There's not much info on the IHMSA site as far as matches or regional info. Is handgun silhouette dead and gone, on life support, or??? What other competitive opportunities are there for long(er) range pistol shooting that focus on accuracy?
Is silhouette dead?
- Thread starter Adam in WI
- Start date
Lumpy’s guns
Gold $$ Contributor
I’m pretty sure there are Handgun Silhouette matches in the PNW. I’ve seen guys practice where I practice rifle silhouette
Thauglor
Silver $$ Contributor
Not sure about handgun, rifle silhouette is doing okay ish, this site has the best list of matches but even it is not fully complete, more regional stuff that isn't posted anywhere
nassasilhouette.org
NASSA Silhouette
nassasilhouette.org
rickiesrevenge
Silver $$ Contributor
Life support. Been that way for years. Biggest shoot is worlds. Last time I heard about it there were 20-30 shooters. Sure there were more "entries" than that. But it was the same guys shooting the dozen different classes
Kinda disappointed in the lack of interest of the sport.
I bought my first Contender because of it.
Recently purchased a Ruger 10/22 just for the purpose of using it at my shooting club .
Before I even had a chance to get it sighted in our club did away with the shoots due to lack of participation.
I bought my first Contender because of it.
Recently purchased a Ruger 10/22 just for the purpose of using it at my shooting club .
Before I even had a chance to get it sighted in our club did away with the shoots due to lack of participation.
GetReal
Silver $$ Contributor
All the pistol marketing I've seen is for self-defense and concealed carry... nothing on a long range precision. I can't even recall an ad for a bianchi competition handgun.... 50 yards max.
I'm not sure if that marketing simply reflects lack of interest in long range precision handgun shooting, or if the lack of interest in long range precision handgun shooting is caused by that marketing.
I'm not sure if that marketing simply reflects lack of interest in long range precision handgun shooting, or if the lack of interest in long range precision handgun shooting is caused by that marketing.
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Krogen
Gold $$ Contributor
We run 3 monthly silhouette matches at my gun club. They are no longer sanctioned matches since it reduces the paperwork and we don't have to send money off to the sanctioning body. These days the participants are more interested in competing against themselves than how they rank on the board.
2nd Saturday is Lever Action Silhouette; a 22LR match in the morning and pistol cartridge match in the afternoon. Targets are Hunter's Pistol size at 40, 50, 77 and 100 meters. People can shoot scoped handguns as in Hunter's Pistol, but we rarely see anybody breaking out their old Contenders.
3rd Saturday is Long Range 22LR silhouette. No equipment rules and no match winners. Prizes are just bragging rights. We see anything from "Pa's old 22" to high end benchrest guns. We often see old-school match rifles put into play. Targets are smaller than lever action silhouette and roughly twice the distance - 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters.
We have a lot of fun at these events. Part of the success is they don't operate "the old way." They're more of a get-together with like-minded people than a competition.
2nd Saturday is Lever Action Silhouette; a 22LR match in the morning and pistol cartridge match in the afternoon. Targets are Hunter's Pistol size at 40, 50, 77 and 100 meters. People can shoot scoped handguns as in Hunter's Pistol, but we rarely see anybody breaking out their old Contenders.
3rd Saturday is Long Range 22LR silhouette. No equipment rules and no match winners. Prizes are just bragging rights. We see anything from "Pa's old 22" to high end benchrest guns. We often see old-school match rifles put into play. Targets are smaller than lever action silhouette and roughly twice the distance - 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters.
We have a lot of fun at these events. Part of the success is they don't operate "the old way." They're more of a get-together with like-minded people than a competition.
From what I've seen at the ranges, precision pistol is a dying sport, losing more shooters each year. This includes NRA Bullseye along with Silhouette. Most of the interest is in defensive / short range action shooting or just blasting away in 10 to 15 sustained fire sequences. Our bullseye range (25- and 50-yard fixed target stands) is mostly deserted these days.
I see the same trend with precision rifle shooting. Bolt rifle shooters are definitely the minority at the ranges where I attend. Most shooters I encounter are AR shooters, blasting away without any precision goals. Those bolt rifles shooters I do encounter are mostly steel gong shooters. I guess hitting a 10" gong at 100 yards is satisfying to some.
I see the same trend with precision rifle shooting. Bolt rifle shooters are definitely the minority at the ranges where I attend. Most shooters I encounter are AR shooters, blasting away without any precision goals. Those bolt rifles shooters I do encounter are mostly steel gong shooters. I guess hitting a 10" gong at 100 yards is satisfying to some.
If your focus in on accuracy try benchrest pistol competition. Check out this thread on the forum. Extremely accurate handguns. I occasionally see people shooting bolt action pistols in 600 yard benchrest.
That's the way our IHMSA matches have gone. No longer sanctioned, just guys getting together and doing informal shoots
rickiesrevenge
Silver $$ Contributor
Better than being anti-gun
The IHMSA 50th Anniversary World Championship is scheduled for July in Kentucky. The 2024 match there drew 405 entries. It looks like we'll have Team Australia back in town with 6? shooters from down under.
I just got my 2nd request from a Brazil shooter. Another member speculated there may be up to 10 shooters from Brazil. Lots of questions about rifles, both their National and Pan American championships include rifle and pistol at the same event. 2026 Registration is underway. The KY club has pneumatic reset targets. They can run 35 relays a day with only 2 target setters. Last year, we gave away 5 brand new SSK frames. If you have a Leupold 2.5-8x pistol scope gathering dust, just push the "send DM" button.
I'm making up a 6x221 Fireball for my granddaughter, about to turn 15. This will be her 4th? World Championship. At the 2025 WC in Indiana, she won the Air pistol against all comers with 40+9 shootoffs. Her mom tied for 1st (after preliminary shootoffs) in Big Bore, Unlimited Any Sight with a Shilen 6br bolt gun smithed by the late Jack Dever. The head to head shootoff went 4 additional rounds, she got beat 17-16 by a well known Texas shooter. Targets were 3 half-scale chickens at 200 with a half scale pig and turkey added into the mix.
Four females collectively shot 6 perfect scores in freestyle events.
Scoped Field Pistol had 5 shooters at or above 53x60.
You should been there...
I just got my 2nd request from a Brazil shooter. Another member speculated there may be up to 10 shooters from Brazil. Lots of questions about rifles, both their National and Pan American championships include rifle and pistol at the same event. 2026 Registration is underway. The KY club has pneumatic reset targets. They can run 35 relays a day with only 2 target setters. Last year, we gave away 5 brand new SSK frames. If you have a Leupold 2.5-8x pistol scope gathering dust, just push the "send DM" button.
I'm making up a 6x221 Fireball for my granddaughter, about to turn 15. This will be her 4th? World Championship. At the 2025 WC in Indiana, she won the Air pistol against all comers with 40+9 shootoffs. Her mom tied for 1st (after preliminary shootoffs) in Big Bore, Unlimited Any Sight with a Shilen 6br bolt gun smithed by the late Jack Dever. The head to head shootoff went 4 additional rounds, she got beat 17-16 by a well known Texas shooter. Targets were 3 half-scale chickens at 200 with a half scale pig and turkey added into the mix.
Four females collectively shot 6 perfect scores in freestyle events.
Scoped Field Pistol had 5 shooters at or above 53x60.
You should been there...
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Does anyone know of any shoots in Wisconsin? Informal even?
Daniel Boone club just outside Milwaukee 3 shoots this summer, Web sight DBCL.org I know there are a couple others but can't think of club names Dbcl is not sanctioned.
rickiesrevenge
Silver $$ Contributor
How many shooters is 405 entries. With all of the different classes within ihmsa it surely isn't 405 shooters.
JSH
Gold $$ Contributor
Same as several others, non sanctioned and informal. Though I will say air rifle interests is high, me included. Have plans on shooting at big bore distances, using 22 targets. They are already working on 1/2 scale ideas.
Biggest problem is finding targets setters. Then once you pay them there is little left for the till.
Technology caught up with IHMSA. Years ago when a 40x40 was shot an anouncment was made. If it was your first you were going to loose a shirt tail.
Forward a few years and it seemed like a 40 was fairly normal. A few years more you had to almost shoot a 40x40+10 to get in a shoot off.
Still have majority of my stuff along with things I should have walked away from, most collecting dust.
I will be 63 in April and am one of the younger ones there.
Biggest problem is finding targets setters. Then once you pay them there is little left for the till.
Technology caught up with IHMSA. Years ago when a 40x40 was shot an anouncment was made. If it was your first you were going to loose a shirt tail.
Forward a few years and it seemed like a 40 was fairly normal. A few years more you had to almost shoot a 40x40+10 to get in a shoot off.
Still have majority of my stuff along with things I should have walked away from, most collecting dust.
I will be 63 in April and am one of the younger ones there.
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