Interesting question. I suspect that there are many and varied factors but I hadn't thought of the parlous economy being one which could well be. The ever increasing number of places to engage online might be another.
 

In my case, work causes less forum activity.

From one or two folks, I know that they started spending more time in active shooting matters, or with the family, and less on forums.

I have less forum interest when I have other things to worry about - its strange to say that when business is busy I am forum busy, when things are quiet I am less socially inclined.
I also believe the multitude of forums, platforms and activities available makes any of the mentioned more subjective to rationing of time and attention.

its strange to say that when business is busy I am forum busy

Interesting that. I'm exactly the opposite. When I was a consultant billing 16 hour days for months on end I wouldn't open gunsite or any of the other forums for weeks at a time. Now that I'm in sheltered employment i find myself on the things very much more.

All the above are valid suggestions, but to add to it, I think that most of the "important matters" have already been discussed to death on all forums.

There is now much less to discuss.

All the above are valid suggestions, but to add to it, I think that most of the "important matters" have already been discussed to death on all forums.

There is now much less to discuss.

****************************
Saw a 10 year old post of yours - a friend that shot 16+ gr 9 mm bullets - ring any bells that ?

The shooting hobby has become less affordable.

This I think is a combination of factors.

The first is the COVID lockdown aftermath. It killed many small businesses. The most active, multi-discipline shooters were almost all small business owners.

Also evidenced by the selling of personal firearms. People selling their sport guns due to financial need, keeping only the SD.

The second is the cost of componenents due to the ongoing delusion that Russia can be beaten.

We are now paying premium bullet prices for primers. The average person used to be able to afford to reload a couple hundred pistol rounds a month for their favourite pistol sport, but these days the cost of a pistol primer is more than the cost of a loaded round used to be. Not so many people can afford that.

Third, and most importantly, the number of new gun owners is decreasing. In my sons' generation, out of all the kids I know that my sons grew up with, only my one son and one other have firearm licenses. When I was that age, nearly everyone I knew had a license.

Forum activity is driven by new shooters, asking advice for the multitude of hurdles that all new shooters and reloaders have to navigate.

All the ou ballies here have been there, done that, and have a lot of knowledge to share, but there are few to no new shooters to do the asking. And I think that is a common condition in all the online forums in South Africa at least.

I think the forums have been killed by click-bait. You pick up your phone, or get sucked into the vortex of you-tube shorts, and there goes your time to be more productive on forums.

All the above are valid suggestions, but to add to it, I think that most of the "important matters" have already been discussed to death on all forums.

There is now much less to discuss.

****************************
Saw a 10 year old post of yours - a friend that shot 16+ gr 9 mm bullets - ring any bells that ?

No, you've got me there. Post the link so I can go back & look, maybe it will trigger my memory........... 😉

*************************
Saw a 10 year old post of yours - a friend that shot 16+ gr 9 mm bullets - ring any bells that ?

No, you've got me there. Post the link so I can go back & look, maybe it will trigger my memory........... 😉

*******************
Never find it now again, u mentioned he had 16o gr 9 mm bullets.