So, who thinks they know their Super Shoot history?

D

Don

Guest
After readings on another thread, Jerry Sharrets question about whether windflags were used during the 1977 era................I thought to myself, "say it aint so", how could the highest level of shooting accuracy discipline not ever use windflags?

So, I decided to thumb thru my BR shooting library to find out where I could first identify the solid use of windflags in tournament competition, and while doing this I came across the PS October 1973 article about the first Firearms Industry Super Shoot, and was totally surprised at what I was to find out about this shoot, its origin, format, and participation.

For those that think they know their SS history, see if you can answer the following questions about the first SS:

1. Who won the first SS, and was it a man or women (hint)?

2. What gun class formats were fired?

3. What was the location of the first SS (probably not what you would expect)?

4. How many participants (probably more than you would expect)?

5. What format was used to determine the $500 cash program winner (hint, must have been very controversial for the time, pitting brother against brother)?

6. Who wore pants that looked like they came right off a Texas chain gang prison inmate?

7. Who looked like a young Al Pacino, with a fu-mancho mustache, and went on to become a BR association president?

8. Were windflags used at the first SS?

See the following attachments or follow on posting for answers. For those that get all the answers correct...........you must be a heck of a history buff, or must have been at the shoot and be very old................Don
 

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I think Donna Hall (Allan Hall's first wife) won the first Super Shoot. I have the magazine somewhere but am too tard to dig it out.
 
MColeman said:
I think Donna Hall (Allan Hall's first wife) won the first Super Shoot. I have the magazine somewhere but am too tard to dig it out.
Click to expand...

Mickey, you would be right about that, which means you must have been there and are very old........................Don
 
Don, I find it most interesting that there was a shoot off between the top 24 shooters of the IBS and NBRSA.

What IS the answer to question #8?
 
JerrySharrett said:
Don, I find it most interesting that there was a shoot off between the top 24 shooters of the IBS and NBRSA.
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Yes it is. Nothing like a little competition for money, chest thumping, and bragging rights between 2 opposing organizations, to bring about that warm feeling and common bonding of unity.

By-the-way, the NBRSA won the $500 cash prize that year, yet I did not see/read any mention of this same format/prize the following year when SS#2was shot at the Wapwallopen, PA., Council Cup/Harts facility, which may have been due to organizational fervor and possibility of ill will associated with said format, or it could be something as simple as lack of time and resources to continue a shootoff between the 2 groups.

[/QUOTE]What IS the answer to question #8?[/QUOTE]

Although the page 2 attachment probably does not have enough resolution to clearly see ,due to attachment bit limitations, the original picture of the John Zink firing line does not show any windflags out to about 10 yards in front of the benches, which leads me to believe that very few, if any, windflags were used, which I find very strange....................Don
 
Don

Make that "individual wind flags." Most facilities had their own range flags at various locations, much as is still a common practice today for most other shooting disciplines. And there were trees, brush, dust, mirage, etc.

When long range Benchrest first started not too many years ago, individual flags were unknown. But they are now becoming more common. Not all shooters agree that it is a good thing that this is happening.

As you know, as recently as 15 years ago, individual flags at the short range Benchrest tournaments were less common than they are today.

Complete electronic weather stations are starting to show up too. Some of us question what the limit is or should be.

JMHO

Ray
 
Cheechako said:
Don

Make that "individual wind flags." Most facilities had their own range flags at various locations, much as is still a common practice today for most other shooting disciplines. And there were trees, brush, dust, mirage, etc.

When long range Benchrest first started not too many years ago, individual flags were unknown. But they are now becoming more common. Not all shooters agree that it is a good thing that this is happening.

As you know, as recently as 15 years ago, individual flags at the short range Benchrest tournaments were less common than they are today.

Complete electronic weather stations are starting to show up too. Some of us question what the limit is or should be.

JMHO

Ray
Click to expand...

Hi Ray, you are probably on to something there, for those times.

My other thought was that there may have been rules in effect, at the time, that prevented use of windflags in order to keep the experience closer to a strict "varmint hunting" format, so as to attract as many field shooters as possible.

This also might be closely tied to question #2, about the gun style format..............which for SS#1, was HV only, which again may have been in place to appeal to the greatest amount of shooters without eliminating anyone due to LV weight restrictions. Seems to have worked with 229 attending shooters, almost the same levels as present day SS's.............Don
 
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Thanks Don

I like researching the old photos and articles.

I started in 1978 and at that time in IBS the range provided a few flags and there was an official size of range flags listed in the rule book.

Either 79 or 80 began the ability for competitors to place their own flags. I am sure there are some that read this forum that could provide more information on that.
 
At least there were no arguments about flag placement when all we had were a couple a windsocks at 80 yards like at Camillus! Maybe that was why the aggs were so large then? Or was it the 6x47? :D:)
 
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Flag count . . .

My first SuperShoot was 1978. I counted: 140 wind flags.

Joe Haller (Mr. Frosty)
 
Just talked to one of the expert memories of benchrest. The first Kelbly Super Shoot, George made some flags for the range with #9 wire as a pivot and tied a tail to it. He put one of these at about 25, 50 and 75 yards and in front of every 5th bench. This was in the early '70's as he remembered.

There was also a streamer under each target attached to the frame. The Kelbly range had 40 benches at that time.

He also said Ed Watson, Walt Berger and some of the "Kansas City" guys had some individual flags in use in the late '70's. And that the early 'very early 80's was when individual flags really came into general use.
 
Answers to the first SS pop quiz.

Answers to the first SS pop quiz.

1. Who won the first SS, and was it a man or women (hint)?= Donna Hall, wife of Alan Hall, Hall actions.

2. What gun class formats were fired?= HV class only.

3. What was the location of the first SS (probably not what you would expect)?= John Zink range, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

4. How many participants (probably more than you would expect)?= 229 competitors.

5. What format was used to determine the $500 cash program winner (hint, must have been very controversial for the time, pitting brother against brother)?= Top 24 shooter shootoff between NBRSA and IBS organisations. NBRSA won the shootoff, $500 cash prize, and bragging rights.

6. Who wore pants that looked like they came right off a Texas chain gang prison inmate?= The young and dapper Walt Berger, Berger bullets.

7. Who looked like a young Al Pacino, with a fu-mancho mustache, and went on to become a BR association president?= Future IBS president Bob White.

8. Were windflags used at the first SS?= Individual windflags did not appear to be used at the first SS, at least none could be seen for the first 10 yards in front of the benches, in the only range photo of the shoot.
 
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Earlier wind flags . . .

I was pretty heavy into NRA Smallbore Prone, before switching to benchrest.

Back in 1968 our club ran a 60 shot prone English Match as a Preliminary Tryout for the 1968 Olympics.

Under NRA rules your were not allowed to put any wind flags out beyond your firing point. ISU rules were different. For this International Match our club was required to put out a wind flag for each firing point. They were placed half way to the 50 meter targets. 20 targets, with 21 wind flags at 25 meters. One wind flag on each side of each target lane. We used clothes hanger wire, bent in the shape of an L. We tied 12 inch pieces of yard to the end of each L shaped wire.

Pretty good size match for a little town. Had 75 shooters and were able to get the College and High School ROTC to run the match for us.

It was not long after that, I switched to benchrest. Shooting prone hurts real bad when you get old, fat and lazy.

Joe Haller (Mr. Frosty)
 
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