The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

John MH wrote:Don't try to comare cost on a shot for shot basis between TR and Gallery. Most TR matches have to factor in the cost of a marker, Gallery does not, nor do any other self marking disciplines such as CSR; I have had this debate before with the Shooting Divison who often suggest that CSR matches much cheaper in comparison to TR based on the number of shots fired, which works out currently at about 50p per shot compared to £1.00 for TR, but forgetting that the competitors have to self mark in the cesspit that is Century Butts.

OK, that's a fair point. However, the element of that £1+ per shot for the marker is 18p including the butt supervisor. And while Century butts is a swamp, it isn't a cesspit. But there are other TR overheads that CSR doesn't have. The difference may be less than the unaccounted 47p/shot.

Please, whatever your discipline, be assured that I and everybody else on the Shooting Committee believe that it costs too much. We honestly have done all the simple stuff to drive price down, and are now into the realms of complex, difficult and unpleasant measures, as well as jacking prices up everywhere the Trustees think the market might stand it, or where we are making a loss and the decision is to make the event pay or to scrap it. Somehow we have to balance the books. Once the finances are on an even keel we can work on driving prices down, or at least holding them while inflation bites. But the game at the moment is medium-term survival.

That, I think, brings us back to the opening post and the purpose of the thread. Any more bright ideas to get the bills down?

Iain

I'll agree to differ on your assessment as to whether Century Butts is a swamp or a cesspit given that most Target Rifle'ers raley go down the Butts. In the disciplines I shoot we rarley if ever use paid Butt Markers and I have therefore spend almost 50% of my time shooting at Bisley in the Butts. If you had the misfortune to fall into the Target Frame Trench I suspect you'd need to be given shot (needle) or two in the arm to protect against all manner of third world diseases.

The drainage in the trench down Century butts is bloody appalling. Similarly, most of the refuges let into the mantlet are little more than urinals for the local kids who mark; most of whom also think range safety is something that happens to others, based on what I've seen them do.

I agree with John - if any of my lot fell into the trench I'd recommend they get seen by a doctor ASAP and checked for Weils disease and tetanus at a minimum. Even ditchwater should not be bright orange!

Iain the gr events at graw are £10 per event,factor in meals for the ro,paper ure looking at £7 profit per comp,where as at the imperial,(the nra primary intrest)its only £5 per entry and 2-3 reentry? How is this fair? I also conceed after checking tr comps cost at the imperial that they aren't cheaper than graw events......

Although I'll support the NRA come rain or shine I was shocked when I made my first visit to the butts (Short Siberia) last Autumn. Coming from a range (Altcar) which is run by the military and which is spotless it was a shock to see the rubbish etc.

Watcher wrote:Although I'll support the NRA come rain or shine I was shocked when I made my first visit to the butts (Short Siberia) last Autumn. Coming from a range (Altcar) which is run by the military and which is spotless it was a shock to see the rubbish etc.

It is a mess down there, but who is responsible for it? Surely it is the people who actually use it. Not pointing any fingers at you, probably like us you take your rubbish home but many don't. A lot of people have the attitude that it's someone else's job to clear up. Same with the toilets. They are old but if people used them with a little more thought they would be clean for the rest of us :-P

The tidiest I've ever seen Century Butts was just before it was handed back to the NRA after the Army were in charge of it during the Services part of the Imperial. The whole of the Butts needs significant remedial work, unfortunately that costs money, but sooner or later if its not repaired properly it will fall down; hopefully when it does no one will be hurt.