Do you or have you shot team competition your thoughts?

[Solo1]

I like being on a Team, but there are numerous misconceptions about Teams, especially non factory Teams like Team Centercut.

As an example.. lots of finger pointing - you guys all get into EBR early.

Now, the rest of the story. We had 12 shooters that wanted to come to EBR. Our Sponsor, Airguns of Arizona, gave us six spots. I had to decide who gets them. Luckily for me, six of us prequalified for early signup based on our performance(s) at various EFT events during the year. So six of us EARNED our way in and six were given a sponsors exemption.

All the latest equipment and ammo? Not true. Factory Teams maybe, but we don’t get heads up latest “stuff”, or even really know about the stuff in advance. We don’t get free ammo. We don’t get free entry. We don’t get free guns. We do get a discount on what our sponsor sells. And our sponsor does pay for the AirBnB for three of the biggest events - Oregon, RMAC and EBR.

I think the best part of being on a Team is the camaraderie and the sharing of knowledge and experiences.

The lodging perk is nice though. I know personally in aafta ft i don’t do nats because of travel and lodging expenses alone. $2000.00 for a chance to win a ribbon ill just buy a ribbon and maybe another gun! Lol

 

[wolfmangreg]

how many members do we have that would be interested in being on a team?
can you travel?

Would be interested for sure, but availability to travel would be hit or miss for the forseeable future. Expense is a factor, but so is time... still a long way from retirement.
Driving several hours for a weekend shoot, & a night or two at a cheap hotel- can do that pretty often. Flying halfway across the country for a 4-7 day event? Maybe once a year.

 

[Centercut]

The lodging perk is nice though. I know personally in aafta ft i don’t do nats because of travel and lodging expenses alone. $2000.00 for a chance to win a ribbon ill just buy a ribbon and maybe another gun! Lol

I said lodging. I said nothing about travel. Lodging means just that. Travel is not comped.

 

[Billm]

Lodging is a nice perk though. I would say for me that lodging would be the greatest expense. I have no issue with driving across the country, gas is cheap. I have all the time that God/fate gives me. Like most things, you gotta pay to play. I was gung-ho about going to a big event last year, but the drama has tempered that some.

 

[Solo1]

Lodging is a nice perk though. I would say for me that lodging would be the greatest expense. I have no issue with driving across the country, gas is cheap. I have all the time that God/fate gives me. Like most things, you gotta pay to play. I was gung-ho about going to a big event last year, but the drama has tempered that some.

You should definitely go to at least 1 big event this year even if you don’t shoot. It is a special air.

 

[Billm]

You should definitely go to at least 1 big event this year even if you don’t shoot. It is a special air.

I’m going to try and make one or two at least. Elaine loves the road trip lol.

 

[Franklink]

So at least one of the teams gets a guaranteed 6 slots, as stated by their namesake.

How many slots do the more prominent teams like Daystate and FX get? How bout smaller manufacturers teams like AirForce/RAW? Umarex? EVOL? Etc. Those all add up, and there's limited slots, given the venue and the time frame.

I've shot at EBR events in the past, and have walked the lines. Lots and lots and lots of sponsored shooter jerseys, I'd hazard a guess that a large majority of competitors are wearing a company jersey.

Every registration cycle there's a pile of guys mad as wet hens on the forums that they opened the website 3 minutes after official opening, only to find the events full. Not my opinion, just facts. I can supply links if someone wants to dispute this reality.

So yes indeed, being on a team gets a guy a much greater likelihood of getting to participate in the industry exhibition matches, aka, a perk.

 

[Billm]

So, what everyone is wondering: what are you going to name the team? Team Hamster? I’d prefer not to hear the R rated suggestions

 

[PapaT]

how many members do we have that would be interested in being on a team?
can you travel?

I am interested.

I can travel, within reason, for now. That landscape probably changes a bit in a year.

 

[Billm]

I wish there were more airgunners interested in benchrest in my neck of the woods. A snowbird National here in warmer Florida in the off-season would be a nice warmup event. One of the issues that I see is that all of the BIG events are very close together time wise, probably tough for some wanting to go to several events.

 

[PapaT]

I wish there were more airgunners interested benchrest in my neck of the woods. A snowbird National here in warmer Florida in the off-season would be a nice warmup event. One of the issues that I see is that all of the BIG events are very close together time wise, probably tough for some wanting to go to several events.

I just wish there were more airgunners in my neck of the woods.

 

[Solo1]

Well i wish there were more air gunners in my neck of the woods too! Ahh what ya gonna do. The young would rather shoot em up on tv and to many of the guys my age locally have no interest in the entry price let alone going to a comp. This is why i say if they don’t change the bigs in some way or spend some of the bigs prize money with local shops ( their dealers) to help them start events nothing is going to change

 

[GHairgunner]

I shoot for the AoA and Daystate team and I love it. Centercut pretty much covered the financial benefits of being on a team. There is a lot of comradery hanging out and going to the competitions as well.

Personally I love the competition the goal of getting better and having a great deal of fun. There is also the personal goal of making my equipment better with all the ideas that the competition arena creates. Very little of the modifications and improvements come from the factory. Most all of my improvements where me or someone else's idea which are designed, made and tested by the shooters themselves. Some people do very well with well tuned bone stock guns which they buy.

Big comps are starting to get to be to many. I like comps but to travel across the country more than once a month gets real expensive and not fun. A lot of money goes into these comps and while that's great when your the one picking up the check its not so much for everyone else. My feelings are if you can't do it for a high five and a trophy you won't last too long anyway.

There does need to be many more little local comps where it starts as a few people getting together for a Saturday morning comp and some hot dogs in the parking lot talking about how your going to win next month. Shout out to Midwest Air Gunners they hold a shoot once a month in Ft Osage MO, about an hour from me. It is a great league shooting 25 and 50 yards. Its an example of how to grow the sport and get lots of people out to experience some good competition.

The big comps are good for seeing where I stand nationally and internationally. Now while I would never turn down a big check for a win at EBR or RMAC, I would still go even if all I got for first was a handshake and a metal.

So my advise would be get a couple friends together, hand paint a sign get some benches together at the local range and go have fun. Everyone loves fun and it won't take much. Soon you will get a email then a website and your off. Be sure to keep some of the entry fee to pay for targets and scoring. Maybe even buy yourself lunch and know if your doing it right it will grow.