I don't know but

[PWC]

it seems not that many people are interested in shooting old military rifles any more. I can appreciate that every year that goes by, originals become less available, but there are companies that are making new "old" mil surps that are very good. The younger folks don't seem to care about history any more, probably because the high school history classes (if it is still taught) may not have even gotten to Arch Duke Ferdinand's assination. It appears to be old farts (I resemble that remark) that are keeping them alive on Jouster, Mil Surps, GCA and a few others.

Shooting, not collecting; that's a different animal all together. Pistols, mod 1911 in all flavors and types yes, everyone shoots, reloads, and tinkers with.

When I go to the other forums and look at "New Posts" to catch up, everyone seems to be building, rechambering, or shooting ARs in all different calibers, stock and otherwise and the new flavor of the year 6.5 in all its varities. 80-90% of the posts are all about ARs and 6.5s. It seems to be the younger group of Millineals and Gen X that have embraced the ARs and loooong range shooting. At least the 50 cal dates back to WW II.

One forum even had a post about where does the 30-06 fit in any more. Thankfully, there were alot of us (probably old farts) that did explain how the cow ate the cabbage from 100 to 1000yds. It made no difference, the denigration continues. Maybe the 06 can't compete with all the new technologically better rifles and cartridges, but there is nothing on the North American Continent that an 06 with appropriate bullet can't take down. Never thought I needed a special rifle aqnd caliber to take small critters to grizzlies; one rifle COULD do it all. I never have and never will make a trip to Africa, so I don't need a shoulder fired cannon.

Sorry, just wanted to lament and nostalgia-ize.

[togor]

Garands in .30-06 are still selling, we think, via the CMP. But as you say, vintage shootable milsurps decrease in supply over time, and tastes change.

[bruce]

One thing that really hammered the popularity of vintage military rifle shooting is the restrictions on importing ammo, etc. from overseas sources as well as the prohibitions of importing more rifles, parts, etc. Sincerely. bruce.

[Sunray]

Lots of interest, but a lot of younger shooters just don't have the money to buy an M1, et al, in decent enough condition to shoot. Lotta high priced junkers out there. But just are not available everywhere in the numbers they used to be. M1 Rifles used to be in every shop at reasonable money(paid $175Cdn for mine in the late 70's). Ain't like that any more.
"...the 06 can't compete..." Couldn't as soon as the .308 was developed. Mind you, it's still more about recoil. Lots of milsurp shoots around though. Camp Perry and the CMP Matches come to mind.
The 50 BMG dates back to before W.W. I.

[Vern Humphrey]

The .50 BMG was developed after WWI, entering service in 1921. Browning was encouraged to develop it by Pershing, who saw the future on mechanized warfare. It can fairly be said to be the weapon what won WWII -- American fighters with 6 .50 BMGs outgunned anything the enemy could put in the air.

[Allen]

it seems not that many people are interested in shooting old military rifles any more. The younger folks don't seem to care about history any more,

A LOT of the younger people and/or their parents weren't even born in America so yeah, they have no interest or understanding about this country and the history of it.

[togor]

The .50 BMG was developed after WWI, entering service in 1921. Browning was encouraged to develop it by Pershing, who saw the future on mechanized warfare. It can fairly be said to be the weapon what won WWII -- American fighters with 6 .50 BMGs outgunned anything the enemy could put in the air.

In the Pacific, maybe. Luftwaffe aircraft with 30mm Mk108 cannons could deliver a fatal dose of firepower with only a momentary firing solution.

[Sandpebble]

A LOT of the younger people and/or their parents weren't even born in America so yeah, they have no interest or understanding about this country and the history of it.

that's not it at all Allen .... we were involved in a long running fad that has now got priced out.

Now the dominant interest is the various AR platforms and blam blam blam bang blam ..... or quicker if the range officer is slow to bark.

Now when I go to the public range I am often the only guy out of 70 - 80 people with a wood stocked rifle.

I've had many a comment tossed my way that my single shot Savage seems rather boring....

My explanation that hitting bullet holes at 100 yds is far more interesting than failing to hit a basket ball at 50yds seems to go right over everyones head ....to land on deaf ears .

.... and if I may.... I don't see a lot of imigrants at the range..... with or without an interest in US history

[PWC]

Sunray, I know there are a lot of mil surps shooters in the Camp Perry and CMP type matches held all over. But where are they at the ranges? I shoot at the public ranges and I am one of the few wood stocked rifles on the line (wood is so pase'). As Pebble says, I find ready on my right...ready on my left, blam blam blam bang blam ..... Once in awhile, someone on the other end of the line fires something that raises the dust around my feet; even with plugs and muff, I don't want to go down there to see what it is.

Maybe many mil surps folks go out into the desert to shoot...if so they police up their brass very well as most I see is 5.56 / .223 and 9mm.

Some years ago, my wife and I were at the range when 5 guys (20ish types) took two benches a little ways down from us. Two of them literally carried a laundry basket full of ammo from 9mm to 12ga slugs. (I could recognize a laundry basket easily, remember I have a wife) They proceeded to load every magazine, rifle and pistol. When the range was called hot, they alternated, two at a time, unloading at 7 yd targets as fast as they could, I quit counting at 8 reloads each in the same time period. No pause to analyze the target, or think about what they did. No serious work shooting work done.

We watched for awhile, I wanted to see if there was any brass that I reload and that they might not want; they didn't want any, said they got it free. But there was none for me anyway.

Now, these target frames have a usable window of 48" X 48" and are usable from 7 yd to 200 yd. At 7 yds, even with a shotgun it's hard to hit the target frame. They were half way thru the basket when they blew up a wooden target frame with the 12ga. They drew the wrath of the Range Master with that and 'why weren't you using the rebar target frames for the shotgun?' If the hits on their 7 yd targets were #7 shotgun pellets at 40 yds; a hummingbird couldn't have gotten thru it.

My wife and I left shortly thereafter. Oh, and by the way, did I mention that all five were wearing black tee shirts with "Corrections Officer" printed on the back? Now who paid for their good time shoot'm up?

[togor]

Sounds like the young guys who came around to the public land next door to blast away from 8-10 yards, ricochets be damned. I happened to be out there when they came by one time and described the property, where the trails and fishermen might be, and tried to politely and sympathetically set them up in a way that wouldn't put me downrange as I went for my run. They shot a reduced inventory and moved on. Accurate aimed fire from iron sights doesn't seem to be a thing anymore for this new generation. My own son gets a balanced diet of iron sights to go with scoped rifles.