IHMSA Silhouette - Featuring Electronic Scoring

Second Saturday, 9 a.m. and fourth Thursday each month at Noon on the Silhouette Range.

Match Director: John Casperson; Contact via email here.

Match Fees: $7 for twice over a 40 shot course.

Shooting paper targets is one thing, reactive targets are something else completely. On the second Saturday as well as on the third Thursday of the month, our club hosts a silhouette match fired with pistols or cowboy rifles.

Each match is 40 shots — 10 shots fired in two strings of 5 rounds at each of four distances in accordance with range commands. Some participants bring a second handgun or cowboy rifle to shoot the match twice.

During the 2015 season, electronically scored targets were created and implemented by a competitor. Basically, when you hit the target, the light shines to confirm the hit. The photos below demonstrates the setup. Shooters no longer have to go down range to reset targets after every 10 rounds.

International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (www.ihmsa.org) rules are followed. The Field Pistol or .22 matches utilize targets at 25, 50, 75 and 100 meters. Big Bore targets are set at 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters. The sequence of fire is chickens, pigs, turkeys, rams as distance increases.

Electronic scoring shown below. When you hit the target, the light stays on for a few seconds to indicate a hit.

Handguns used can be rimfire or centerfire, factory production models with iron sights or custom “unlimited” pistols with optics and barrels up to 15 inches. Shooting positions are standing or from the Creedmoor style which is pictured below. You can bring what you have and more experienced shooters will help you get started. After giving it a try, you may find it can be an addictive sport as you try to knock down more targets than your last time.

A take-away is that pistol silhouette teaches steady hands and marksmanship that follows into your recreational shooting. It was described as being “like a shooting gallery on the Midway” except you don’t have to wait until the fair to shoot, this target gallery is available every month! Shooting twice over the course only takes a couple of hours.

Contact the match director for variances such as participation in a match with a .22 rifle other than a cowboy rifle or firing at a non-regulation distances.