Me for one.

Just joined a week or so ago, and log on almost daily 

I'm in as an annual member.

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA

Member

Boats

Quote:


It would be an interesting list to compile - and publish as is the list of folks signed onto the board.
   

Member

Not a member, Activities of the Association are not mine.  Have seen the Magazine its interesting but of limited utility to my interests. The greater value comes from the resource of whose got what,  found in the ads.

The board is recreation .   

It is full of specialized information but most infornation found here on my interest-Martini, can be found else where. That's most not all.  Very little new information on the mechanics.  Lots and lots of neat custom ideas or how to do the usual job a different way.

If membership were required to view the board, I would not be a member.   

There is only so many memberships that most people can afford. Membership has to be weighed by return.  Since retirement it has become even more difficult to justify membership even in the NRA.

Not a member, nor am I likely to be. Too little return for my dollar. 
Never going to go to Etna Green, and more interested in casual shooting and hunting, than in competition, for the most part.

I am a metalwork hobbyist that also gets to work metal for my day job, and I am interested in doing mostly my own work. The ASSRA forum happened to be where I found an active and knowledgeable base of corespondents who were willing to share what they know, so I registered an joined in.
I have found lots of good ideas through my readings here, and have tried to pass on what little I know that is of use.
If a membership becomes a requirement, I'm out. 

As long as there are some folk about that are willing to share what they know, rather than erasing every post they make after a day or two, I'll likely check in, but it's slowed down a whole lot of late.

Cheers
  Trev

annual member
Bob

I'm a proud member of Assra and will be till the day I die, if things get tough I may have to sell something that belongs to my wife to pay my dues, I'll do whatever it takes.     leadball

Many ASSRA members, (including some of the better shooters and "gunsmiths") rarely, if ever, post here. Most ASSRA members who are also forum members will likely not feel it necessary to respond to this thread. I am curious as to what motivates the question?

Annual Member. Regards, FITZ

I think that may have been posted. but just in case, the last I talked with the guy in charge of membership it is was more or less 1900-- 2000.  It fluctuates up and down as old members drop out or die off and new ones join.   
As with most of the fishing, shooting, and other outdoor sports the numbers are dropping as the older generation of sportsmen leave the scene and kids are more oriented to indoor sedentary game.  I imagine that the tightening economy is having an effect as well.

Boats, I think your last sentence says it all.  I don't want to re-start the recent nastiness we had over exactly this issue, so I won't belabor the specifics that apply to ASSRA.  I stayed out of that fight because I'm one of the members who lives remotely, doesn't get to share in the range, and can't get there to vote, but still keep my membership to support the organization.

None of these organizations is going to grow until they give up their small piece of turf and decide to support the overall spectrum of single shot shooting, at the expense of favoring their own special interest.  As long as the real function of the organization, (as evidenced by their actions) is to support the activities of a few members in limited locations, there will not be widespread support from the overall single shot fraternity for the organization.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially for the chosen few that live in the right locations.  But, it limits the overall scope of the organization, as there are a limited number of members that are not located in the right place who will join and not share in the benefit.

There may be an overall strength to this type of arrangement, as it at least keeps up a strong shooting fraternity in a spot or two in the country.

The real strength of numbers as you say are in the BPCR shooters.  And, they have families and younger shooters with them also.  The reason for that is the inclusiveness and willingness to help that goes on.  I can't believe how many shooters I see each match using borrowed rifles and someone else's ammo.  And, seeing them come back a year later with their own.  It's also a participatory sport to some extent, with a spotter to assist, and in many of the gong matches, all the spotters on the squad helping out the beginning shooters.  I can walk to the line before any match, without sight settings or a spotter, and have two or three people helping immediately.  Sometimes at the expense of getting their own sight settings.  That's the kind of participation that makes makes people join and come back.

dave

Member. While I do not shoot in competition since a rimfire-centerfire benchrest schedule seems to take 3 out of 4 weeks a month, I figure it's a tradition worthy of support and i own-shoot several single shots recreationally.

boats wrote on Sep 9^th, 2008 at 7:14am:


Did you guy ever consider that a great number of singleshot enthusiasts NEVER shoot competitively, or no longer shoot competitively? 
I have a number of friends who are head over heels in love with singleshot rifles (myself included!) but shoot casually, or not at all! I always thought that some in the organization seemed to revolve around the shooting aspect, and really overlooked those who shoot casually or just collect.
If ASSRA, or any singleshot rifle oriented organization is to grow and prosper, they need to recognise that not eveyone can, or does compete in any form. Some of us just love these fine old singles!
It is the American Singleshot Rifle Assn., not the American Singleshot Shooting Assn. Just my 2 cents worth.-Vall
PS-Some of us even hunt with old offhand rifles!
Union Hill Ballard .38-55, 5x4 Mule Deer, Oct. 2006.
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Marlingguy 

Agree there are more single shot fans than match shooters.
I sort of mixed the two,  Guessing again if ASSRA has 2000 members I doubt if 250 shoot matches regularly and 3/4 of those bench rest only.  On the East Coast 50 is a very large match turn out with a couple dozen the norm. Never attended Etna Green matches but people tell me shooters number less than 100. 

On the other hand if NRA has a 4000-5000 total turn out at BPCS matches that number covers match shooters only, not people otherwise intrested in singleshots. Total number of people intrested is probably 4 times match shooters.

We hunt with Single shots some around here but the state rules are a handicap. Muzzleloaders get special seasons and treatment while CF cartridge rifles of any sort are grouped and have much more restrictive regulations.  East from a Tree stand and West in the Montains short seasons. I will use a Trapdoor some but generaly go for the Minne Ball rifle deer season and a T/C contender .22 for Squirels. My Single shot match rifles are not suitable for anything outside the target range.

Boats

Marlinguy, We are way off the topic but what the heck

I agree it's a lot more fun to do something thats a bit more rewarding, only problem I have with the Centerfire season in Virginia  is you are in the woods with a thousand amatures that are trigger happy. M/L season is much longer and a lot less people.  We allow the modern In Line M/L's although my personal choice is no later than the 
Civil War.

Actualy my first choice for Squirells is a 1950 vintage Marlin 39A with a Lyman 17 tang sight.  Owned it for nearly 50 years, Paid for the rifle instalments running Muskrat traps and Crab Pots.

Couple of us are planning a Ferial Pig Hunt down in South Georgia soon and it's perfect work for a Trapdoor. Or a big old Revolver.

Boats

I'm kind of in the same boat here in Michigan. Tramping in the woods with a single shot rifle. old or new, always seems better to me. Our muzzleloading season is anything goes as long as black powder or a substitute is used to launch the slug.  I hope we follow Mississippi in allowing BPCR to be used for hunting.

I do also shoot competitively. More for the social aspect than a serious paper puncher. 

Squirrel season opens in 4 days!

Ed

Suits me could be intresting. Far flung as we are could get some good trades trip for trip with guys going. Have always wanted to Hunt out west. Mule deer or even Antelope.  Trouble would be comming up with something suitable East Coast,  Fish no problem big ones too, but big Game is Deer or Bear and Bears are hard to find.

Boats