Think Muzzleloading & Shooting NEEDS to return to it Roots

[akapennypincher]

Well as I said yesterday I gave up my Volunteer Position as a R/O at the local Shooting Range after 8 years,and I do not know how many hours of time. but one year I know I put in over 300 hours as I got a Chinese Knife as a thank your for service.

Part of the reason I said no more was the Politics, and NEW RANGE MANAGER who IMHO don’t care about the Volunteers no more.

Several year ago Don Turner Retired from AZ Game, and fish, and a NEW MANAGER was hired to replace Don.

Don always did Volunteer things like dinners, Awards, gift certificates, etc. to say thank you the New Guy doesn’t do much. Intact he called for some Mandatory Inservice in the evening, promised a “DINNER”, and forgot the “FOOD”, or to call the Pizza Delivery Guy. :cursing:

The NRA got the last of my MONEY, as it seem they have become too much about “Lobbying” to Fight the Anti Gunners, and not much about promoting Shooting Sports. Bet when Wayne LePEEPEE Retires who will go out with a big bunch of $$$ :bull:

The NMLRA from where I sit,, and have had personal dealing with the BOD don’t seem to be doing much to Promote muzzleloading, as their Focus is on Friendship Events, and ask for money for this or that pet project. :surrender:

So I think we all who enjoy shooting should shoot, and have fun, and forget the National Organization.

If you have a Local Shooting Club that is SHOOTING FOCUSED, and not Political, shoot with that group if they are fun orientated. :hatsoff:

 

[Snakebite]

If someone doesn't fight the :cursing: gun control folks, THERE WILL BE NOT SHOOTING SPORTS!!

 

[akapennypincher]

If someone doesn't fight the :cursing: gun control folks, THERE WILL BE NOT SHOOTING SPORTS!!

We the people have the POWER to Vote for Congressmen, and Women, and our Senators.

We the people have the POWER to Write our Congressmen, and Women, and our Senators.

We need the Lobbying Groups, but one letter from a Person pack a lot of WEIGHT with Elected Officials...

Do you vote Snakebite, and are you Politically Proactive with Personal letter to you Elected Officials

 

[spitpatch]

I have to agree with snake bite. I have been in shooting sports since the late 40s. I strongly believe if it were not for the NRA we would be in the same position as the folks down under.
As far as promoting shooting sports,attend some of the events at Raton, NM. I think you will find they do promote the sport.

 

[akapennypincher]

As far as promoting shooting sports,attend some of the events at Raton, NM. I think you will find they do promote the sport.

Have been through Raton, and they do have a big Black powder Cartridge Shoot there. Also Hooter Browns Truck Stop that has GREAT CHOW.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Just re-upped my NRA membership for five years this time, we need sombody in D.C. that is looking out for all of the gun owners :thumbsup:

 

[gmww]

I'm a Life Member of the NRA. It was a gift from my late father to his son. One of the best things he could have done for me and my brother. I'll be doing the same for my daughters when they get a little older. I'm also a member of the other organization.

Basically, without national organizations such as these, we would be over run by the national Anti-gun organizations with more money and lobbying power. Thank God for the NRA. That's my 2 cents anyways.

 

[nw_hunter]

Don't forget the GOA The "No Compromise" Gun Org.

 

[spitpatch]

You bet guys!! Support the NRA!! Also your state organizations. Just one point. Are any of you folks old enough to have gone to any gun shows before the 68 gun control act, if so you know what I am talking about. NRA lifer for 40+ yrs.

 

[jackwill]

I agree.
I have been involved in shooting sports for 45 years.
I sometimes get tired of receiving 3 or 4 mailings a week from the NRA asking for donations as I am sure that rest of you do. But who else will defend our rights on a national level?

What bothers me more than anything else is the millions of hunters and gun owners who will not join NRA. I know many personally. Some belong to the gun clubs I belong to and some belong to no organizations. When I get on them about this their response is that their hunting rifles are safe, politicians are after the handguns and assault weapons. They just do not want to hear the truth. They are not aware that their hunting rifles are now "sniper rifles".
If these millions would join the NRA we would be able to put a stop to this in a heartbeat.

 

[Snakebite]

If someone doesn't fight the :cursing: gun control folks, THERE WILL BE NOT SHOOTING SPORTS!!

Do you vote Snakebite, and are you Politically Proactive with Personal letter to you Elected Officials

APP,
Absolutely do I write letters. Both to my federal and state officials. (My wife says I'm probably going to wind up on somebody's hit list) One year when I went to vote in the primary, the guy running for state representative was outside. He asked me if I'd vote for him and I asked him what his stance was on the 2nd Amendment. He gave me the correct answer (I already knew his position and was going to vote for him anyway, but he didn't know that). He probably knows me by my first name now I've written to him so often telling him how I feel about his votes.

And I vote, the 2nd Amendment is one of my primary issues. So I try to walk the walk when I talk the talk.

Whether you like the NRA or not, they do more than anyone else to protect our firearms rights. Much more so, in my opinion, than the NMLRA. I was a member of the NMLRA for many many years, but finally decided they did not represent me or my feelings when they started in with the inline debate, which I will not go into here as it's been hounded enough. I've heard things have changed a bit and I never thought they were a bad organization, just didn't fulfill my needs anymore. I may check them out again, nothing says you can't belong to both the NRA and NMLRA.

I do agree that muzzleloading needs to return to it's roots. When I first started shooting BP, it was really fun to shoot with a bunch of other people. We started a buckskinning club, had monthly shoots at all kind of targets and really had a lot of fun. I went back into the Army and over the years things changed. I don't know what happened, but it seemed like it just wasn't fun anymore. Too many opinions on this and that, too many experts who's opinions were supposed to be law. (You sometimes see that attitude here, but it's still a great forum. You know what they say opinions are like!) I like shooting with a select few friends. Don't want to sound like a snob, because I'm more than willing to let anyone shoot my rifles and tell them about shooting traditional BP rifles, and discuss opinions; the more muzzleloader shooters the better, but if some so called expert is so inflexable to accept me or my friends, I don't need them around me.

This went on much longer than I intended, sorry folks. Didn't mean to get on a soap box and/or rant. I went shooting yesterday and got my new .40 flinter sighted in, multiple shot hole at 25m. and came home relaxed and happy. :thumbsup: Might go back out tomorrow with my .54.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I belong to the NRA because the are defending my right as a law abiding gun owner. I know some who dropped out because they didn't like the NRA sending them several renewal notices. Well just can them like any other junk mail! They still stand up for us! We here in WV have a battle going on with the National Park Service concerning their general management plan for the New River Gourge. On page 11 of that plan they want a total ban on all hunting on land that has been hunted for years even before the establishment of the New River Park. I have seen first hand what it to have sportmen join together with the help of some backing like the NRA. Remember the old saying "EITHER WE HANG TOGETHER OR WE SHALL ALL HANG SEPERATELY!"

 

[roundball]

The NRA is the ONLY national lobbying organization that does anything for me, and I've been a member for about 30 years now...annual dues are only about a couple double whoppers & fries meals.

A perfect example of their clout is the recent back-door attempt by OSHA to implement shipping & delivery changes that would have ended the affordable availability of blackpowder to us.

When the NRA was notified they engaged immediately, issuing press releases to make the public further aware, and sending a formal NRA organization memo to OSHA.

NOBODY else is in place that has the mission...the influence...AND THE ZEAL...to go to bat for us that the NRA does...a couple of double whoppers & fries meals a year.

IMO, anybody that can afford any shooting sports can afford to join the NRA...and I'm also shocked whenever I hear of hunters / shooters who do not as that means they're just going along for a free ride, counting on us members to carry them.

Their lack of contribution puts us all at risk...there is power and strength in large numbers and rest assured the anti's are organizing and growing stronger every year, learning the lobbying ways of the NRA and are becoming a stronger influence on politicians all the time.

And don't forget...the non-shooters / non-hunters vastly outnumber us...out of every 100 voters, how many do you think are shooters / hunters...I don't mean gun owners...I mean shooters / hunters who's lives include a lot of recreation based upon shooting / hunting activities...maybe 1 out of 100...probably less.

So when the passive millions continue to become galvanized by the anti organizations membership drives, they will ultimately be able to squash us like a bug...and once the initiative is lost, it'll be too late to try to build the NRA back up.

And so what if Wayne LaPierre retires with perks...remember...he had already left when Charlton Heston the actor was elected president and the thing became a rudderless ship...Wayne was brought back in to get the thing back on course...I say Kudos to Wayne!

A couple double whoppers & fries.....

 

Now that I have moved and have a new phone number, I will re-join the NRA ASAP. But...I will not give them my phone number ever again. They pester the heck out of ya if you do. Ya can't even eat dinner in peace without some body calling for more money.

I do not mind the extra mailings for campaigns though. I just hate telephones.

 

[tg]

I agree we ned to return to the roots, but don't think any org is going to do much to achieve that goal ,personal contact with new shooters or potential new shooters and a strong push towards the true traditional aspect of the sport is what will bring things around, this medium may well be what brings back the sport to its roots and exposes many new shooters(and educate some of the older ones who show an interest) to the old ways of ML shooting, it will be much more effective if we try not to push the modern accuterments so much, this can be confusing to new shooters if the anything goes attitude is presented, and not paint a true picture.look at the number of members on this forum if each member could "sponser" a new shooter each year the growth would be exponential.

 

[roundball]

Now that I have moved and have a new phone number, I will re-join the NRA ASAP. But...I will not give them my phone number ever again. They pester the heck out of ya if you do. Ya can't even eat dinner in peace without some body calling for more money.

I do not mind the extra mailings for campaigns though. I just hate telephones.

Agree...we sort the mail in the kitchen right next to the trash can...and unless we're waiting for a call from the kids or something, we basically never directly answer the phone...just let the machine get it and delete our way through the junk, save the ones we want

 

[bart_anastasi]

I admit the NRA are a bunch of hyper-actavists but what do we expect.

If they are all asleep at the switch nothing will ever get done.

You know they are doing their job whenever you hear some super liberal complaining that they are too effective.

It is odd that freedom of speech for such people is only for those agreeing with them.

Strange but I thought not allowing people free expression was something else. I forget what it is called but it is not free.

They may be a pain in the neck but they are our pain in the neck and in you are ticked at them think how much of a bother they are to the other guys.

When I get the calls or the letters for more I just tell them no thanks or hang up. When I get mail I do not want I chuck it.

Simple

I like the American Rifleman and if they ever start to get a line of BP, ML, items I might just actually buy something overpriced from them. But till then I send in my money and listen only when I want.

PS Does any one else get multiple requests to extend memberships/ I hate that.