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Hello Folks, I would not favor limiting posting to members only. In the last year, we have had several potential members post questions and later join SASS. I know this as they asked me to change their name to their newly acquired SASS Alias. That alone is sufficient, in my mind, to not limit posting. Regards, Allie

If the membership number of 18,500 quoted earlier in this thread is correct I am shocked and appalled. Well, not really. The economy and aging SASS shooters has a role in the diminishing numbers of current members. Many folks cannot afford to travel to the big matches so they shoot at their local clubs which are and always will be the grass roots of this game. No membership required in most cases. Look at the numbers of seniors and older at Winter Range and EOT. They are almost always the largest categories and many of which are life members. These folks are active seniors but not all seniors are still that active so they shoot locally. One quick kick at a dead horse. The revenue problems for SASS started when they left California and moved to New Mexico. I was at the last two EOTs in California and the manner in which SASS left was not the Cowboy Way.

I personally do not believe that a dues increase or the Chronicle being eliminated, then changed to a slick magazine (that in itself alienated many members), are some reasons for members' animosity. The way those things were implemented, managed and continue to be maintained, has created an intense lack of confidence and trust in many members that pretty much cannot be fixed. Rabid, blind loyalty and snide remarks from certain members, directed at other members who complain and criticize, along with sloppy administration (such as the expired gift cards noted above), and disrespectful management statements like, "when all this blows over," have created rifts in members' trust that cannot be repaired. Some members leave and some stay, but the damage has been done and I believe the focus is no longer on legacy membership, but on newcomers, who don't know the history. BY THE WAY, in my view, limiting Forums access to paid members would be a mistake for a host of reasons.

Now that we a non profit corporation, who are the officers? Obviously, we are not in a membership organization. So. what are we? I am a Life Member, Founders Club Member, Hall of Fame, Museum, etc. and never had an promised invitation to an event but did get a BBQ sandwich once at EOT. I love shooting so I continue. However, I have not fooled myself that anyone in HQ gives a D___ about us.

The Wire is a great marketing tool. Personally, I would not want to force folks that just want to visit the website to join, there are many who just look at the wire to see what's happening and it would be a disservice to shut them out. We have a few locals that shoot with us occasionally that are non-members, they were ready to join and the dues went up, that's when they decided it cost too much. The best marketing tool was the old chronicle, in the old format. Now it is gone and we have a new model, although shiny, ii's not what I prefer. The digital version is a dismal failure and few bother opening the file. SASS has dropped the ball on advertisement and marketing, and it's left up to the few of us left to pay the price for lack of members. I work pretty hard at promoting CAS, running matches, setting up matches, building stuff, etc. SASS needs to figure out how to make folks "want" to join not "have" to join. Obviously, the current marketing plan is not working, and we all need to focus on how to get new members and get old members to return. Perhaps, we should look back at the timeline when things started dropping off and learn from the mistakes made in order to improve our numbers. What happened in 2005 that caused numbers to become static? We were growing by 10k members a year in the early 2000's and now we might get 2-3k new members per year. It was a hoot watching SASS grow and meeting all the new shooters, I'd love to see those days again.

Amazed by the irony of some who use the living snot out of this forum yet claim to have no use for the organization that owns it............wow

There are only two guys that work on the SAA at Colt. The issue isn't there are not enough smiths. The issue is there is not enough demand to have a full-time production line. Colt tried making a bunch of SAA's a few years ago and keeping an inventory so they would be available on dealer shelves. Heck the local Cabelas had them on the shelf. The problem is they sold very slowly so now they are only made to order. Pretty much everything comes out of the "custom" shop as there is really no such thing as a standard "production" model at this point. When they get enough orders they run off a batch. Think about it. They build about 1,000 per year. That is only about 80 per month or around 4 per work day. Four is about a minute's worth of production at Ruger.

I don't have to go anywhere to go to the range, so I shoot quite often - almost every day. If not for the lead contamination, I could slide the patio door open, sit in my easy chair, and shoot. I have targets from 15 yards to 500 yards, and can go to 1000 or more if I just got out and lased it off. Also a couple of foot tripped clays traps, and a few lanes with steel CAS targets. You would think I'd be better at this game.

WHAT? There are non-SASS guns?

I have many 1911's and some of both. I prefer the arched ones. They seem to point better and fit my hand.

No, a full case of even FFFg black will NOT blow up a SAA. Will be well under the SAAMI pressure standards for .44 WCF cartridge, which are 13,000 Copper Units of Pressure (11,000 PSI). Original .44-40 loads by Winchester were loaded with 40 grains of FFg powder, according to rounds that have been broken down for inspection, and that amount of powder will not fit in modern cases. Good luck, GJ

http://stevespages.com/pdf/browning_b92.pdf

Oh yeah, Browning had to be different - remove the pin with a 3/32" pin punch from left to right.

It has been my experience that 1873 extractors need to be "fitted"......if you replace it with too much tension you are overloading the spring. I fit mine to where it snaps over the rim with some authority but not a loud SNAP! I used one for 5 years.....lots of rounds (.38 Special)......and run at 18 second stage times.

Not trying to further stir the pot, but it sounds like some here are shocked that HQ would charge an affiliation fee. We are actually pretty lucky. Back when I shot USPSA, the club I was associated with paid $65/year to be affiliated, PLUS we had to pay $2.50 per shooter for monthly shoots when we would upload our scores. Considering our club size at the time, we were paying over $700 for the privilege. Maybe I have a non-normal experience, but every time I has taken the time to contact SASS HQ, they have been very attentive and helpful with whatever issue I had

Thanks for all the kind words. I came home from the hospital last night. I had a mild attack Tuesday. Planning on operating Fri. if infection in lung is gone. I feel good and have no discompfort. Only drawback so far is missing a chance to giving a royal beating to my friend Seamus Thanks for thinking of me in my time of distress. Charlie

I saw that and I agree with you 100%!

Never mind...life's to short to argue over inane things.

Problem with friday was that the Histericalsaurus' wouldn't stop running in circles shouting that armageddon was upon us.

Huh? I have one made in 1913. Used it at End of the Trail last year. Colt is STILL making them in one form or another. The M9 is no where near over 100 years old, and even though I have one, I doubt very much if after it is itself over 100 that my theoretical grandson will wanna shoot it in a competition.

Well said.

The Losesome Dove Cast Festus Morgan Woodward Chuck Connors Quigley The cast of Tombstone

Seldom Seen, that is true but wouldn't it make more sense to have "real" soldiers select a pistol than a bunch of military bureaucrats and politicians?

That's impossible. Guns are banned there so nothing to make those billet holes.

I'm paid up in SASS until February of 2019. Looking to upgrade to Life but can't quite handle the one time $$ to make that jump. I did inquire a while back as to whether the $800 would be prorated with what I have already paid, the answer was yes,. I also asked if there would be a payment plan coming for Life membership and was told that option was being looked at. Apparently nothing has been implemented on that issue as it is not an option showing up. I keep checking the SASS web site in hopes of being able to spread that cost out over a few months, but nothing yet. Emails have gone unanswered as to whether a payment plan is in the works. I plan on signing our granddaughter up next month at her 1st birthday also. Sure she has a ways to go before even being able to shoot, but that's ok.

The M9's long service does not grant it status of any kind. The SEALS and other up-close-and-personal organizations have been trying with some limited success to get away from the M9 since the 90's and the Army has tried to getaway from it before, only to have the funding yanked away for other wartime expenses. Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable (MEUSOC) units are switching to the Glock - it's not about the 9mm cartridge; it's about the gun firing it. The Marine Corps as a whole is not jumping on the current bandwagon because of deep funding issues and will wait and see how the new handgun works out for the Army. That does not imply any love for the Beretta - I've been with the Marine Corps since 1975 (20 years active duty and a contractor ever since) and I can count the number of people I've seen make positive comments about the M9 on one hand. https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/breaking-the-armys-new-handgun-is-a-sig/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=20170120_FridayDigest_105&utm_campaign=/blog/breaking-the-armys-new-handgun-is-a-sig/

I don't have many buy/sell transactions, probably due to the Forums rule against a non-SASS member (I've been a member of the Forum since 2013) posting items for sale. I've been allowed to post items for the "Stuff for Free" and gladly given item(s) I no longer have a need for such as 45 Colt brass, ect. Of the transactions I've been envolved with (buying) ALL have gone smoothly and I appreciate that fact, great bunch of guys/gals on this site. I understand why the rule, but I have a suggestion, if I may, that might help those such as myself (to old and living in a remote part of the country) participate in a vicarious way in SASS activities. How about letting Forum members, in good standing buy and SELL if 1) They are a member here for over a year and have a certain # of posts (x number) . Also maybe a special SASS non-member number , like a paid membership designation. I and probably others have equipment, guns, ect that would/could be utilized by others on this Forum. Just a suggestion.

If you're a MAC user, Handbrake does DVD to mp4.

It's only $50 bucks for the year and very sad that anyone posting on the wire can justify why their club can't come up with $50 bucks for the YEAR to support the organization who created the sport we participate in. Who gave us years of enjoyment and friendships can't justify why to send $50 bucks for the year!! For that 15 person club. That's like $3.50 per person???? The same people who spend thousands on guns, leather & ammo. It's all what have you don't for us lately, how about what they have done for us all for over the last 25 years! Last year I changed my monthly match fees and gave a discount of $5 off match fees for sass members and hinted to those to join sass because I'll pay the first $40 bucks( $5 times 8 matches). Had some people who refused to shoot because the felt I was charging them more because they weren't sass member. Refused to join sass again because said they "weren't getting anything", yet still wore the sass badge got along time ago, used the sass alias and attended many sass state shoots over the years and had a large group of friends they never had before sass. Weren't getter my anything??? BS. Sass gave them a lifetime of stuff. What I came to understand, some people just like to complain about everything and are never happy. I say. Good riddance! (Now off my soapbox)