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Author Topic: Congratulations to bkoenig!  (Read 2849 times)

Offline tstuart34

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2015, 04:58:17 PM »
Here's an idea, I'm not a shooting competition guy so someone else would need to head it up because I have no idea where to even start (but could have my arm twisted to do some trivial things that take no thought to help out), since it sounds like people would be interested in doing something like this, and there is people with ranges that also may be interested, why not get something like this started as an annual NFOA fundraiser.

People keep wanting to get Hornaday and Cabela's to support the NFOA, this is a way that the firearms industry would do things to support us by making prizes available, providing things etc.  The NFOA could sell sponsorships (ie. we put up a banner with your company listed as a sponsor) and the funds raised through that pay for the event and prizes, then raffle incomes and registration fee's go to the NFOA (and any left over sponsorship dollars).

If someone has an idea how to set something like this up and its scheduled far enough out to get sponsors and advertise it as I said I will through in a hand just so it is not something technical.

Agreed Allen but being involved in car shows for awhile it is building year over year. The planning for something like this might take over a year or better to get the logistics all set up. Getting set up with a club or range that already host these types of activities is almost must. Steel targets alone will cost a "fewish" thousand dollars if the NFOA or a group of individuals would try to start this. Then you get into a facility to handle such a thing. You need a lot of land or a bunch or good neighbors.

First step would be a committee to get a scope and some type of business plan I think. 
« Last Edit: July 27, 2015, 05:04:36 PM by tstuart34 »

Offline AAllen

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #21 on: July 27, 2015, 05:04:21 PM »
Agreed Allen but being involved in car shows for awhile it is building year over year. The planning for something like this might take over a year or better to get the logistics all set up. i


Agreed, that is why I said put far enough out to get it all together.  If people come together to get it going when life happens to one of us we can all work together to keep the ball moving forward.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #22 on: July 27, 2015, 06:17:36 PM »
I have no experience in organizing this sort of thing, but I'm more than willing to help out.  Perhaps we should start a new thread to discuss it?

Trevor is right, something like this is most likely going to be something that grows year after year.  I think the hardest thing is going to be finding enough volunteers.  To run something like this safely you're going to need a minimum of 3 RO's per shooting stage, IMO.  That's what they had in Pawnee and it went very smooth.  One guy running the current shooter, one guy scoring, keeping organized, and taking times for runners arriving at the stage, and one guy to rotate in and give them a break.  Then you'll need other event staff to help with overall scoring, roaming the course to make sure no one needs assistance, general logistics, etc.

Then you have to consider getting insurance to cover the event.  An existing club or other organization who already has insurance is going to have a big head start there.  I really like the idea of contacting Old Breed Gun Club.  This seems like the kind of thing that would be up their alley.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2015, 06:25:03 PM by bkoenig »

Offline JTH

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #23 on: July 27, 2015, 06:27:29 PM »
Agreed Allen but being involved in car shows for awhile it is building year over year. The planning for something like this might take over a year or better to get the logistics all set up. Getting set up with a club or range that already host these types of activities is almost must. Steel targets alone will cost a "fewish" thousand dollars if the NFOA or a group of individuals would try to start this. Then you get into a facility to handle such a thing. You need a lot of land or a bunch or good neighbors.

First step would be a committee to get a scope and some type of business plan I think. 

You might be surprised, I think.  For example, the Oklahoma Run and Gun match had (according to their stage descriptions) only the following targets for the entire match:

3 5" plates
4 paper plates
1 falling target
3 full-size torso targets
7 8" plates
4 12"x20" steel
dog target
head-sized plate

That's only 20 steel targets and some paper plates.

...I personally own rifle-rated steel (can take hits up to .308) and can buy paper plates :) sufficient to give targets of similar difficulty level other than 1:  I don't have a dog target, and 2) I don't have a falling target.

....but I'm pretty sure I could manage a falling target (or borrow one) and I could find something interesting instead of a dog target to shoot.  I'm betting John Wallace could say something similar, in terms of having targets sufficient for this.  Heartland or ENGC already has WAY more in terms of equipment than this, and can be talked into letting you use them under many circumstances if you are at their range.

I've designed, built, staffed, and run the Zombie Match at ENGC for the last five years or so--while taking a year to set it up is handy, it can actually be done in less than that, including advertising and such.    Given Practiscore these days, registration (even payment!), scoring, and reporting scores is a breeze.

The main problems you are going to have (in my opinion) are two things.

Problem 1:  Staff.  Getting people who know how to actually run shooters in an action setting (which this is) is very different from being an NRA RSO or running a precision rifle match.  Not arguing about whether harder or easier, just saying it is DIFFERENT.  Finding sufficient staff to make this work isn't easy.  Certainly possible, but not easy.  People who are good shooters or know rifles---isn't enough.  Knowing how to run shooters in safety, how to run a stage and keep it moving and efficient, deal with problems--that's the kind of staff you need for this.  The typical NRA RSO simply doesn't work with that kind of stuff.

Biggest problem:  Range space.

Something like this either needs someone who owns a couple of square miles out in western Nebraska, or taking over the entire ENGC or Heartland range for a day. 

...and it still wouldn't be easy at ENGC or Heartland, simply because the bays are too close together, and too easy to access.  Certainly could be done there, but there would be a lot of "go run down this road around the loop and come back to the bay right next to this one" situations unless people get REALLY creative (which is possible). 

...now you've got me thinking of how I would run this match at Heartland or ENGC.     :o

Anyway---I think a match like this would be a TON of fun.  I think that if you get someone who has run large matches before (preferably action ones), you'd be surprised and what it would take to make it work...

....IF you can get enough staff to run it, and a range space sufficient for it.  (If you can get range space, I'm pretty sure we can collectively make the rest of it work.)
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Offline tstuart34

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #24 on: July 27, 2015, 06:42:09 PM »
You might be surprised, I think.  For example, the Oklahoma Run and Gun match had (according to their stage descriptions) only the following targets for the entire match:

3 5" plates
4 paper plates
1 falling target
3 full-size torso targets
7 8" plates
4 12"x20" steel
dog target
head-sized plate

That's only 20 steel targets and some paper plates.

...I personally own rifle-rated steel (can take hits up to .308) and can buy paper plates :) sufficient to give targets of similar difficulty level other than 1:  I don't have a dog target, and 2) I don't have a falling target.

....but I'm pretty sure I could manage a falling target (or borrow one) and I could find something interesting instead of a dog target to shoot.  I'm betting John Wallace could say something similar, in terms of having targets sufficient for this.  Heartland or ENGC already has WAY more in terms of equipment than this, and can be talked into letting you use them under many circumstances if you are at their range.

I've designed, built, staffed, and run the Zombie Match at ENGC for the last five years or so--while taking a year to set it up is handy, it can actually be done in less than that, including advertising and such.    Given Practiscore these days, registration (even payment!), scoring, and reporting scores is a breeze.

The main problems you are going to have (in my opinion) are two things.

Problem 1:  Staff.  Getting people who know how to actually run shooters in an action setting (which this is) is very different from being an NRA RSO or running a precision rifle match.  Not arguing about whether harder or easier, just saying it is DIFFERENT.  Finding sufficient staff to make this work isn't easy.  Certainly possible, but not easy.  People who are good shooters or know rifles---isn't enough.  Knowing how to run shooters in safety, how to run a stage and keep it moving and efficient, deal with problems--that's the kind of staff you need for this.  The typical NRA RSO simply doesn't work with that kind of stuff.

Biggest problem:  Range space.

Something like this either needs someone who owns a couple of square miles out in western Nebraska, or taking over the entire ENGC or Heartland range for a day. 

...and it still wouldn't be easy at ENGC or Heartland, simply because the bays are too close together, and too easy to access.  Certainly could be done there, but there would be a lot of "go run down this road around the loop and come back to the bay right next to this one" situations unless people get REALLY creative (which is possible). 

...now you've got me thinking of how I would run this match at Heartland or ENGC.     :o

Anyway---I think a match like this would be a TON of fun.  I think that if you get someone who has run large matches before (preferably action ones), you'd be surprised and what it would take to make it work...

....IF you can get enough staff to run it, and a range space sufficient for it.  (If you can get range space, I'm pretty sure we can collectively make the rest of it work.)
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Offline Mudinyeri

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #25 on: July 27, 2015, 06:48:27 PM »
Hell has, apparently, frozen over again.  Thomas and I agree.

Not horribly expensive.  I already have a potential headline sponsor that has agreed to make their facility available for a minimal day-use fee and a percentage of the take.  As I mentioned, I also have had discussions with other locations.  Twenty steel targets shouldn't push much past $1000 and I'm guessing that we might even be able to borrow steel targets from the host facility.  One would assume that the insurance of the host facility would cover the event.

Difficult?  Yes.  Just like running this organization ... VOLUNTEERS will be the biggest challenge.

Promotion.  Not terribly difficult or expensive.

I can lend my experience with obstacle races, adventure races and other similar events.  But, again, Thomas is right.  We would need someone who has run large matches.  Although, I would recommend limiting participants to no more than 50 the first year - depending on the venue.

Offline tstuart34

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2015, 07:04:53 PM »
Just curious what's the cost for these events?

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Offline bkoenig

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2015, 10:12:35 PM »
Entry fee was $75 per shooter.

Offline Mali

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2015, 01:49:00 PM »
Difficult?  Yes.  Just like running this organization ... VOLUNTEERS will be the biggest challenge.

I, for one, would be willing to help out shleping things around or whatever needs to be done. This would be a fun event for everyone involved.
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Offline Workman

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #29 on: July 28, 2015, 06:33:26 PM »
I, for one, would be willing to help out shleping things around or whatever needs to be done. This would be a fun event for everyone involved.

Me too.

Offline Mudinyeri

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #30 on: July 28, 2015, 06:53:50 PM »
I really like the idea of contacting Old Breed Gun Club.  This seems like the kind of thing that would be up their alley.

Anyone have any contacts there?  Their facility is three hours north of either Omaha or Lincoln but it looks like it would be well suited.

Offline tstuart34

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #31 on: July 28, 2015, 07:18:51 PM »
I actually posted on there fb last night. Just to get a feeler. They said they are on private land up north. We need need to get permission from land owners in order to do it. They said they would be in to compete and maybe help out. But they would need more details. I said we were just kicking around the idea right now.

I think the best way to contact them is on Facebook. They are very active. They have a website but it isn't anything to great but I think they have a contact us page.

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Offline PC13

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #32 on: July 28, 2015, 11:27:13 PM »
I know several people, including myself,  who would be happy to pay well more than $75 entry for a fun event such as this if it were somewhere in Nebraska.  The one thing we are short of is time to travel to somewhere like Oklahoma for such an event.  Time severely hampers my ability to volunteer, but I would gladly pay higher match fees to be able to attend unique events such as this. 

Offline Mudinyeri

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #33 on: July 29, 2015, 07:35:22 AM »
I actually posted on there fb last night. Just to get a feeler. They said they are on private land up north. We need need to get permission from land owners in order to do it. They said they would be in to compete and maybe help out. But they would need more details. I said we were just kicking around the idea right now.

I think the best way to contact them is on Facebook. They are very active. They have a website but it isn't anything to great but I think they have a contact us page.

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I sent them an e-mail through their Contact Us form.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Congratulations to bkoenig!
« Reply #34 on: July 31, 2015, 06:19:49 PM »
I'm going to start a new thread to discuss planning an event like this.