I've Heard

Jim Beckley · Post by **Jim Beckley** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:39 pm

Quite a few years ago at a HP State Match in Nevada, a pot was raised and a challenge was issued to Earl Hines (HP Champ, circa 1980), that he couldn't hit 7/10 turkeys in the head from the standing position. I heard that Earl took their money. Can anyone confirm or deny this? In the late 90's Tucson hosted a State HP match at TRC, and Earl was there, at the end of the match, he sold his rifle to one of the guys that was there, if I remember right it was in 7mm Benchrest. I have heard alot of tales about Earl, both pro and con, but both parties agree that Earl followed a different flight plan than most!

lone ringer · Post by **lone ringer** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:58 pm

Jim, I went to probably all the HP Nevada State matches since 1979 and do nor remember having seen Earl Hines in one of them. Another interesting thing about him is that he never won a HP State match in Arizona either but he won a bunch of SB state titles and he won Silhouette National titles in HP in 1980 and a SB in 1981.

He was different and always looked for a way to get an edge. He introduced the very long barrels, high scope magnification and mouse calibers to rifle silhouette. He dominated the Schuetzen rifle matches for quite some time in the 1990's.

Earl Hines is one of the best all around rifle shooters Arizona has ever had and silhouette shooters that like long barrels, high magnification and light recoiling rifles owe a lot to Earl and Wayne Leek for all their experimentation they did with those items.

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 4:57 pm

Hi Tony...I have heard of this great shooter also....Unfortunately for me, I never had a chance to meet him.

But in this discussion of true inovaters within this sport, let's take a hard look at who has always been on the cutting edge of rifle silhouete development.....A nice young man from Yakima, Washington...Dennis Martinen

Dennis has taken more heat over the years than should cast upon any one man. And for what ? Just trying to figure out the best rifle to be made within the ever changing rules the rifle silhouette commitee will allow..

I am totally in awe that he has chosen me to do his research and development work...Sometimes, the things he asks, I'm thinking, oh man, I'll never make a dime on this job. But when all is said and done, I am in utmost awe of the finished product... What a true visionary this guy is, and he doesn't blink an eye one bit when one of his hair braind ideas doesn't pan out...He just learns from that and moves on...

So I have this to say to all of you guys and gals out there going to a big regional, national, or one of a kind match, looking up and down the racks at all of the custom rifles, wether it be smallbore or highpower...These custom rifles you see on the racks at very big matches are a product of what Dennis Martinen has brought to this sport...Like it or not, this man absoulutely defines what this sport is what is is today...Mr. Marv.

lone ringer · Post by **lone ringer** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:23 pm

Marv, I have nothing but respect for Dennis Martinen for the person he is and what he has accomplished through out the many years he has competed in rifle silhouette. If anybody stays in the sport for as long as he has remained sooner or later some controversy is likely to arise whether deserved or not.

I remember the fiasco with the Hunting rifles a few years back but now most of us compete with rifles like the one he was trying to use. In my opinion rifle silhouette is a very demanding sport, very few factory rifles are up to the challenge and most end up failing us. Nothing wrong with trying to improve on equipment and have the best that can be purchased.

Dennis Martinen some time ago gave a rifle to a young girl the daughter of a friend of mine so that she could compete with her own rifle and I will never forget that.

Jim Beckley · Post by **Jim Beckley** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:50 pm

I didn't know if that was true about Earl or not. I know that Earl was from Tucson and the closer you get to Tucson, the better the storys get about Earl. I never met him but the guys around here say that Earl and George Simon (HP Champ 1978) used to get into some pretty good shooting matches, and I've heard that neither one restrained from exercising their middle digit at eachother! I have thought about that protest about Dennis M's gun a couple of years ago, like you said now the line is full of rifles just like it! I remember now that someone told me that Earl used to shoot in the Schuetzen matches. I know that another silhouette shooter that did, Jimmy Feren (HP Champ 84), I have shot with Jim a number of times, real nice guy, only spotted for him once though (he is tough on a spotter).

DanDeMan · Post by **DanDeMan** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:54 am

Jim,

I was at the Tucson HP match you are referring to when Earl sold his Fagen stocked, XP-100, 7BR silhouette rifle. Earl told me that story about hitting 7/10 turkeys in the head off-hand while we were discussing optimum rounds for HP silhouette. I had shown him the 6.5MM TKS I was shooting back then. He was amused.

I've also spotted for Jim Feren on several occasions. He was always a gentleman towards me. But, I've heard he could be brutal to spotters if they kept messing-up. Jim was probably the best shooter's-wind shooter I've ever seen. Years ago at Sacramento he shot a 36/40 HP score in wind that just about knocked us over from the start of the match all the way to the end. It was amazing spotting for him.

Jim Beckley · Post by **Jim Beckley** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:28 am

Yes Sir, Mr. Feren can shoot. At the time he won his Champ., he was living in Carson City, Nevada, and they had no silhouette range there, I ask Jim what he did for practice, he told me that the range he shot on went to 200yds, so he hung up a chicken and practiced on that.

Bob Mc Alice · Post by **Bob Mc Alice** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:37 pm

Jim Beckley wrote:I didn't know if that was true about Earl or not. I know that another silhouette shooter that did, Jimmy Feren (HP Champ 84), I have shot with Jim a number of times, real nice guy, only spotted for him once though (he is tough on a spotter).

I got paired up with Jim Feren twice at HP matches in Reno and Sacremento. Tough on a spotter?? My ass still bears the scars from a couple of minor miss called shots. He demands plus or minus an inch accuracy on shot hit location. Was always quick to correct me on a miss call. I shot next to him at the AZ state HP in Tucson in 2003. He was tough on his spotter then , too. Never again.
Last I heard he was a school teacher in Bullhead City, AZ. I'll bet those are the best behaved kids in the school system.

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:33 pm

Jim. B...it was more than a couple of years ago that the terribly offensive HP Hunter gun that Dennis brought to the Nats was protested...By none other than Dan the Man...

Dan, when you started in on Dennis via the internet in such a shameful way, you made a real fool out of yourself. For such a smart guy, I'm sure you wish you could take back those very hateful words from Shooters.com ....Could it be those very same words that put you into hiding behind a black powder rifle ?

Come out of the closet, Amigo, we can forgive and we miss you....M.

dave imas · Post by **dave imas** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:28 pm

Marv,

Lots of old wounds that have since healed for most folks. Might make sense to just let the past alone and appreciate where we are today.

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:23 pm

Dave...How on earth can we appreciate where we are today if we forget the true history of the sport?

lone ringer · Post by **lone ringer** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:26 pm

Any how going back to Earl Hines and George Simon rivalry. I went to the last AZ state match that was held in Nogales, AZ around 1979-1980 and both those guys were there. On the second day of competition Earl began on turkeys and George questioned that fact since Earl was supposed to start on chickens just like George, Earl told Simon to mind his own business or something to that effect. Earl when questioned further said he had traded cards with some lady with one officer's approval (Jesse Rogers). George asked Jesse who the hell he was to make those kinds of decisions and the matter went to a jury who agreed with George and asked him what he wanted done to Earl and George said that all he wanted was that Earl began on chickens like he was supposed to, so the score that Earl had on turkeys which was a good one (I do not remember what it was) was void and he was told to star over again. Earl hit his first five chickens then turned around and gave George the bird but after that he did not hit more than one or two more chickens. They ended up with the same score tied for the aggregate and had to shoot off for the Championship. George was shooting a 308 with LC military match ammo and had a lot of misfires but managed to beat Earl once again to win the match. There was no love lost between those two guys.

BlauBear · Post by **BlauBear** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:24 am

Nothing like a good rivalry to keep things interesting!

Jim Beckley · Post by **Jim Beckley** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:43 pm

Yea Tony, The lady in question was Dirty Dan Sutton's first wife, I think her name was Sandy. Dan has told that story many times, but I couldn't remember all the details.
Bob, Jimbo isn't a teacher anymore, he is admin.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:35 pm

Had a visiit with Earl in August 2006 at the Cody gun range, he came out to observe the monthly SB match. Seems he had moved to Cody and was doing restorations at Ballard Rifles. We re-introduced ourselves and talked obout some of the shoots we had both been at in the 80's. During a break I handed him my 1710 and he hit 4 of 5 chickens. He talked about setting up a Ballard single shot for the game but I never ran into him again. It was a very nice day.

Loren Peter
Coffman Cove, AK

I've Heard

I've Heard

I've Heard

I/ve Heard

Re: I've Heard

I've Heard

I've Heard