Growing the Sport!

[kurtm]

It is a great idea Cheryl!! except Mike, Javier, and I am not allowed in many "main stream" establishments Not to mention Trapr and Mike.45 ( drink all the coffee and send our for beer and pizza). What teams are we talking about?? Last I checked Kurt, Trapr, Jeff and Daniel were the ONLY team fielded at the Greece ESC and it was ALL on our own dime!!! to Include the shirts!! If that is the support we can expect from USPSA I will pass ( and yes we really tried to get something from USPSA) We even had one of our team mates palce at 2nd overall in standard semi-auto shotgun. I am happy to talk to ANYONE about 3-gun, but this just isn't happening in our sport. Kurt

[Flexmoney]

If you don't have the horsepower to remember the rules you are not a good choice to own an gun and I really hope you aren't handling one around me.

That would seem to include me then.

[Religious Shooter]

And Taran (from Benning). And my friend (who got moved to Open from TS for having a mag pouch out in front duing SMM3G).

[GentlemanJim]

Oh please

Even an old fart like me can understand any given set of rules.

It ALL boils down to US!!! If you want to grow, go find your Buddys and drag them out to play.

At this time this is a word of mouth sport ...its NOT on prime time.

Last year we signed up for RM3gun six months early...having NEVER shot 3gun...no equipment...just because a friend told us how much fun it was.

The very first match we go to was Johnson 3gun...Nanci and I shared a rifle and equipment...even borrowed some...what a blast we had

I think most folks that shoot USPSA or 3gun were pulled in by friends who were involved.

Rules on scoring or what equipment Blah Blah ...it dont mean Diddle.

Its the love of shooting...friends...and ultimately competition that bring people out.

So go talk it up...grab your couch potato buddy loan him or her some gear ...and get it done.!

And I just have to wonder what Sigmund Freud would think about this BETA envy thing

Jim

[Flexmoney]

Before anyone responds with the idea of a 3Gun Confederation, explain when any confederaton has ever worked.

I've been trying to wrap my head around that statement since it was made.

What about this "confederation" that came about in 1976 ???

http://ipsc.org/whatipsc.htm

[Nik Habicht]

Before anyone responds with the idea of a 3Gun Confederation, explain when any confederaton has ever worked.

I've been trying to wrap my head around that statement since it was made.

What about this "confederation" that came about in 1976 ???

http://ipsc.org/whatipsc.htm

Well --- it probably sort of works, except for the fact that USPSA is part of it, while not being part of it ---- so obviously there's part of it that don't seem to work for us Americans.... :D

[Blockhead]

The local club matches are where the sport grows. New 3G shooters come out for the monthly club matches, have fun, meet new friends and start to hear about SMM3G, RM3G, FB3G, etc... I had so much fun learning to shoot 3Gun through Southern CA 3G club matches at Palm Springs, Pala & Piru. The friends I made were what got me to the big matches. For me, the shooting is a blast, but the best part has been (and still is) the people.

I don't mind getting to the range early to bust my butt setting stages, shooting stages and the tearing it all down when I'm doing it with with my friends; people I respect who also respect me. We might do it for a while just for the shooting, but in the long term there has to be some kind of community at the local level that keeps us coming back for next week's match. I wish I knew how to put that in a can and give it away. Every club has it's unique culture and issues. But I have seen a few things that succesful clubs seem to have in common.

1. 
   Good Leadership that listens and has the best interests of the club at heart.
   Good Communication with existing members, new members and the shooting community at large.
   Good Teamwork that uses what each individual brings to the table for max. benefit to the club and the sport.
   

If any club can combine those 3 in an environment of integrity and fairness, it won't matter as much whose rules are used as long as it's safe and fun. That being said, I still think USPSA has a lot to offer a local club in terms of a context where the good stuff is encouraged and the bad not so much. At the same time, there's a lot of things USPSA needs to improve before we see the same success in 3Gun that we all enjoy with pistol competion.

Just my $.02.

[cksh8me]

At a large match, what about a junior division kids between the ages of 12 to 16? They must have a valid hunting license.

22's and a 410 or 20 gauge one stage per gun. They pick up a coupon with any purchase of $xx or more from their local match contributing gun store and they get to shoot for free. At the end of the match return the coupons for some kind of reimbursment.

I know this is going to add more work and I'm not doing it. It's just an idea that may or may not be any good. That will be up to the promoter.

[mpeltier]

This seems to have turned into a rules discussion. Rules have NOTHING to do with growing the sport IMHO. Its about marketing. Getting the word out, bringing shooters to the matches we put on. Give incentives for first time competitors (one club I know of lets first timers shoot free).

Gunshops may be one of the largest untapped sources. In my area at least, there are 6-8 shops and few of them even have a clue about 3-gun action competition. Maybee on the area level (USPSA) there could be a marketing effort to visit area gunshops with literatue to display and educate staff and invite them out to play. How many of your local gunshops are 3-gun savy? Whats in it for them? How about a breakdown of how mutch a competitor spends in a year on this sport. Im sure USPSA could come up with that info (if they dont already have it).

Edited July 8, 2008 by mpeltier

[Brian Payne]

I agree with mpeltier.

Rules have no baring on getting new shooters. Take the time to advertise local shoots and encourage new shooters to give it a try. I post our upcoming local 3-gun shoots on the hometown forum at another shooting web site. I also tell people I will have my back-up guns along for anyone to use, they just supply the ammo. We have more then 10 new shooters starting 3-gun so far this year.

When new shooters do come to give the sport a try, take the time to welcome them. Then have a couple of the better/more knowledgeable shooters take the squad of new shooters and run them through the match. Imparting pearls of wisdom as you go. Fear of the unknown is what keeps most new shooters from giving our sport a try, someone to walk them through their first steps will go a long way toward having them come back and bring some buddies with them. Based on what I have seen so far, each new shooter we bring into the sport, two more will follow shortly.

When the new shooters come to a shoot, they aren't intimidated by seeing someone using a Beta mag or other equipment like that. They may be a little intimidated by the speed in which the better shooters can engage targets and still get solid hits. It tends to break down internal paradigms in a hurry. But once they see it done, they can work toward that goal.

As for rules at different shoots. If you are going to be spending $500.00 in gas, $250.00 in entry fees, Room and meals, ammo. etc.. Take the time to read the rules before you go.

[SinistralRifleman]

I run "Intro to Multi-Gun Competition" from time to time that cover safety/range rules, the basics of action based shooting (various scoring methods, etc), what to do to prepare for a match, and the mindset a new shooter should have. The main thing I work against in these classes is the perception that a new shooter needs a bunch of expensive "race gun" equipment. Often all people have seen is the big dogs and their gear and they think "I'll never be that good" or "I can't afford that gear" We need to increase the perception that action shooting is something anyone with a basic rifle, pistol, and/or shotgun can do and it will be fun and exciting, they don't need to be competitive. The classes I've put on have helped grow the sport locally.

I'm a big believer in grass roots activism, whether it be politics, or something else you want to accomplish. If we want to grow the sport, we can grow the sport. We don't need a big national level organization to do it for us. It can be something as simple as posting about the matches you go to on other non competition oriented shooting forums and answering questions. Create buzz, get people interested, post videos.

[ShooterSteve]

When reading back a few posts I see complaints about high cap mags for AR's and high count stages that get expensive. You can get decent 40 rd mags from CDNN for about 15 bucks, and the reason that I go to 3 gun matches is to SHOOT and have fun. If they have a high round count rifle stage it will be a little expensive, but it will be offset somewhere by a lowcount pistol stage. I shoot these things to have fun. When I was a kid my dad would take me shooting and give me a box of .22 to shoot through my rifle. He would actually get mad because I would shoot up a 50 rd box and want more ammo. What's up with that? Take a kid shooting and get mad because he loves it and wants more? I finally found a sport where I get to shoot the crap out of my guns, and I love it. I don't want to start another argument but let me shoot. Don't tell me that I have to go over here, then over there. Don't tell me where I have to do mag changes. Don't tell me I have to run my mags dry to drop them. Don't tell me that I can only put 10 rds in them. Let me figure out the best way for me to shoot this thing, let me load up and then I'm off having the most fun I can ever have. I will follow all of the safety rules, and be very safe, but I want more than one box of .22 ammo!!! I'm thinking about changing my name to "Runs with Gun" (safely that is).

Now I'll stop my ranting. Come on let's go somewhere and shoot!

[ccur]

OFF TOPIC

Jared Milanazzo does VERY well at 3-gun without any hi cap mags...He actually practices reloads...imagine that?!

Cheryl

[bigbrowndog]

Cheryl, that simply can't be.......he must be one of those freaks of nature. Because no one, can do well without hi cap mags, especially someone that is relatively new to the sport.

Sarcastic mode...............OFF

Trapr

[M ammo]

Shameless plug!

In one of my chapters, I challenge Gun stores. And any type of pay and shoot range.

To hold a 3 Gun match.

If you sell race cars. You had better know a place for people to race them.

So if you sell guns it makes sense to give people a reason to shoot them.

And shoot them allot!

3 Gunners buy a lot of everything. Or is that just me?

If you had two gun stores in town and one shop Organized a match. And got a following of shooters.

I would not want to be the owner of the other gun shop, that did not have a 3 Gun match.

Your shop would be. You know that other one without the 20-30 people coming by to see what’s going on for the next match. And telling others friends, family the guys at work, of how much fun that had. at the match

What business needs that???

[Charles Bond]

Gunshops may be one of the largest untapped sources. In my area at least, there are 6-8 shops and few of them even have a clue about 3-gun action competition. Maybee on the area level (USPSA) there could be a marketing effort to visit area gunshops with literatue to display and educate staff and invite them out to play. How many of your local gunshops are 3-gun savy? Whats in it for them? How about a breakdown of how mutch a competitor spends in a year on this sport. Im sure USPSA could come up with that info (if they dont already have it).

USPSA is already doing this but we could do better. My area marketing budget is $1000 a year and that does not go very far.

We have developed a "partners" program for retailers who if they display our membership materials get $5 per shooter they sign up and a link off of the USPSA page to the retailer's website. We have an annual issue of Front Sight, posters, and CDs to introduce our organization to new shooters at gunshows or gun shops. USPSA provides the materials and the local clubs only have to do some leg work and invest a bit of time.

The average USPSA shooter spends about $2500 a year on sporting goods and this is from a study done by USSSF. This information has been very well distributed to the major gun makers by USPSA and the gun trade publications. How well this information has been transmitted to the local shops depends on how well they read publications like American Handgunner and Shooting Industry which is in many cases sadly, not at all. Again, if local members would take this information to the retailer and make sure they read it, it would be a win/win/win for the gunshop, the local club, and USPSA.

Until and unless we can afford to have some regional employees to do some footwork, the support of the local gunshops will continue to be the responsibility of the local shooters.

[M ammo]

Get the help from your local shooting club.

And or start a club, from the regulars that come by the Shop.

If you get 2 or 3 folks. Volunteers.

You are well on your way.

When I worked as a gunsmith, I talked a lot of people into becoming a competitive shooter. Just by inviting them and letting them know hey we all start some ware.

Asking a few more questions, like if you were invited to go bowling would you go?

Most people will say Ya Ok, sounds fun. And then assure them a shooting match is very much the same. We are not all Pro’s but we have a good time.

Ok one guy would come in to the shop and show me the groups he was shooting with his handgun. Pretty good groups too. I got to know him pretty well, I was just out of the Army, he was still in. we had similar jobs wile in the Army, One day I just punked him out telling him don’t be a wuss. If you can shoot groups like that you have no worries. Come to the next match, or I’ll come to your house and get you and drag you to it.

That was all it took, he came to one match and after that one match, he drank all the cool-aid. And was at all the matches. the Army moved him. I hope he it still at it.

[Topmaul]

I'd like to see local gunshops set up there own teams, with a break on ammo inexchange the shooters hand out cards, wear shirts and hats with the gunshops name, website, phone number stuff like that. It would not cost the shop much and they would attract new shooters with healthy competition. I'm not sure how in the internet age if something like that would work at the local level. Just an idea, I know I sent a lot of business the way of my local gun shop before he closed down and moved to Ohio.