Benchrest shooters, where art thou?

You might have to start hosting your own and bringing the younger crowd out. Good time to teach them firearm safety, put some flyers up around schools and a facebook page. Hold a shooting class, for free and let then do a clip in one of your rifles.

Grow your own grass roots, mentorship works.

Smitty

I've been saying for years, Lehigh Valley PA. Plenty of indoor & outdoor ranges that could be rented for a day or weekend. I only have 2 acres myself but access to hundreds. If the people KNEW that 4 times a year 50 guys at least were going to show up and pay an entry fee, a concrete pad, benches, lean to roof & bulldoze a huge berm, NO problem. Like you said, no interest.

Now, this year is 1st year for small game & varmints. IF they'd legalize whitetail & someone would open a shop where guys could see what these can do, see how quiet they are even inside where normally indoor ranges are GOING to make your ears ring, then maybe they'd start realizing targets at 500 for $18.99 & hunting at 150 rounds for same price is way better than 20 rounds for $20.00, then it might catch on.

The North East regionals are held in Salem NY every June. Other than that it's all rimfire. There used to be more air rifle bench rest in the east but many of those players are retired in one way or another. Smitty has it right, you'll have to start your own club and recruit from current firearms shooting touting that the practice using and AR will better their PB game.

John

I’m going to see the viability of a nice club in the S.W. of Mi. (Club name is S.M.G.C. )possibly holding a Regional or even a national event? They have hosted a FT national in the past, but I think they only have 15 or 16 (covered) benches? Extremely nice club and set up for BR! 

Look into Field Target. In TN we didnt have formal BR but I easily found a dozen+ people who had the gear and shot BR. No big trophy but lot's of good compition.



John