Having run out of ####, and mindful of some of the posts that have appeared in this neighbourhood, I began looking for my books on benchrest. Sadly, my stores appeared to have been depleted of shooting books generally. I would like to find the SOB that stole my Volume 1 of P.O. Ackleys' book, for example. Persevering after the initial shock of this loss, I found some benchrest books between a book on depression and a illustrated book on "Wildlife the World Over". I'll leave it to you to decide whether the location was appropriate. In fact, I will leave it to you to decide the meaning of things, or their appropriateness, in several instances below, too.
One big stunner of the day was finding in Glenn Newick's book that early (I use the word 'early' to avoid storms of protest and denial.
) benchrest matches in Taftville, Connecticut were three shot matches and that even so august a personage as Harvey Donaldson said "This trip was worth our while." In fairness it is important to say that in some places the occasional ten shot group was fired as were 2 shot groups. You know, according to Newick, who may be losing whatever remains of his reputation in br because of this post, there was even a 40 shot match shot by C.W. Rowland. Of course, Rowland took "...more than a day..." to complete the group. Sadly, I could find no record of Savage's performing in any of these events, though I'm sure they were there, and right behind the winners too, if not in front. In case you have any doubts about this, I have to tell you I owned a Model 1894 303 Savage that could group 3 inches at 100 yards for an indeterminant, though small, number of shots. It just seems obvious to me it, or something like it, had to be there.
Warren Page, in his book, was mute on the issue of number of shots in group at these early matches. On the other hand, he may well be responsible (to blame?) for the trend toward greater numbers of shots being fired per group and greater numbers of groups. I infer this because of his article in Field and Stream in which he said that the 1/2 moa groups he was talking about be "Not for one wallet group, but for averages." On the other hand, he also said, "Not for every rifle every day all day..." Page provided a picture of a "world record" fired by Bob Wallack using his 22-250 and signed by 21 other shooters (I wonder why all those br guys had to sign it?). He described the "schism" (due to...guess?) that resulted in the formation of IBS, resulting in two associations, the NBRSA being the other.
Times sure have changed! One is tempted to say that the reason today's benchrest crowd shoot five 5 shot groups is because they need more shots to hit something or to agree they have hit something. Unfortunately, however, the former is clearly not true, and, in my better moments, I even have some doubts about the latter. I'm afraid our Savages will just have to shoot small groups containing higher numbers of shots today, in spite of winning, or coming second, in all those old bench rest matches.
One big stunner of the day was finding in Glenn Newick's book that early (I use the word 'early' to avoid storms of protest and denial.
) benchrest matches in Taftville, Connecticut were three shot matches and that even so august a personage as Harvey Donaldson said "This trip was worth our while." In fairness it is important to say that in some places the occasional ten shot group was fired as were 2 shot groups. You know, according to Newick, who may be losing whatever remains of his reputation in br because of this post, there was even a 40 shot match shot by C.W. Rowland. Of course, Rowland took "...more than a day..." to complete the group. Sadly, I could find no record of Savage's performing in any of these events, though I'm sure they were there, and right behind the winners too, if not in front. In case you have any doubts about this, I have to tell you I owned a Model 1894 303 Savage that could group 3 inches at 100 yards for an indeterminant, though small, number of shots. It just seems obvious to me it, or something like it, had to be there.Warren Page, in his book, was mute on the issue of number of shots in group at these early matches. On the other hand, he may well be responsible (to blame?) for the trend toward greater numbers of shots being fired per group and greater numbers of groups. I infer this because of his article in Field and Stream in which he said that the 1/2 moa groups he was talking about be "Not for one wallet group, but for averages." On the other hand, he also said, "Not for every rifle every day all day..." Page provided a picture of a "world record" fired by Bob Wallack using his 22-250 and signed by 21 other shooters (I wonder why all those br guys had to sign it?
). He described the "schism" (due to...guess?) that resulted in the formation of IBS, resulting in two associations, the NBRSA being the other.Times sure have changed! One is tempted to say that the reason today's benchrest crowd shoot five 5 shot groups is because they need more shots to hit something or to agree they have hit something. Unfortunately, however, the former is clearly not true, and, in my better moments
, I even have some doubts about the latter. I'm afraid our Savages will just have to shoot small groups containing higher numbers of shots today, in spite of winning, or coming second, in all those old bench rest matches.
