Are the 200/300 Group and Score Nationals dead?

[jackie schmidt]

As many have seen, there are only two Group and Score Nationals this year. No Clubs or Ranges bid the 200/300 Group or Score Nationals for 2020.

I know why. Nobody shows up. Walker County had the 200/300 Score Nationals last year, and the attendance was abysmal.

Is this Format dead? We are having a 300/200 VFS Match at Walker County next week end. It is a Region NBRSA sanctioned match. I think we will have a decent turnout.

But for some reason, shooters do not care to shoot 300 yards, or at least travel any distance to do it.

I think one of the problems with 300 yards is it is in between the short range and long range formats. It is still within the distance of precision flag reading, where a Rifles grouping capability at short range still trumps most other parameters. But, since it is 300 yards, one small mistake can produce a huge result, to the bad.

On the other hand, true long range chamberings simply will not go head to head at 300 with a 6PPC or 30BR in the hands of a skilled shooter. As Randy Robinett says, at 300, precision is still the key.

I was part of the group of shooters who helped get the 200/300 Group Nationals started years ago. It was the brainchild of Glenn Newick. We put in a tremendous amount of work at the American Shooting Complex in west Houston, putting in Benches at 300, making 300 yard frames, and organizing the whole thing.

In all honesty, the concept never really took off. Attendance through the years was never very good. Even the first one, which we really pushed, only had about 35 shooters.

One problem was the question everybody asked at the first one. “Would Hall of Fame Points be awarded”.
When the answer was “no”, you feel the air go out of the entire concept and it hit the ground with a dull thud.

Without HOF points, it isn’t a true “Nationals”. That seemed to be the thinking.

Maybe the 200/300 format National Format is dead. It sure looks that way.

 

[jcline]

Jackie, I know you are referring to the NBRSA Nationals, but the IBS 200-300 score Nationals will be in Orangeburg, SC on October 17th and 18th 2020. We have a few NBRSA members come shoot with us last year and would love to welcome anyone that would like to attend this year as well.

 

[gfpd]

When was the last time the ibs held a 200/300 group nationals ?

 

[Riverwolf1]

I believe they had one in 2019, thought it was in Texas! The last one I held in 2016 in LeGrande, OR. only had 31 shooters, and by the time the club paid for everything I think they made $200.00.
The biggest pain was building the stationary backers. No one has bid on the LR score nationals but that does not mean someone won’t in the next few months.

 

[gfpd]

The 2019 ibs score 200, 300 score nationals were in georgia when and where were the last 200,300 GROUP nationals held anyone know

 

[Riverwolf1]

I don't think that Jackie’s post has anything to do with what the IBS is doing , rather the NBRSA as that is the concern right now as no club has put in a bid to hold the NBRSA LR score nationals.
As I recall the NBRSA approve by a vote at score nationals that the SR&LR nationals would be held together at the same range and the last time that was attempted was when it was held in Wyoming in 2014. After that it was split because the powers to be wanted the nationals in Iowa and Iowa does not have a 300 yard range, so the LR portion was held somewhere else, and has been every year since.

 

[Skip DeRock]

IBS 200 - 300 Nationals

I think the last IBS 200 - 300 Nationals was held at the Canastota Conservation Club in New York in August of 2009. 32 shooters attended

 

[glp]

Skip

I think the last IBS 200 - 300 Nationals was held at the Canastota Conservation Club in New York in August of 2009. 32 shooters attended

that is not correct. Check the IBS score results website page that goes back to 2012. --Greg

 

[jackie schmidt]

In my OP, I was referring to NBRSA 200 and 300 yard Nationals, both Group and Score.

 

[Pete Wass]

Personally

I'd rather be Hoss Whipped than shoot 300 yards. Guess there are a number of others who feel the way I do. I have a few 300 yd Agg patches but never liked it.

Pete

 

[Mike Bryant]

The last 200/300 Group Nationals was held at Walker County in 2018. It was originally scheduled for August and had to be moved to October because Larry couldn’t be there. Hard to have a match when the range owner and host can’t do it. Needless to say 12 shooters attended. He had the bid for it in 2019 and declined to host it again because of poor attendance in 2018. At the directors meeting, we voted to discontinue both the group and score 200/300 nationals due to poor attendance as well as no one wanting to host it. It was originally set up as subject to annual review.

 

[Ron Berg]

I don't think that Jackie’s post has anything to do with what the IBS is doing , rather the NBRSA as that is the concern right now as no club has put in a bid to hold the NBRSA LR score nationals.
As I recall the NBRSA approve by a vote at score nationals that the SR&LR nationals would be held together at the same range and the last time that was attempted was when it was held in Wyoming in 2014. After that it was split because the powers to be wanted the nationals in Iowa and Iowa does not have a 300 yard range, so the LR portion was held somewhere else, and has been every year since.

At that time I ran the score matches in Iowa just so you know there was no powers to be or us that stopped the long range Nationals simply no one wanted to host a 100 200 200 300 there are but a few clubs that are set up to shoot all 3 yardages and the simple fact of trying to shoot hunter class and VFS each day and each yardage even in a 4 day format made for a LONG HARD day I know I shot at Wyoming and called the line there
Ron Berg

 

[Riverwolf1]

Ron,
I know you called the line at Casper I too was there, and iirc your wife was responsible for collecting money to go get food for lunch. I also realize that there are very few ranges to host a shoot that combined both short &long range score nationals.I remember when there was just the Hunter nationals and as a trial 300 yd match for shooters that wanted to stay an extra day to shoot it. Ie Sherwood, Or & Porcupine SD.
The advent of VFS I think changed all that, and absolutely the Casper match was a grind! I distinctly remember David Holbloom bringing up that Boone Valley Ike’s wanted to bid on the nationals the following year but in order to do so they would have to split off the 2-300 yard portion as their range only went to 200 yards. The shooters were in agreement(powers to be) and the short and long range have been split ever since. This is not a complaint. If you look at the numbers overall the number of shooters was dropping for hunter class, and when VFS appeared it bumped the numbers back up a bit. The Casper shoot was I think about equal for # of hunter shooters and VFS. Like many shooters in my age group, the 6x scope and my eyes are no longer able to be a good combination. I am also not disappointed that the long range portion has been discontinued. Things in the BR world seem to be changing to meet the aging population of shooters and that’s not a bad thing, it’s a necessity. Hope to see you at a match this year.
Gary Vanlier

 

[jlcprec]

St Louis has a 300 yard range, and held some 300 yd matches in the late 90's, and early 2000's. Attendance was so poor, they stopped having them. Although in retro spec, they were getting as many or more shooters as are coming now for the 100-200 matches. A sign of the times.

Jim