NRA High Power - Why is it so unpopular

[bubbapug1]

I took up NRA High Power a few years back. The ranges used for it are just spectacular, and it really has taken me to a much better understanding and application of aiming, reloading, and positional shooting. Not to mention I really understand my drops and wind much better.

One thing I notice is its always the same 10-30 guys at the meets, no matter if they are in Burbank, Corona, or on Pendleton. They are all very helpful to new shooters, and some are former recent national champions.

Why is it with so many shooters in SoCal with AR's only 5 or six new shooters show up to try these matches?

I see guys talk about how accurate their guns are, but if you never shoot on a scored target how do you really know as no sighting scope can see that well out to 1000 yards.

So why don't people attend these matches?

They are a lot of fun and can make you a better shooter.

What am I missing??

[harmoniums]

I think its because a lot of folks really are straight up poseurs.

[jaymz]

Because if I got into shooting 1000 yard matches, I'd want to spend 5 grand on a new rifle, and my wife would either kill or divorce me. Neither of which is a good option.

[Merc1138]

NRA high power unpopular?

Getting beyond the idea that some people are just posers who don't want to compete for whatever made up reason, there are a number of other possible reasons.

Read the rule book lately? Other than the "Any rifle" category, the number of rifles I have that could qualify is zero. Now walking the line at any given day at the range, other than people who are shooting match rifles(service rifles, some space guns, etc.) most people don't have rifles that actually fit into any category except maybe "any rifle".

Oh, cool I've spent $100 on this nifty bipod and you're telling me I can't use it prone? Yeah... a lot of people aren't going to like that. It's bad enough we've got the state saying what we can and can't use, but you tell the average joe "hey, come to this NRA high power match, btw, leave half your cool toys at home" and they're not going to be interested.

Most people going to the range want to just casually shoot. They're not going to want to be timed, told they can fire x amount of shots then they have to switch to this distance or position, and shoot x amount of shots again, then do something else, and then they're done for the day. Or, you can spend half your day in the target pits, because the average joe shooter at the range is definitely going to be interested in that.

Hey average joe guy, watch this video, doesn't it look fun?

Yeah, good luck convincing average joe guy to go out and buy a shooting jacket, a goofy looking hat, a new stand for their spotting scope, not gonna happen. Sure, you don't need the jacket and goofy hat, but that's not what average joe at the range sees in that video.

Then there's scheduling.

So you need to be there on a certain day, at a specific time, and you're going to be there till it ends. Well, not everyone has a schedule that allows that. Or the nearest range that matches are held at might be 2 hours away compared to the much closer range that doesn't have matches. That's an even bigger time commitment that most people aren't willing to do for shooting. Simply put, most people aren't going to re-arrange their lives just for shooting.

There's one other thing though. It's not just NRA high power matches that all of the above applies to. It's really just about everything. Don't get me wrong, I understand the gear used, I understand why the rules and various categories exist. But the average joe at the range that takes his AR out once a month isn't going to want to invest anything into that. If you had a "run what you brought, show up in jeans and a t-shirt" match, you'll get more people interested. Start matches at noon instead of 8am, you might see different people interested.

Now is trying to tailor the rules and timing to get more of the general public interested in matches practical? No, mostly due to the equipment thing if you just make it "bring anything" you'll get people who bring custom rigs and people with their S&W M&P sport who get immediately discouraged, so then you're right back to having to define classes of rifles and equipment restrictions, then since it needs to be organized you can't really have half the people on the first squad show up and then leave because they don't want to run the targets in the pits...

So yeah, plenty of reasons people aren't interested that aren't simply because they're "posers"(the ones cherry picking the 3 shot group with the coin covering the 4th shot flyer from a group that was originally going to be 5 shots and they only have 1 group to show for their 3 hours at the range, yadda yadda).

[sigstroker]

Punching holes in paper while sitting/standing/lying still is boring.

[bigbearbear]

Read the rule book lately? Other than the "Any rifle" category, the number of rifles I have that could qualify is zero. Now walking the line at any given day at the range, other than people who are shooting match rifles(service rifles, some space guns, etc.) most people don't have rifles that actually fit into any category except maybe "any rifle".

They have a list of rifles that you can you use?!? That's a little too restricting I would think. I shoot trap and the ATA rule book basically states the max gauge of the shotgun you can use, as well as the max load of the shotshell allowed. Maybe they should consider adopting similar rules as far as the rifles/ammo goes.

Yeah, good luck convincing average joe guy to go out and buy a shooting jacket, a goofy looking hat, a new stand for their spotting scope, not gonna happen. Sure, you don't need the jacket and goofy hat, but that's not what average joe at the range sees in that video.

Say what? They need you to buy a shooting jacket, hat and other stuff? That's pretty crazy I think.

[Wrangler John]

It ain't fun, not after awhile anyway. I did the competition thing with handgun silhouette for a decade. It's expensive, production class pistols and revolvers cost more than the average, specialty unlimited class pistols such as the Wichita Silhouette or a custom XP-100 cost double that. Then there is the cost of reloading tools, forming dies and specialty dies. The cost of working up loads for each pistol or revolver, the cost of practice ammo and the time spent shooting to learn sight settings, etc. No body shoots into the International category for every class without a lot of practice. Then there are the special items one needs, blast shield for the leg, elbow and wrist braces, gloves, spotting boards, spotting scope and tripod, a friendly spotter to guide you along. Then there's the cost of traveling to matches. I did monthly matches from Redding to Fresno and San Luis Obispo and points in between, with occasional matches thrown in from Port Orford, Oregon to Idaho Falls, Odaho. Cost of transportation, hotel and motel accommodations, RV parks, food and incidentals added up quickly. Because Mrs. Wrangler was my spotter costs doubled.

Finally, after ten years of doing little else, all I had to show for it is two boxes of trophies sitting in the back of the closet. The best trophies I won are two from Grass Valley (or was it Nevada City?), hunks of rock with a 49'er panning for gold on top, decorative items sitting on top of a bookcase. I also have a bevvy of President's 140 medals, 40x40 pins, pewter trophy belt buckles that pull my Levi's down, and a brag hat full of doodads that's just plain embarrassing in retrospect. It was fun but likely cost $100,000 over the ten years. Maybe that's why the sport is dying off.

All that applies to high power rifle competition or bullseye pistol or benchrest, or any competitive sport without a purse, it's a lot of work for little in return, except bragging rights when you win, and a lot of self-critical what if's when you loose.

[Joe Register]

huh

[jarhead714]

I would like nothing more than to get into it. I have a match A2 and an M1A. I have no time. Money and willingness I can scrounge up but there is no more time to be made...

[Lifeon2whls]

I used to shoot small bore rifle competition in college and when I got the M1, took that out to a Garand match. It was fun to experience but man was it boring! If I want to shoot high power rifle, I'll go to my nearest outdoor range and set up some targets.

I do still compete though. My wife and I started shooting IDPA this year, we also moonlight at some sporting clay matches and want to get into the GSSF matches. Running and gunning and/or shooting moving targets is fun! Plus every time you go out the course is different.

If you want to make high power matches more relevant and exciting, have mobile targets at unknown distances (much like hunting). Have courses of fire that require shooters to shooting through "windows", etc.

[highpower790]

Last Sat the C.A. Serv Rifle championship was held At Coalinga.With 78 attending the winner was a former junior shooter and high women also a former junior shooter.1st master went to a junior...highpower unpopular?I dont think think so.With growing junior interest I was able to see for the first time what kids can do for the shooting sports,start them early and they will continue to shoot into adulthood.

[Eljay]

I looked into it and I get the impression that my local high power club doesn't even want new members/intruders. Pretty much the same good old boys that have been doing it forever. I have time to be active in one form of shooting competition and I ended up doing USPSA. It's fun, challenging, and the folks are very welcoming.

[highpower790]

I looked into it and I get the impression that my local high power club doesn't even want new members/intruders. Pretty much the same good old boys that have been doing it forever. I have time to be active in one form of shooting competition and I ended up doing USPSA. It's fun, challenging, and the folks are very welcoming.

May 2-4 is the C.A. highpower championship held in Coalinga .come out and try it ,camping at the range is $5 a night,showers available,and a nightly campfire .Show up and enter,club match fri ,championship sat,sun leg match.

[Falstaff]

Objective measurement of skill or knowledge is difficult for some...

[Steve_In_29]

Objective measurement of skill or knowledge is difficult for some...

THIS

Plus it's not tacti-cool enough for the trendy crowd.