Many sports have been in a state of change. We have livelier baseballs and steroid-using hitters. Today's records in the pole vault are in a large part due to changes in the composition of the pole itself. Bill Tilden, Jack Kramer, and Pancho Gonzoles were just a big and strong as today's players. But ladies are serving at about 15% faster then the above named men. However, some things don't changes,swimming, running, etc., the clock tells all. Same thing for our sport, we have a written and preserved history. 

Consider what we call the Hudson 100 shot offhand match. As far as I can tell, during the Golden Era, this match was shot in one day. Should we dilute the significance of the match by taking a casual approach by letting, in theory, a person taking up to 3 days to shoot the 100 shots? If we are going to call it a Hudson match should we not fire it under the same general conditions are the earlier shooters?  And why not make the Hudson match a reentry? Since our opportunities to shoot are often limited why not let a shooter reenter? But only after completing and submitting the targets from the initial entry. Again, shoot it in one day. If you didn't like those conditions or your performance pay up and shoot it again.

Shooting jackets are an issue. I shot in the NMLRA nationals from 1981 through 1987. There were no jackets on the shooting line. Though there was no rule permitting jackets I think a shooter would have been jeered showing up in one. There were a number of competitors who wore tight Levi jackets. I'm told those jackets offered some support. Now jackets abound at the Friendship shoot. Jacket status has been codified by requiring they be of canvas, buttons only, and I believe, only 2mm in thickness. The UIT and NRA has rules on the design of the jackets. I suppose that once "the camels nose is under the tent" they felt it  best to regulate the practice. (Though I recall we po' assed Army team shooters, 1955-56) out of Ft.Benning, had only our smelly thin canvas jackets, accumulated grime reputed to be a stiffening factor!)

So if you want to shoot in a jacket so be it. But would it not be proper to indicate after the score some symbol showing jacket use?

In essence, why should we demand a better competition evironment then those who created and nutured this sport?

Dick Norton

Dick,

  Well, you and Blue's wishes have come true.

  The WSU in their 100 shot Election Day Match coming up the 1st of Oct. is a non re-entry match that is shot as close to how they did it way back when. You get 100 shots and that's it. You miss, or your gun goes off accidently, or you forget to put powder, primer, or bullet in and pull the trigger that's tough luck. You just wasted a shot. Shots out of the scoring rings, but on the target are misses. Traditional guns and calibers only, no shooting jackets. Match must be shot in one day..... and on the 1st of Oct.

  If while attending this match.... and before you fire the first shot...... you decide you want to try for the Hudson record, you pay $20 up front. If you want to call it that, this is the only way you can re-enter again for that day. Put up another $20 and try for the record again. But it will have to be shot on the 1st of Oct. also, as that is the only day this match will be held.

  Of course there is nothing says you can't try again at some other date, at another match, as long as you put up the $20 and have the proper number of witnesses. Just like the old days! WSU rules will apply whenever you want to try.

  I like the idea of a one time thru for a given match. That's how we conducted the WSU matches at our club this year. It's amazing what kind of pressure this puts on people used to firing till they get ten shots on the paper, or can re-enter as many times as they want till they are satisfied with their score, or run out of time and money. 

  But, we must not forget that the old time Schuetzen matches had plenty of re-entry matches to, so if we want to follow how they did it back then we can't outlaw them.

  Shooting jackets, of course weren't allowed then either. In fact there were specific rules against putting your butt plate underneath your buttoned up coat. I've tried it to see how it works. Not to bad!

  As for the use of jackets, I like your idea. But why not separate things into two classes like the WSU does. Traditional, and Open. I've described Traditional...... Open is do anything you want to get the job done. That way those who want to do it like they did in the old days can do so without having to fear(?) they are going up against some high tech gun, ammo, and equipment. At the same time we don't discourage those who want to see just how far they can push SS rifles, and plain base bullets, with all the latest gadgets and doo-dads.

Bue,

  What you say about the old timers using the latest technology they had at the time, is true. But, that is not the intent, or purpose of the ASSRA, or the WSU. Just like in any modern rifle/pistol shooting you are restricted to calibers, gun wgt.'s, ammo, shooting apparel, etc. Both of these organizations want to shoot using techniques the old timers did in order to promote the use of SS guns, and plain base cast bullets, and to see if we can equal or better their records.

  The only difference between the ASSRA and the WSU is the ASSRA pretty well allows you to bring any reasonable, safe, SS rifle to the line with whatever caliber, scope or iron sights you want. Whereas the WSU separates things into two classes as mentioned above.

  Our club has shot under ASSRA rules for years, and this year we have had one WSU match every meeting. Twice monthly. Both have their advocates, and it's gonna be a tough decision as to which way we want to go next year at the annual meeting in Feb.

PETE

I am a fan of the back to basics approach that the WSU has taken. Keeping to the origional rules as much as possible is a lot of what we are about. There is little if any advantage to any single shot rifle includeing bolt action rifles. The skill is in the shooter in off hand compitition. The leveling factor is the plain based lead bullet. As long as there has been shooters there have been shooters that have thought that some new gegaw was what would put over the top. The plain truth is that if we put as much time and energy into practice as finding some new shooting dodge we would all be better shooters. 

40 Rod

Martin,

  To tell the truth I'm not even sure when specific shooting jackets were invented. If before the hey-day of Schuetzen shooting I haven't seen any pictures of anyone using them, or mention of them in match reports. I'm sure something would have been mentioned if shooters felt they were in use and a handicap for those that didn't have them. I think this is pointed out rather graphically in the use of telescopes mentioned in the transcript of the 1903 Election Day Match.

  What you do see pictures of are a lot of shooters wearing vests, and Prince Albert coats. My understanding is that you could button your coat up and by putting the gun butt under the coat gain a decided advantage over those who didn't. Thus the rule against doing so. I can also imagine getting yourself buttoned into a nice tight vest might have some advantages to.

40_Rod,

  Amen!

PETE

greetings

when i show up for a shoot. i ask, what are your rules? if they allow me to stand on one leg and shot like a man and use one case, i'll shoot. to quote the world famous steve garbe,,"NO WHINING" ):>)..


..ttfn..grampa..

Its intresting to compare the way that the NRA has run the BPCR program with the way World Creedmoore Assoc. has run the longrange program. The NRA 's top down political style of doing business with rules changes that seem to be writen by congress. Or the Longrange assoc of letting the shooters run the program.  personally I'll trust a shooter a long time before I'll let some Washington bureaucrat tell me how to shoot. The more lawyers and lobyists that get involved the farther the NRA goes down the tubes.

40 Rod