What effect will the economy have on shooting sports?

[tackdr1ver]

I wanted to take a moment and get everyone's opinion on how the current state of the economy will impact our respective sports. Have any any of you noticed a marked decline in shooter turnouts for events? Also, do you feel that as a whole people are shooting a lot less than they normally would?

It is sad to see so many people out of work and unable to find viable solutions to make a reasonable living. What impact will this have on gun and ammo sales in the long run? (I know we had an enormous push for guns and ammo around this past election time, that seems to have subsided) Would it be reasonable to expect that manufacturers and merchants will eventually have to start lowering the prices of their wares to keep a reasonable sales volume?

I guess what I am really wondering is this: If the average guy can't afford to buy guns, ammo and shoot as regularly as they normally would. What is going to happen to our sport? I am concerned that if we can no longer afford to get to the range and shoot a match with our friends, many people will eventually lose interest all together. And as a repercussion, the lack of involvement would enable some of the anti gun politicians to grab a greater foothold in taking our right to enjoy shooting all together.

I would hate to see that happen.. What say you?

[pivoproseem]

Deflation should occur in the match fees if attendance is going to remain near the same. I think with the number of folks out of work, there are shooters that can't participate any longer, while others are just watching their wallet. I know I skipped a match because I thought the fees were too much and instead spent the money on 3 new mags.

People will still shoot, but just maybe not as often as before the ammo price spike/start of the recession/depression.

[Steve J]

The decline I noticed in 2008-2009 has already rebounded.

[Flexmoney]

There have been similar thread on this topic. You may find your answer with a search.

[Sarge]

What are you talking about??? The news said the recession is over! But on a serious note I have not seen much change since I started, which just happened to be when the bubble burst so to speak. Most of the guys I shoot with today are the same ones who were there last year and I suspect they will find a way to be here next year as well.

[Chills1994]

here in the st. louis area at the arnold rifle and pistol club, we hold two monthly speed plates matches (first and third Saturdays).

this last match we had 14 people shooting a centerfire pistol of some sort. then there were 11 people shooting .22 .

so that is the biggest difference I have seen...more .22 shooters.

maybe that has something to do with the economy....or just the perceived shortages of primers (and/or the higher prices primers were demanding a few months ago).

I suspect that some of our steel plate shooters are saving their primers for the regular USPSA "paper" matches.

[Chills1994]

the other thing I have noticed is that it appears to be fewer Single Stack .45 shooters and/or in IDPA fewer CDP shooters.

[SiG Lady]

Well, it seems to be just booming for the concealed-carry crowd. At our local indoor range and instruction facility, we've had to schedule an increased number of Basic Handgun Safety classes and gun sales are robust. This trend has been going on for about a year or so. The sheep in Oregon are becoming increasingly well-armed (if they weren't already)!

[Maksim]

FBI still reports NICS checks are up.

Shooting is not a cheap hobby, and those that are shooting competitively... are typically not going to go broke over $40 in ammo.

In fact, I would go as far as saying match attendance should go up...

I can either go finish or rent a boat etc on a Sunday and it would cost me how much? or

$20 for a match, that is 5 hours of entertainment.

Just my opinion as a financial advisor.

[Chills1994]

Remember that big rush on all things AR?

Man, I was really expecting to see more "used" AR's flood the market as more people got laid off, but I just "ain't" seeing that happen. At least not around here.

[AR Gunner]

I've spent more on guns than golf clubs, but shooting a match is cheaper than a round of golf. I think it's a matter of priorities.

[uno5885]

I work for a gun shop and we have had more buisness then ever. I also run a match here in Maryland and the attendance is higher than ever.

[Duane Thomas]

I think your concerns are groundless. Shooters are going to shoot. Especially in hard economic times, people turn to what they enjoy, what relaxes them and takes their minds off their problems. It's no coincidence that the time of greatest per capita movie watching among the United States populace occurred during the Great Depression. I haven't seen any drop in match attendance in my area (Western Washington). If anything, match attendance is increasing.

Yes, there was a dropoff in match attendance last year - certainly this was true in my case - but that had to do with the fact that primers were literally unobtainable. Many of us tailed off our match attendance then, not out of financial concerns, certainly not because we wanted to, but because we literally couldn't get the primers to build the ammo to shoot the match. These days that is, thankfully, a thing of the past and we are back to that inalienable truth: shooters shoot. Competitors compete. Birds gotta fly, fish gotta swim. Match shooters gotta shoot matches.

[Graham Smith]

We had a record turnout at some matches this year and there was a steady influx of new shooters as well. Both shooting clubs I am a member of have seen a steady increase in new members. Both gun shops I frequent have seen steady sales.

One reason may be that a lot more people are sticking closer to home. No two week vacations to Disney Planet or things like that. One fellow I know puts it this way, he doesn't practice all that much but shoots two matches a month. That's $40 in match fees and about $100 worth of Wally World 9mm for the month. That's less than he used to spend on a "night out with the boys".

[tackdr1ver]

Well I am happy to hear good reports from all corners of the country. Here in SC, I cover a very large sales territory and see some communities which have been all but wiped out financially. Being that I am relatively new to shooting competitively, translates to having a short yardstick in which to measure regular or normal attendance.

Hopefully the trend will continue. And I hope components and equipment will become more affordable as time goes on.

[tackdr1ver]

One reason may be that a lot more people are sticking closer to home. No two week vacations to Disney Planet or things like that. One fellow I know puts it this way, he doesn't practice all that much but shoots two matches a month. That's $40 in match fees and about $100 worth of Wally World 9mm for the month. That's less than he used to spend on a "night out with the boys".

True,

Going out isn't cheap anymore!

[mpeltier]

I have data going back to 2005 on attendance at our monthly matches. We host Rifle, 2-gun and 3-gun matches every month and have a spread of 10 to 60 competitors show up depending on the time of year and the type of tournament. I recently put the data into a graph chart and was amazed that in 5 years it has been extremely consistant. All varyation in attendance was climate related. We have the lowest attendance trend in the summer (to Hot i guess). There are two huge spikes in attendance however that were interesting first was Rifle in Jan/Feb 2007 and second was 3-gun Jan/Feb 2009. In both cases attendance jumped about 25%. 3-gun, not surprisingly has shown the stediest growth. The economy does not appear to be discouraging people from coming out and competing.

[EEH]

I don't know about everyone but I shoot a lot less now,than I did a year ago..

[calishootr]

around here we have had an increase in attendance, matches that were routinely drawing 40, last month drew 70, 1 match in the bay area even hit 90!!!!! they havent seen those numbers since the early 90's....gun buyers here in Cali are going to town for whatever reason be it, not feeling safe or the'gotta get it before they wont let me 'crowd...1 gun store in northern cali is said to be doing 700 guns per month!!!!