Anyone still shooting handgun silhouette?

[Bill in Oregon]

I played with this briefly about 25 years and four back surgeries ago. Shot a couple of matches with a scoped TC Contender in 6.5 TCU. It was a lot of fun -- and I sure admired the guys shooting open-sighted revolvers.
I am told they used to shoot it at our range here in southern New Mexico, but that -- kind of like cowboy shooting-- it just seemed to drift away.

[yooper2]

We were shooting handgun silhouette up until 4 years ago at my old club in the UP but I was doing most of the work and since we moved it has fallen apart. We weren't IHMSA just did it on our own. We also did a short form of BPCR silhouette and military silhouette..

Eric

[Rockrat]

I wish I had a range around here to shoot IHMSA. Used to shoot it decades ago. Had a blast at it. Course, getting close to 70 now and the "dead frog" shooting position might be a bit more difficult now, not to mention iron sights are a bit harder to focus on.

[3leggedturtle]

I spise you dont still have the 6.5TCU barrel? I never got to attend one. Is your range jib still going good?

[Shasta]

At Hat Creek Rifle & Pistol Club in Burney, California, we shoot NRA Hunter's Pistol Silhouette on the first Sunday of the month year-round alongside our Lever Action Pistol Cartridge Rifle Silhouette. NRA Smallbore Hunter's Pistol Silhouette is shot on the second Sunday each month alongside our Smallbore Lever Action Rifle Silhouette. We usually get less than ten handgun shooters. The Hunter's Pistol is a 40 round match and the Smallbore is a 60 round match. Targets are at 40, 50, 75, and 100 yards. For Hunter's Pistol I use a Smith & Wesson Model 629 Hunter Classic .44 Magnum with the 8 3/8" barrel, shooting a light 205 grain bullet over a charge of Trail Boss powder. For the Smallbore I use a Smith & Wesson Model 17-3 with 8 3/8" barrel. It's a lot of fun, but I can't shoot a handgun very well, usually shooting a B Class score.

Shasta

[Bill in Oregon]

Todd, no, that Contender went away long ago. Still working at the range for a few more weeks before I move to Sweetwater, Texas. Fortunately, they have a nice gun club there.

[jeepnik]

When it started it was fun. At my club just a bunch of guys doing what we did with cars. We “run what you brung”. Then the gamers took hold. It wasn’t fun and unless you spent a fortune you couldn’t compete. But then I’ve seen that in every shooting game that’s come down the pike in the last sixty or so years.

[AJMD429]

I wish I had a range around here to shoot IHMSA. Used to shoot it decades ago. Had a blast at it. Course, getting close to 70 now and the "dead frog" shooting position might be a bit more difficult now, not to mention iron sights are a bit harder to focus on.

I used aperture sights on my Super Blackhawk years ago - can't remember if it was an IHMSA-legal match or not, but nobody complained. Lots of Contenders were used as well by others. My only Contender barrels at the time were a open-sighted 10" 44 Mag and a scoped 14" 223 Rem, so I stuck with the Super-B.

I now have a 14" 357 Max Contender barrel with aperture sights I'd probably try out, but I don't know if anyone around me (Indiana) has matches.

I would think that other than getting a set of targets made up, the administration of the matches shouldn't be too hard, as long as the range is long enough (or maybe could use modified smaller targets?). Perhaps a local steel-target maker would be willing to make a set of targets at a good price in exchange for some free advertising.

I think metal knock-over targets are the most fun, followed by gongs, in terms of shooter and spectator-appeal, plus they make the scoring less tedious, and although the funny animal-shapes are needed for true IHMSA stuff, the target type is great for all sorts of other action shooting.

[Bill in Oregon]

Doc, I think that Contender in .357 Max and a 180-grain cast bullet would be the nuts for this game. Depending upon shooting position, I don't know If I could still use an aperture sight. Like Rockrat I am sneaking up on 70 myself, and the four fusions would make the dead frog mighty sketchy unless I had a young and beautiful assistant to help me up ...

[Rusty]

I shot it about 40 years ago at a local range. I was using a T/C Contender in .30-30 with a Super 14 barrel barrel. It was quite a learning experience.

[Rockrat]

Bill, you will like the range in Sweetwater. I have shot there before and really enjoyed it and the people there were top notch

[harry]

Not in many years, still have my 14” contender barrel in 10mm mag, but just shoot dear with it now.

[jnyork]

. When we lived in Northeastern California in the early 80's, my wife and I along with our teenage son were gone to an IHMSA shoot almost every weekend, both in Cali and in Northern Nevada. I still have my Contender but sold my 30-30 barrel years ago. Still have the 7tcu and .22 barrels , I moved to Wyoming in 82 and took the Wyoming State Championship for .22 the following year. During the recession of the 80's, IHMSA activity stopped in Wyoming and never got going again. I also still have my two Sako bolt action unlimited pistols, both 7mm tcu, haven't shot them in over 30 years. No way I could shoot from a Creedmore position any more, I might get down but you would need an engine hoist to get me back vertical.

[Lastmohecken]

I shot NRA Hunter Pistol back in the 1980's, a lot. I started with a Smith K 22 rimfire with a 6 inch barrel and a Smith L Frame in .357. Everyone shot iron sights. I also used a 5 inch 1911 in 45 acp. Later on I switched to a Smith and Wesson Model 41 for .22 class and eventually a TC Contended in .357 mag. People eventually went to scopes, and we all mostly ended up with shooting high power rifle scopes on our handguns. I shot 12 power rifle scopes, mostly. Pistol scopes couldn't compete with us. I shot AAA class by the time I was using rifle scopes.

The turkeys were probably the hardest to hit, consistently. I know a clean bank of ten, has been done a lot, but in the years that I shot, I only saw it done one time. And that was by a friend of mine, shooting an iron sighted custom 1911 Wilson Comp Gun. He cleaned it, in an actual match. He was one of the finest off hand slow fire pistol shooters I ever seen.

I could clean the chickens and the pigs regularly, but I could never clean those pesky turkeys. The rams were easier than the turkeys, and I could often get 8 or better out of ten in a match. I would usually end up in the low to mid thirties for score, which would usually get me 1st or second place on a good day.

All of the silhouette ranges are gone now, in this area, as far as I know. In the day, I also shot NRA Bullseye, and IPSC Combat matches, and later on IDPA. IDPA is about the only thing going, around here, anymore. Oh, I forgot, did shoot some Cowboy Matches in the 90's some, but I am not sure if there are even any of those, around here, anymore. In recent years, I have shot some IDPA matches and that's about it, but I don't like it that much, because it turned into, a game for younger people that can move and get up and down easily. I much preferred the old IPSC matches back in the day to IDPA, where mostly you just stood on your hind legs and drew your pistol and shot, with the occasional plate match or bowling pin match throwed in.

[AJMD429]

.
I do like the concept of "action" shooting, but I agree that if they want to keep competitors of all ages participating, they might want to limit the events where one has to throw themselves on the ground to shoot to certain classes or ages.

[jeepnik]

Sadly every type of “combat” shooting match that has come along in the last 50 or so years and every sporting match quickly became one in which the gamers took over and soon out spent what most folks could afford.

IDPA is a good example. It was started as a result of IPSC becoming a “professional” match with ridiculous rules and equipment. It held out for a bit but before long sponsored shooters found loopholes or just changed the rules. The equipment used today is a far cry from the original idea of using practical self defense tools.

[jnyork]

jeepnik, it seems that happens with every game ever invented. IHMSA, for instance. Started off , all you needed was a revolver and maybe a Contender, iron sights of course. Only three classifications : revolver, production, offhand. Soon, there were people complaining because there was no classification for their special equipment, so more and more classifications were added. Perfect scores became the norm, so then smaller targets, so on and so forth. Absolutely ruined IHMSA, clubs got tired of the hassle and shooters got tired of being outspent.

[Bill in Oregon]

Isn't it odd that this cycle of humble origins, growth and expansion, increasing specialization and finally the triumph of the gamers puts an end to so many shooting sports.
Rockrat, I found the Sweetwater Rifle and Pistol Club's FB page a few days ago and am in touch and looking forward to shooting on their range. I might even have to take up one of the shotgun sports again.

[AJMD429]

jeepnik, it seems that happens with every game ever invented. IHMSA, for instance. Started off , all you needed was a revolver and maybe a Contender, iron sights of course. Only three classifications : revolver, production, offhand. Soon, there were people complaining because there was no classification for their special equipment, so more and more classifications were added. Perfect scores became the norm, so then smaller targets, so on and so forth. Absolutely ruined IHMSA, clubs got tired of the hassle and shooters got tired of being outspent.

Even non-shooting sports tend to have the same thing happen.

The sad thing is that one of the strengths of the 'shooting sports community' is when we get together and have not only FUN competing, but 'network' in terms of fighting the political issue that are so inherent in the shooting sports. When we just figure 'screw-it' and quit competing and socializing, and go back to back-yard tin-can shooting, we lose that networking and the resultant political clout.

At least forums like this one serve to some extent as a surrogate for networking.

[Mark in MO]

Handgun silhouette was the reason I bought a Super Blackhawk in the late 70s. My best friend bought a S&W 29 and we both competed back in the day. While never a serious threat to anyone, score wise, we had fun. Haven't heard of anyone shooting that in decades. Sad really.

[earlmck]

Our group is still shooting twice a month. I'm headed out tomorrow with the Ruger GP100, Rossi 357 (both of those will be shooting the same load of H108 pushing the 135 grain Ranch Dog style bullet) and will also shoot the Rem 14 1/2 38/40 which has been neglected for the last couple of years. I keep track of my scores just for grins but since I am nearly always the only one in my class it isn't a competition. Just a fun day shootin'.

[Bill in Oregon]

Earl, if you should feel inclined to refresh us on that Remington 14 1/2, feel free.

[earlmck]

Earl, if you should feel inclined to refresh us on that Remington 14 1/2, feel free.

Here ya' go Bill.

Rem14nhalf.jpg

Rem38-40.jpg

I hadn't shot it in several years and it showed. But by the time I got to the rams I was starting to get in the groove and got 4 out of 5 for both banks of 5. (Which is quite a lot better than I did on the pigs and turkeys I'll have to admit).

It has the nifty little "tang-ceiver" sight that screws into the receiver but extends back like a tang sight.

[Bill in Oregon]

Earl, I have to smile at the .38-40 REM designation for the .38 WCF. There sure was a lot of that going on in the old days -- calling somebody else's cartridge your own ...
Glad it is shooting well for you!

[6pt-sika]

My home club “The Piedmont Sportsman’s Club” still has a match every month in warm months . They usually have the Virginia state championship as well. In years past the zone shoot was held at our club but I don’t think that happens anylonger . In years past you needed to pre register to make sure you had a spot at the monthly club shoots , now unless something drastically changes they take any and all walk in’s . Heck in years past they’d have a practice evening every week that would generally draw 20 or more club members , now maybe five members out of 450 shoot IHMSA . I put on leveraction Silhoutte shoots at our club for awhile . The first year was more of a for fun atmosphere and it wasn’t a registered event with attendance being 10-20 folks . The second year I was told to make it a registered NRA lever Silhoutte event , after doing that attendance dried up to myself and one or two others . After that I did it maybe three more years and to be blunt got tired of unlocking targets and setting up the chickens for a couple people with me ending up doing all the work . The first year when we had a good number most people wanted to help set targets etc . Doing it by yourself and trying to shoot was for the birds .

[6pt-sika]

I started my competitive life with the skeet crowd and it was quite friendly and social , then I added the trap event which wasn’t as friendly and not very sociable compared to skeet but I still liked the game . Got into PPC a little and that was friendly enough . Then did the lever Silhoutte thing and it was quite fun when I had more then three people . Then I started this SxS sporting clays stuff and that’s quite friendly and sociable . I’d have to say over the course of forty years the two I liked best were registered skeet and the SxS events . Not exactly a competitive thing , but sociable just the same are the Pheasant/Partridge/Pigeon Tower Shoots I’ve been doing the last four years . Biggest thing about any of this is participating with folks you actually like doing whatever it is with !