The introduce yourself thread (combined)

[AussieTimmeh]

Hello and welcome! Plenty of good people here that are very patient haha.

[Gogetem]

Hey Welcome to Enough Gun.

I too am relatively new here and do enjoy reading the interesting posts..

Good on you for starting your shooting with a .50 cal

And I've been worried about mrs wanting to shoot me .308

[Gregg]

And I've been worried about mrs wanting to shoot me .308

Careful with that... They have a habit of making your guns theirs

[Gogetem]

Careful with that... They have a habit of making your guns theirs

Haha can't argue on that, shez already got her eyes set on my new CZ

[jeener]

If she want's one there's always room in the safe for one more

[cavok]

OK, how is the new membership growing, what else can we do to make this forum more attractive to new members? Do we actually want new members and we take a back seat role, or encourage the newer members to join and make their requests known? More of this, less of that?
Who are our members, rifle, shotgun or pistol shooters are a collection of all 3 disciplines? If you are a visitor and reading this, come in and join the fun.
Am I allowed to say that?

[Noisydad]

SO much pressure! Too many questions! I can't cope with it!

[cavok]

SO much pressure! Too many questions! I can't cope with it!

That's ok, you don't have too, this is directed at new members, you are already one of the chosen, you get to sit back and shoot. All you need to decide is, will I shoot the rabbit at the front or the one further back, or do I fell lucky?

[Shotfox]

Good question - I would like to see Political Party involvement with the site getting a political veiw on some subjects or even a rep from the SSAA or other associations interacting with us to give us their spin on things.Even the firarms registry / police giving us some views etc. The list can go on but it wiuld be good to see some of the movers and shakers of the shooting community being involved with the site and giving us some posative interactivity. WHATS your thoughts .

[Chronos]

Good question - I would like to see Political Party involvement with the site getting a political veiw on some subjects or even a rep from the SSAA or other associations interacting with us to give us their spin on things.Even the firarms registry / police giving us some views etc. The list can go on but it wiuld be good to see some of the movers and shakers of the shooting community being involved with the site and giving us some posative interactivity. WHATS your thoughts .

Or we could leave all the political arguing and name calling to the other forums that do it best and keep this forum friendly and about shooting

As for the membership, I'll leave that for the admins to worry about. I think they do a good job so I say let them do what they've been doing.
Chronos

[Shotfox]

Its not about opinion or political persuation its more about information on how the politcal parties (and others) look at diffrent topics effecting our sport and mabey give us an insight into their thinking and shed some light on upcomming changes that may effect us. All the members here contibute a great deal and admin does a good job but to answer the question about growing the site, I thing positive contribution from the law makers and associated groups would be a good thing and I know we would welcome their input.

[Shotfox]

MODS - Since we are on the subject, are the like of the SSAA, firearms registry etc aware of this site and are they invited for comment ? Just asking

[Aster]

OK, how is the new membership growing, what else can we do to make this forum more attractive to new members?

Membership is growing. We're getting about 110 new members a month at the moment.

On that subject, we were recently advertising the forum with Google but now that they've decided not to allow advertising of firearms related sites that's got the can. I'm yet to look into other options but there will be some.

In the mean time... Tell your friends, share the site on Facebook, Twitter, wherever else you're online. We'd appreciate it.

Do we actually want new members and we take a back seat role, or encourage the newer members to join and make their requests known? More of this, less of that?

We do (of course) want new members, the more the merrier.

No one needs to take a back seat wrong but at the same time the forum needs to be welcoming to all.

More than one forum has fallen victim to becoming all but a private hang out for a small circle of regulars who run off new members; this won't be happening here. Anyone contributing to such a situation will find themselves swiftly uninvited from the forum. This isn't aimed at anyone and so far we've had no such problems here as we have a good bunch of folk here, but while we're on the subject I'll just make the point.

Who are our members, rifle, shotgun or pistol shooters are a collection of all 3 disciplines?

A quick content analysis would show disciplines in order of popularity are rifle > shotgun > pistol, but we have shooters from all 3. In time I expect I will break up the "Rifles, shotguns and pistols" forum into individual sections, but not just yet.

If you are a visitor and reading this, come in and join the fun. Am I allowed to say that?

It's the nature of forums that there are plenty of "lurkers" who regularly read but don't (yet) participate.

Last month for example we got about 13,000 targeted visitors (people who came in searching for firearms etc., not junk visits) who are not yet members. So there are plenty still to come.

-

A few things like competitions with prizes for sharing, joining the site etc. and loyalty rewards are in the pipeline as well. More to come on that later.

[Monty]

One thing Aster didn't mention, we've also just added a feedback tool to the site a few days ago.

Members will see a star/speech bubble in the lower right of the site. Here you can give the site a rating, and submit ideas on what to add to the site next. Over time ideas can be voted on my members and new features may be added as a result. All feedback is appreciated.

You must be a member to supply feedback, if you're not - Join the shooting forum now.

[Davies]

SO much pressure! Too many questions! I can't cope with it!

Relax.

Take a deep breath.... Of black powder smoke. And relax...

[Shotfox]

Thanks Aster / Monty, some good stats there.

Keep up the good work, we all appreciate it.

[cavok]

Last month for example we got about 13,000 targeted visitors (people who came in searching for firearms etc., not junk visits) who are not yet members. So there are plenty still to come.

May I say I am staggered by that 13,000 visitor number. Obviously the moderators are doing an excellent job promoting this site, a well done, thumbs up.

I did not think there are that many shooters, or potential shooters out there in the wild blue yonder looking for a forum.

This would be a great place to land, learn about shooting and more importantly tell of their experiences and expertise in this field, we all learn.

[Wes]

Damn lurkers, get in here

[tom604]

im a member of a few forums, im active on two, lurk on the others,i think that would apply to alot of people on the forums. this one is a nice one,everyone keeps their cool and tries to help others

[cavok]

Possibly have a feature article section for new and interested persons, possibly new lurkers need to register to read the entire article on rifle shooting or some other good tips etc.

[Chronos]

Possibly have a feature article section for new and interested persons, possibly new lurkers need to register to read the entire article on rifle shooting or some other good tips etc.

why? if they choose to just visit and read then even if they join they probably won't contribute much. on the other hand there are those govt department types who are members on closed forums so they can access/monitor the goings on there

the kind of members who are of the most value are those who choose to be a part of a community and want to contribute where they can. let them decide if they want to disclose who they are and what disciplines they shoot

like tom i'm a member on a bunch of different forums both firearms and other topics here, the US and the UK, some i contribute to where i can and some i just read to learn what i can. not all of them are like this one, some can be quite hard to crack and some you view for a few weeks and give up on. I've met some great people through shooting forums but i've also met some real tools, thankfully unlike anything else in life here you can click "ignore" of those members who's dribble makes your blood boil so you don't have to read it

Chronos

[vexesus]

One thing Aster didn't mention, we've also just added a feedback tool to the site a few days ago.

Put my vote in, gave you high marks

How're you scoring so far?

[Bennybigbores]

+1 for chronos, same same, this is my favourite forum alot of like minded people, good advice and topics,light hearted enough with little conflict unlike other forums I now less often frequent

[Aster]

Thanks for the positive feedback all.

So far, so good, Vexesus. Lots of 10's an 9's and some good comments. A few 8's... Bastards

[cavok]

Thanks for the positive feedback all.

So far, so good, Vexesus. Lots of 10's an 9's and some good comments. A few 8's... Bastards

Probably never learnt to count, back to school for them. Great to hear they left "good comments" means they can write at least.

[bluerob]

The more people who join and realise that we aren't crazies, the better.

[jennageit]

When I went in search of information about firearms and everything it entails, I found a few forums, but most wouldn't let you see anything without joining. That pissed me off, and then I found you guys (so very glad I did).

Maybe if it was possible to have it like the online newspapers these days where you get to read 5 articles for free before you have to subscribe (but in this case, become a member), that'd get us some more members? With the sheer volume of info in this place, a few flicks should cement the idea that it's a good place, and they'll sign up.

Just throwing some ideas around. I don't even know if this is possible.

*climbing back under my rock now.

[mausermate]

Yes, well done Moderators. great job.

I am a member of one forum, good bunch here, mostly polite, non confronting stuff and lots of intelligent well researched information. Well done members.

Bit like a pub I reckon: sex, politics and religion are the normal discussions that start fights or deter participants. Less of that and more gun talk would be the way to encourage more participants IMO.

[Aster]

When I went in search of information about firearms and everything it entails, I found a few forums, but most wouldn't let you see anything without joining. That pissed me off, and then I found you guys (so very glad I did).

Maybe if it was possible to have it like the online newspapers these days where you get to read 5 articles for free before you have to subscribe (but in this case, become a member), that'd get us some more members? With the sheer volume of info in this place, a few flicks should cement the idea that it's a good place, and they'll sign up.

Just throwing some ideas around. I don't even know if this is possible.

There are such things.

I forget the technical web name for it but there is '1 view free' kind of system which some use so that Google can read the page and return it in search results, when visitors they get the '1 view' for the page they came in on then membership is required. Or 5... However many the site operator feels is appropriate.

Personally I'm not convinced of the practice.

Sure, you'll get a few signups, but if they just do it to get to the one piece of info they want and never return what's the point? I know some places do it to inflate membership numbers, but why have hundreds/thousands of members who aren't really there?

Others you'll just put off and they'll leave.

We want people to join who are genuinely engaged, willing, and will contribute to the forum long term. Not just to railroad a few extra in for the sake of a few numbers.

I get the concept behind the X views free idea, but on balance I'm not convinced it's the best course of action.

[cavok]

I did not think you worked on Sundays!