The question people should be trying to answer is why aren't inexpensive rifles and scopes exciting to most people?
To quote Townsend Whelan: "Only accurate rifles are interesting". It is true for me unless I am plinking at pop cans at 20 yards with my Gamo Nitro piston.
This is a key FT requirement that is being ignored in this thread. The fact of the matter is that you will not score well at all with a rifle that is not accurate.
Sure, you will occasionally find an inexpensive rifle that shoots well while another 50 copies of the model will not. If you are lucky to find one, you have found inexpensive accuracy. The rest of us have to pay more for higher quality rifles to find accuracy. (or buy a handful of Barrels/Liners to cull through and select the best; or pay someone to do it for you)
To be highly competitive in FT you have to (at a minimum) a rifle that can shoot 3/8" groups at 15 yards, and sub 3/4" groups at 50 yards. The tighter the groups, the easier it is to score well. - The more you spend, the easier it is to get small groups (that indicate better accuracy).
You can have lots of fun shooting FT without such a rifle by competing with yourself. (I see an Avenge-X in my future to see how it does)
But you will never learn when a miss is your fault vs. the rifles fault if it can't meet the above levels of accuracy.
This is where your marksmanship will improve with practice because every miss will be because YOU did something wrong - figure it out!
If your rifle is not this accurate out of the box, tuning is required to make it so. Some choose to take a shortcut and spend $$$ to send their rifle to someone else to accurize / tune it. Some spend $$$ to buy a rifle that is accurate from the box (EX: Thomas).
We HAVE to set realistic expectations for new shooters to FT. If they do better - Bully for them! If they don't, they aren't embarrassed, Hey, FT is not an easy game - simple, but not easy.
I find the gun vs. shooter debate is a tedious misdirection play by those with a excellent rifle wanting to claim all the credit for scoring well for themselves and not the rifle. Both are required to score highly - an accurate rifle and good marksmanship. Having the $$$ to buy the best rifles is a shortcut to try to climb the leader board as Cavedweller describes. It is undoubtedly easier to shoot a top rifle well than a cheaper (read: less accurate) rifle well. This is the reason people who have proven their skills by shooting a Marauder VERY well move to a better rifle - It is EASIER to do well. (and you have higher confidence in your equipment)
I find those doing well with a "lesser" rifle to be truly admirable. Leave the Thomas at home and show us you can shoot a Sub $1000 rifle to a podium finish - Now THAT is impressive and shows you can do the work. Make no mistake - a poor marksman will not podium just because he has a Thomas and I'm not discounting the skill of Thomas shooters.
As to getting new shooters exposed to FT - Set out Targets that can be shot by .22 rifles (20-50 yards) post the target distances and have an open day. (Most non-specialized family type rifles are sold in .22) Have regulars there to explain the FT game and keep it fun and flexible.
, now it’s practice, practice, practice. To me this is sound logic? Time will tell “PAY ME NOW OR PAY ME LATER” it’s always cheaper now!
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