Cost of shooting

The rising cost of shooting is ever increasing and it is time that we look at what we can do to assist fly shooters reduce these costs.

Well i am sure i now have your attention.

I would like to set up a committee to commence negotiations with Thales, NIOA, and other suppliers to assist in sponsoring the major events for a trophy from the 500m fly website.

The current bullet issue is one of the many rising costs that is applying pressure to the sport, we need to support those who support us BRT, Pro Cal, are contributors who give alot to the fly sport with product and service and we need to support them. The cost of bullets and other components are critical to shooting and we need to safe guard the big brother effect by supporting these people.

It is difficult to find businesses to contribute for trophies but if we don't start to really support those who support us when they are gone or priced out of the market we will be left with much higher costs which in turn results in shooters at events choosing which event to go to and the spiral effect goes on.

A shooting club in Large Bore Rifle shooting holds events that have a prize and a 500gm tin of powder as for the top 5 placings. This to me is capacity building in the sport because that tin of powder means they will shoot next week or the next event reducing their costs and keep them moving forward with the sport.

Over the years i have seen fantastic shooters leave the sport for various reasons and once they loose the focus it is very very difficult to get them back.

Fly shooting has evolved and we need to evolve further ourselves if the sport we love is going to remain as popular as it is now. Don't sit back and say that is all well and good who is going to do it we all have a part to play look in the mirror for the person who can change this.

I hope i can get some interested persons to assist in this as these people will be deciding how we deploy the sponsorship week seek.

Les,

I agree, there seems to be a case of small business that provides the bulk of sponsoring for shoots and I feel this needs to change. I don't mean that BRT and Procal shouldn't sponsor events, I mean big business should step up and support the local market. Both businesses mentioned would have to buy Lapua cases through NIOA, who make there cut, at the end of the day target shooters would buy the majority of Lapua products in Australia yet they give US nothing. Same with Thales, again we see very little given back let alone the fact that we pay double what the U.S does for powder and it's made here! I understand the market size is minuscule here compared to there but that's life.

I for one buy at least 95% of my gear through local companies and will continue to do so as I feel the few dollars saved going through sinclairs etc isn't worth seeing local businesses disappear. At major shotgun events there are thousands of dollars of prizes on offer, why not our shoots. A prime example was the Nationals at Missoula this year, 50 something shooters shared in $25,000 of prizes, do the math. Each class winner and outright places received a new Nighforce scope, Bat actions etc.

I don't have the answers but more than happy to sit down and try and put together a plan to take to the major companies here and see what we can do, at worst they say no and we are no worse off for doing it. No doubt there will be those saying ' I don't shoot for rewards I do it cause I love it ' that's great and more power to you. I for one love shooting also but if you invest thousands of dollars to win, it would be great if that could be offset by winning some bullets, powder, cases or a barrel and your one step ahead for the next year.

Look forward to reading some other ideas

See you all Febuary next year at the Bay.

Regards.

Deane

Great idea
and would love to see it happen, just hope they come onboard.

I buy from BRT and others over east  more than I do from places here in WA as the costs differences are huge, but everything is jumping up in price everywhere and I have to get stuff when I can because who knows when its going to be available again (and its been going up even before the $ dropped)

Unfortunately if you live in WA you have no choice but to buy from the eastern states or USA as WA doesn't stock a lot of the gear bench rest shooters need like Berger bullets.

I completely agree with what your saying but not everyone will. We ran a pistol comp last year and decided to hand out primers for place trophies (300 for 1st, 200 for 2nd and 100 for 3rd) and there was a decent back lash. It seems people like stupid little trophies to stick on the shelf'!

I would hope that if the bigger companies like Thales and NIOA came to the party with some sort of sponsorship and/or prizes, the clubs holding the events could still give out trophy's to the place getters,  making the component prizes from the sponsoring companies an added bonus on top of the usual trophy . I believe this would give people more incentive to compete.

Cheers

Jason

Hi Les

I like the idea of getting some sponsorship involved from the bigger companies but don't discount what local businesses can contribute as well. Sometimes our members\competitors have donated stuff from companies they work for or that they or a family member may own.
My own local club puts some of the money raised in range fees to the lucky door prise, its great as it keeps everyone for the presentation and you may still be a winner even if you had a lousy day on the range.

I am sure some others will have some great ideas to get some prizes or dollars.


Dave Dundas

Hi Les

I may have posted this before but the SSAA NSW re-imburses expenses incurred if you take a junior to a state or National title upto $250 per child.
You can claim for the following expenses.

Registrations\range fees
Travel expenses such as fuel
Meals while away
Acccomodation costs
Ammo etc

We have claimed our last 2 trips to the Batemans Bay Fly for our 2 boys and are $1000 better off then we would be otherwise. All you need is to keep receipts and show the result of the match the junior shot in etc to show they were there and actually competed. Details and application forms are available from the membership office at St Marys and can be emailed out to you.

So grab a kid with a licence (any kid does not have to be yours) and get them to the next big match and don't forget to keep the receipts for the Happy meals!

The idea is to get Juniors to our bigger matches here in NSW, not sure if the other states do this but maybe they should.

Regards

Dave Dundas

great information mate really good to know both Anthony and I have boys just about to start so that is really good information
cheers Les