UBC Competitions - do you take part?

[BeerJam]

Hi all, as we now number over 200 members I am just curious as to why relatively few take part in the competitions.

Please take the time to indicate whether or not you do take part and, if not, what is your reason?

Cheers, Mark

[defblade]

Keep meaning to, however 1001 other things always higher up the list

[BeerJam]

Keep meaning to, however 1001 other things always higher up the list

Turn that list upside down

Cheers, Mark

[MikeB]

Good post, Mark.

You have to remember that the UBC was initially set up as a bit of fun, and anyone with an interest in pistols was welcome to join.

However, an interest in pistols does not necessarily equate to a desire to shoot competitively, and to participate in the comps; there are many reasons for this. It may be that a member doesn't belong to a club in which he or she can shoot pistols, doesn't have the space at home to take part, or even that the neighbours are anti and would cause the shooter grief were he to compete regularly in his back garden. Also, people's circumstances can change for a variety of external reasons which may mean a once-regular participant drifting off over time.

My own personal take on this is yes, I'd love more people to participate on a regular basis, but the comps are reasonably well-attended and we have a hard core of die-hard competitors who are in this for the long haul; I'd like to think that their number will grow over time.

The UBC is all about inclusion, banter, good-natured mickey-taking and a love of air pistols; anyone is welcome to be part of that. The comps are the more serious side of the UBC, and not to everyone's taste or ability for a variety of different reasons.

It's good that the two can come together to promote the sport of pistol shooting, create interest amongst newcomers, and re-kindle many childhood fascinations; the UBC is many different things to different people.

[magicniner]

I keep meaning to compete but it always seems that just as a competition opens half a dozen things drop in my lap and steal my spare time
I really like the meets, it lets me book a weekend and no one gets to drop a job in my lap and expect me to look at it before I get home
The forums, I love the forums and the great bunch who participate!
Regards,
Nick

[BeerJam]

Good post, Mark.

You have to remember that the UBC was initially set up as a bit of fun, and anyone with an interest in pistols was welcome to join.

However, an interest in pistols does not necessarily equate to a desire to shoot competitively, and to participate in the comps; there are many reasons for this. It may be that a member doesn't belong to a club in which he or she can shoot pistols, doesn't have the space at home to take part, or even that the neighbours are anti and would cause the shooter grief were he to compete regularly in his back garden. Also, people's circumstances can change for a variety of external reasons which may mean a once-regular participant drifting off over time.

My own personal take on this is yes, I'd love more people to participate on a regular basis, but the comps are reasonably well-attended and we have a hard core of die-hard competitors who are in this for the long haul; I'd like to think that their number will grow over time.

The UBC is all about inclusion, banter, good-natured mickey-taking and a love of air pistols; anyone is welcome to be part of that. The comps are the more serious side of the UBC, and not to everyone's taste or ability for a variety of different reasons.

It's good that the two can come together to promote the sport of pistol shooting, create interest amongst newcomers, and re-kindle many childhood fascinations; the UBC is many different things to different people.

I agree with all you say Mike, I was not trying to alienate any members

I am just intrigued as to other members reasons not to take part. I am hardly the strongly competitive sort and not even a particularly good shot , but the chance to join in, at my own level and in my own time, was one of the big attractions of the UBC.
I do not do very well on the score boards in these competitions and yet I still get a lot of fun out of taking part and trying to improve my own scores.

I can't wait to meet all the others at the Greyhound next month

Cheers, Mark

[Chewy]

I would love to take part in the competitions, but unfortunately there's a public footpath that runs right down the side of my garden. Shooting there is just asking for the armed response unit to turn up...

I do go to a local range to shoot, but it's only once every two or three weeks on a sunday when i go, and with the comps only running for 1 week, i tend to miss out.

[Pad. E]

Excellent Thread Mark


And I also totally agree with what Mike writ..

Good post, Mark.

You have to remember that the UBC was initially set up as a bit of fun, and anyone with an interest in pistols was welcome to join.

However, an interest in pistols does not necessarily equate to a desire to shoot competitively, and to participate in the comps; there are many reasons for this. It may be that a member doesn't belong to a club in which he or she can shoot pistols, doesn't have the space at home to take part, or even that the neighbours are anti and would cause the shooter grief were he to compete regularly in his back garden. Also, people's circumstances can change for a variety of external reasons which may mean a once-regular participant drifting off over time.

My own personal take on this is yes, I'd love more people to participate on a regular basis, but the comps are reasonably well-attended and we have a hard core of die-hard competitors who are in this for the long haul; I'd like to think that their number will grow over time.

The UBC is all about inclusion, banter, good-natured mickey-taking and a love of air pistols; anyone is welcome to be part of that. The comps are the more serious side of the UBC, and not to everyone's taste or ability for a variety of different reasons.

It's good that the two can come together to promote the sport of pistol shooting, create interest amongst newcomers, and re-kindle many childhood fascinations; the UBC is many different things to different people.

It Saved me typing all that

Regards
Paddy.

[MikeB]

I agree with all you say Mike, I was not trying to alienate any members

I am just intrigued as to other members reasons not to take part.

I know you wasn't, Mark. It's a very good question you've framed, and I too am intrigued by people's reasons for non-participation. I hope that you get a lot of responses to your poll and plenty of posts on this thread, because it may well be that as a result of what people tell us we can change the way we do things to make the comps more accessible to the wider membership.

Carry on...

[BeerJam]

I know you wasn't, Mark. It's a very good question you've framed, and I too am intrigued by people's reasons for non-participation. I hope that you get a lot of responses to your poll and plenty of posts on this thread, because it may well be that as a result of what people tell us we can change the way we do things to make the comps more accessible to the wider membership.

Carry on...

Thank you for the 'thumbs up' Mike, and Paddy .

So, everyone, let's have your thoughts.

It would be great if every member of the UBC could at least vote in the poll. It would also be good if you could post, on here, any suggestions as to what could be done to make the competitions more attractive to you.

Flood gates open (hopefully)

Cheers, Mark

[BigEars]

I joined the UBC as a way of incentivising myself to improve my pistol shooting. It's better than just setting up a target and shooting away to no purpose. It would be good if more members joined in. So what if the scores are bad at first? you're bound to improve with practice.

[Brutuz]

It probably isn't but to me it is too complicated.

I prefer a weekly topic on the BBS where results can be posted using f.e. www.postimage.org or as attachment to the post.

I enter 2 comps that way every week.

[BeerJam]

It probably isn't but to me it is too complicated.

I prefer a weekly topic on the BBS where results can be posted using f.e. www.postimage.org or as attachment to the post.

I enter 2 comps that way every week.

Hi Brutuz, thank you for making that point.

What do you find complicated? Is it the emailing of your scores or is it working out your scores?

Would you find it easier if there were a form on the website that you could enter your scores on, rather than sending an email?

Cheers, Mark

[Target Bunny]

Hi Guys
To each their own. I got involved by accident. I started Targetbunny as somewhere to stick a load of downloadable targets that print in A4 because I was having a hard time finding stuff like that on the web.
Then Jason and Sonora Rebel both gave me an idea each for a target. Jason had just founded the UBC so I joined up and sent them their targets. Paddy promptly asked me to turn them into something for a "fun" sideshoot. this turned out to be popular and so it became a regular feature.

This is where some of the "complications" turn up. I have to produce something which is taxing but still fun and so sometimes, in order to make things work as a CONTEST I need to do odd things. Things like getting a 50 score from 9 rabbits as Bunny Bopper or giving points for shots NOT used as in Pimpernel to maintain interest and be different each month.
There is usualy a set of rules with the target but if anyone ever wants clarification all they need to do is ask.

The scores form sounds good. Over to you Paddy/Tony

Jim D

[RiffRaff]

never seem to get the time but i should really make the time,, as i dont shoot the pistols very much apart from at my clubs indoor range

atb
Niel