NBRSA & IBS
Two kissing cousins. Both have a piece the of action in USA benchrest. Both the IBS & NBRSA have members on the World Teams that compete for Team USA. Both talk the crap depends on which Range you shoot on in a particular day.
Let's go back when there was neither. I have to admit I have some very good sources so be careful how you respond. Benchrest has always had a following. It is the standard way of testing rifle, ammunition, and shooter for the ultimate accuracy that Page and Newick wrote about.
NBRSA
Early benchrest had 3 distinct areas prior to 1949. The Northwest the East and the Gulf Coast.
The Northwest mainly Washington State had the Puget Sound Sniper Congress that started competitions in 1944. The East had Harvey Donaldsen and the EBRSA shooting at Pine Tree in 1947 and other East Clubs. Texas had the San Angelo Cup not sure when they started. Point is the desire came about in 1949 for a National benchrest organization to compare all the great shooting that was being done. The first National meeting was in Denver in 1949. Here it was agreed to return in 1950 to record the beginning of the NBRSA. Postal National matches were fired in 1950 and World Records were recorded. Th first Rule Book was approved. Regions were established 6 to start with. The 6 were NW, MC, SW, NC, Eastern, GC. Schedules were approved.
In 1955 Group Nationals replaced the Postal Nats. Custer, S Dakota held the 1st shoulder to shoulder Nats. Walt Berger in his first year of BR went with George Kelbly to watch the competition. Good turnout.
One thing must be said here from 1950 to 1957 there was only one class,Unlimited Class almost all 10 shot events. In 1957 HV came on the scene. HV started as a 13# 12X scope gun. Also by 1960 there was still one benchrest organization, the NBRSA. The NBRSA was doing well. The SP & LV bag guns along with the HV came on in the early 1960's, what a hoot. The LV & Sporter were based on HV rules except were 10 1/2# guns and Sporter started with a 6X scope. When scope limitations were taken off the 10 1/2# & 13 1/2# guns became imbedded in what we know today. Hunter started I think in 1971 as a precision score game. In Hunter 6X scopes were the limit as they are today. Extremely tough competition. A man's game.
1969
The NE crowd formerly the EBRSA never warmed up to the NBRSA idea of National benchrest and at a meeting of the Eastern Region in 1969 voted themselves out the NBRSA taking the treasury and a list of Clubs that supported them. I have all kinds of names but not necessary.
In 1970 the IBS was formed. By-laws were written closely paralleling the NBRSA. Why not they had 20 years to learn from the NBRSA. The Eastern Region of the NBRSA eventually returned some of the prodigal clubs to their nest. The IBS looked in other countries for allies. As years went by the two organizations held their ground but BR shooters for the most part will go to where the best shoots are. NBRSA shooters crossed over even holding both cards and IBS shooters grudgingly lowered their guard not as easily but adopted the trust but verify mode.
Gunsmiths & Equipment
Here is where no organization can capture the others flock. BR shooters thrive on improving their equipment. Nobody that I know asks a gunsmith what their BR politics are. Smiths being a feisty bunch might seperate you from your hair if such a conversation went South quickly. Hart barrels, out of an IBS family business, are seen all over NBRSA country. Shilen made products in New York and Texas. I challenge anybody to identify which political BR Company made their equipment. Probably most manufacturer's would say they belong to both.
The Super Shoot coming up, the greatest shoot in the BR World, has plenty of NBRSA & IBS shooters as it should. I have many friends in both Organizations. I belong to both the NBRSA & IBS. San Gabriel BR Range, where I am Shoot Director to both NBRSA/IBS Shoots operates well in either discipline, has half of the Shoots for each. That's the way it will stay.
Future of Benchrest
The future looks good. Nice to have more younger shooters. The item that concerns me is the selfish nature of some that feel there is a leak in the dam but only want to make things worst. Regional meetings as the one's held recently in the Gulf Coast & SE Regions scare me because they take agenda items to the BOD meetings and then proceed to try and barter away our rights. The original NBRSA rule book of 1951 was 6 pages. It still works as the majority of what the 6 pages contained are still in the current book. One item I am most concerned with is the continual attempt to remove Sporter from the Rule Book. Knowing they can't remove Sporter they want to modify it out of existence. Well cow pucky on them. Not on my watch. Read my Post on this Competition Section about Sporter Class. Maybe somebody could do the LR history of both organizations also.
Well that's enough before I really get going on this. Remember I have 80+ documents on the beginnings of BR so be careful. Constructive dialogue accepted. Let it be said Let it be done.
Stephen Perry
Two kissing cousins. Both have a piece the of action in USA benchrest. Both the IBS & NBRSA have members on the World Teams that compete for Team USA. Both talk the crap depends on which Range you shoot on in a particular day.
Let's go back when there was neither. I have to admit I have some very good sources so be careful how you respond. Benchrest has always had a following. It is the standard way of testing rifle, ammunition, and shooter for the ultimate accuracy that Page and Newick wrote about.
NBRSA
Early benchrest had 3 distinct areas prior to 1949. The Northwest the East and the Gulf Coast.
The Northwest mainly Washington State had the Puget Sound Sniper Congress that started competitions in 1944. The East had Harvey Donaldsen and the EBRSA shooting at Pine Tree in 1947 and other East Clubs. Texas had the San Angelo Cup not sure when they started. Point is the desire came about in 1949 for a National benchrest organization to compare all the great shooting that was being done. The first National meeting was in Denver in 1949. Here it was agreed to return in 1950 to record the beginning of the NBRSA. Postal National matches were fired in 1950 and World Records were recorded. Th first Rule Book was approved. Regions were established 6 to start with. The 6 were NW, MC, SW, NC, Eastern, GC. Schedules were approved.
In 1955 Group Nationals replaced the Postal Nats. Custer, S Dakota held the 1st shoulder to shoulder Nats. Walt Berger in his first year of BR went with George Kelbly to watch the competition. Good turnout.
One thing must be said here from 1950 to 1957 there was only one class,Unlimited Class almost all 10 shot events. In 1957 HV came on the scene. HV started as a 13# 12X scope gun. Also by 1960 there was still one benchrest organization, the NBRSA. The NBRSA was doing well. The SP & LV bag guns along with the HV came on in the early 1960's, what a hoot. The LV & Sporter were based on HV rules except were 10 1/2# guns and Sporter started with a 6X scope. When scope limitations were taken off the 10 1/2# & 13 1/2# guns became imbedded in what we know today. Hunter started I think in 1971 as a precision score game. In Hunter 6X scopes were the limit as they are today. Extremely tough competition. A man's game.
1969
The NE crowd formerly the EBRSA never warmed up to the NBRSA idea of National benchrest and at a meeting of the Eastern Region in 1969 voted themselves out the NBRSA taking the treasury and a list of Clubs that supported them. I have all kinds of names but not necessary.
In 1970 the IBS was formed. By-laws were written closely paralleling the NBRSA. Why not they had 20 years to learn from the NBRSA. The Eastern Region of the NBRSA eventually returned some of the prodigal clubs to their nest. The IBS looked in other countries for allies. As years went by the two organizations held their ground but BR shooters for the most part will go to where the best shoots are. NBRSA shooters crossed over even holding both cards and IBS shooters grudgingly lowered their guard not as easily but adopted the trust but verify mode.
Gunsmiths & Equipment
Here is where no organization can capture the others flock. BR shooters thrive on improving their equipment. Nobody that I know asks a gunsmith what their BR politics are. Smiths being a feisty bunch might seperate you from your hair if such a conversation went South quickly. Hart barrels, out of an IBS family business, are seen all over NBRSA country. Shilen made products in New York and Texas. I challenge anybody to identify which political BR Company made their equipment. Probably most manufacturer's would say they belong to both.
The Super Shoot coming up, the greatest shoot in the BR World, has plenty of NBRSA & IBS shooters as it should. I have many friends in both Organizations. I belong to both the NBRSA & IBS. San Gabriel BR Range, where I am Shoot Director to both NBRSA/IBS Shoots operates well in either discipline, has half of the Shoots for each. That's the way it will stay.
Future of Benchrest
The future looks good. Nice to have more younger shooters. The item that concerns me is the selfish nature of some that feel there is a leak in the dam but only want to make things worst. Regional meetings as the one's held recently in the Gulf Coast & SE Regions scare me because they take agenda items to the BOD meetings and then proceed to try and barter away our rights. The original NBRSA rule book of 1951 was 6 pages. It still works as the majority of what the 6 pages contained are still in the current book. One item I am most concerned with is the continual attempt to remove Sporter from the Rule Book. Knowing they can't remove Sporter they want to modify it out of existence. Well cow pucky on them. Not on my watch. Read my Post on this Competition Section about Sporter Class. Maybe somebody could do the LR history of both organizations also.
Well that's enough before I really get going on this. Remember I have 80+ documents on the beginnings of BR so be careful. Constructive dialogue accepted. Let it be said Let it be done.
Stephen Perry
