Competitive Marksmanship Question

[52Bore]

That's for sure. Last time I went to it (sometime ago) the opening page had an archer. 'splain that one to me. :idunno:

It's a marketing strategy...Why draw water from a bucket when you can pump it out of a lake?
Bowhunters are a huge pool to "draw water from"
It's always about money.

Didn't realize that longbows archers are such a huge draw?
Doubt a longbow archer photo on the website is any strategy, they seem to be photos of what's going on at Friendship- like the ones currently on their site.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

The NMLRA website is in a transition. The folks that set up the current website have been "excused" for the duration. The folks at NMLRA HQ are trying to find another company to reconstruct the website. I had no problems with the previous website. At least one could utilize the Charter Club Directory. Last time I tried, I couldn't locate it.

Please be patient with the folks at Friendship. They are doing the best they can, working with what they have. They don't have the manpower that the NRA has nor the financial support.

I can advise anyone interested in shooting on the national pistol line at Friendship. I started out qualifying "expert" and reached "master" in my last year at Friendship. I competed from 1985 to 1998.

Keep 'em in the center (close together)

Buck Buchanan
Field Rep-NC
NMLRA
Life Member

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

In some ways, I think the NMLRA was trying to take the big sporting goods stores, Cabelas, Bass Pro, & Field & Stream, outlook representing more than muzzleloading.

For different reasons, the NMLRA membership has shrunk from the highpoint in '87 of 27,000 members to about 15,000 now. I expect the average age of our membership is 67 years old. That's not a "healthy" outlook.

Property maintenance, salaries, administering two championship match locations are costing more each year, and a declining membership can only mean something has to go. In 1987, NC had twelve charter clubs, now we are down to seven.

For these reasons, the NMLRA has taken on archery, black powder cartridge rifle, and even .22 rimfire smallbore matches.

Unfortunately, it does come down to money. Think of living in a town that went from a population of 27,000 to 15,000 and consider the outlook. For the NMLRA, it has to "think outside the (muzzleloading) box". The hope is to find folks that might want to give muzzleloading a "go" after being around archery or smallbore rifle shooting.

All the best,

Buck Buchanan
Field Rep-NC
NMLRA

 

[Ray-Vigo]

The charter club directory is an important item because it's a possible gateway for new people or people returning to the sport to find a club and get shooting.

I agree the site needs work - it's more "modern" in appearance but there are a number of things missing or broken. The old site was very 1990s-looking, but it did mostly work.

I do look forward to the site getting back up. A more basic, but working site is better than a more modern, but non-working site.

Our charter club recently created a site:
http://bullrunmuzzleloaders.com/

We don't have any web professionals in our ranks, but charter clubs can make their own sites of a basic but functional design. I do encourage other charter clubs to do it - we've had several new guests join us coming in from the site in the first few months alone.

 

[In Over My Head]

Scipio,

Keep in mind that you can both observe a match and shoot in it because most matches are not squadded matches as we are used to in High Power.

This makes things a little more complicated but a lot more relaxed. Generally, choose a match that interests you, buy the appropriate target as your entry to the match and determine the correct range to shoot that match on. Show up when you feel like it and within 45 minutes you can post your target and fire on it.

Not all matches work that way, but many do.

Of course, as a seasoned HP shooter you may miss being on the range before dawn, spending >all< day to shoot 40 or 60 shots and being treated like a draftee in Basic Training in the process. But you'll get over it! :wink:

 

[Scipio]

Man, you got that part right!

 

[Dane]

Just my opinion.
If you are somewhere where matches are held..... go to one!
You'll either like it or not. You'll either have the right guns or not.
That's the only way I know of to get the story that will satisfy your curiosity.
We can all,hash it out and argue our opinions, but the only way you'll know for sure, is to go and see for your self.

 

[tecum-tha]

I got a webpage which allows you to see all matches and find what you can shoot quickly. Rsengineering.de/nmlra