IHMSA Air Pistol Silhouette
Match Director: Ron TeSelle 402.525.9872
NOTE: All events are now listed on the calendar only. For best results contact the match director to confirm any last minute changes.
Air Pistol Silhouette A Winter Retreat
Air Pistol Silhouette is a relatively new sport at the Ikes. IHMSA sanctioned (International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association) national competition started in 2002 and began here in December 2003. Air pistols with calibers no larger than .22 may be used and there is a discipline for just about any air pistol made, from the vintage Crosman you’ve had for years to the latest Morini or Steyr match pistols.
Disciplines are: Production, Unlimited, Standing, Unlimited Standing (scoped), Unlimited Standing Iron Sight, and Unlimited Any Sight (scoped). All disciplines are separate and class divisions within each assure that competitors only compete against those of similar ability and equipment.
What’s involved
Like IHMSA’s other competitions, the normal course of fire is forty rounds fired in five-shot strings, two strings at each bank of five animals. So you would shoot ten shots at chickens at ten yards, ten at pigs at twelve and a half yards, ten at turkeys at fifteen and ten at rams at eighteen. You are allowed a thirty second preparation time for loading followed immediately by a two minute firing period in which you may shoot at the bank of five animals, starting with the chickens. You are only allowed one shot at each target, engaged from left to right. If it is knocked down it is scored as an “X” on your scorecard. A miss or hit that fails to knock the target down is an “O”. After a second “Load and Fire” period, you move to the next position and shoot the pigs.
Rifles too
As the name implies, this game is for air pistols. However, for a fun side match, anyone wishing to shoot an air rifle may do so in either scopes or open sight class provided the rifle used does no damage to the targets. Targets are the hinged, string re-set type making repeated walks down to the targets unnecessary.
Family fun
These competitions are held indoors during the winter months in our heated facility. Whole families can shoot together and, because of the continuous cycle of moving from chickens to pigs etc., an entire family can shoot using the same gun.
For rules and more information visit us at: http://IHMSA.org
IHMSA Pistol Silhouette
Match Director: Ron TeSelle 402.525.9872
NOTE: All events are now listed on the calendar only. For best results contact the match director to confirm any last minute changes.
IHMSA HANDGUN SILHOUETTE
This is a game that started in the mid seventies but has its origins in an old Mexican tradition. South of the border, they used to gather in a town for a fiesta about once a year. A number of livestock had to be slaughtered for the feast and the men decided to make the job more interesting by challenging each other to see how far away they could shoot the animals.
This evolved into quite a popular sport but today would not only be frowned upon by a number of groups and individuals but also prove quite expensive. Plus, we would have a hard time eating all of that meat. That is when an alternative became the best test of long-range handgun shooting skills extant, IHMSA's handgun silhouette.
This is a game where metal targets in the shape of animals take the place of live ones and the clang of bullet on steel becomes the sought after result rather than a meal. The long-term effect is an ever rising class on your score card instead of your cholesterol level.
The game is quite simple. There are targets cut in the shape of four animals of progressive size set at four distances. For the .22 and field pistol the Chickens are at 25 meters, pigs at 50, turkeys at 75 and rams at 100. In the big bore classes the chickens are at 50 meters the pigs at 100 meters, turkeys at 150 meters and the rams at 200 meters. There are banks of five animals at each firing point, which are shot through twice each for a total 40 round course of fire. There is a thirty second loading period followed by a two minute firing time for each bank of five targets. After shooting through each set of animals twice, you move to the firing point for the next animal. The average course of fire takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
We shoot three disciplines here at the Ikes, big bore, small bore (.22) and field pistol (center fire, straight walled cases no longer than 1.290"). Within these disciplines there are enough categories to accommodate almost any handgun you may own, either with or without a scope.
Shooting time on match days start at 8:00 a.m. and runs until about 4:00 p.m. you don't have to be there right at 8:00 and you don't have to stay until the end to enjoy this game. It is set up so that you can shoot several guns per match if you want. Your first score determines your class so you're only shooting against shooters of like ability. Also remember that the junior category is separate and chances of winning are good. Just think how your child will feel in the winner's circle.
So, whether it's competition, honing your hunting skills or just enjoying the camaraderie and making new friends there is truly something here for the whole family.
For rules and more information visit us at: http://IHMSA.org
