Interested in Sport

[Stape]

Howdy fellas, a good friend got me into handgun hunting and target shooting, previously I was a benchrest guy, I've shot NRA highpower and IDPA, but the handgun hunting/shooting for accuracy bug has really goten me.  I looked up thier website looking for the rules, what you can bring and what classes and divisions there are but couldn't find much, seemed like the sight was more for finding a match in your area or joining a membership.  I have a contender with various barrels in .223, 30WCF, 45-70, and 22lr, all of em are the super 14 variety, but looking at what rules I can find, it looked as though you can only have a 10in barrel, I know folks shoot all sorts of pistols, but I didn't want to have to shoot in some open class with all the race guns just because I have a super 14, and I was wanting to get into it with the gear I have, so does anyone have a link to a rule book for the classes and equipment used for each? Thanks.

[Graybeard]

There are two organizations sponsoring handgun silhouette matches. Generally one or the other and not both will be represented in your area. They are IHMSA and NRA.

Around here there is no IHMSA only NRA and even that is down drastically from the days when I shot it. Since I've never shot in IHMSA I'll ignore it and leave it for someone else to address.

NRA at least when I was shooting it offered two types of shoots they were Hunter Pistol and Small Bore Hunter Pistol. In HP you could use most any straight wall handgun cartridge up to .44 mag in power and a few kinda oddballs that weren't straight wall. You could also use rimfire if you wanted but were likely to lose a few rams hit but only rang not fallen.

In SBHP you could use only 22 LR. Targets were same size but thinner and lighter thus easier to knock over.

Distances were 25, 50, 75 and 100 meters for chickens, pigs, turkeys and rams respectively for both HP and SBHP. Chickens were later changed to 40 meters due to splash back hitting shooters.

For TCs barrels were limited to the 10" and could be used with iron sights or scopes and few ranges held iron sight only matches but here those were few and far between. Revolvers would use up to 10-5/8" barrels at least as S&W made one of that length that was legal and that I used exclusively in the iron sight HP matches with rather good success and often used it even against folks with scopes.

For the scoped HP matches I used a 10" .32 Magnum after deciding the .22 Mag wasn't quite up to the chore on rams.

[Stape]

Thanks, that kinda gives me some light, and I only say that cause I'm so darn ignorant on it, but I gotta start somewhere.  Just seems that I had seen regular long barreled pistols shooting the matches, but given my knowledge on it, who the heck knows what I was looking at.  I thought I had head that 7-30 waters and the 30 herret were popular rounds, if so, they surely arent straight walled?  I think I'm going to find a match, go to it and ask just enough questions that it borders on bothering folks   I appreciate your experience and input Graybeard.

[19 Turkeys]

You can find rules at www.ihmsa.org.  You can also search for your state/region directors & local match directors under the Web Watcher's Window.  I might also suggest you slip over to www.ihmsa.net/forum.  This is not an official IHMSA site but is owned by an IHMSA shooter.

Hope to see you on a silhouette range soon,

Steve W.

[Madmark]

Hi Stape, and welcome to the sport!!!
Where are you located? Going to a match is a great idea, and the only way you're apt to bother anyone is to ask questions to a shooter during the 2 minute shooting period! Every one of the silhouette guys I know LOVE to talk about the sport, guns, loads, etc., and will help you get your equipment squared away. I shoot IHMSA, and with the proper loads, all of your barrels would work. The velocities may have to be reduced on the 45-70 and 223, so target damage doesn't happen. For IHMSA, 10 3/4" is the maximum length for the production divisions, 15" max for the unlimited divisions. Don't worry about running with the "race guns", in silhouette competition the factory Contender will run with any of the Unlimited guns, and still dominates the standing divisions. A good trigger, good sights, and good loads are all you need to win in any division with the TC. The 2009 IHMSA rule book is at http://www.ihmsa.org/2009%20rulebook%20final.pdf

[Graybeard]

Thanks, that kinda gives me some light, and I only say that cause I'm so darn ignorant on it, but I gotta start somewhere.  Just seems that I had seen regular long barreled pistols shooting the matches, but given my knowledge on it, who the heck knows what I was looking at.  I thought I had head that 7-30 waters and the 30 herret were popular rounds, if so, they surely arent straight walled?  I think I'm going to find a match, go to it and ask just enough questions that it borders on bothering folks   I appreciate your experience and input Graybeard.

For some IHMSA matches that could be true just not in NRA. Since I'm only familiar with NRA I can't really address what IHMSA does with any first hand knowledge. There is just nowhere nearby to shoot IHMSA so I've never bothered trying to figure out their rules.

[Smokin7mm]

NRA also offers the smallbore & bigbore courses just like IHMSA.  There are a few differences in catagories that IHMSA has the NRA doesn't (UAS, UHSAS, etc) but for for the open sight catagories they are just about the same other than some weight differences. (NRA has higher weight limits).  When you get into the NRA Hunters pistol versus the IHMSA Field Pistol, The NRA also has a smallbore catagory where IHMSA's Field Pistol is only centerfire and NRA chickens are at 40Meters versus 25 for IHMSA.
Bret

[Graybeard]

That's new to the NRA since I retired from the sport. Didn't realize they made that move.

[Madmark]

Wish you were still shooting, Graybeard!! The number of shooters has declined greatly, at least in IHMSA. It's sad to see, as it's without a doubt the friendliest shooting sport I've been involved with.

Stape, with your prior shooting experience, you'll fit right in! If you already know a range that shoots silhouette, stop on in and chat with the guys. If you would like me to check for an IHMSA range near you, PM me your location. I don't know where they shoot NRA, but like GB said, usually one or the other is in your area. Some NRA info is at http://www.nrahq.org/compete/silhouette.asp

Hope to see you on the range!!

[Smokin7mm]

That's new to the NRA since I retired from the sport. Didn't realize they made that move.

GB:  When did you stop shooting?  I know our club was shooting IHMSA & NRA back in about 1993 or 1994.
Bret

[Graybeard]

I'd have to do a whole lotta thinking and looking to figure out just when I stopped. I continued our informal matches several years after dropping out of registered matches tho.

I was very active in the '70s and early '80s in registered matches. Most of my trophies and plaques are in boxes in the attic. Looking at some of the trophies I still have out and on display in the house it would appear I dropped out in late '80s as I see some '87 and '88 time frame trophies but nothing past that.

We shot non registered matches on into the late 90s I guess it was but just what year I shot the last one I honestly dunno.