a newbies view

[Pommy]

Hi new to forum and f/c for that, just spent last 29 years in uk having grown up in qld not shot a rifle since I was 15. Decided to get my firearms license so could go hunting. went on the the day course did it went home looked up QRA website out of interest that is where I first heard of F-Class which I am now waiting to try as soon as I get my license and rifle. As a starting rifle I have layed aside a weatherby .308 sub moa with tasco scope not top of the range but it will do for now. Now having read most of the topics on this forum I would like to suggest F/C'S problem is people just dont know it exists. If you dont know something exists how can you give it a go or even consider it, I would suggest some form of advertising let people know your clubs are there. How this could be done and in what form is for others to work out as I have no idea but just a thought, maybe offer one free 1 hour session on every rifle purchased at your local firearms dealer. Not all will take you up on it but some will.

[Pommy]

well its now sunday 3 days after my first ever post on this forum. 31 people have read my post something I did for several reasons
1. to get on and touch base with people doing a sport I am interested in doing and know almost nothing about
2. to explain the only expertise I have in this field ie being new to the sport
3. the fact that the only way I found out about FC was by pure accident and not by a means derived by the sport so maybe this is an area the sport should look at.
The reason for this 2nd posting (possibly my last) is also to say thank you for the warm welcome I have received from you all (sarcasm not being my strongest point) a simple hi would have been nice from one of the 31 readers and maybe there is part of the reason that people are not falling over themselves to take part in your (soon to be our)sport. Maybe this sounds harsh but look at it from my perspective. Luckily for me I have met some really friendly people at Ipswich and district and I am going to become a member if their club to enjoy this sport. Anyway hope you enjoyed the read Thanx

[Aubrey]

You raise 2 good points:

- We are bad at advertising our sport and attracting new talent, and any debate on this is easily addressed by looking at decreasing membership across the board.

- The same attitude pervades most forums locally, unlike overseas.

Both unfortunate and surprising - we need to try harder - and not take anything for granted.

Thanks for your insight as a new shooter - I have taken this matter up within our club and your suggestion as a way to get new shooters onto our range.

Good luck when you get going.

Regards

Aubrey

[Razer]

Hi, I am a passionate shooter,believe in promoting the sport and encouraging potential new shooters to take up a sport which is the only sport you can be competitive until you fall off the perch {lawn bowls don't count ] If you know almost nothing about the sport join your local club and you will find a wealth of goodwill and expertise.
It is not easy to promote a sport which a lot of ill informed people consider undesirable and would dearly love to legislate it out of existance.
Often newspapers and other media will not willingly promote our sport.
After saying that how would you go about playing cricket,tennis,footy,etc?I never see these sports advertised apart from the fact the results are fully covered by the press.
If I was looking to join a particular sport I would do some research, internet is great start,google shooting and there is more info than you can possible digest. Try NRAA, SSAA,etc. ozfclass is on NRAA link site. Type in anything used in shooting like rifle brands, ammunition makers,scope makers, reloading components,etc and you will get more links.
Our club now has its own web site with shooting programs and events, to get onto it you just type in town name followed by "rifle club"!!
We have just completed our second morning dedicated to sporting shooters which involves sighting in, load testing and practise.It is run once a month,1st morning saw 3 shooters,yesterday it was 9 with over 12 rifles needing some severe adjustments to enable them to be accurate.
Advertising such an event to the public has proved to be almost impossible via normal media and was accomplished by approaching organisations via email and addressing their membership at meetings.
We hope that by providing this service it may attract these sporting shooters to the challenge of fullbore target shooting.
I think you should change your web name,if you grew up in Aus. 29 years in the UK doesn't make you a "pommy"
Your 1st post was 10.25pm Friday night,Saturday I, as would have most shooters spent the whole day on the range, this morning was spent cleaning gear, sorry, not much chance to pen a repy to your 1st post!!
I wish you well with your shooting and you will find a great bunch of guys and gals on all the ranges you visit.
Regards, Ray.

[Pommy]

Thanks for the kind words as for the name it is because unfortunately I have suffered the curse of obtaining a pommy accent probably a penalty for some evil wrong doing in a previous life I expect As for the advertising I agree normal advertising wouldnt work, but I was thinking along the lines of where shooters would go ie gunshops I also agree re: the internet but unfortunately if you've never heard of F Class you aint to type it into a search maybe this is where the nraa, ssaa and the rest could promote it abit more, or even get in touch with some editors of hunting mags and get them to do articles on the sport as a way of hunters keeping up their shooting skills inbetween going on shoots. All random thoughts by the way. Anyway I have a long voyage of discovery & learning ahead of me which I am keen to start. I have learnt a number of usefull things from this site already and would like to thank its members for that

REGARDS
Lee (Pommy)

[mike H]

Hello Pommy,
Welcome to F/class. It is easy to give advice on forums, I often see it here. One thing I will say is, that a lot of people do try to promote F/class, as well as other shooting matches. After 40 years in shooting clubs, anyone that believes there is a simple way to enroll, and keep members, is welcome to go ahead and do it.
Regards,
Mike.

[Grant]

hello and welcome Pommy to a forum that should give youj some advise on this great sport. don't let he lack of responses get you down and just keep posting

[Pommy]

Hi and Thanks to all those who replied to my post it is great to realise that there are many people willing to enter into dialogue with a new member of this sport and forum.

I would like to answer Mike H, yes I agree it is very easy to give advise on here and also I totally understand and agree there are alot of people working very hard to get this sport to as many new people as possible. Advise is not criticism and I hope mine is never taken that way.

I was just offering the only expertise I have in this sport which is as a newbie who came across a this great sport with many very friendly participants by absolute pure chance.

And one of the few things I know from experience is that finding this sport, (with the knowledge that I didnt know it even existed) is at the moment down to pure luck for others like me.

One of my favourite sayings is "If dont know what you dont know how can you find it"

Anyway thats enough of my rambling. Thanks again for the warm welcome I hope to enjoy many years with this forum and great sport.

Regards Lee

[RDavies]

Something I have been meaning to do is make up a few fliers to put on the walls of local gunshops so people know it is out there. I was thinking that having a few pictures of people shooting, 1 with a full bore rifle, one with my standard looking hunting rifle with a harris bipod, so they know they can have a go with what they have got at first, then a photo with a custom F class gun. As you said, a lot of people walking into gunshops, including those who work in gunshops dont know the first thing about F class, or full bore. A brief discription of the sport and telling them to bring their rifle along for a look, an event calender and contact numbers on their as well.
I often take a spare gun along, so if a newbie turns up and his gun isnt suitable, he/she can use my 308 until I get a 223 built.