This may not matter a whole lot to most folks

[Pete Wass]

But today Brian Fitch won the first Bill Plummer Memorial Trophy for winning the 200 yard segment of the Maine Firecracker annual three yardage annual IBS score shoot, to commemorative Bill Plummer's long standing 200 Yd record of 250-9 x Bill shot in 1996 at Orrington Rod & GUN Club with a 6 PPC chambered rifle. This award is well over due as Bill was a remarkable, Hail Fellow Well met lad when he was among us. Unfortunately he went early from a horrible disease there wasn't a good cure for at the time he had it. Bill is and has been sorely missed all of the years he hasn't ben among us to shoot.

There was a time in IBS Score Shooting when there was a good number of Varmint Hunter Shooters who shot 6 PPC's. Bills record of 250-9 x at 200 yards has stood since 1996. In addition, Joe Gilbert who still holds the 100 Yd VH record of 250-23 x shot at Capitol CityRifle & Pistol Range in Augusta, Maine, in the same year; another remarkable achievement.

Back then, Varmint Hunter was a wide open 10 pound 6 X scope class that any caliber could be shot in. The same is true today. Back then the 30-30 water volume limit was the deciding factor, which separated Hunter rifles from Varmint Hunter Rifles.

Many years have passed and still the two IBS records have stood he test of time. These records are a reality. Are we in the IBS community missing something here?

Regards,


Pete Wass IBS Varirmeit Hunter shooter sine 1999, and a slow learner.

 

[Chism G]

When a sport stops caring about its history,it loses its identity.

Glenn

 

[Pete Wass]

A number of the old 6 X Shooters

When a sport stops caring about its history,it loses its identity.

Glenn

still bemoan allowing custom actions being used in the Hunter classes. They feel much of the essence of the game was lost by allowing them. I don't disagree. I have seen many a factory actioned rifle win matches over the years, Frank McKee, set a few records shooting his Remingtons. We always seem to manage to spoil the original intent of everything. I've owned all manor of custom actioned Hunter rifles over my 20 few years of 6X shooting and today I have two 700 Rem rifles, one being the first Benchrest Rifle I bought off the classifieds here not even realizing it was a 6X rifle. It was a 30 HC, an improved 30-30, when I bought it. It still wins the odd match. I still believe the real essence of score shooting IS the Hunter classes. I have a grand VFS rifle, one of many I have owned, but shoot perhaps two or three matches a year with it. Most usually it is loaned to a fiend or newbie, I just never loved shooting VFS but I do love, still, the Hunter classes. I have shot the VH class whenever I could to try to keep that class alive. I'm pleased IBS still keeps the records going. Years ago, there was an effort to limit the VH class to 6MM or smaller. I was opposed, at the time but came to believe I had been short sighted in voting against it. At that time, several women were shooting 6 PPC's in that class but the 30 BR had reared it's ugly head and some of them struggled being able to shoot the 10 Pound 30's. Just look at those two old existing records, both shot with the 6 PPC, the essence, indeed.

So, want to show folks how skillful one is at score shooting? Shoot a 250 @ 200 yards with a 6X scope powered 10 pound rifle. Enough said.

Pete

 

[Al Nyhus]

I never had the chance to meet Mr. Plummer but his 200 yd. record was something all 6X Hunter competitors looked up to. Shooting a 250 @ 200 yds with a 6 power, 10 lb, 2.25" fore end gun of any chambering is a very, very difficult task to accomplish.

Good shootin' -Al

P.S.- The I.B.S. VH class dwindling to just a few competitors in the North East put the final nail in the classes coffin, not the 30BR.

It's unfortunate that the IBS wasn't more accepting of the clubs outside of the N.E. beltway. These 'Western' clubs/ranges were fiercely loyal to the IBS and it's Score format and offered the IBS a great opportunity to expand. Given the number of competitors west of the Ohio River, It's likely the VH class would not only have survived but seen a resurgence. Personally, I had assembled all the components needed to build a VH class gun had the 6MM max. bore rule remained. I continued to shoot my 6 power gun in Hunter, primarily. At the 2010 IBS Score Nationals at Holton, Mi., I shot in VH to support the class, winning the 100 yd. Agg.

 

[Randy Jarvais]

concerning custom actions in hunter class

Orland and I had this debate on the way home from one of our matches. I only shot Hunter (VH) rifle 2 and half years so I am not usually one to get into such debates but I couldn't fathom why a custom action spoiled the Htr class. Both NBRSA and IBS allowed custom triggers, custom stocks, custom barrels, pretty much custom everything but custom actions is the demise???? Doesn't make much sense to me. If you want to keep it a factory type hunting weapon, then keep it factory. If not, I would rather give my money to someone supporting competitors with custom actions than paying large conglomerate companies that show no interest to our sport. Either way you spend the money truing the factory action. Where is the difference....isn't a remodeled factory action now a custom action??? I would argue yes it is. Otherwise, great post.

 

[Pete Wass]

Apparently,

Orland and I had this debate on the way home from one of our matches. I only shot Hunter (VH) rifle 2 and half years so I am not usually one to get into such debates but I couldn't fathom why a custom action spoiled the Htr class. Both NBRSA and IBS allowed custom triggers, custom stocks, custom barrels, pretty much custom everything but custom actions is the demise???? Doesn't make much sense to me. If you want to keep it a factory type hunting weapon, then keep it factory. If not, I would rather give my money to someone supporting competitors with custom actions than paying large conglomerate companies that show no interest to our sport. Either way you spend the money truing the factory action. Where is the difference....isn't a remodeled factory action now a custom action??? I would argue yes it is. Otherwise, great post.

your logic is the prevalent one and has been for a number of years. People like what they like and believe what they believe. Probably all of the nostalgia for the old is all but dead and will be when the likes of Orland and myself are gone. It just a wonder any of us are left still supporting the Hunter classes, when one considers the numbers. Oh well!

Pete

 

[Pete Wass]

Well,

I never had the chance to meet Mr. Plummer but his 200 yd. record was something all 6X Hunter competitors looked up to. Shooting a 250 @ 200 yds with a 6 power, 10 lb, 2.25" fore end gun of any chambering is a very, very difficult task to accomplish.

Good shootin' -Al

P.S.- The I.B.S. VH class dwindling to just a few competitors in the North East put the final nail in the classes coffin, not the 30BR.

It's unfortunate that the IBS wasn't more accepting of the clubs outside of the N.E. beltway. These 'Western' clubs/ranges were fiercely loyal to the IBS and it's Score format and offered the IBS a great opportunity to expand. Given the number of competitors west of the Ohio River, It's likely the VH class would not only have survived but seen a resurgence. Personally, I had assembled all the components needed to build a VH class gun had the 6MM max. bore rule remained. I continued to shoot my 6 power gun in Hunter, primarily. At the 2010 IBS Score Nationals at Holton, Mi., I shot in VH to support the class, winning the 100 yd. Agg.

When the IBS item failed in that annual meeting all but one of those who wanted the change quit shooting abruptly. Sure , they could have continued shooting 6 MM's and the VH class was always open to any chambering so no harm no foul on anyone's part. The 6 MM doesn't give up anything to anything else past 100 yds, from what I have seen. IBS went VFS crazy and that is why we are in the situation we are in. One of the Hunter shooters who use to shoot here in Maine use to call VFS rifle "Dial an X Rifles". He wasn't that far wrong. Even NBRSA came to the VFS craze not many years ago.

I don't understand what IBS did to sour the western clubs? Considering the miles, how could anyone expect shooters to regularly interact at regular shoots. I personally traveled to Iowa and Michigan to Nationals and Northern shooters travel to the far or "Deep South" to shoot in the Nationals. I always thought Regional events would be more doable for the bulk of shooters. Its a long way to St Louis from Downeast Maine and practically impossible to find ones way back if they went , never mind California! I wondered if I would be able to get back to Maine from Iowa!

I took a 6 year hiatus to shoot Rimfire because I loved shooting the 7.5 Sporter guns. Now that the shooters in Maine no longer shoot in that org,, I have all but quit shooting Rimfire. Just no fun to me to shoot high powered scope rifles. Another reason I went there was to try to qualify for a Hall of Fame. IR 50/50 has a more sensible qualification process, in my opinion. I predict the Sporters will fade away in IR 50/50 as well. People just have to shoot that 250 and all them xes.

I've only been an active BR shooter for 23 years so I only know what I have heard as to what happened from the IBS inception to 1999. There are still a very few who have been shooting IBS since the 60's here in Maine. Back then, apparently, the majority shot a rifle in every class at every match. Shot the hunter guns in the morning and the VFS in the afternoon, I have heard. Mostly 308's with 150 gn bullets in the first years. Imagine shooting them all day!

Pete

 

[glp]

When the IBS item failed in that annual meeting all but one of those who wanted the change quit shooting abruptly. Sure , they could have continued shooting 6 MM's and the VH class was always open to any chambering so no harm no foul on anyone's part. The 6 MM doesn't give up anything to anything else past 100 yds, from what I have seen. IBS went VFS crazy and that is why we are in the situation we are in. One of the Hunter shooters who use to shoot here in Maine use to call VFS rifle "Dial an X Rifles". He wasn't that far wrong. Even NBRSA came to the VFS craze not many years ago.

I don't understand what IBS did to sour the western clubs? Considering the miles, how could anyone expect shooters to regularly interact at regular shoots. I personally traveled to Iowa and Michigan to Nationals and Northern shooters travel to the far or "Deep South" to shoot in the Nationals. I always thought Regional events would be more doable for the bulk of shooters. Its a long way to St Louis from Downeast Maine and practically impossible to find ones way back if they went , never mind California! I wondered if I would be able to get back to Maine from Iowa!

I took a 6 year hiatus to shoot Rimfire because I loved shooting the 7.5 Sporter guns. Now that the shooters in Maine no longer shoot in that org,, I have all but quit shooting Rimfire. Just no fun to me to shoot high powered scope rifles. Another reason I went there was to try to qualify for a Hall of Fame. IR 50/50 has a more sensible qualification process, in my opinion. I predict the Sporters will fade away in IR 50/50 as well. People just have to shoot that 250 and all them xes.

I've only been an active BR shooter for 23 years so I only know what I have heard as to what happened from the IBS inception to 1999. There are still a very few who have been shooting IBS since the 60's here in Maine. Back then, apparently, the majority shot a rifle in every class at every match. Shot the hunter guns in the morning and the VFS in the afternoon, I have heard. Mostly 308's with 150 gn bullets in the first years. Imagine shooting them all day!

Pete

Pete, can't do that anymore. We have to hurry up so we can get home! In the end, its my opinion that the 6X scope is the one aspect of a hunter or VH rifle that limits its popularity. You should open a discussion with the current board regarding the caliber thing. It may help the class, but with the 6X scope restriction i don't know. Worth a try!