Various shooting sports have been developed to attract new shooters, but then lost their way.
EXAMPLE: International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Assn.
IHMSA started off with just three types of centerfire guns, two of which were affordable out-of-the-box guns – Production and Standing Production – mostly dominated by inexpensive T/C Contenders, and Production Revolver where the Ruger SuperBlackhawk and Dan Wesson were popular. There were 4 big-bore classes and 4 .22 classes. Things were simple. If you wanted to compete, you bought a Contender and 3 barrels - .22, 10-inch .357 or 7TC-U and a Super-14 barrel in 7TC-U or 30/30 and a revolver and you were set.
Now, there are 8 Big-bore classes and 8 .22 classes. It’s more complicated and more expensive. It’s become an equipment race (exactly what the founders of the sport wanted to avoid) and the average shooter, who just doesn’t feel at home there any more, has quit. What used to be the fastest-growing shooting sport is now seldom seen.
EXAMPLE: IDPA
IDPA started off as a fun sport that made sense. “Defensive” meant something. “Failure to do right” applied to the match designers. But the last IDPA match I shot in was insane. “At the buzzer, the shooter will run to that shed, kick open the door and engage the targets!” What part of that is, “Defensive”? It became just another run-and-gun sport. Instead of shooting defensively, shooters go charging around, looking for supposedly armed targets to shoot. The spirit of the sport was lost. Divisions went from – you guessed it – 4 to 8!
Both sports went from simple sports where someone with a Contender or a Glock could feel at home to matches filled with super-tricked-out custom guns that the average guy can’t afford and smaller clubs can’t afford to run.
Steel Challenge still makes sense. Anyone with a full-size 9mm and a cheap Kydex holster can compete and have fun. That .45 1911 or your 22/45 will do just fine.
I’d like to see a similar sport using paper plates stapled to wooden backers and restricted to over-the-counter-only guns.
Anyway, I know there’s no way that IHMSA and IDPA will ever return to their roots.
It’s a shame, but we’ll find a way to move on and appeal to those millions of gun owners who might like to compete, but are afraid they won’t fit in.
EXAMPLE: International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Assn.
IHMSA started off with just three types of centerfire guns, two of which were affordable out-of-the-box guns – Production and Standing Production – mostly dominated by inexpensive T/C Contenders, and Production Revolver where the Ruger SuperBlackhawk and Dan Wesson were popular. There were 4 big-bore classes and 4 .22 classes. Things were simple. If you wanted to compete, you bought a Contender and 3 barrels - .22, 10-inch .357 or 7TC-U and a Super-14 barrel in 7TC-U or 30/30 and a revolver and you were set.
Now, there are 8 Big-bore classes and 8 .22 classes. It’s more complicated and more expensive. It’s become an equipment race (exactly what the founders of the sport wanted to avoid) and the average shooter, who just doesn’t feel at home there any more, has quit. What used to be the fastest-growing shooting sport is now seldom seen.
EXAMPLE: IDPA
IDPA started off as a fun sport that made sense. “Defensive” meant something. “Failure to do right” applied to the match designers. But the last IDPA match I shot in was insane. “At the buzzer, the shooter will run to that shed, kick open the door and engage the targets!” What part of that is, “Defensive”? It became just another run-and-gun sport. Instead of shooting defensively, shooters go charging around, looking for supposedly armed targets to shoot. The spirit of the sport was lost. Divisions went from – you guessed it – 4 to 8!
Both sports went from simple sports where someone with a Contender or a Glock could feel at home to matches filled with super-tricked-out custom guns that the average guy can’t afford and smaller clubs can’t afford to run.
Steel Challenge still makes sense. Anyone with a full-size 9mm and a cheap Kydex holster can compete and have fun. That .45 1911 or your 22/45 will do just fine.
I’d like to see a similar sport using paper plates stapled to wooden backers and restricted to over-the-counter-only guns.
Anyway, I know there’s no way that IHMSA and IDPA will ever return to their roots.
It’s a shame, but we’ll find a way to move on and appeal to those millions of gun owners who might like to compete, but are afraid they won’t fit in.