Author Topic: Clubs From The Past  (Read 11200 times)

Offline rpollock

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Clubs From The Past
« on: December 22, 2009, 05:35:57 PM »
JoeM Said:
John asked about clubs that used to hold registered BRSC matches, I'll try and fill in some clubs from B.C. Clearwater ,north of Kamloops , at one time was one of the premier clubs in the west in the 70's and 80's. It had about 11 or 13 benches and I can remember 3 relays some matches. they held the western nationals there along with the B.C. provincials along with the highly successful Shoot-en-Any in the fall, always had shooters from the States and Alberta and Sask for that one.

Ashcroft B.C. a small club with 6 benches held mostly Hunter matches but sometimes they had VFS shoots. half way up the side of a mountain and an uncovered firing line sometimes made for challenging and uncomfortable shoots.

And Penticton B.C. held Hunter matches, I never shot there so can't give any info on this club.

Hope this helps people learn a little about some of the history of BRSC.
maybe some one can add something on some other old clubs.

Joe

John VM said:
Thanks Joe on the report on the clubs in BC, are any still active?

Joem said:
No John Sadly all are non operative, the fellows that were the driving force behind them have either passed on or have other interests.

DanO said:
I was surprised to hear that they used to have matches close by at Wabamum Lake. That was in the 80's, long before my time in the sport.
Still a few individuals around that shot BR in the day.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2009, 08:57:12 PM by rpollock »

Offline Dennis Sorensen

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2009, 08:54:10 AM »
The Namaka Bench Rest Shooters Club was formed in the early 70's under the relentless energy of Al Murdoch and Terry McCracken. I was one of the 12 original members who each donated a concrete shooting bench. I will try and research/remember more.

The club was located on farmland east and south of Strathmore, Alberta on land owned by Eric Dirks. At first it was simply benches in the open shooting into 100 and 200 yard berms facing east. I forget when we got the firing line covered. The first recording backer was a battery powered rotisserie skewer with a roll of brown paper taped to it, invented and maintained by Terry. It was a chore. Sometimes if you had a bug hole going you had to wait for it to 'move'. You could see the hole in the backer slowly leave the group.

We held the first Super Shoot in Canada with the Forslund brothers cleaning up. First prize was a Remington 40X. Sadly I have no pictures to post. I was Match and Records Chairman for a couple of years and measured many new Canadian records as just about everything we shot made a new record. There were a few recognized US records shot as well.


I have been out of Benchrest Shooting since I mover to Victoria in 1979 but it is nice to see this forum and I will try and organize and add more information.

.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2009, 08:56:44 AM by Dennis Sorensen »
After 53 years I am fully retired, unlicensed and have sold all my gunsmithing tools and lathe...
Thanks to all my customers...

Offline Tony Gauthier

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2009, 09:40:32 AM »
It is a shame that Namaka died out, but once Al was gone it died a slow death. Eric rented the land to a neighbor who never liked the fact that it was there and haven't seen a match since.
I shot my first match at Namaka. It was a winter league score match and Clive Moehn talked me into shooting a sleeved Remington 600 that he had for sale. I placed third in the match and beat Clive. On the way home I asked him how much he wanted for that crappy gun and we made a deal. He gave me a very fair price for it and a Leupold 24x boosted to 33. And shooters like Larry Ivany, Loyd Gilmour, and Vic Nill managed to dig up spare accessories at a reasonable price to get me going. Needless to say I have been hooked ever since.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2009, 09:45:59 AM by Tony Gauthier »

Offline rpollock

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2009, 09:45:49 AM »
Needless to say I have been hooked ever since.


The first hit is free......

Offline Tony Gauthier

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2009, 09:51:37 AM »
Yep, and then it costs money, lots of money. But it is only money and you can't take it with you., so might as well spend it!

Offline cyanchycki

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2009, 11:14:00 AM »
You said it Tony.  I ain't going to be the first guy to be planted in the ground with a Herse pulling a trailer with all my money to put in the ground. 
My house is protected by the good Lord and a GUN............
When I Die I don't wanna go Sober..................................

Offline Dennis Sorensen

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2009, 11:55:25 AM »
It is a shame that Namaka died out, but once Al was gone it died a slow death. Eric rented the land to a neighbor who never liked the fact that it was there and haven't seen a match since.



I remember the first night shoot we held. Started shooting about 10pm and finished about 3 am. I am sure a lot of neighbors were not happy with that. It didn't bother the Dirks though.

I believe the benches have all been removed and are 'in storage' somewhere. I talked to the person who has them at a Calgary Gun show and he said he was going to contact me with the names that were on the benches... those 12 names were the original founding members. He never has and I don't remember his name. What is the 'status' of the old 'club'? Who owns those benches? I hope they end up at an established Bench Rest Club in the Calgary area.

« Last Edit: December 24, 2009, 11:59:02 AM by Dennis Sorensen »
After 53 years I am fully retired, unlicensed and have sold all my gunsmithing tools and lathe...
Thanks to all my customers...

Offline Tony Gauthier

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2009, 12:25:15 PM »
Yep, and then it costs money, lots of money. But it is only money and you can't take it with you., so might as well spend it!
If you do that let me know. I'll write a check and throw it in the casket for the cash!

Offline Tony Gauthier

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2009, 12:28:35 PM »
Dennis that would be Otto Nagy. He was the last president. If you ever get a hold of him the last time the BRSC Alberta scale was seen was at Namaka. If it is still there BRSC would like it back.

Offline Bill Leeper

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #9 on: December 25, 2009, 09:18:01 AM »
There was an active range Near Sparwood, I think. Next time I'm talking to Bill Trommer, I'll ask him. The range near Creston has held hunter matches in the past but has been inactive in recent years.
It is always just a few core individuals who establish these ranges and keep them going. Sometimes, less than a few. In addition, many of the organizers are involved as much for the comradery as for the shooting. As members leave, a lot of the enthusiasm fades.
Al Mirdoch carried Namaka after Terry died; with substantial support from the Leffingwells. In Clearwater, Jack Neufeld and Lawrence Giesbrecht were the backbone of the club and the rest of us went along for the ride.
There can be little doubt that resurrection of BR at the Rosebud club has been largely due to the efforts of Tony Gauthier. Now, with the establishment of this forum by Rick Pollock, perhaps we'll see a bit of a resurgence. I hope so. Regards,   Bill

Offline Joe Mendham

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2009, 10:27:39 AM »
   Bill  You're right about the Sparwood club.  I think that they held the Western Nationals there one year back in the 80's.  How's Bill trommer doing these days ?
Joe

Offline Tony Gauthier

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2009, 09:45:57 AM »
Speaking of the Leffingwells brings up another club from the past that has stopped holding BR matches. Lethbridge. I understand they hold a weekly club score match and have up to 40 people show up, but no registered shoots. Every Bench shooter I have talked to would love to shoot in Lethbridge and they would likely see some Montana shooters show up as well. Once Frank passed away it all ended. Still see Evelyn at the Frank Leffingwell Memorial, but it is restricted to factory guns now, and I don't own one!
I guess in our modern society people are too busy to take on the job of running a few matches a year. We are lucky in Rosebud to have a dedicated group who are willing to pitch in and help or I doubt there would be matches there either. If I didn't have a boss who let me work flexible hours it would be pretty hard to do, and I know Paul uses up holiday time and overtime to be able to get there Friday morning to get backers and targets done. I am not saying it is that big a chore, there is always the opportunity to play as well!
More and more clubs are also being pressured to end the competitions so the non competitor can go to the covered range with an indoor loading facility to site in a rifle if the weather is nice. What most of the new members in a club don't realize is that if it weren't for competitions the club would likely look like the APRA public range. We are lucky at Rosebud to have had a range built by competitors for competition. And still have the cooperation of the executive to do so. Namaka existed, and Rosebud exists today because a hand full of competitors used there own money to make the facility. That is the kind of dedication you will get from a competitor. A non competition shooter doesn't care that it costs thousands of dollars to build a facility. If asked to dip into his pocket most would use a gravel pit instead.

Offline rpollock

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2009, 01:53:41 PM »
Here is some more information that Bill Lepper had written for the www.benchrest.ca webpage:

Bill Leeper Recollections
« Last Edit: December 26, 2009, 01:55:02 PM by rpollock »

Offline rpollock

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Re: Clubs From The Past
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2009, 02:13:04 PM »
Here are some vintage BRSC Match Reports (not dial up friendly!):

Oct 1980 BRSC News
Feb 1981 BRSC News
Sept 1983 BRSC News
« Last Edit: December 26, 2009, 02:18:25 PM by rpollock »

 

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