1000 Members?

[floodgate]

I'd like to pose a question, and an offer / suggestion:

Question: How big do we want to grow this site? To some extent, growth can be painful, especially if one tries to keep up with everyone and everything. On the other hand, it seems like I meet two or three new friends a week, and learn something new every log-in, often from the new folks. I vote for unlimited growth, even if we have to further partition sub-topics at some later date. SOOO....

Offer / Suggestion: I'll toss a few $$ into the kitty to offer our 1000th member the gift of a brand new mould of his / her choice, among the standard Lyman, RCBS, Lee-6-cav., etc. moulds under $100, with handles. Maybe even a choice of whatever is going on at the time with our special-order designs.

Whaddya-all think???

floodgate

[no_1]

That means all I need to do is re-register 245 more times to get a mould! Now all I need to come up with is the names......

[Scrounger]

Now if I was lurking around here, or had a friend who wasn't registered, and the member list got scary close to 1000, I'd probably try to manage my/his registration to hit that lucky number, specially if there was a prize involved. And there's less incentive to be number 950 or 989 or whatever. How about everytime we hit a hundred mark (900, 1000, 1100 etc) we have a drawing for all new entries in that 100? (Was that a cohort in Roman Army TO?) Another thought. If everyone of us kicked in a dollar a year, that would easily pay for the above prize, Plus we could have a drawing for all members, every quarter (how about the first day of each season?), lucky winner gets his choice of new RCBS Lubesizer or equivalent in molds, sizers, lube, whatever. A buck a member a year will finance that. I'd surely kick in for that. Or maybe I got too much time on my hands.....

[floodgate]

no_1:

"That means all I need to do is re-register 245 more times to get a mould! Now all I need to come up with is the names......"

OK, no_246 gets it!

Scrounger:

"I'd probably try to manage my/his registration to hit that lucky number.."

That'd be like trying to out-bid three auto-snipe programs on eBay!

As to yur other ideas, that's the kind if thinking I was hoping to trigger. Let's keep kicking it around.

floodgate

[no_246]

I am no_246. What do I get?

no_1:

"That means all I need to do is re-register 245 more times to get a mould! Now all I need to come up with is the names......"

OK, no_246 gets it!

Scrounger:

"I'd probably try to manage my/his registration to hit that lucky number.."

That'd be like trying to out-bid three auto-snipe programs on eBay!

As to yur other ideas, that's the kind if thinking I was hoping to trigger. Let's keep kicking it around.

floodgate

[KYCaster]

I am no_246. What do I get?

I think that new guy smells an awful lot like no_1. Give him a bar of ho-made soap.

[floodgate]

no_246:


Would you settle for a slightly (ab-)used Lee SC mould with only one alignment pin missing? The bent sprue-plate is easy to straighten, and I'm sure you can figure out how to tighten the loose pivot screw.' Ill throw in an old pair of water-pump pliers you could make handles out of.

gateflood

[no_1]

I could not resist. I guess the "slightly use" lee mould will be just fine as long as I get the "ho-made" soap to clean up with later.

Now how do I delete this dang no_246 name?

no_246:


Would you settle for a slightly (ab-)used Lee SC mould with only one alignment pin missing? The bent sprue-plate is easy to straighten, and I'm sure you can figure out how to tighten the loose pivot screw.' Ill throw in an old pair of water-pump pliers you could make handles out of.

gateflood

[no_1]

You guys are the best. I love this place. I agree on the idea of having quarterly drawings. Where do I send my contribution?

[grumble]

Why do we want a huge number of registered members?

I'm not necessarily against the idea, but except for group buys, I don't see any advantage. Growth will have some attendent problems, I'd assume, not the least of which would be attracting trolls and spammers. The larger this group gets, the more its "personality" will change.

[8mmshooter]

You folks here are the best for sure. I have been lurking here since the old "SHOOTERS" was around. I love the old military rifles and the old commercial ones as well. You all have kept my interest up as well as my wallet flat tryin the things you all come up with all of the time. I don't post much as I'm in a constant learning mode here. You have been great teachers as well as my nemesis. I am solidly hooked on this site and I can see why you are always growin with the expertise here. The collective knowledge here is priceless as far as I'm concerned. I have watched and listened to you all help newbies as well as the more experienced casters. It is always a great pleasure to me to learn from you all. I guess what I'm saying is " Thank You" 8mmshooter

[45nut]

I Like this idea! A quarterly drawing is an excellent idea,but let's make sure we include all members. After all,the members are the "draw" here. I am sure we can manage to arrange some version of this that is workable.

Thanks for the note as well 8mm,I am certainly not going to dis-agree with any of your observations.
Oh,and I deleted the no_246 for you no_1. Nice try !

[Scrounger]

I Like this idea! A quarterly drawing is an excellent idea,but let's make sure we include all members. After all,the members are the "draw" here. I am sure we can manage to arrange some version of this that is workable.

I'm in. Willye can handle the money and quarterly drawing, he doesn't have anything else to do... :-P And we can certainly trust him with a dollar a year contribution. (Your contribution is your entry into the drawing) If he absconded with all that money, well, I'd sure hate to have people like CarpetMan, StarMetal, and, uh, me, after me. [smilie=l: CarpetMan has a network of spy dogs all over the country, looking for cats; Willye wouldn't be hard to find. Starmetal could ventilate him with one shot at a mile with his Yugo SKS. And I'd bore him to death... :)

[waksupi]

I don't see it so much as "pushing" to reach a thousand. The numbers will come.

What I see, is a large amount of shooters of lead, who have been looking for a place to learn, that isn't full of old wives tales. We've pretty much kicked the old wives in the ass, and sent them down the road. I can think of no other cast bullet page I have went to on the web, that didn't have some blatantly parroted crap about cast bullets. I quit visiting them. I got tired of argueing with the local expert, whoever's toes I may have stepped on. They had thier own little incorrect world, and didn't wish to have any profane thoughts offered.

That is the advantage here. There are true experts. And if someone is full of BS up to thier eyebrows, you can be assured things will be set straight on a topic, by other experts, before the question is left to rest. There is darn little left to question once a topic ends, and usually a lot of esoteric minutia is added, on the firearm, chambering, or bullet, in question.

It is obvious there is a large pb following, that is thirsty for knowledge. They know the info isn't available through the magazines. No money from the big bullet companies, if people are making thier own, and making bullets that out-perform the premium fodder.

We will continue to grow. And I believe to a level many here do not fore see. It will remain much the same, regardless of numbers. There are some who enjoy posting, and some who enjoy lurking. If we get trolls, we deal with them, and move on. Most of us interested in cast bullets, are more mature, experienced shooters, and don't have to see who can piss up the wall the highest. That is to our advantage. This is the age you must reach, to truely learn something. Our loads don't have to exceed 3500 fps to kill a deer, and we are quite happy with sedate loads, that perform for personal satisfaction, rather than to impress the guys at the local range, on how loud our rifles are.

Coming here, is like doing search for anything else on the web. The best tends to be near the top in it's field. And I do believe that pretty much covers this page, because of the members and contributors.

Think about this. At this time, there are slightly more than 750 members registered here. Let's say that each member has ten years experience with cast bullets. (I believe thirty years each would be closer to the truth.)

750 X 10 = 7500 years of bullet casting experience.

Pretty good knowledge base to tap, don't you think?

We will grow. And we will remain a viable resource.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Waksupi, the only thing you left out of your post is, "I have spoken." That is what a wise chief said after he had said it all. Sincerest thanks.

[Gunload Master]

I'm in. Willye can handle the money and quarterly drawing, he doesn't have anything else to do... :-P And we can certainly trust him with a dollar a year contribution. (Your contribution is your entry into the drawing) If he absconded with all that money, well, I'd sure hate to have people like CarpetMan, StarMetal, and, uh, me, after me. [smilie=l: CarpetMan has a network of spy dogs all over the country, looking for cats; Willye wouldn't be hard to find. Starmetal could ventilate him with one shot at a mile with his Yugo SKS. And I'd bore him to death... :)

Ha Ha! Good idea, but I don't think I could handle that sort of responsiblity.. I've still got to get my other ideas rolling, i'm racking my brain as it is. :D

I don't mind seeing a large member count as long as it don't get out of control. Is anyone a member of ar15.com ? If you are, you know what I am talking about when I say "out of control". I can guarentee you this place will never be like that. I will stop member registration before that would ever happen. I enjoy seeing the member count rise, and seeing new faces bring in new questions and I think thats great.

Happeniess and satisfied people are my #1 concern.

[no_1]

Oh,and I deleted the no_246 for you no_1. Nice try !

Thanks 45nut. My wit was faster than my common sense when I created that log in.

[Frank46]

Gunload Master, I used to do shooter's, aimoo and now Castboolits. The changes I see
even in the last few months are great. And can agree that some sites can get out of control (AR15). But change and expansion are inevitable. But there seems to be such a wealth of information to be gained from many of the members. Yeah there may be disagreements, arguments and sometimes a few not so well chosen words. But so what?. I've seen some real flame wars on the old shooters, haven't really seen that here. I used to read before going to bed. Well since becoming a member I'm here every
morning from 2am till the sandman comes. I'd like to put in a plug for another forum if I may. How 'bout single shot rifles??. We have leverguns, pistols, revolvers, mil-surps.
Well I've been on the soap box long enough. Keep up the good work. Frank

[Buckshot]

.............I too am not afraid to stick my neck out and say membership WILL continue to grow. That's a pretty safe assumption. Create a spot and they will come. However we have to be realistic, and of every 10 new members you will glean maybe 1 or 2 real "Hangers on". Real solid family members who melt right in and understands that maybe there is just a little bit more going on here then simply "Cast Bullets", as this is "Cast Boolits", and the oldies know what I mean.

Of the balance there will be a solid core of the members who will occasionally post, and understand what's happening and be a part of it. Finally you'll have those who check in once a week or so, and then those who joined for maybe a custom mould or simply to ask a question, or possibly decided they really didn't like it.

Lest anyone mis-understand, I am NOT equating anyones number of posts with their dedication to the group, or their standing (there is no rank here) within it.

Let me make this personal, and hope it does a good job of maybe explaining how I feel about it, and maybe for some others too. First of all, I care greatly that EVERY new member likes it here, finds things of interest and even cultivates some new long distance friends. However, I will be very honest and say that due to longevity, or personal knowledge, there are people here that when I see their posts, I will go there first. Even if it's about some dumb ole peestol thing.

In addition to that, there are members well beyond those who were at Shooters.com who have become 'Oldsters" among this particular group in a rather short period of time. I think it's a matter of perceived comfort. We are comfortable around them and they around us. We're all well beyond the crotch sniffing stage (HA!)

So look at that 750 number and then skim across the board over a month's time and you'll see maybe 200-250 active members, and possibly 100 others. I also don't think that the increasing membership will change the flavor of the board. The flavor has been set. And how it is, is how it will most likely remain.

I do know a couple who have dropped out, because the board wasn't "Pure Science". People, that's a BUNCH of work, and members may occasionally dabble in it, and I believe that most here are capable of some pretty darn interesting stuff. But realisticly I'm pretty sure most of us are just having a good time with it, and not killing ourselves with it. I'm not against it by any means, I'm just not willing to spend the time at it ......... constantly!

So far as a donation for prizes go, I can see that and would be willing to donate. But lets not suppose that because our membership is now 750 that you're going to see a $750 pot. Nuh-uh. A call for donations right now might see $200 with a buck a member being the ante. But let's do it, anyway.

..............Buckshot

[sundog]

The varied occupations we all have speak volumes about who we really are. No slouches in this bunch. That's a compliment fellers. And because of that it is less important to have a certain number of members as it is for the place to be as dynamic as us. Kinda like the pot bellied stove in the ole country store, or a cracker barrel, or a spit and whittle bench. Anyone from the country doc to a city slicker salesman to the preacher's kids can set and visit a spell as long as they behave. Loud mouth punks and trolls aren't well tolerated and are dealt with as necessary. This ain't rocket science (damn close though), but I'm sure that if one of them smart high tech NASA types wanted to learn about cast boolits, this would be as good a place as any. Better. No best. If by chance we do have number one thousand stop by, he should be rewarded with the name OneK or similar. Let him buy his own steekin' mould. Gotta go get ready for the monthly military bolt match. Y'all have a good day! sundog

[waksupi]

We need a drum roll. I see we are currently sitting at 799 members. Who will be #800?

[Gunload Master]

I'm just guessing here, but I think it will be n5odj...