(12-30-2018, 09:11 PM)Don McDowell Wrote: . If you look at the roster from the nationals over the last several years, you'll only find maybe at most 1/2 dozen shooters that aren't in senior's or super senior.

Why do you suppose that is Don. Why did BPCR get so popular for so long ?
I can make a guess.
1. Ranges are "relatively' easy to build, and
2. Somebody promoted the hell out of it. ( And it wasn't the NRA.

How many ranges on Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota have the capability of hosting a Long Range BPTR match of any size?

When was the last time you picked up a gun magazine and read about the fun BPTR matches?

Your not gonna get many 20 yr olds into this sport but it's prime for the 40 yr olds if something triggered their interest.

Well sort of maybe. But if you look at the roster in BPCR most of them are seniors...


True it is silhouette ranges are easier to put together, take less ground and I would hate to think of the cost of putting in a decent set of pits, along with good level firing lines.

They are also different animals. Silhouette you shoot your 5-10 shots for record, then either go set the targets or watch the target setters set them. Then set back behind the lines and watch the next relay. Silhouette is usually shot under a cover, Target rifle you're out in the open. Nothing tests your stamina quite like shooting on the Whittington range with the temps running 130 degrees at barrel level Target rifle when your relay comes to an end it's off to the pits you go to pull targets for the next relay, sometimes two. It's a bunch more work shooting target rifle. Target rifles by their very nature are harder on the shooter, usually heavier, and shooting cartridges with about half again as much powder. Recoil wears on a fella pretty well by the time you get to the end of the day.
Silhouette isn't quite as touchy about a rain storm as target rifle. Rain in target rifle means the targets have to come down and go under cover to keep from getting wet and melting the target off the backer, or getting so damp the shot pasters won't stick.

And we need to keep in mind that about 3 maybe 4 years ago had it not been for the Australian contingent coming over to shoot silhouette, the numbers would of fallen below the NRA's 50 competitor limit. And even the last couple of years the total numbers of both scope and irons only comes to about half of the entries when silhouette was in it's hay day.

Still the best advice is if you want to shoot target rifle, better get to the closest match, they are dying like flies, and unless the NRA gets their stuff together, the last true national match was this past October. Without a national championship, target rifle is liable to die.

I’m afraid Creedmoor is destined to fail. No ranges to practice at. No monthly match’s anywhere. I would love to get into the Creedmoor BPTR but it’s just not in the cards. Once in a while a match comes around, then it’s a “no coaching or no spotter match”. Another deterrent for me is some of the few matches that are close enough to try to attend are held on a holiday weekend. That leaves me out. The Creedmoor game is mostly for the retired guys with the time to do it. I thought I could shoot it at the Nationals in 2019 but I doubt if I can get any practice in at those distances between now and then. It’s also a logistical problem for me. I’m trying to shoot in the silhouette iron and scope for 4 days and then in the 22 BPCR matches. For a working family man, that’s too many days to leave work and home if I try to shoot in Creedmoor also. If I’m lucky maybe I will get there in time just to watch the last day of shooting. The mid range stuff would be a little easier for me to shoot with a lot more ranges and matches. Not that big of jump from Silhouettes to mid range for the distance. I’ll probably just try to attend more silhouette matches. A few of them are disappearing also though. Smithmoor seems to be thriving though. Who knows, if I get an extra day or 2 off work and Cody lets me pitch a tent, I might just make the 8 hour trip.

(12-31-2018, 04:51 PM)Kevin Alexander Wrote: I’m afraid Creedmoor is destined to fail. No ranges to practice at.

Sad part is, it only took me a day to make a 1000 yard practice range.
Couple more days and about $2000 and I could make a 4-5 target range if the rules were tweaked slightly to include iron targets.

Brian Hickey at the Baker Range made a very nice 1000 yard iron target with scoring rings that sound off like Church bells that will let you know what ring was hit. You don't need paper targets and you don't even need to see the hit to know what scoring ring was hit

Kevin you might want to take a look at the 150th Creedmoor match at Oak Ridge Tennessee. It's the weekend of March 23. They'll shoot midrange on Saturday and long range on Sunday.

(12-31-2018, 08:27 PM)Don McDowell Wrote: Kevin you might want to take a look at the 150th Creedmoor match at Oak Ridge Tennessee. It's the weekend of March 23. They'll shoot midrange on Saturday and long range on Sunday.

Yea, I’d thought about it. The 11 hour drive is a bit long for me, but it’s an option. There might be a Creedmoor match closer but have yet to be able to find one.

The Lodi match will be mothers day weekend. If they follow last years schedule, it'll be the Creedmoor cup thursday and Friday, and then the regular BPTR regional long range Saturday and Sunday.