Gen Y/Z shooter trends

[Elwin]

The only caveat is if someone's gear choice significantly impacts the pace of the class. I am thinking of a Raven Vanguard type thing, where you can't efficiently holster between strings. I still remember a guy shooting a lever gun as a Steel Challenge match -- I would love to have that part of my life back that he spent loading up between each of his five strings on each stage!

Yeah that's definitely different and I'm sure Chuck would have thrown a spare OWB holster at "that guy." Fortunately there was some self-selection going on in this class and the AIWB guys were using JM (me), KSG (the AI), and something else that was clearly safe and functional, and I don't recall any of the other folks having issues with their retention holsters.

I was the closest thing to impacting the pace being the guy with a single stack surrounded by Glocks and 2011s (I'm a really bad Millennial).

[mmc45414]

When I go shoot PRS, I wear an inner/outer belt, with only a few things on it: mags/mag carrier and a dump pouch. In this case it is easy to remove stuff for a break/lunch without having pants fall down. Inner belt holds up pants and is threaded through trouser loops. Outer belt Velcro’s on. No messing with threading.

This is my dilemma.

I normally do the majority of my pistol shooting with a realistic (generally carry to and from the range in it) IWB or tight OWB (am JMCK fan boy...) concealment holster, but a 2-Gun or 3-Gun match involves trying not to expose my foundation garments and scare the children while trying to thread all of the stuff I think I will/might/could need before I have seen any of the stages. I am also pretty diligent about my normal concealed carry gun while toting around a bunch of guns and ammo, so I am thinking about a loop inner belt (that the normal DSG clip will grab fine) and a hook outer belt loaded up with all of the normal stuff and leave it in the same position and get used to it. Maybe with something like the QLS attachments for stuff like the silly shotgun shell caddies so I can take them off and on.

I wanted to build this around a DOH rig because I am tired of freezing my bag off in the winter, I do not mind shooting in the cold but am tired of unzipping my coat frequently. But being used to an IWB just really throws me off on the DOH rig, so I back burnered that.

But so far I have the analysis paralysis, cause what I think I want is going to be a few hundred dollars, and I am not so damn sure I want what I think I do. Plus I do not really want to be the old guy with a costume.

[mmc45414]

I still remember a guy shooting a lever gun as a Steel Challenge match -- I would love to have that part of my life back that he spent loading up between each of his five strings on each stage!

Most of the 2G/3G stuff I have experience with has involved par times, IMO many times they are more aggressive than they should be. I think it discourages new shooters, and it takes the fun out of it for medium experience guys like me to maybe have a bad stage made worse by running out of time and not getting to have the fun of shooting all of the targets and then getting pounded by penalties on targets you could have easily neutralized. And if maybe five guys take an extra thirty seconds on four stages everybody gets home a whole ten minutes later, BFD.

But if somebody shows up with a lever gun imma gonna say We Need Par Times!!!!

[HCountyGuy]

Wait, is this a thread about younger guys buying and showing off "cool guy" stuff relative to whatever hobbies they're in to? Cause y'know, that ain't exactly a new trend or exclusive to our particular hobby.

Now I'll admit to making fun of the folks who come in to the indoor range with battle rattle who can't intentionally put two shots in the same zip code. But America and all that, so whatever. If they're not being unsafe and seem to be genuinely trying to get better, more power to them.



We now return to your regularly scheduled old folks yelling at clouds.

[jetfire]

The biggest Millennial and Gen Z shooter trends is that in general they’re a lot better at shooting than Gen X and Boomers.

The access to free training material and democratization of good information has resulted in a skill jump in the shooting sports that is unprecedented. A USPSA B-class shooter from 2023 would wreck at Master from 2000 without breaking a sweat.

[Duelist]

The only caveat is if someone's gear choice significantly impacts the pace of the class. I am thinking of a Raven Vanguard type thing, where you can't efficiently holster between strings. I still remember a guy shooting a lever gun as a Steel Challenge match -- I would love to have that part of my life back that he spent loading up between each of his five strings on each stage!

<<<makes mental note not to try to run a Marlin in a Steel Challenge.

[Stephanie B]

You say it like there's something wrong with that. Hooded sun shirts are ALL I wear to the range these days. I hate lathering on sunscreen. KUIU are some of my favorites.

The first time I saw a guy wearing one, I wondered what sort of nutball wears a long-sleeved hoodie when it’s hot outside. I wasn’t about to go up to the guy and ask “what’s with the hoodie, dude?“

[fatdog]

..... there was an FDE Jeep Gladiator with recovery boards and other over landing gear.

All the battle belt, TQ pouch, dump pouch gear stuff...I could care less about the current fashions unless as GJM cites it is a detriment to running the match somehow, and that is almost always the shooter not the gear. In the early days of action shooting the leather gear on a leather belt people were looking askance at the folks like myself who were starting to show up with inner belt/outer belt stiffened nylon or cordura belt rigs with skeletonized polymer race holsters and adjustable slanted mag holders 25-30 years ago.

However not just at the range, I really do get a kick out of seeing all of the high end expensive highly accessorized 4WD ostensibly off road vehicles that have become the fashion. Especially when I take a close look and find they don't have full coverage horizontal scratches....posers!

If all you have is some mud to show for it in this part of the world you actually have not been anywhere that vehicle has purpose....

[RJ]

The first time I saw a guy wearing one, I wondered what sort of nutball wears a long-sleeved hoodie when it’s hot outside. I wasn’t about to go up to the guy and ask “what’s with the hoodie, dude?“

Here in Central Florida, a long-sleeve hoodie generally means you are on your way to, working at, or on your way home from, your entry-level position in the Landscaping and/or Lawn Services Industry.


On topic: I am glad this discussion came up; it's very informative. I have not shot a USPSA match for...a while. I plan to resume this fall, when it returns to not being eleventy-billion degrees outside. Clearly I have some catching up to do, in terms of my, ah, accoutrement.

[Doc_Glock]

As long as we are discussing trends, the hooded sun shirt has become the default upper garment that I see at matches and the range.

I tried one of those on a sunny, hot Grand Canyon hike and concluded they are stupid. It’s a base layer and does base layer things like -heat- you up. Good for skin cancer though I guess.