Any silhouette shooters?

M

MikeinLA

New member
I've recently returned to target shooting as a hobby and am looking for something different to do once I get bored with the local indoor range. I discovered that not far from me is a very nice silhouette range/club with all kinds of different activities, competitions, etc according to their website. The long distance pistol silhouette is what interests me. Wondering if any of you partake in this kind of shooting and what pistols are best suited for it. Since impact at the target is important, I guess what I need is a good LD hunting pistol. I'm thinking maybe the T/C Contender, S & W .460 or maybe a Redhawk. Any thoughts ?

Mike
 
Im very envious of you. Here In NC,the only shooting sport like that is with 22 cal only. I cant get too excited about 22 shooting.:rolleyes:
I think I would spend some time there at the range and see what the others are shooting before I made my choice,that and ask lots of questions.
I know there was a range in Florida some time ago that shot long range targets. They didnt allow Thompson Contenders or any single shot pistols. Revolvers and Semi Auto's only.
Hope this helps and have fun.:)
 
I've also been wanting to do this.. most of the websites that come up with an internet search have not been updated for several years...

... I have my own 300 yard rifle & pistol range, & have been wanting a set of metalic targets for several years now... I finally did find dimensions & base sizes, so I could get some made... been thinking of doing my own shapes ( maybe something a bit more creative, with prairie doggies, etc. )... trouble is, it takes alot of steel to do a "regulation set" of 5 targets for each stage X 2 so I could shoot with / against a buddy... I think I figured I'd need 2 full sheets of steel, plus 40 ft of base / foot material

as far as guns go... I'm a Contender collector, as well as own a few Dan Wessons, my 357 Max would be an ideal gun for this type of shooting, got some big bore Rugers & a Taruri or two that would also work... I could also use my Automags, but would prefer the single shots or revolvers to picking up the flung brass... seems like the mini targets with the 22 rim fire was more popular in the last 10 years, but I'm a big bore shooter myself, so that is what interests me...

I hope you do find an active range / club... seems there are more acceptable revolvers being manufactured today, than in the high point of silhouette shooting...
 
John Taffin has a whole chapter on this in his book Single Action Sixguns. Not surprisingly, he prefers single action revolvers for this. In a nutshell, he speaks of 41 or 44 magnum, .454 Casull, or .357 max in a Freedom Arms or accurized Ruger with a 7 1/2" to 10 1/2" barrel.


Here In NC,the only shooting sport like that is with 22 cal only. I cant get too excited about 22 shooting.
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Where?! I love shooting my .22s and would love to give it a try.
 
I shoot IHMSA Field Pistol. This is reduced sized targets set at 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards.

Far and away the most popular pistol is the T/C Contender shooting the .22 Hornet cartridge.

I use a T/C G2 pistol with a 10" .22 WMR barrel and a T/C Encore with a custom 9" .357 magnum barrel. A friend uses a 6" Ruger GP-100 .357 magnum revolver.

For IHMSA Big Bore Silhouette, T/C pistols in various calibers as well as big bore revolvers (.44 cal and up) are used.

Silhouette shooting is a lot of fun. Slow paced and friendly, it's my favorite shooting sport.

Good luck, here's a link or two:
http://www.lasc.us/
http://www.ihmsa.org/

Best forum for single shots/silhouette, you have to join (free), but it's worth it:
http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x
 
A dying IHMSA

I have been trying to clean out old magazines, etc., and ran across some IHMSA newsletters from back in the early 80's when I was an active member. Now retired, I got to thinking I might get back into the sport. I began looking for a club close by (central Texas) and was most disappointed to find that now there are very few clubs active here in Texas. After looking at the IHMSA website, and then seeing some posts on The Firing Line, I realized that this is really a dying sport. To bad - it was a lot of fun back when it was on the rise. I am not sure I know enough about the politics and other details that may have contributed to its plummet, but I know that I am close to a two hour drive from any club holding regular events. When active, I was about ten minutes from the range - most convenient for practicing and participating. That club, Pear Club, appears to still be very active. I would be interested in any of your observations. There is a local shooting club that I had joined, as it was thought they might eventually add a MS range. Never happened and I finally dropped out.
 
As Tex, I also was very active in the sport years back, but finally gave it up. I shot at least 2 matches a month for a long time. I did all mine in northern california, and had a lot of fun with it.
If you decide to compete, you will just have to figure out how many of the stages you want to shoot and tailor your firearms to compete. You can shoot unlimited, single shot, standing, revolver and about as many rounds as you want to load ammo for.
 
Same here.
Very few of these matches around these days.
The NRA has a silhouette match program, too.
You might check to see if there are any in your area.
They do rifles as well as handguns.
The problem might be the effort of setting up the targets after each shooter.
100 yards and even more for rifles is a bit much.
Along with the expense of all those steel targets.
Maybe a new version is needed to keep up with the times.
 
[/I've recently returned to target shooting as a hobby and am looking for something different to do once I get bored with the local indoor range. I discovered that not far from me is a very nice silhouette range/club with all kinds of different activities, competitions, etc according to their website. The long distance pistol silhouette is what interests me. Wondering if any of you partake in this kind of shooting and what pistols are best suited for it. Since impact at the target is important, I guess what I need is a good LD hunting pistol. I'm thinking maybe the T/C Contender, S & W .460 or maybe a Redhawk. Any thoughts ?

QUOTE]

Mike,
My best advice would be to find a match, go early (w/o a gun) and watch. Its going to be boring, but what shooting match isn't to a non shooting spectator. Ask the questions about How many shoots a month? Do they shoot every month? Which Rule Book do they use? Do they support all classes? Ask some of the other shooters if there is any other ranges they shoot at?

When I was shooting, I used the T/C in 22RF for the Morning matches, and used a T/C in 357 S&W (133 gr. cast lead 9mm bullet in a 38 spe. case) or a 32 H&R (Field Pistol) in the Afternoon matches. I was also playing with a T/C in 357 Maxie, and a Remington XP100 in 7mmBR.
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I shoot silhouette .
The best advice buy a freedom arms in 357 or 44mag
BUY ONCE CRY ONCE
I could have saved a lot of money .
Buying a freedom arms .
 
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