Anyone been out to Ben Avery this weeks.

[FishDFly]

Too bad about Tip Curtis not wanting your money for a rifle, what did you do offer him half of his asking price? I would tell you no thanks also.




Actually we showed up at his tent at 5 P.M. and he said he was going to eat and did not have time to wait on us, fair. We went back at noon the next day and he would not wait on us.

Went to Friendship and same treatment, sent my wife back by her self and same results.

You should really get your facts correct, a person cannot make an offer when you are not waited on can you???????????????????.

 

[akapennypincher]

Well Richard it seems very weird Tip gave you & your wife the cold shoulder twice in Phoenix, and also at Friendship. But that is your problem. Maybe you need to start off your next encounter with Tip with a question like why is my money no good. You might find the reason he is not dealing with you.

BTW if he told me he was going to dinner, I would have said have a nice dinner, and asked when you going to be back to open shop? People do have to eat.

Like I said I have dealing with Tip for years, and he always seem happy to make a sale even it is was for a handful of small parts. I was disappointed he left the Western early but I understand why stay in Phoenix. When his trip was a bust.

Thought you might enjoy looking at some photo of the SASS SHOOT that I linked below.

Thought it was kind of crazy The Arizona Republic (very liberal newspaper) ran both a Photo Essay (LINKED BELOW), and Story on two separate days from the Winter Range.

http://www.azcentral.com/picture-g...cowboy-action-shooting-competition/24282903/#


Again this story below validates the number of shooter registered. The trader who was crying the blues to you about doing bad at Winter Range might have just been pulling your leg, or telling you a story to pull your chain.

I have given you three Newspaper Article by THREE legitimate media sources, so you have facts to read. BTW there three media outlet have no affirmation with one another so I would call them three independent news sources.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/ent...range-shooting-competition-ben-avery/24127311


“Winter Range: 'A social event interrupted by gunfire'

Betty Reid, The Republic | azcentral.com 11:58 a.m. MST February 27, 2015

Winter Range

Winter Range will feature displays of period militaria, exhibitions of western skills and crafts, a fast draw competition.(Photo: Winter Range)

If the shoot-'em-up aspect of the Wild West intrigues you, head out to the Winter Range next week.

The 24th annual National Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting winds up Sunday, March 1, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. Participants meticulously recreate a cowboy camp from the 19th century, right down to authentic dress and firearms.

"You will have women who shoot in Victorian outfits, you'll see men dressed like Wyatt Earp and shoot guns. You'll see mounted shooting, which is shooting off of horses with blank cartridges with enough force to break balloons," said Jan Schulman, Winter Range spokeswoman. "You will see a bunch of cowboys and cowgirls walking around and tents set up. You'll see people wearing guns but they are not loaded."

New this year is an appearance by Wyatt Earp, the great grand-nephew of the famed Tombstone deputy town marshal. The younger Earp and his wife will share family stories.

Visitors will be able to see a collection of military objects from the late 1800s, demonstrations of Western skills and crafts, and a fast-draw competition. Some 100 vendors will offer antiques, clothing, hats and wigs. Bands and trick-roping cowboys will provide entertainment.

Winter Range will showcase more than 1,100 competitors from 42 states and six foreign countries, organizers said. The top shooters compete Saturday.

Competitors are members of the Single Action Shooting Society, an international group created to preserve and promote the sport of cowboy action shooting. The contestants use classic guns such as single-action revolvers, pistol-caliber lever-action rifles and old-time shotguns, according to the society's website.

Shooters must dress in authentic gunslinger garb or Victorian-style dresses and assume Wild West names.

Sassy Dancer and Turquoise Bill are among the competitors. Bill "Turquoise Bill" Semplice of Prescott will compete in the Classic Cowboy competition, using a .40-caliber gun that he must load and fire with one hand.

Turquoise Bill particularly likes the social and family-friendly aspects of Winter Range.

"It's a social event interrupted by gunfire," he said.

Winter Range 2015

When: Times vary, through Sunday, March 1.

Where: Ben Avery Shooting Facility, 4044 W. Black Canyon Blvd., Phoenix.

Admission: Free; parking is $5 per vehicle.

Details: winterrange.com.”

 

[FishDFly]

Well Richard it seems very weird Tip gave you & your wife the cold shoulder twice in Phoenix, and also at Friendship. But that is your problem. Maybe you need to start off your next encounter with Tip with a question like why is my money no good. You might find the reason he is not dealing with you.



Not my problem, I have my money and he does not. We have never had a conversation in his tent.


I do not spend my money and be miserable, I do not ask folks why they cannot take my money, seems simple to me, he has a bad reputation.

How many guns of his do you have????????????

Time to spend time with adults.

 

[Bear Rider]

...
...
...
It appears to me that the shooters in the West are being ignored. This probably affects the attendance of the shoot. As to whether this is the cause of the shooters, I can’t say. Perhaps the articles on western shoots are not forthcoming, perhaps there aren’t many muzzleloader shooters in the West in the first place. Maybe it’s just that most of the history of the muzzleloader era was made east of the Colorado and there just aren't any activities happening in the West. I don’t know. But the bottom line is that if the shooters are ignored in the West, then there’s no incentive to show up for the Western Shoot.

This is nothing new. I was very active back in the 1980's in California, where we have local events that would attract many shooters and 50 to 100 traders. Even then, the only interest that the NMLRA seemed to have in the west was in collecting our dues. The only reason that I kept up my membership was that it was a club requirement, and as soon as I moved on from that, I dropped the NMLRA.

Now, I see old issues of their magazine at the odd rendezvous, and that's about the only evidence visible to me that they still exist.

 

[akapennypincher]

...
...
...
It appears to me that the shooters in the West are being ignored. This probably affects the attendance of the shoot. As to whether this is the cause of the shooters, I can’t say. Perhaps the articles on western shoots are not forthcoming, perhaps there aren’t many muzzleloader shooters in the West in the first place. Maybe it’s just that most of the history of the muzzleloader era was made east of the Colorado and there just aren't any activities happening in the West. I don’t know. But the bottom line is that if the shooters are ignored in the West, then there’s no incentive to show up for the Western Shoot.

This is nothing new. I was very active back in the 1980's in California, where we have local events that would attract many shooters and 50 to 100 traders. Even then, the only interest that the NMLRA seemed to have in the west was in collecting our dues. The only reason that I kept up my membership was that it was a club requirement, and as soon as I moved on from that, I dropped the NMLRA.

Now, I see old issues of their magazine at the odd rendezvous, and that's about the only evidence visible to me that they still exist.

Well clubs need insurance, and the NMLRA was one way clubs could get insurance. I also think the NRA offers shooting club insurance.

But the bottom line is if you have a club there are two things you need do, incorporate, & have insurance. Why because if there is an accident, someone is seriously hurt, or dies. There will be civil litigation in about 99 out of 100 cases. That is the world we live in.

What the Western NMLRA member is IMHO the only thing "National" about the NMLRA is the "N" in the name. That is where the national stops.

Muzzle Blast is not worth the price of annual membership IMHO, it is not a news stand quality magazine, it has a narrow focus, its editorial content is repetitive.

The NMLRA BOD Member will say if you shoot front loader, and are not a member, you are not supporting the only "national" black powder group.

Sorry the NMLRA is not a charity, it is not my favorite charity, and I like many ex members seem to have got along for year without a NMLRA Membership.

I can not get all warm & fuzzy about a national shooter where the prizes are pot metal medals. I would rather go to a local club shoot or rondy, and have the opportunity to win blanket prize.

The BOD Members of the NMLRA for as long as I can remember have treated The Western, or Winter Shoot as a non event.

I am willing to go out on a limb and say both Tip Curtis, and Smitty Engraving will be staying home next year for the 2017 Western.

 

[Brian Heap]

I was out there and it's not all the fault of the NMLAR. Ben Avery charged $50.00 just to shoot, so I didn't shoot. That's a mite steep. Second, when we got there there were few signs directing us to where to register, and no one to tell us or show us where the Muzzleloaders were shooting. I turned around and left. went to trader's rown and had to search to find that to. The vendors there were all nice and I spent some money there, but a few said they won't be back, and I don't blame them, they were stuck way out west of the shooting area. I won't ever go back to Ben Avery, it was not planned or set up very well. Bothe Ben Avery and the NMLAR are to blame, no one else. Kinda disappointing.

 

[akapennypincher]

I was out there and it's not all the fault of the NMLAR. Ben Avery charged $50.00 just to shoot, so I didn't shoot. That's a mite steep. Second, when we got there there were few signs directing us to where to register, and no one to tell us or show us where the Muzzleloaders were shooting. I turned around and left. went to trader's rown and had to search to find that to. The vendors there were all nice and I spent some money there, but a few said they won't be back, and I don't blame them, they were stuck way out west of the shooting area. I won't ever go back to Ben Avery, it was not planned or set up very well. Bothe Ben Avery and the NMLAR are to blame, no one else. Kinda disappointing.

I am not sure what day you were there but Saturday on the Carefree Highway there were signs put up by the main entrance to Ben Avery. They looked like the signs NMLRA put up before. They pointed people to the Winter Shoot.

Yes Ben Avery is a large facility but there is also a sign saying INFORMATION by the Main Raange so it would be hard to get lost.

Also the NMLRA actually had signs show what event were at what ranges, and there is only one road that weaves the length of Ben Avery so you can not get lost! Had you gone and asked a volunteers at the main range would have point you to you destination.

I voulenteered at Ben Avery over 8 years, and that $50.00 you mention is a registration fee paid to the NMLRA. Plus if you are not an NMLRA Member beside the $50.00 you must paid another $40.00 (I think that is membership now) for a years NMLRA MEMBERSHIP TO SHOOT THE WNS.

Than the NMLRA charges you per event, and I am not sure of that amount. Friend of mine said last time he shot the WNS,pistol, rifle, chunk gun, and primitive that week he gave the NMLRA about $200.00 in fees with re entries.

Now to clear up the $50.00 you spoke of, the NMLRA charges you to register $50.00 to participate in the WNS, the NMLRA pays Ben Avery like $7.00/Day you shoot. This Ben Avery knows by targets or match results you turn in each day to the NMLRA, and the NMLRA settles up with Ben Avery @ $7.00/day/shooter.

So if you paid the $50.00 Registration, shot only one day. Ben Avery would get $7.00 (just like you would pay to shoot at the main range). The NMLRA pockets the other $43.00. If you shoot five days, Ben Avery gets $35.00, the NMLRA pockets $15.00.

Also the NMLRA gets charged to use the activity center where the registration is going on, where they hold the membership meeting, but the charge is reasonable.

When I was volunteering at Ben Avery well allowed NMLRA REGISTERED SHOOTERS to shoot at the main range free, no matter how many day they shot WNS EVENTS.

BTW The NMLRA gets a very sweet deal from Arizona Game & Fish, getting to use a world class facility for a reasonable fee.

Most people who come and use the Ben Avery Facility for their club shoots, Winter Rasnge, Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Trap, Skeet, Sporting Class, Archery etc. Have nothing but praise for Ben Avery that is about 150,000 Shooters a year, and another 35-40,000 that attend the annual outdoors expo annually.

 

[Brian Heap]

I was out there, and never again, took a while to find the vendors, and as far as shooting, The $50.00 shoot fee was in my opinion a mite steep. Seemed everyone else in town was there shooting centerfire rifles to. I looked but didn't see any muzzle loaders being shot. Din't find out about trade blankets till a few days later. No signs advertising anything. The NMLR booth was hid out in a back corner, should've been up front by the door. But, I'm new. Spent money at the vendors and that was nice. I won't be back, waste of time and money.