Posted: 4/30/2007 6:55:06 PM EDT
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Never been here before. No idea what I am doing! Be patient My question? Am I thinking wrong? Months ago I took some friends and we attended a 3 gun shoot at Fayette. It looked like fun so we went back and shot the thing. I got one new shooter hooked. The next time I took some more first time shooters who wanted to watch before they tried it. We were told it would cost us $10,00 each to go watch. I was not impressed--my friends were not impressed and probally will not go back to shoot. Am I out of line in being bent out of shape? I thought the idea was to get new folks involved? Comments??? |
$10 entry fee, and I'm pretty sure it gets you fed and your name thrown in the hat for some awesome prizes. Hold a shoot of your own, that's how the MODCC got started. Also, you should go ask the sponsors of that shoot about the fee over at the Missouri Hometown forum. |
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It's a business and needs to make money. Now having said that. there are alot of shooters that are intimidated by competing against others. They made be shy, think they don't have the latest high speed gear or that they may make an embarrassing mistake. I'd imagine everyone who entertains the idea of going to a scored shoot wants to spectate first to learn not only what shooters use but how to behave, dress or prepare. I know I wanted to because I have a habit of embarrassing myself. I think that charging not only makes good business sense because if a person has to pay just to watch they may as well spend a few bucks more to throw some rounds down range. CMMG is basically giving that little push needed to get some people on the range so hopefully if they drove all the way out there they better bring there guns. No one is going to make fun of anyone except maybe me. I get a hard on when I'm around full auto and I get the Anchorman pattern on the pants thing going 
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i would rather it be free, yes. however, this is $10 we are talking about. if you can't afford $10 to entertain yourself all day then you really aren't in with the right crowd. crap, that is less than 2 mags full of ammo. our EBRs and related stuff cost alot of money and thats just something that you are going to have to resign yourself to. i can see where a fee comes in, CMMG does have to staff the shoot, prepare for it, clean up after it, etc. i am sure they have alot of overhead that isn't readily obvious. |
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First, this is just my opinion... You do realize there are costs that need to be covered anytime you attend a sporting event of any kind ? Insurance is sorta pricey, especially when its an event that involves Firearms and anywhere from 30-200 shooters. Just the insurance nightmare alone if someone observing a shoot was injured, much less got shot ? I don't have a problem with the idea of attending an event to watch and paying to enter so long as the fee is not too bad. I pay more than $10 to go watch the local college events (even when the team may stink) that aren't anywhere near as interesting as a shoot. Heck, even the gun shows get $7-10 per person. Is it really that different than going to a movie or any sporting event that you PAY to get in to watch ? ? I don't see the issue. If there is, maybe you should ask if yourself if you really want to be there. I enjoy the fact that there is someone willing to take the time and effort to put on a shoot I can drive to and attend. Involving new people in shooting is great and everyone should do what they can, but event shooting is not where I would take a person to test the waters unless they have been shooting quite a bit before. Take them to some local range first and go from there. I have... (now getting into flame suit) Feel free to blast away now...... 
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I dont like the idea of having to pay to watch someone else do something fun, shoot thats why youll never catch me at a b-ball or football game or even the local tittie club, Id much rather do it myself and enjoy doing it and get a real experince for my hard earned dough than just get teased. I guess what Im saying in a nutshell is, yup I can see where your coming from but whats the point of posting about it in a forum, it wont change anything, if you dont like it your far better to do something about it like put on your own event or find an event where you can watch for free or just move on. |
It's worth $10 to me, just for the fun I have sitting and visiting with folks. I've met many fine folks at the shoots, and have good friends there. None of which I'd have ever met without going to the shoots. AND.... I've never shot the three gun match yet. I like to shoot on the open range, look at others new toys, and visit with some real nice folks!!! The foods not too shabby either (thankfully Jeff/John aren't the chefs)  Worth $10? HECK YES!!! |
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Post Count :: 1 Posts Per Day :: 0.01 Last Login Date :: 4/30/2007 10:45:21 PM EDT Last Post Date :: 4/30/2007 10:55:06 PM EDT Title :: Member Member Since :: 11/16/2006 I guess you have been reading alot.  Welcome to the posting side of AR15.com. Now your in trouble. |
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I think the fee is more of an insurance thing, but its not that big of a deal. If you can afford the gas to get there, you should be able to swing $10 bucks to get in, and if you can't swing $10 to get in the you wouldn't be able to buy enough ammo to complete the usual courses of fire anyway. I bet the bad weather at the last match has more to do with his problem than the 10 bucks, but you wouldn't really want to complain about weather cause real men don't melt when it rains Polytech |
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You know... if it were my event you would be paying the same fee as everyone else to attend... shooting or not... and you know what? you would probably shoot on the open ranges or maybe try your hand at the COF Now that said a little history on the MODCC for those who say "Everything should be free!!!!! and yes even for first time shooters! When I first came to the shoot the admission was free and there was a hat for "Donations" I ALWAYS donated quite a bit more than many of the others for reference ask CMMG.... I brought a real shot timer... There were Raffles and I bought more tickets than some and it was not to win the prizes it was going to Range improvement, and CMMG has been out quite a bit for the range improvements... The shoots I am told used to be held at the Conservation Dept Range and the use of machineguns and such were sort of discouraged by MDC.... How many of those who think it should be free have ever hosted an event like this? The Facility itself is great and getting better all the time! but you have to do a lot of things, Insurance... what if a spectator takes some back splash or an ND? it has not happened and it will likely NEVER happen since the RO's and the Hosts are very safety oriented.... The Facility has props and target stands and steel knockdowns... and Cardboard IDPA targets etc... Lunch has been part of the deal for a long time... Shot timers are now available and believe it or not they are not free! for a long time as well there were only a handful of us who were RO's there was not a real draw to stand in the heat or freezing cold all day and put up with a lot of crap for unappreciative shooters until some compensation was offered then suddenly there was a huge influx of RO's.... But at least there is a pool to pull from now for RO duty... I always just helped out voluntarily, So did a few others! and many times the RO's would never get to fire a shot due to the amount of shooters present! There was a fee of $5 for lunch imposed at some point, and then a range fee of $5 to watch or shoot, and $5 for COF, total $15, it has since increased to $20 for the day including Shoot, Watch, COF, Lunch, etc.... Dangit! I went and got wordy!!!! anyway I would have charged you $20 even to watch, that would allow you use of the ranges, lunch, if you wanted to rent a machinegun to have fun on the blasters range then you would be good to go... and at even $20 you would still be in cheap... How much do you pay to watch Football? Baseball? Car Race? at $10 you are in cheap! If you can't handle entry fees I suggest you go watch some hunters in the woods! |
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If you wont invest $10 dollars to see if you are interested in a hobby that you may potentially spend thousands to participate in you are a fool..... CMMG is one of greatest assets Missouri shooter have, they are the best choice for new and fun COFs. They present a safe small town family attitude to even the newest shooters. It is a monumental amount of time and cost that goes into the construction and organization of these events even the small ones. I would dare to say that the 20 dollar entry and 10 dollar observation fee only come close to breaking even. These owners are true enthusiast who are open and responsive to the shooting community. I always find it gratingly annoying when people pass judgments so quickly. |
| Reading the OP I would also have to say that a competition type event is a poor place to introduce a NEW shooter to the idea of shooting... Perhaps you should take them out and introduce them to firearms and see if it takes before you bring them to a pay event... Due to the number of folks often times present at these events it is sometimes difficult for us RO's to keep track of who is doing what and where... this is not a spectator sport anyway... there is no grandstand and due to berms and obstacles it is hard to see what is going on anyway... TBS... Do you own and operate the range or do you use someone elses? I have done it both ways and I have also seen a good shoot that I was hosting degenerate into a "Blast Fest" due to non-shooters wanting to "Play" but not "PAY" I also KNOW of many first time shooters who have happily payed at these events and not whined about it. |
No joke! And to start off in General Discussion...This does not bode well for you! |
$10 to see the latest in wet & cold weather wear. Hell that's a bargain. OMG! there's spectators everywhere!!!   I don't see how they were smiling.  If TheBeerSlayer runs his shoots like he runs Arfcom then I know why he doesn't charge. Kinda like tying a steak around his neck to get the dog to play with him j/kTBS, What do you charge to shoot? |
we use another facility. we have never and never will charge people to watch. spectators are welcome but are not allowed near the firing line at anytime. I have run competitions as well as fun shoots and CMP clinics. anyone that plays...pays. |
our shoots are 10.00 per shooter. we have one scheduled for this saturday. expecting upwards of 70+ people. will be running 3 active ranges including a dedicated supressed and subgun range and atleast 2 steel pistol pits and possibly a 270 degree steel tac range as well if we still have spill over from the main line. our local range is small so we tend to spread it out to reduce the clutter with the crowd. |
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So are you paying that range for the use? Are all of the Steel targets purchased by you all of the paper or cardboard targets? See the trouble with the Spectators at the CMMG range is that there are ranges where the only place to spectate from is the firing line... CMMG is the owner of the range, They setup the shoots and we shoot at their place... If you are getting all of your supplies and targets etc for free then more power to you but in this case CMMG is supplying all of that. As well as a nice place to shoot.
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yes we pay for use of the range. we provide any paper but they provide for the steel. sounds like your range isn't setup to safely allow for spectators. if thats the case then i don't blame you for charging them as it tends to cut back on the number of people milling around. i have more problems trying to keep newbs from wandering onto the line than anything else. They get excited and are usually oblivious to anything else going on around them. the bottom line is if they aren't shooting they NEED to be away from the firing line. if they can't see tough shit. safety first. i wouldn't charge them to hangout though. JMHO. |
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hehe... Photographers! Photographers! they always want to chase someone with a video or still camera... Our hosts take hundreds of pictures!!!! I don't even bother to take them... But there are plenty of folks who want to take pictures! CMMG is providing all supplies lock stock and barrel, as well as paying for insurance.... I feel it is fair to charge spectators in this situation... Example of the range layout... not to scale but this is where a large 3 gun shoot is to take place later this month.  |
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Oh boy--an education I got--I was unaware I was supposed to "defend " myself. I was unaware I was to be critizied for not posting sooner. I learned that there are some out there that gave thoughtful replys and some that want to pick a fight. My old daddy said never argue with a fool--people may have a hard time figuring out who is who--so--no defense--no argueing I just ask a question. To those of you who gave thoughtful,polite replys to my first post--thank you. To those that want a fight--go suck on a banana. This was a local shoot--not a shoot with nationally known shooters. The folks I was trying to get intrested are shooters--good shooters--safe shooters--they had just never done anything like that and I was trying to get them intrested. I know what it takes to put on an event---cost--time and people----been there--done that I just feel that the ten bucks left a bad taste in the new guys mouth. I pay my fee when I shoot without complaint--just do not have enough time to shoot. Again--thank you to those of you that were polite--I appreciate your time in replying. c-ya next year |
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See now you have gone and set a prededent You posted twice in the same year!!!! Dangit! now you are going to have to do that or you will get hammered on again.... Just remember when you come out to the shoots we RO's do not run the taking of funds but if you have not paid and have a tag we cannot let you get where you want to be! Really if this had been posted over in the MO forum it might have been met differently... this being GD... you get what you got.... Lesson learned I guess... I put on a couple shoots some years back and everyone complained that they had to pay to shoot, and that the targets should have been free and so on and so forth.... We provided Targets, RO's and Food but not one person was willing to contribute! By the way I am not CMMG, I just RO for them....
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Been to shoots at CMMG range. $10 gets you in the place, parking, lunch and you can shoot the open range, if the open range is open. Or you can just watch. Maybe the national guard guys will be there and you can watch/pay for some full auto fire. Great bunch of guys there and always a good time. Hey what else you going to get for $10? |
| I don't think $10 bucks is asking too much. I shot at CMMG last winter for the first time. As a mater of fact it was the first time I have ever shot a 3 gun competition/fun shoot. I've never been into competition shooting at any level before this shoot. I had an absolute blast. It was a well run shoot in my limited perspective and I was put at ease and made welcome the moment I arrived...by myself. CMMG are a great bunch of people and I will definitely return to shoot at the next 3 gun fun shoot. Thanks CMMG for putting on a great shoot and even greater hospitality! A shooter from the "Socialist Republic of Ill-noise". |