Well, if Mr. Murbach (how's that for respect?) was to see the post devoted to him growing to six pages - and not done yet - maybe he'd like that.
I had mixed feelings about Terry too. He was/is without a doubt one of the most knowledgeable men who has posted here since I've been around. I got to thinking that he was sort of like our own R. Lee Ermey. You know the role he played in that commercial where he was a psychologist, and quickly blasts the sniveling wimp who's lying on the shrink's couch. Yes, that kind of thing used to make me laugh out loud. Hey, it WAS funny.
But, maybe I can explain why I say mixed feelings by telling you about a situation currently going on at the shooting range where I'm a member. We've got a bunch of "clubs within a club" here. When you join, you can shoot at a 50 foot pistol range, 50 yard rifle - standing or sitting, a 25, 100, 200 yard rifle (benched only) range, and then a bunch of shotgunning. However ... there is a whole lot going on that you have to inquire about, and then things can get a whole lot more fun.
We have "orientation" for our Action Areas, and once you do this you can shoot in any of 7 bays about 35 yards deep, you can holster your pistol, practice drawing, shoot steel plates, and generally have a ball. They shoot USPSA, IDPA, and Cowboy matches in these bays every month.
The rifle guys have a very cool 600 yard range, but you have to qualify. And the Bullseye guys have their own little area, and it is under lock and key. It's this last bunch that I think about when thinking about Terry and this thread.
Bullseye is, without a doubt, a highly skilled pistol shooting discipline. Here's the problem: alot of the older guys who shoot Bullseye are real butt heads. When my old college prof buddy and I went over to look at their area when we were new members a couple years back, we really got a bunch of attitude from these guys. We walked away just shaking our heads.
Lately it seems that the Bullseye guys don't have enough guys to shoot their matches the way they used to. Well geez, no kidding. The older guys pass on, or stop shooting because of age related difficulties. Over the past six months I've had a couple of the younger guys wander over to our Practice Pistol, watch me shooting, and then try to recruit me to shoot with them. These younger guys are smart enough to know that a shooting sport that's not bringing in new blood is a dying shooting sport. At our club, each of these areas I described brings in money to the club treasury. Dues alone don't cut it. So, the younger Bullseye guys realize that their area might vanish if they don't keep new blood coming in. It will be replaced by another shooting discipline that is more popular and brings in a bit more cash, by the club.
So, while I understand Terry's frustration at some of the kids who won't read, or open a book and learn a little something before they start spouting truly stupid questions (yes, there is such a thing as a stupid question), it's in all of our best interests to take a breath and try to help out if we can. The way I see it, a new shooter who gets the cold sholder might not be a shooter for long. We need all of the new shooters in this country that we can get. And if we get the chance to educate them, well then we've started them off on the right track.
As for some of the moaning and groaning about "oh, sniff, sniff, the forum isn't what it used to be ..." I say, PUL-EEEEZE !
How many forums have great guys like John DeFresno, who has kindly posted QuikLoad readouts for guys like me who want to know the pressures involved in .45 Colt loads we've been working on ?
How many forums have guys like Y2K, who shares all kinds of shooting adventures and learning experiences, and family joys with us ?
How many forums have a guy like Blaine, who is possibly the fastest punster I've ever heard of ?
How many forums have a guy like Pitchy, who takes the time to share his arrow-punctured outhouse with us ? (Okay, it was his outdoor shower).
How many forums have guys like Joe Miller, who has posted .45 Colt info and answers for guys like me, and a hundred other guys ?
How many forums have a guy like Hobie, who is possibly one of the most knowledgeable, decent, and quick witted guys anywhere ?
How many forums have a guy like rangerider7, who has shared just incredible Texas Ranger and Old West history and photos with us ?
How many forums have a guy like KirkD, who is so talented in photographing old leverguns that he could be a bigshot professional, and he shares them with us ! Not to mention his incredible load development for the guys shooting the old leverguns ?
How many forums have a guy like AJMD, who can shoot you with his tactical levergun, and then patch you up ? But you've got to listen to him go on about libertarian principles.
How many forums have guys like gamekeeper and nath, who continue to not only keep the faith in un-gun-friendly England, but share shooting and hunting experiences in England with us ?
How many forums have guys like 86er, who has more hunting experience and knowledge than any one person I've ever met, and he shares this stuff with us !
How many forums have guys like sixgun, who is already cornering Terry's title as a shooting curmudgeon, and knowledgeable to boot ?
There are dozens more great guys I could list here, but you get the gist.
In conclusion, how many forums have such a wealth of knowledge among so many different members, in so many different areas of shooting, hunting, shooting and old west history, and on and on ?
Your honor, I rest my case. (Theme from Perry Mason begins here...)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
- DixieBoy
When the People Fear Their Government There is Tyranny; When the Government Fears the People There is Liberty.