other than steel chickens where
- Thread starter Jefferson
- Start date
You're right, there's not much out there specifically regarding silhouette. And what is out there is scattered all over the interwebs. I also find it surprising that silhouette shooting sports don't have more of an online presence, like CMP or NRA Highpower or NCAA/ISSF Air Rifle and Smallbore. Watching the chickens jump off the rail and the rams tip over like a falling tree is great!
SteelChickens has been the go-to place for silhouette shooters for a long time, but there isn't much daily action there. Of course, be sure to check out the NRA silhouette rule book.
A recent issue of ShootingSportsUSA has a silhouette feature, there are a couple of facebook groups, and a handful of YouTube videos available. RimfireCentral has a silhouette sub-forum that someone posts in about one a month... Like I said, scattered around.
One general observation is that some of the above sources trend towards hardware (what bell works the best, how well will this whistle improve my score?). If that's what you're looking for, information is all around.
However if you're after shooter-performance information there are a some great sources that don't contain the word silhouette at all. Books like With Winning in Mind (great stuff and great blueprint of how to execute the information) and Bullseye Mind (also great stuff and easier to digest) are already on everybody's bookshelf, and a lesser known treasure is Ways of the Rifle (this book excruciatingly detailed regarding the standing position).
What a minute... Maybe that's an idea for someone who writes well and shoots well... a book about how to play the metallic silhouette game...
So, yeah, there is stuff out there regarding the silhouette shooting sports. It's just a matter of finding what you're looking for somewhere on the interwebs.
SteelChickens has been the go-to place for silhouette shooters for a long time, but there isn't much daily action there. Of course, be sure to check out the NRA silhouette rule book.
A recent issue of ShootingSportsUSA has a silhouette feature, there are a couple of facebook groups, and a handful of YouTube videos available. RimfireCentral has a silhouette sub-forum that someone posts in about one a month... Like I said, scattered around.
One general observation is that some of the above sources trend towards hardware (what bell works the best, how well will this whistle improve my score?). If that's what you're looking for, information is all around.
However if you're after shooter-performance information there are a some great sources that don't contain the word silhouette at all. Books like With Winning in Mind (great stuff and great blueprint of how to execute the information) and Bullseye Mind (also great stuff and easier to digest) are already on everybody's bookshelf, and a lesser known treasure is Ways of the Rifle (this book excruciatingly detailed regarding the standing position).
What a minute... Maybe that's an idea for someone who writes well and shoots well... a book about how to play the metallic silhouette game...
So, yeah, there is stuff out there regarding the silhouette shooting sports. It's just a matter of finding what you're looking for somewhere on the interwebs.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Silhouette people are very cliquish and seem to keep things like match info, etc secret. Its a sport that would grow by leaps and bounds if somebody would promote it even a little bit
If you have ever competed in silhouette I think you would know how wrong your statement about silhouette shooters being cliquish is. I competed for over 30 years and found just the opposite of your statement.
Silhouette is just like other shooting disciplines, it has had it high participation period. It is hanging on but people have gravitated to other disciplines.
Silhouette is an incredibly difficult competiiton and a lot of folks try it and find it too difficult. The current fad in competition is laying on belly or shooting from a rest to hit gongs at far yardages. Silhouette requires shooting off-hand, not something a lot of folks are willing to put the time and effort into.
drover
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
I actually do sometimes… when i can find a match. Used to work at finding them a lot more than i do anymore. Wish it was like you describe around here.
I have competed all over the Northwest, Southwest, Western Canada, and as far north as the Yukon and in 30 years of competing I can only recall a handful of individuals who I would describe as people that I would describe as someone that I did not want to be around. I never found a match or club where any of the folks were cliquish. Many competitors like to have certain individuals as their spotter which is important because when you have to folks who communicate well it can certainly add a few more points to the score but I do not consider that as being cliquish.
As far as finding matches part of it may be in the different mind-set of travel distance to a match. The closet club level match I have is 150 miles, to get to Regional match or special event matches the closest one is 200 miles and some of the other high level competition may be as far as 900 miles.
I agree that it should be more popular than it is but most folks are intimidated by standing in front of other shooters and having them see how badly they can miss at times. My first match I used my gopher rifle - a Rem 581 with a Bushnell Banner 3-9 scope, I remember shooting an 11 out of 40 and I was hooked.
One of the things that have hurt in my opinion is the relaxation of the rules in regards to Hunter rifle class. It has to intimidating to a new shooter to see the rifles that are now allowed in Hunter class, personally I would prefer to see the requirements go back to a factory off the shelf rifle for Hunter class.
my current ratings - all achieced with off the shelf Hunter rifles. I started using the Hunter rifle for both classes a lot of years ago and my score jumped a class by doing so.
SB Hunter - Master
SB Std rifle - AAA
HP Hunter - AAA
HP Std rifle - AA
Unfortunately I have gotten old enough and unsteady enough that I am not much of a threat but sometimes the "old man" still has a surprise left in him.
drover
As far as finding matches part of it may be in the different mind-set of travel distance to a match. The closet club level match I have is 150 miles, to get to Regional match or special event matches the closest one is 200 miles and some of the other high level competition may be as far as 900 miles.
I agree that it should be more popular than it is but most folks are intimidated by standing in front of other shooters and having them see how badly they can miss at times. My first match I used my gopher rifle - a Rem 581 with a Bushnell Banner 3-9 scope, I remember shooting an 11 out of 40 and I was hooked.
One of the things that have hurt in my opinion is the relaxation of the rules in regards to Hunter rifle class. It has to intimidating to a new shooter to see the rifles that are now allowed in Hunter class, personally I would prefer to see the requirements go back to a factory off the shelf rifle for Hunter class.
my current ratings - all achieced with off the shelf Hunter rifles. I started using the Hunter rifle for both classes a lot of years ago and my score jumped a class by doing so.
SB Hunter - Master
SB Std rifle - AAA
HP Hunter - AAA
HP Std rifle - AA
Unfortunately I have gotten old enough and unsteady enough that I am not much of a threat but sometimes the "old man" still has a surprise left in him.
drover
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Emmett Dibble
Gold $$ Contributor
I shoot A LOT of silhouette and run matches. I assure you, if there is a match at a range that is within reasonable driving distance to you, the match director and “most” competitors will welcome you with open arms….
Most will throw a rifle in your hands if you just stop by to see what it is all about.
The fact is, shooting offhand, unsupported, no jacket/sling is hard. Younger people don’t like hard. Older people don’t like hard. It feels like you need expensive equipment, which is partially true to enjoy it to it’s full potential. BUT you can get started, ESPECIALLY at a local club match, with pretty much any
rifle/ammo/scope combo that will hold MOAish and is repeatable-ish.
Truth is it’s a dying sport that is basically on life support by die hards who love it. We get the occasional new shooter who gets hooked but if you look up and down the line at any match or the nationals, you’ll see a lot of grey hair (or no hair)…
Most will throw a rifle in your hands if you just stop by to see what it is all about.
The fact is, shooting offhand, unsupported, no jacket/sling is hard. Younger people don’t like hard. Older people don’t like hard. It feels like you need expensive equipment, which is partially true to enjoy it to it’s full potential. BUT you can get started, ESPECIALLY at a local club match, with pretty much any
rifle/ammo/scope combo that will hold MOAish and is repeatable-ish.
Truth is it’s a dying sport that is basically on life support by die hards who love it. We get the occasional new shooter who gets hooked but if you look up and down the line at any match or the nationals, you’ll see a lot of grey hair (or no hair)…
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
I shoot local matches when my dad can come. I have some of the best rifles evelio can build and usually lend my spares to the local 4h club when im there. I agree on the hunter class- i actually like to use my 1710 or 1712 over the full customs, kinda like a guy using a bow during gun season. I have a full rack of animals in 1/5, 1/3 and full scale to practice with myself and finally collected my 10 pins for each animal (even though they all weren’t at the same match. I love shooting the steel and sure wish it would take off again.
1Merlin
Silver $$ Contributor
Everything that cedestech says and
It's hard.
You have to really work at it to improve.
Takes self disciple to shoot.
Takes to long. Two or three hours for 40 shots.
Not enough trigger pulling. And no 30 round magazines.
You do need an accurate rifle and a good scope if shooting small-bore or High Power.
Most of the experienced shooters use high dollar equipment which makes (most) people believe that it takes a lot of money to play competitively. Some truth to this.....
Takes to much work to set up and run a match - equipment/target set up and resets of animals (generally) require the competitors to participate in the reset and setup/tear down. Match directors have a lot of work for little thanks in most clubs. This leads to burn out.
Silhouette is dying out as the older shooters age and pass on. The are some clubs trying to revive and make some changes that would make the sport more attractive to younger and women shooters but the résistance to change is fierce. We have met the enemy and he is us.
It's hard.
You have to really work at it to improve.
Takes self disciple to shoot.
Takes to long. Two or three hours for 40 shots.
Not enough trigger pulling. And no 30 round magazines.
You do need an accurate rifle and a good scope if shooting small-bore or High Power.
Most of the experienced shooters use high dollar equipment which makes (most) people believe that it takes a lot of money to play competitively. Some truth to this.....
Takes to much work to set up and run a match - equipment/target set up and resets of animals (generally) require the competitors to participate in the reset and setup/tear down. Match directors have a lot of work for little thanks in most clubs. This leads to burn out.
Silhouette is dying out as the older shooters age and pass on. The are some clubs trying to revive and make some changes that would make the sport more attractive to younger and women shooters but the résistance to change is fierce. We have met the enemy and he is us.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
I shot the various shiloutte games for years. Had 2 clubs within a half hour, 2 more at about 2 hrs. Rifle, handgun, smallbore, centerfire....Great fun. The 2 ranges closet to me closed when the couple of guys running them said we have been doing this for many years, someone else needs to take over. Instant volunteer came forward both places. One club at one match and went away, the other never had another match. It's a big job, requires target sitters, lots of work, no workers. Now one of the 2 hous clubs still has the NRA rifle game and has hosted numerous National Championships. That club, Ridgway Sportsmen in Pa. Started the bench rest version shot at 850, 900, 950, 1000 yards. Very popular getting close to 200 shooters every match. Some hard working dedicated people involved. I have participated in them all. Funny, those guys all think benchresters are snobby. I have found all the many shooting disciplines I have shot in are similar. Get involved, be friendly, and you will get lots of help and soon be one of the group. As the old guys are wearing out the younger guys are not stepping up at many clubs.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
One of my local ranges (Sacramento Valley) has started a rimfire silhouette match series. I've yet to go, work, life, 3 school age kids, etc, but I really want to try it out. I have a couple rifle options, a rem 582 with fixed 4x scope, a Glenfield 60, and a savage 4C, the latter two are iron sights. Either sighting option is fine by my eyes, but I don't know what I dont know. I would like a reason to get a really nice, accurate rimfire, as here in CA I can't hunt with lead and my paper punching is all long range.
Take time to go to a match and give it a try. Your 582 will work even with a 4X scope - it will not be an ideal set-up but at least you can find out what it is all about. I shot my 581 for my first couple of years although I did use a 10X scope with it.
The beauty of silhouette is that there are 4 different classes - B class 0-14 hits, A class 15-19 hits, AA class 20-25 hits, AAA 26-31 hits, Master 32-40 hits, these are for a 40 shot match.
All four classes have awards so depending on your skill level it is possible to win or place well.
Most of the time the Match Winner (overall highest score) will be won by a AAA or Master but even they get surprised sometimes by a lower class shooter who is on a hot streak that day.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
I've shot silhouette before, just not rimfire. I guess I could take all my rimfire rifles to the range and see which one shoots the ammo I have the best. I assume like full bore, 1moa or less is sufficient? Can I use a semi auto rifle?
I would try the 582, they have a poor trigger but usually are very accurate and have an extremely fast lock time. There are some competitors now who are building silhouette rifles off of the 580 series rifles because of their fast lock time.
While semi-autos are allowed you should use a cartridge deflector of some sort so that the ejected brass is not hitting the shooter next to you.
As for ammo - if you have some CCI std vel that is likely to work well for inexpensive ammo, otherwise just try what you have on hand and see how it works.
Good luck and good shooting
drover
While semi-autos are allowed you should use a cartridge deflector of some sort so that the ejected brass is not hitting the shooter next to you.
As for ammo - if you have some CCI std vel that is likely to work well for inexpensive ammo, otherwise just try what you have on hand and see how it works.
Good luck and good shooting
drover
The logistical problem with silhouette shooting wether it’s under IHMSA or NRA rules is where what is left of the bullet mite end up if they were to ricochet up and back or off to the side of a spinning turkey target or a backward tipping ram target. These clubs that host silhouette need a lot of vacant land behind and on each side of the target range, or very tall berms on each side and especially behind the target range. The two clubs I used to compete in IHMSA Unlimited class one gave up their lease, and the other sold their clubs land because the liability insurance kept going up every year, even though there was never an incident involving a ricocheted bullet damaging neighboring property, or caused any injury to someone near ot far from the ranges. Damned overly litigious lawyers ruin everything.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
I have an extra 788 trigger I'm planning on modifying to fit the 582 and add adjustments to. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.
NV_Dmax
Gold $$ Contributor
If you're ever back over the hill we have a rimfire silhouette match at Palomino and it is well attended.
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