Bringing in new shooters...

[Rockhopper]

One of the problems we have found is that its incredibly difficult to make the step from shooting off a block to shooting with a sling and jacket (I'm talking 25 yards prone shooting here although we cater for all sorts of other disciplines on different days). We get people who come along for a few weeks then we never see them again - I think a large percentage of the reason for that is that no one is prepared to dedicate enough time to help them get sorted out with a jacket and sling and show them how it all works and unless they have the desire and a bit of knowledge to work it out themselves then its not going to happen.

There is also the issue that they have to wait for at least six months before they can apply for their FAC then wait for perhaps another six months before its granted - then they can go out and buy a rifle so they don't have to use club guns which have been constantly adjusted to fit other shooters.

I am 100% self taught by reading books and by trial and error and by having a bit of an understanding how shooting works (from being in the Army) and I'm doing quite well I think but thats no thanks to the other members of the club.

[TattooedGun]

Theres a fine line to be walked in introducing new members, especially where you're adding new disciplines to accommodate, you may end up alienating those who run the club and those who have built the club (literally and figuratively). With that in mind, we have found you don't have to do a massive amount to advertise the club in order to get masses of people wanting to join. So much so that we have stopped accepting new members at all at the minute as we have a full waiting list and a full roster, more than the club can handle at the minute.

With only 4 lanes, time on the range is limited and is taken up by the volume of mostly new shooters who joined our club in the last few years. In 2 years we have doubled the membership. it is difficult to balance though, as we have historically kept a separate night for members shooting prone, particularly to cater for those shooting competition and for county, but we are so busy now that people shooting other disciplines are bleeding into this disciplines time, whilst we don't have particularly great numbers of TR shooters in the club, those that do it, 80% of them shoot at county level for the county so concentration is crucial, which is not on when you've got someone shooting benchrest/semiauto to your left dropping brass on your head, or being taught how to shoot whilst people shooting competition...

Sorry, back on topic...

How do we get youngsters in? twice a year we put out notices on our website and to those who have enquired specifically for younger members and we run a juniors night every fortnight, they go through the NSRA course set out for them and are awarded an achievement when passing, they learn on air rifle, standing 10m, and move onto rimfire, and those that enjoy it join the other members who shoot prone to improve further on an equal field as everyone else. We don't get much takeup past the initial stage, but maybe 1 or 2 juniors per year are interested enough to stick around, generally though by the time they're 20, they don't want to know and are off chasing girls, driving cars and drinking their money away.

I think the only thing you can really do is to get them into it young as a pastime that they might want to come back to.

The alternating nights to the juniors every fortnight goes to senior "juniors" who may have shot a long time ago and want to get back into it without the stresses and strains of being in a bustling club room and range.

One of our biggest shortfalls as a club is not having enough people who are qualified, as club coaches, or willing to give up their time to teach others shooting, which leaves it up to the same couple of people to do all the work which will not last forever....

[Kungfugerbil]

It seems like we all have slightly different problems then :)

Facilities aren't an issue for us - we have two 25yd ranges with 10 lanes between them and a separate 20yd LSR / air range. All indoor, all open 7 days a week.

Our problem is that we're in a town of 13000 people.

Can't some of you with waiting lists send them our way? :)

[Hrun]

Thanks to the time donated by a number of our committee member we run an almost continuous beginners course on a Monday.

This is well attended, especially by juniors.

However, our biggest issue is retaining juniors where the parents treat us as a creche.. dropping their kids off whilst the go off to.. shop/pub/have an affair* * delete as appropriate.

When I was chairman of a local archery club, we insisted on an adult watching them, and by encouraging the adult to shoot, the retention rates were much higher.

[ArcofZen]

More reactive targets would help, just shooting paper can be a bit dull sometimes. I know that's easier said than done though. And (potentially) more messy!

[pbrazendale]

I started shooting at 13 / 14 in the air cadets however when I started university I moved away and stopped shooting. Fast forward to career building, buying a house and getting a wife / child I have now started again at 31, I really enjoy and I feel I am settled enough and have the money to be able to shoot regularly. My club has been brilliant in terms of helping me through my 6 month probation, and week in week out I see new faces a lot of them younger.

I do wonder if I would have been introduced to firearms at a younger age It may have been more engrained, take America for example I have seen many programmes about young shooter competitions and those kids are good.

Maybe as a community to raise awareness and get people involved it would help to put on open days for example Come down have a look at the club and let people look at the different forearms available and what they can shoot etc? Just an idea, could maybe tie it in with a BBQ :-)


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[legs748]

I too came to shooting late, in my mid thirties. Although I had been firearm obsessive from an early age since hungerford and dunblane I just didn't know it was possible. It was only while staying on the Somme having a conversation with Martin Pegler I asked where I could go to shoot an SMLE he said just join a club, get your ticket and get your own. So I did.

The problem is peoples priorities change as they age, the jacket and sling prone brigade are the ultimate, to them, as are the 1000m shooters, to them. To the reloaders a one hole group is the ultimate goal. I think if shooting is made reactive its more fun, a theory bourne out by the fact that at my local clay shoot the other morning there were a high number of mostly young lady shooters having a go and having fun.

Give them a reactive target, falling plates against the clock for instance, or those jobbies that go bang, or give them a cannon, loads of bang, loads of smoke and no great expectations of accuracy but every shot is an event! If you can get a hook in, the rest will follow.

The major problem is that many clubs are insular and secretive, much I'm sure is due to the home office "guidelines" saying any new members need to be sponsored by an existing member. If a club advertised have a go days on social media and local press I'm sure they would get interest, but can they?

[Hrun]

Que? None of our new members that join the beginners course are sponsered by existing members..

[Blackstuff]

Que? None of our new members that join the beginners course are sponsered by existing members..

Funny you mention the letter 'Q'....

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... Final_.pdf

Are you sure about that, or is it just something that goes on 'behind the scenes' or just with your clubs committee members that you may simply be unaware of <hint, hint>

[Blackstuff]

The major problem is that many clubs are insular and secretive, much I'm sure is due to the home office "guidelines" saying any new members need to be sponsored by an existing member. If a club advertised have a go days on social media and local press I'm sure they would get interest, but can they?

My clay club used to advertise/be part of a local harvest festival type thing and to be honest the vast majority of people that came for a go were people I wouldn't want anywhere near a gun They all signed the 11.6 form but if half of them weren't prohibited persons I'd eat my hat. To be fair that's probably more to do with the area we advertised in....

I think its significantly more hassle for a rifle club to have open days. My indoor rifle club has a guest day every first Saturday of the month but they need to be brought in so to speak by an existing member, and then obviously supervised on a one-to-one basis. The last time I was there on that day the place was absolutely rammed, I think most members purposely avoid going that day as they know it'll be a long wait for a lane!