IF YOU DON’T SHOW UP YOU CAN’T WIN!

[CA Bullseye]

Dear Fellow Air Pistol Shooters:

I’m going to take this opportunity to brag about winning a national title. It may be the only one I’ll ever be able to brag about. I’m currently the 2008 NRA National Open Air Pistol Postal Champion. Well so much for bragging, my reason for this post is to challenge all of you to take that title away from me.

Most of us have commented on the interest in our sport and about how difficult it is to introduce new shooters to our sport. While here is an excellent opportunity to change that. At my home club I’m going to take advance entry of those that are interested and schedule a week in April (3 nights). I’ll supervise the shooting, and offer local award points to the high shooter in each categories. In addition I’m offering to supply the equipment to those that don’t have it.

So dust off those Air Pistols download the entry form: http://www.nrahq.org/compete/Postals/OpenAirPistol.pdf . Last years winners can be viewed at: http://www.nrahq.org/compete/postal_res ... Pistol.pdf . Do keep in mind that the NRA no longer requires you to be a member. So ask a friend, get shooting and have some fun. Our sport depends not on what others do but rather on what you do.

Ca Bullseye

[Fred Mannis]

After looking at the NRA instructions, I had a look at the list of approved target manufacturers. Neither of the top quality (European) manufacturers - Edelmann and Kruger - are approved. I don't understand why the NRA will not approve these ISSF approved target suppliers.

[bummer7]

Ron,
Consider yourself challenged. I'll see if there are others at the club who would like to shoot the NRA Air Pistol Postal too. Looking forward to seeing you at next weekend's Int'l AP match.
-s

[bummer7]

Ron,
Consider yourself challenged. I'll see if there are others at the club who would like to shoot the NRA Air Pistol Postal too. Looking forward to seeing you at next weekend's Int'l AP match.
-s

[Jordan F.]

Good on yah and Congratulations!!!

I have a similar story to tell as I won the National junior title in 3p and prone at the nationals this year. The nationals were held in July. I wasn't originally planning to go as I felt I wasn't ready and fully prepared and decided I would be better off going the next year. Well about 4 or 5 months before them I decided 'what the heck' and decided to go. I had not thoughts on how I would make out but ended up winning the categories I mentioned while setting a record in the meantime. about 1 month after that I recieved notification that I had been chosen to represent Canada at the Youth Commonwealth Games!

So like the original poster, I will say get out and shoot, attend some competitions and you never know what might happen!

[PaulB]

The NRA does allow the use of ISSF targets. The NRA International Pistol Rulebook, Rule 4.1 says:

4.1 Official Targets - In Registered and Approved Pistol matches, only targets bearing the words “Official National Rifle Association” and the eagle and shield insignia of the Association, official ISSF targets, or military targets issued by the armed services, will be used. Targets used in National Championships will be NRA Official Targets or targets approved by the ISSF for international competition. All NRA Official Competition targets areprinted by NRA licensed manufacturers only. They may not be modified by the user or the manufacturer, except with specific written permission from NRA Competitions Division. NRA Target Masters are made using Computer Assisted Design and must be used in production of all NRA Targets.

[Fred Mannis]

The NRA does allow the use of ISSF targets. The NRA International Pistol Rulebook, Rule 4.1 says:

4.1 Official Targets - In Registered and Approved Pistol matches, only targets bearing the words “Official National Rifle Association” and the eagle and shield insignia of the Association, official ISSF targets, or military targets issued by the armed services, will be used. Targets used in National Championships will be NRA Official Targets or targets approved by the ISSF for international competition. All NRA Official Competition targets areprinted by NRA licensed manufacturers only. They may not be modified by the user or the manufacturer, except with specific written permission from NRA Competitions Division. NRA Target Masters are made using Computer Assisted Design and must be used in production of all NRA Targets.

Thanks Paul. I guess they never updated the approved supplier list.

[GOVTMODEL]

After looking at the NRA instructions, I had a look at the list of approved target manufacturers. Neither of the top quality (European) manufacturers - Edelmann and Kruger - are approved. I don't understand why the NRA will not approve these ISSF approved target suppliers.

To be on the "approved" supplier list the manufacturer has to pay a license fee to NRA. I suspect Edelmann and Kruger don't feel it's worth the expense.

[Spencer]

After looking at the NRA instructions, I had a look at the list of approved target manufacturers. Neither of the top quality (European) manufacturers - Edelmann and Kruger - are approved. I don't understand why the NRA will not approve these ISSF approved target suppliers.

To be on the "approved" supplier list the manufacturer has to pay a license fee to NRA. I suspect Edelmann and Kruger don't feel it's worth the expense.

given the wording of NRA 4.1, if they are ISSF approved targets they do not need the NRA licensing - i.e. no NRA fee.

[CA Bullseye]

Congratulations to J. Holtman, Quincy, IL, 2009 NRA Open Air Pistol Postal Champion. The NRA posted the results yesterday: http://www.nrahq.org/compete/champ10.asp (NRA Open Air Pistol).

CA Bullseye

[Guest]

Look at all those matches, and barely any participants! Why the hell doesn't the NRA advertise them?!? (not to take away from Josh, who is a fine shot in both rifle and pistol).

[Quest1]

Look at all those matches, and barely any participants! Why the hell doesn't the NRA advertise them?!? (not to take away from Josh, who is a fine shot in both rifle and pistol).

If they are sanctioned matches they are advertised by the NRA. The big problem especially in bullseye pistol is just that the number of people participating has been dropping. The Junior Olympics has been showing these declining trends in pistol for years and if the declining tend is showing up at the junior levels it is not a good sign for the future.

The other problem is there just isn't enough people and clubs out there willing to coach and promote junior shooting. I don't how many times I hear from people who try and start or work with a junior program only to run into out right resistance and sometimes hostility from the club or the club members.

Although I presently receive support from our parent club it hasn't always been this way. For the first eight years it has been open hostility and when I first started the program I was basically told by the then club president that he didn't seen any future in it for the club and didn't think the club should support the program. This was after I went to each of the board members to see if they where willing to support a junior program, which included the president and to a man they said they thought it was great idea. I was floored when the president made that recommendation, but the board said they would give us use of the range and that would limit their support of the program and that they wanted no further involvement. The treatment I received during those years from my club has been mild compared to the treatment I heard from the people who are running similar junior programs.

During one of the club meetings I pointed out that each of the members in the meeting should look and see how many young faces there were in the meeting. The youngest person in the meeting was in his forties. The rest were in the mid fifties or older. I then said you are literally looking at a dying sport. Right now the pro gun elements in this country have the upper hand, but that will all change in about two generations. The new president came up to me after the meeting and basically told me he agreed with me, but the words basically fell on deaf hears.

If the numbers are to improve it's going to take more involvement by shooters and clubs to grow the number of shooters. I saw an interesting statistic two weeks ago that showed that the number of gun owning households has fallen from about 45% to 35%.

[Bowman26]

"I was basically told by the then club president that he didn't seen any future in it for the club and didn't think the club should support the program."

The young shooters ARE the future of the club. I was talking this past weekend at a Nationals Silhouette match with people about how unless the kid happens to grow up with a dad that hunts or target shoots the odds of them become a shooter are slim to none. Well they might be shooters of liquor store clerks at sometime, but you get my point I hope.

I am afraid to say how does one really get more youth shooting if they don't have an adult parent that shoots, after all a kid can't even purchase a airgun these days much less a yellow sheet firearm, buy ammo or nothing. Thus they have to be with someone that does and teaches them young or if a single mother is raising a kid and they show interest in shooting the parent has to be willing to get the kid involved. no different than little league baseball etc. It is up to the parent in the end.

It would be interesting to know how many Armed Forces volunteers had never fired a weapon of any kind before going into boot camp. Not sure where the drop to 35% homes with guns comes from, have to be leary of statistics and know the source. The number was probably a few years old since the gov takes 2-3 years to calculate their statistics lol. If polled again as of now I bet it has edged back up since a certain someone got elected.


Bo

[jholtman]

I feel very fortunate that my junior program is doing so well. I am the coach for a high school rifle program that started in 1937 and we shoot in the school! We are not JROTC, but shoot as a scholastic team in air rifle and smallbore rifle and start about 40 new shooters each year. Every year there are around 8 - 10 Freshmen that come out for Rifle that have never handled a rifle before. I believe that the attraction is the fact that our teams have a reputation for doing well at matches and we are willing to travel to compete. Out of the 40 Freshmen that start, we retain about half after a few months. I think that if a Jr. program is going to succeed, you have to offer more than just a range to shoot on and basic instruction. The instruction and practice becomes boring if the skills are not used in competition. The older folks are happy to shoot for pure pleasure, but the juniors need more excitement than that. Train for matches, challenge the Jr's to shoot against each other for bragging rights, and shoot as many matches as you can and you will have more juniors all the time as they will relay to their freinds how much fun they are having.
Jim

[Guest]

https://www.nrahq.org/compete/dept-postal.asp

A lot for junior shooters, not many for adults. And, no, these aren't registered, etc, and DON'T show up in any of the common NRA match listings. YES, they do a piss poor job of advertising these, and they are quite easy to overlook.

[little_doodie]

There are a number of ways I am trying to get more involved.
1. I am putting together coaching sessions for newer shooters for our league.
small informal session that intro shooter into competitive shooting.
2. I run a junior program with the NRA qualification program
kids love badges and certificates.
3. I am considering running the qualification program for adults too.
everyone likes recognition especially something you can show off.
4. bring a friend.
I am working on some younger co-worker that have interst in shooting to go and try it out.
New blood...

If everyone did one or more of the above the sport will grow.
Yes, it is a sport and make sure Everyone knows it.