Michael , we do get inquiries but generally most instantly think it’s beyond them in every sense and immediately say that looks like an expensive bit of kit.
All I am trying to do is think of ways to potentially attract new shooters and going of the comments I do get at Silverdale cost is one them.

Affordability and Availability of reasonably priced equipment is just one of many that our discipline is struggling with.

We all need to figure out someway to increase the profile of our discipline because with our rapidly aging group  I worry for its future.

why not at Silverdale have a trial of a new class, hunter/PRS rifles? This has been brought up before,but was it trialed? everyone already has one of these rifles. I also think you need more advertising at Silverdale. I go there occasionally and i see no adverts for srbr. I thought you may have stopped the weekend shoots. I do see one for the rimfire fly shoot, and i see they also have a prize give away for the winners. 

 Affordability of new or used rifles, if blokes are interested in srbr they will find money for a rifle just like they find money for the PRS style rifles they buy and build. Those ATCAR scopes they use are like $4-$5k alone. 

I also have some thoughts about competitions, as you know i dont attend comps, i think its all to slow. But, my thoughts are, change the relays from 7 minutes to 5 minutes. This may speed things up a little.  Another one,  before the comp starts have a bench draw, you team up with 2 or 3 or 4 other blokes and share the one bench all day, share flags aswell. If you dont have flags, your down the end of the line with no flags to share or to shoot at. And once again, have a hunter/PRS rifle class. I think this provision is already in the rules, for "out of class rifles". It just needs advertising. 

Availability of rifles, they are out there for sale, Im trying to sell 2 rifles now, one is a fly/fclass and a 6ppc for less than what they owe me, and still no buyers. Both have no scopes, but are priced comparable to one of those ATCAR scopes. Also trying to find a quality benchrest gunsmith to take on a new build. A couple of years ago myself and another bloke wanted a new PPC each. We both sent emails to a gunsmith and phone calls, with no replies. My mate went on to Fclass and has one several comps with the rifle he had built by a fclass gunsmith. Looking back i should have asked that gunsmith to build my PPC. But i wanted a SRBR gunsmith. 

These are just my thoughts on the sport. 

Under lining made the word disappear, first was Affordability of new or used rifles.  2nd is Availability of rifles.

Interesting thread Michael first of all a Gunsmith is a personal choice mine is LRP solutions Matt Paroz he does all my work across 5 shooting sports. 

The question of reducing time to speed things up to what end 7 min relays 5 at 100 and 5 at 200 is the match peeling 2 minutes off has no value as there is a 30 rule about when you leave the line to when you come back. PRS ACtar, Fly, can all be shot in unlimited which is 10 shots fired at each detail totalling 100 scoring shots in a day. a match for the fly match is 25 scoring shots in a day even with sighters it is still only 40 shots in a full day. Fullbore is maximum of 48 shots in a day so bang for your buck and more shooting Short Range has it over them. As for sharing only one bench this does not give all shooters the ability to shoot across the course. 

One bench one flag line all day will see one rest and bag set up and shared by everyone. The difficulty in the sport is the enjoyment setting up at other benches gives everyone an equal playing field to set their bags and rests up which adds to the difficulty in the sport.

Short Range is hard and that is what is enjoyable about the sport. 

So please bring all the ACTAR or prs rifles and join the unlimited class and everyone in short range is happy to help new shooters get involved. 

cheers Les

All points taken Les. these were just my thoughts from going to an Australia Day match a few years ago. I personally found it a long boring day. I like SRBR, just not the competition side of things. If its hard to attract new members to the sport you need to find out why? A survey would be a start to get a few answers. Good luck with the sport.