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Is SASS growing?


rcd567

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Back when I was here the first time, in the early 90's it was the fastest growing shooting sports. Seems like now the AR-15 crowd is probably growing the fastest. Course I know several returning VETS from either Iraq or Astan and most of those guys buy their own AR when they get out.

 

They say the baby boomers is the largest crowd of people. Most of them grew up during the era of the Cowboy, sooooo, is CAS growing, shrinking, or just holding it's own?

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I believe the answer is yes. Folks still get excited about it. Locally we have seen more spectators/interested shooters this last year more than ever. Winter Range is sold out and going to have a record crowd. Was looking at some club pictures from 2004 and saw lots of guys and gals that no longer shoot/are not around anymore. On the other hand a whole nother crowd has stepped in since. Just like anything it's up and down. But we are healthy as a whole.

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I think it's leveled off, or nearly so. We're replacing the folks leaving or dying off, but not growing like we once were overall. Some clubs are growing, others have shrunk, but the circulation numbers for the CC are pretty level, maybe slight growth, over the last few years.

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I'm REALLY new to SASS so I can't actually speak of growth or leveling off or what, but as you can see from my number, we're up over 93000 member numbers......

 

Of course that the total that have been handed out...or most of them have been handed out...over the last 30 years.

 

Then of course there are those that have been purchased for their...pets...gawd help me cuz I just don't understand buying a membership and attaching an alias to a pet...and why in the heck would SASS as an organization allow it????

 

I hope that TEX and his crew can find the help that they need to keep SASS going.

 

:FlagAm:

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Of course that the total that have been handed out...or most of them have been handed out...over the last 30 years.

 

Then of course there are those that have been purchased for their...pets...gawd help me cuz I just don't understand buying a membership and attaching an alias to a pet...and why in the heck would SASS as an organization allow it????

 

I hope that TEX and his crew can find the help that they need to keep SASS going.

 

:FlagAm:

 

Yeah, I don't understand the pet membership either....

 

BUT, as you can calculate, there have been 38898 memberships sold between yours and mine, and if you joined this forum when you joined SASS, that was 7 years ago, so that's over 5500 memberships per year...

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If SASS is going to continue, they'll need to adapt.

 

The draw of reliving your childhood...or emulating you childhood heroes just don't work much anymore.

 

But...what do I know?

 

:FlagAm:

 

 

Please share what you do know since you brought up the subject?

 

KK

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Please share what you do know since you brought up the subject?

 

KK

 

Oh joy...

 

You fly a plane and I need to explain to you a figure of speech??

 

Besides, yer smart and ya know I know just a fraction of what you know and that if I told you all I know then...well you know, folks would know all I know and then there would be no reason for me to ever post again cus all I know would already be known...ya know?!

 

But...what do I know?

 

:mellow:

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Oh joy...

 

You fly a plane and I need to explain to you a figure of speech??

 

Besides, yer smart and ya know I know just a fraction of what you know and that if I told you all I know then...well you know, folks would know all I know and then there would be no reason for me to ever post again cus all I know would already be known...ya know?!

 

But...what do I know?

 

:mellow:

 

I guess you don't know, what we thought you knew, so now I know not to ask what you know that we don't know.

 

KK

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Some us at our club ((4)) have started shooting Practical Pistol......((consider it practice for Wild Bunch Matches :) )).........((Pistol guys have a range about 300yds down the road from us))

 

And I have recruted 3 of the Pistol guys to shooting CAS.....plus one old CASer who came back to CAS.............with about 7 more on the waiting list to start CAS.......

 

Plus a couple of other shooters during the past year...........

 

So = guess it depends on what we do as individuals or as a club......

 

Do you recruit for SASS........???

 

Does your club advertise shoots/events locally........???

 

Does your Club have New Shooter clinics......??

 

So = bottom line.....our club is growing...... :FlagAm:

 

Just maybe this will give some folks some ideas.......??

 

regards......Wolf

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The "hook" of the emotional pull of childhood is wearing thin as the time from the Westerns that pretty much died out in the 60s and early 70s fades back in time. The other thread that linked the music and slide show of all the old actors and movies and TV shows is mostly DEAD GUYS or products we grew up with back then. Nobody who is 40 now grew up with that. THAT "hook" has to be replaced by something more CAS/SASS-linked, and not "Gene and Roy and Hoppy"....

 

Bonanza and Gunsmoke were weekly rituals in many homes (it was a right of passage to be allowed to stay up late enough to watch Gunsmoke), but kids today might vaguely know what they were, but most don't. My 17 yr old had to have JOHN WAYNE explained to him.

 

Now, think of all the SASS shooters under 35 you know. Take away the ones who have a dad or grandpa shooting CAS, how many are left?

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Howdy,

yes we are growing, our club has grown very nicely over last few years. SASS is aging thats why at the larger matches elderstatesmen seems to be a very large category, we do need to recruit younger people and it's always a joy when you see one shoot and the smile on their face makes you realize why your in SASS.

 

KK

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we're up over 93000 member numbers...

Badge numbers are meaningless respective to total SASS membership.

 

Form 3526-R, Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

Filing Date: 09/23/11 - published in the Cowboy Chronicle which is required by UPS Regulations

Total (Cowboy Chronicles) Paid and/or Requested = 25,509

Add:

** Unknown = Number of family members that SASS doesn't mail multiple CC copies to a family

** Unknown = Electronic Cowboy Chronicle issues

 

My guess is there are between 26,000 to 27,000 paid members of SASS as of October 1, 2011

 

26,363 = Average Number Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

This is a greater number than as of September 23, 2011. To me it means SASS paid memberships were less in 2011 than in 2010 ... so membership is decreasing - Not Gaining

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Badge numbers are meaningless respective to total SASS membership.

Form 3526-R, Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

Filing Date: 09/23/11 - published in the Cowboy Chronicle which is required by UPS Regulations

Total (Cowboy Chronicles) Paid and/or Requested = 25,509

Add:

** Unknown = Number of family members that SASS doesn't mail multiple CC copies to a family

** Unknown = Electronic Cowboy Chronicle issues

My guess is there are between 26,000 to 27,000 paid members of SASS as of October 1, 2011

26,363 = Average Number Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

This is a greater number than as of September 23, 2011. To me it means SASS paid memberships were less in 2011 than in 2010 ... so membership is decreasing - Not Gaining

Although, I wonder how many folks have opted out of the hardcopy in favor of just reading the on-line version. But, you're probably right.

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Back when I was here the first time, in the early 90's it was the fastest growing shooting sports. Seems like now the AR-15 crowd is probably growing the fastest. Course I know several returning VETS from either Iraq or Astan and most of those guys buy their own AR when they get out.

 

They say the baby boomers is the largest crowd of people. Most of them grew up during the era of the Cowboy, sooooo, is CAS growing, shrinking, or just holding it's own?

Well, I suspect that it has peaked and now will settle down into a much smaller group than it was 5 or 10 years ago.

The participants are aging, which is a one way trip. New folks are not being lured in by the 'romantic' idea that the

ex-IPSC shooters who founded it allude to - most of the current generation has no idea or interest in the classic

westerns that the over 50 crowd embrace.

 

I suspect that the categories, and the other special aspects of the game will wear thin with the newer and younger shooters,

if for no other reason than that when I ask them they point that out . . . .

 

The typical 10-10-4 has little going for it except as a courtesy; most younger folks will probably admit to being bored,

and would rather be free to figure it out on their own - they get bored fast if not challenged.

 

Still, for the new-commer it's a shooting game using less expensive and fun guns, cowoy and cowboy cothing still have a little appeal -

as after all, they are still real guns and live ammo!

 

My $0.02, but I can tell you I've struggled to get more than a few younger shooters involved, and there are a lot of reasons they won't bother . . .

It's not just the economy or the cost of guns, there are real resons why this game does not draw youngsters into it, and even if there are

a few new ones showing up at each match, there are a lot more leaving the range, or switching to trap, or getting burned out, or what-ever . . .

 

Me - I still try to play - it's the game I like for fantasy playing, even if IDPA is attracting me more and more each day . . .

 

Shadow Catcher

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I'm still new to the game (2yrs),shoot as a silver senior and love the game. I have seen a lot of new shooters in two yrs. and some older shooters leave. We grow by invitation,word of mouth, media exposure and cross over competitors from other disciplines and I'm sure other ways.

Where can we go from here? I'm open to anything that will help our sport maintain and grow in numbers.

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I believe the answer is yes. Folks still get excited about it. Locally we have seen more spectators/interested shooters this last year more than ever. Winter Range is sold out and going to have a record crowd. Was looking at some club pictures from 2004 and saw lots of guys and gals that no longer shoot/are not around anymore. On the other hand a whole nother crowd has stepped in since. Just like anything it's up and down. But we are healthy as a whole.

 

He knows more than I do - but this is kinda my take too...

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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After the BOOM. Which I was part of.

Think at this point, we are just holding. Maybe a small growth.

But there was NO way, it could keep up the boom that it had there for awhile.

Don't think any sport could keep up that kind of growth, at that pace. As it was

just crazy there for awhile.

But looking at the number coming to the big matches. It's still strong.

And pulling in way more numbers of shooters at the big ones than pretty much any other

shooting sport. And having way more local clubs to shoot it at than many others.

 

Got some customers that shoot other shooting sports. And when I tell them how many we have at

some of the big matches. They just shake there heads. As they don't get anywhere close to those numbers.

 

And when I tell them of all the things that go on after. They say they wished theres did some of that.

 

So think we are in good shape.

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The hardest part of growth or not is the number of fellow shooters who have gone to the big roundup in the sky. We lost 5 shooters at the clubs I shoot at and we have several more not in great health right now. We do get a few new shooters but they are generally related to a current shooter.

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Good question, attendance at the clubs that I go to are generally down a bit. We do get new shooters but we lose 'em too either to death, illness, job related or moving etc. Nice to see young folks come in but I don't know what the draw is for young folks since the days of the TV/Movies being inundated with westerns has long been over. Egads, does this mean I agree with Phantom? :P Yep, guess so.

Rye

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Badge numbers are meaningless respective to total SASS membership.

 

Form 3526-R, Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

Filing Date: 09/23/11 - published in the Cowboy Chronicle which is required by UPS Regulations

Total (Cowboy Chronicles) Paid and/or Requested = 25,509

Add:

** Unknown = Number of family members that SASS doesn't mail multiple CC copies to a family

** Unknown = Electronic Cowboy Chronicle issues

 

My guess is there are between 26,000 to 27,000 paid members of SASS as of October 1, 2011

 

26,363 = Average Number Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

This is a greater number than as of September 23, 2011. To me it means SASS paid memberships were less in 2011 than in 2010 ... so membership is decreasing - Not Gaining

 

John Boy,

 

You extrapolation on the decline in numbers might be correct, but I do know that SASS has encouraged electronic CC. I also think there are many more couples than your calculations include. If 25% of the members are couples, that would put active membership at over 30,000. I don't think SASS knows how many are active, although they would know how many send payment ;) We have a handful who only shoot monthly matches and don't care to join.

 

CR

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Badge numbers are meaningless respective to total SASS membership.

 

Form 3526-R, Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

Filing Date: 09/23/11 - published in the Cowboy Chronicle which is required by UPS Regulations

Total (Cowboy Chronicles) Paid and/or Requested = 25,509

Add:

** Unknown = Number of family members that SASS doesn't mail multiple CC copies to a family

** Unknown = Electronic Cowboy Chronicle issues

 

My guess is there are between 26,000 to 27,000 paid members of SASS as of October 1, 2011

 

26,363 = Average Number Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

This is a greater number than as of September 23, 2011. To me it means SASS paid memberships were less in 2011 than in 2010 ... so membership is decreasing - Not Gaining

 

John Boy,

 

You extrapolation on the decline in numbers might be correct, but I do know that SASS has encouraged electronic CC. I also think there are many more couples than your calculations include. If 25% of the members are couples, that would put active membership at over 30,000. I don't think SASS knows how many are active, although they would know how many send payment ;) We have a handful who only shoot monthly matches and don't care to join.

 

CR

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John Boy,

 

You extrapolation on the decline in numbers might be correct, but I do know that SASS has encouraged electronic CC. I also think there are many more couples than your calculations include. If 25% of the members are couples, that would put active membership at over 30,000. I don't think SASS knows how many are active, although they would know how many send payment ;) We have a handful who only shoot monthly matches and don't care to join.

 

CR

 

My wife and daughter are now SASS members - we get one copy of the CC.

 

Hope to get one or both of 'em shootin' some this year...

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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My wife and daughter are now SASS members - we get one copy of the CC.

 

Hope to get one or both of 'em shootin' some this year...

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

 

You gonna bring 'em ta Paradise Pass this May? :D

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You gonna bring 'em ta Paradise Pass this May? :D

 

lil' Sassy Sunshine had a great time last year...playing with Pitmaster's puppy SASS. If mom, Sassy Sunrise, can get off work, she will come...won,t be able to shoot yet, but she wants to come to more matches even if it's just to meet the folks. It's been more of YOU, the SASS community, that's driving her than me :lol:

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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Last year Powdercreek lost at least one good younger member to "3 Gun." For financial and scheduling reasons he had to choose between SASS and his new hobby. The question is not how SASS is doing, the real question is how are the shooting sports doing generally. I think it is vital that we encourage participation in the shooting sports. Cowboy shooting has done that in spades. I would be playing golf if I hadn't found cowboy shooting. I have really enjoyed sporting clays so I might have done that instead of golf.

 

The Ruger Challenge has a chance to attract families. Kids love their 10/22s and 22 caliber auto pistols. That might become the fastest growing shooting sport. There is nothing wrong with that.

 

For me the real question is how many of us are actively participating in the shooting sports generally. The more the better. Why, because I love hunting, but I don't like going into the woods with people who only pull a trigger once a year.

 

By the way, am I the only one who thinks Wednesday Night at the Range on the Outdoor Channel has dropped in quality since Cowboys was cancelled?

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The SASS of today is far different than SASS was 15 years ago when I joined. We used to start stages by throwing sticks of dynamite, trying to throw a lasso, fewer simpler shooter catagories and the rulebook was a simple pocket size. Today we have three large rulebooks for RO's alone. If you can't win in the catagory you are in you can just jump around in different classes until you find one you can win.

 

Also the membership numbers do not accurately reflect the number of active shooters as compared to shooters that do not particpate due to advancing age or health reasons.

 

IMHO Wld Bunch matches are gaining attention because the shooter can use a more modern and practical handgun. Single action revolvers are viewed by many as obsolete and unnecessary wsste of money (particately two) especially when times are hard. However the 1911 remains the gun of choice in many shooting sports not to mention self-defense. (I think W.B. should allow any pump shotgun to encourage faster growth but I regress).

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It defiantly seems like SASS membership roles are decreasing and I think that most of the reasons given are valid.

Today’s young people have no connection to the heroes of the old west. John Wayne has been dead for 22 years now and his last movie was made 25 years ago. The Roy Rogers museum closed due to lack of attendance the old stars are just not relevant to them. The single action revolvers and lever action rifles mean nothing to folks who were brought up in the Star Wars era.

In this age of fast moving video games the 10-10-4 stand and deliver at huge close in targets bores them. They want fast action and movement as well as real problem solving on the fly. The only problem solving we have is which tired old sweep are we going to shoot. In our zeal to appeal to everyone and keep old and infirm shooters playing we have taken all the action and movement from the game.

SASS is an expensive game to play; you’ve dropped about $3000 in the game for guns, clothing, and basic equipment before firing a shot. IDPA requires basically nothing more than your carry gun, range bag, eyes and ears. In this economy every dollar counts both to those on a fixed income and those trying to pay off student loans that total more than the cost of a house and start a family.

Right now SASS has lost its way and something needs to be done to save it or in another 10 years it will be just a memory. Inflating the numbers by signing up pets and non shooting family members isn’t going to help.

WE need to make the old west come alive again and it isn’t going to happen with 10-10-4 dumps

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It defiantly seems like SASS membership roles are decreasing and I think that most of the reasons given are valid.

Today's young people have no connection to the heroes of the old west. John Wayne has been dead for 22 years now and his last movie was made 25 years ago. The Roy Rogers museum closed due to lack of attendance the old stars are just not relevant to them. The single action revolvers and lever action rifles mean nothing to folks who were brought up in the Star Wars era.

In this age of fast moving video games the 10-10-4 stand and deliver at huge close in targets bores them. They want fast action and movement as well as real problem solving on the fly. The only problem solving we have is which tired old sweep are we going to shoot. In our zeal to appeal to everyone and keep old and infirm shooters playing we have taken all the action and movement from the game.

SASS is an expensive game to play; you've dropped about $3000 in the game for guns, clothing, and basic equipment before firing a shot. IDPA requires basically nothing more than your carry gun, range bag, eyes and ears. In this economy every dollar counts both to those on a fixed income and those trying to pay off student loans that total more than the cost of a house and start a family.

Right now SASS has lost its way and something needs to be done to save it or in another 10 years it will be just a memory. Inflating the numbers by signing up pets and non shooting family members isn't going to help.

WE need to make the old west come alive again and it isn't going to happen with 10-10-4 dumps

 

 

:blink: ...uh...ok.

 

 

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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The SASS of today is far different than SASS was 15 years ago when I joined. We used to start stages by throwing sticks of dynamite, trying to throw a lasso, fewer simpler shooter catagories and the rulebook was a simple pocket size. Today we have three large rulebooks for RO's alone. If you can't win in the catagory you are in you can just jump around in different classes until you find one you can win.

 

Also the membership numbers do not accurately reflect the number of active shooters as compared to shooters that do not particpate due to advancing age or health reasons.

 

IMHO Wld Bunch matches are gaining attention because the shooter can use a more modern and practical handgun. Single action revolvers are viewed by many as obsolete and unnecessary wsste of money (particately two) especially when times are hard. However the 1911 remains the gun of choice in many shooting sports not to mention self-defense. (I think W.B. should allow any pump shotgun to encourage faster growth but I regress).

 

No way..

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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I'd guess the numbers are about the same now as they were when I was playing back in the early 90's. If there is 23,000 to 25,000 members, that's about what we had back then. If I had to guess, I'd guess ole Judge Roy Bean has retired to that range in the sky? Seems most folks playing are older and we keep getting older everyday, with any luck that is.

 

Most of the young returning servicemen join some sort of three gun or action pistol clubs. In another 30 to 40 years (I'll be dead) they'll probably be shooting a slower version of what they shot when they grew up. Or maybe they will be lured to SASS so they can keep on shooting. The young kids of the future probably won't be allowed around guns. :blink: Icky, dangerous things who's only real purpose is to kill people. Heck they're teaching that in school nowadays.

 

I'm working on getting some guns. Not the full load, just a Colt Saa and maybe a 1873 rifle. I'll take me some time to acquire the WMD's I once had. Then maybe I'll join up again. I still have my old badges. I do know that since I got out, a couple guys I used to shoot high powers with, are now into CAS. And I'm really not here trying to kick the hornets nest. Just re-visiting with a couple old questions.

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