Dilbert_X wrote:
RAIMIUS wrote:
So, if competing is a pre-requisite for having a handgun, how does one get started?
Find club
Apply for visit
Apply to join, and apply to police for basic licence
Start training course at club, spread over 2-3 months usually, if you pass the training course and the club cttee thinks you're OK you'll be recommended a full licence, 6 mths later you can buy your first gun, 6 mths after that further guns.
To keep them you need to shoot 6 recognised competitions a year - internal club competitions count so thats easily fudged.
The local commercial range is in the process of being closed, they had two suicides recently and they've signed off huge numbers of flaky bogans to get licences. I hope they are closed.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout … 6661344610Also, what kind of crowd do the various handgun sports attract?
Depends, at the bottom end ferals who just want to get their hands on a gun, bogans who think firing off a cannon is cool - and don't worry about where the shot went, Walter Mittys and gun-fondlers who want a gun for psychological reasons, people who've watched too many action films and well up with tears when they see the bullet make a dull hole and not a flaming explosion etc.
Mostly they drift off once they realise getting a license and maintaining will take more than minimal effort, learning to shoot does require some application, and the Police are going to thoroughly check you out, annually.
Also people intent on blowing their brains out, so you have to watch beginners fairly closely.
The actual sports attract a mixture, its mostly practical hands-on people such as tradesmen who do well although there's a sprinkling of professionals - engineers, lawyers, doctors, company directors. Quite a few teachers also, and some Police.
At least 50% have no real interest in improving or progressing, probably 95% never attend an open competition.
We're having a lively debate in our club on who we should let in, one faction thinks anyone who walks in the door should be helped to acquire whatever weapon they want, no questions asked and if they go postal it doesn't matter. These are the ones who read Guns'n Ammo and dream of living in Texas.
Personally I think anyone who rolls in demanding a Glock or Desert Eagle probably isn't really interested in Olympic-style shooting and should be shown the door - the latest applicant wrote his letter in capitals with a blunt HB pencil I kid you not. I'm not handling any of his training.
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