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Why is is so hard to get people to try USPSA?


obsessiveshooter

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Hi all,

Anytime I meet someone who owns guns, likes shooting, has a carry permit, etc,, I always talk to them about USPSA and encourage them to try it out.  They never do.  It's weird, as I'm telling them about how much fun it is, they often have a look on their face that shows they are thinking "yeah, that's cool you enjoy it but I have zero interest".  I really don't think it's me they don't want to shoot with, or that I'm making a poor pitch for the sport.  I send them youtube links and how-to-get-started links, thinking that will surely get them interested, but no.

Anyone have the same experience?  Anyone given this any thought, with a conclusion more insightful than "they are too intimidated"?     

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I have run into the same thing.  I think it comes down to most gun people like guns not shooting.  A active USPSA shooter shots more in one month and most shooters do all year as far as round count goes.  Also people don't like to look bad in front of others and are afraid they wont do well.

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pretty much what chev said.  while i do it for fun, i also do it to get better acquainted with my various guns which may be used to protect my life at some point (hopefully never).

one other factor is the golf factor.  sometimes the closest matches are 1-2 hours away, and they take 3-6 hours so pretty much a full day, which can be hard for those who can't or don't want to be away from their families all day.

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I've pitched 3 gun to almost every gun owner in my age group that I know, and that's a considerable number. Same thing.  They come to my back yard range to plink, end up asking me questions, I do a little demo, show videos and they look very interested and impressed, then I offer to spot them guns and gear to try a match but they obviously have no desire to compete in any way other then occasional informal trap leagues. I do understand that 3 gun is probably the deep end of the pool to get started in, but offers to take them to USPSA matches get the same response.

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I have seen a few instances where people that are good at punching paper come to a match thinking they will dominate.  They get destroyed by a C class production shooter and it's toomuch of a shot to the ego to return. There are also a lot of gun people that merely like the idea of owning guns but put very few rounds through them. I used to be one until I started shooting various types of competition. 

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I've tried to get people interested in USPSA, they never show up. Alot of it has to do with all the gear...most won't have a belt, or only 2 mags, or they can't afford the ammo...Those same people I have also explained SC to them, no movement, you don't need a belt, and only a rudimentary holster at best...still they don't show up. It boils down to their interests. ..and competing in this way does not interest them.

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26 minutes ago, Delta66 said:

I have seen a few instances where people that are good at punching paper come to a match thinking they will dominate.  They get destroyed by a C class production shooter and it's toomuch of a shot to the ego to return. There are also a lot of gun people that merely like the idea of owning guns but put very few rounds through them. I used to be one until I started shooting various types of competition. 

That pretty well sums it up. Most folks won't take the chance on making themselves look bad in front of other folks.

Police think that because they carry a gun makes them good with that gun. Most are not. Not a slam, just decades of observation. I've done everything but pay folks to come to a match. Some do, talk about how much fun they had, and then never return.

i have a signature line that I think pretty well sums it up.

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2 minutes ago, Gary Stevens said:

That pretty well sums it up. Most folks won't take the chance on making themselves look bad in front of other folks.

Police think that because they carry a gun makes them good with that gun. Most are not. Not a slam, just decades of observation. I've done everything but pay folks to come to a match. Some do, talk about how much fun they had, and then never return.

i have a signature line that I think pretty well sums it up.

"We are USPSA. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile"? 

No wonder they don't come back!

We have a small weekly indoor shoot at the local gun store/range (bowling pins, static plates, etc...no movement, no holster, low ready). There is almost always people hanging around, just getting through at the range, or LEO's coming in for something...every once in a while, we get someone to shoot with us...and if it's a regular customer, they sometimes come back...We have never had a LEO come back after their first match. 

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My home club has bowling pin matches.  They're pretty informal matches and require no equipment other than a gun.  I've had pretty good luck at getting people to come shoot a few of those and get used to shooting on a clock.  After that, USPSA is kind of a natural progression.  People get really excited about shooting in a relaxed competition, on the clock, and it just hooks them.  I refer to the pin matches as the "gateway drug" of shooting matches. 

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There is an indoor range that hosts bowling pin matches. And, come to think of it, their monthly uspsa match is mostly populated with people I don't see at any other match. I bet these are people that tried the pin matches and branched out.
I also forget how much of an expense uspsa would be to the person who doesn't reload. "All you need to try our sport is a full saturday, 3 more mags than you have now, a holster, mag pouches you don't know where to find, and more ammo than you shot in the past 4 months!"

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

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I started pin matches at my club,,went well for a few matches.Then some said its to hard to hit and knock them off the table.

Even when I told them to just knock them down,they said it's to hard to hit them..

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38 minutes ago, Gary Stevens said:

Police think that because they carry a gun makes them good with that gun. Most are not. Not a slam, just decades of observation. 

Definitely have seen this too. Or the guy that insists he's a phenomenal shot but always has other plans when it's time to go to the range!

I've been trying to invite people out for an informal range day to try shooting some poppers and other USPSA targets. Give them their first taste for free and hope they come back for more!

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10 hours ago, obsessiveshooter said:

Hi all,

Anytime I meet someone who owns guns, likes shooting, has a carry permit, etc,, I always talk to them about USPSA and encourage them to try it out.  They never do.  It's weird, as I'm telling them about how much fun it is, they often have a look on their face that shows they are thinking "yeah, that's cool you enjoy it but I have zero interest".  I really don't think it's me they don't want to shoot with, or that I'm making a poor pitch for the sport.  I send them youtube links and how-to-get-started links, thinking that will surely get them interested, but no.

Anyone have the same experience?  Anyone given this any thought, with a conclusion more insightful than "they are too intimidated"?     

 

Yeah, I had the same problem years ago with tennis and ballroom dancing.

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11 hours ago, GrumpyOne said:

"We are USPSA. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile"? 

No wonder they don't come back!

We have a small weekly indoor shoot at the local gun store/range (bowling pins, static plates, etc...no movement, no holster, low ready). There is almost always people hanging around, just getting through at the range, or LEO's coming in for something...every once in a while, we get someone to shoot with us...and if it's a regular customer, they sometimes come back...We have never had a LEO come back after their first match. 

Wrong sig line:)

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I have several "casual shooter" friends. We enjoy shooting together, occasionally. However, I can not get them to shoot a match with me. Why?

1) feel they are not good enough . . . will look bad in a competitive atmosphere

2) too big of a commitment in time, and money

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I've found, from 5 decades of trying, that less than .1% of gun owners are interested in competition, of any kind, not just action pistol. Probably because they are more interested in owning guns than actually shooting guns, especially with timed and scored results. I don't really like guns, they are loud and dirty, I don't like reloading or cleaning either, the only thing that matters to me is what happens after the beep, and the results. Any USPSA match is the most 2 minutes of fun you can have for 5 hours of invested time. Many hoser's will play for 10-15 years, and then fade away, there are but a few that have played the game(s) for 50 years without ever stopping. My plan is not to get any better, just get older, then there won't be anyone left....

Edited by 9x45
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A few different reasons. My younger friends with small kids and jobs find it difficult to spend the money and time for a match. Understandable. Most gun owners shoot very little, if at all, period. But. I know a lot of guys that get out and shoot and I know they would love it, but they're just nervous to get out there in front of others. Some are comfortable being known as the "gun guy" within their circle of friends, none who have competed..

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USPSA is just like any other hobby, some people are competitive and are looking to test themselves against others, most are happy to participate in the activity. USPSA is at its core a competition so some (most) people do not want to participate because of that.

I recently talked my wife into shooting with me and she is not a competitive person by nature, she enjoys the shooting and the camaraderie but is still bothered by the fact that it is a competition and even though she doesn't really have a desire to win she is scared by the possibility of loosing it presents.

 

 

 

 

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A lot of people are afraid to compete and put themselves out there (that holds double for a lot of LEOs). Add to that the initial cost of belt, holster and bunch of mag holder plus the recurring cost of ammo and entry fees. Not to mention blowing most of your Saturday or Sunday. 

Edited by tanks
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There are those that like guns and those that like shooting.  Most gun owners like guns and USPSA is for people who like shooting.

I can't get many people to play because they use the "I'm not good enough" excuse.  These tend to be the same people that aren't willing to put effort into becoming good at anything.

There are always the people that are more worried about what others will think about them than how much fun they will have.

I can relate to the overwhelmed crowd.  Before I started I didn't know what to do, where to go, who to talk to, what to buy, what to bring, etc.  The fix for that is to just go do it because the feeling disappears after a couple matches.

Those that you can get to give it a try are very likely to get into it though.

 

 

 

 

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