: belief or judgment based on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty

DELUSIONAL: a false belief that is resistant to reason or in confrontation to actual fact

Websters ISBN: 0-375-40741-3

I have chosen not to visit the definition of sanity due to certain members of this group! The identities of whom should be obvious by now.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Records lost, letters lost, false promises from NRA’s directors. Out and out lied to.

Yup plenty of Reasons. For a rather sour outlook on The NRA.

Current new director and competitions, have done a great job at nationals. What they don’t realize is all the crap that preceded their tenure, the subsequent fallout is all they are seeing. While not totally fair to them, it’s to be expected with the job.

If you set on the sideline or ride the fence, you are taking up space, and wasting Air.

KW

[Raymond Hanson]

Blame? I have learned over the years that if someone from the NRA is talking it means their lips are moving which means they are lying. Competitors have reacted to what they have experienced. Going to the Nationals has become a real life example of Charlie Brown kicking the football while Lucy held it in place. There needs to be change before I attempt to kick that ball again! Take care Raymond Hanson

[SFogler]

Meanwhile we now have the BPTRA (thank you Robert Garibay and those who helped you). They put on a great match and worked hard to contact sponsors for some great prizes. Prizes is not why I go to matches, but I was astonished at the Shiloh rifle given away and the dollar amount on some of the gift certificates. Those sponsors showed some real commitment to the shooters in our sport by offering up some pretty valuable prizes. This match was well attended for the first time it has been offered. I don't think there is a lack of shooters - I think there is a lack of commitment by the NRA to honor their heritage by offering an original style black powder rifle Creedmoor Match regardless of the "turn out". But be that as it may - we have other venues offering great matches and I intend to support them often.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

The nra competitions, were directed by Wayne LaPierre to not cancel the Creedmoor match ever. Only guy that can go against the top man, and still have a job, baffles me. In the real world that would most definitely resulted in someone getting canned. And then subsequently lost any credibility with the BP target rifle Shooters.

KW