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On
Sunday, May 25,, 2008, the Pemigewassett Valley Fish and Game Club, in
Holderness NH will host the first of four NRA sanctioned silhouette
matches of the season, shooting at steel silhouette targets at 40 to
100 meters distance at the covered firing line ranges.
From humble beginnings in Mexico in the 19th century, to the migration
of the sport to our Southwest in the early 20th century, and the subsequent
use of steel for targets, the sport has flourished around the country.
Today, the NRA rulebook lists 32 different courses of fire between rifle
and pistol; with their being 5 different target sizes, and shot over distances
from 40 to 500 meters. All
shooting is done from the unsupported standing position at four
different targets: chickens (gallena), pigs (javelina), turkeys
(guajalote), and rams (borrego), and at the four covered firing line
matches we will use distances between 40 and 100 meters, with targets
set up in banks of ten, five over five.
For the pistol matches, we offer 4 courses of fire, briefly described as follows:
Hunters
Pistol (HP) - a pistol weighing less than 5 lbs, max 12” barrel, any
action except bolt, safe trigger. Allowable cartridges include 22
Hornet, 25-20, 270 Ren, 32 mag, 38/357, 40, 41mag,44 mag,45, 32-20, and
22 mag.
Hunters Pistol Open Sights (HPOS) - same as HP but using open or hunting style peep sights.
Smallbore
Hunters Pistol (SBHP) - same as HP except chambered for 22 short, long,
or long rifle only. No hot loads such as stingers allowed.
Smallbore Hunters Pistol Open Sights (SHPOS) - Same as HPOS except chambered in 22.
For the rifle matches, we offer 5 courses of fire
Smallbore
Rifle (SR) -A rifle with max weight of 10lbs, 2 ozs, any sights,
telescopic or metallic , traditional stock, max 30” barrel, and
chambered in 22 short, long or long rifle, with no hot loads.
Smallbore
Hunting Rifle (SHR) - Same as smallbore rifle, but with a max weight of 8.5 lbs, and barrels must be tapered.
Pistol
Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action (PCCLA) -Any lever action centerfire
rifle with a tubular magazine A rimmed pistol cartridge with a flat
nosed bullet must be used, i.e. 25-20, 32-20, 38’s, 357mag, 38-40,
44’s, 44-40,45 colt, 45 long colt, 22 magnum, 32mag
Smallbore
Cowboy Rifle Silhouette (SCRS) - Any lever action, pump or semi-auto
rimfire rifle with a tubular magazine using 22LR ammo only.
Club Rifle - Any 22LR rifle, any sights, any weight.
ADDITIONAL
MATCH FORMAT ADDED! In the fall of 2007 a silhouette match was held at
the 200 yd range with the (larger) targets placed at 50, 100, 150 and
200 yards. Same basic shooting format except this one is for the bigger
stuff! Center fire lever guns such as your 30-30 Winchester are
excellent. A good warmup for deer season! The 2008 dates for
long-range silhouette shoots are June 21 and August 24. And
hopefully in the next year year or two we will be ready for the big
boys………..200, 300, 385 and 500 yards and about everything but .50
caliber and AP’s. Be getting your 30-06 and 308’s sighted in! When
the competitor is called to the line, they are given a brief
preparation period, then the call to “Ready” is given at which time you
may handle your gun and load one to five rounds. Thirty seconds later,
on the command to “Fire”, you will have two minutes to shoot at the
first five targets, in order. Quite simply, if they are knocked off the
rail it is counted as a hit, otherwise, a miss. After the two minutes,
a command to “cease fire” will be given, and after a brief pause, the
commands are repeated for the second five animals. When the second
cease-fire is called and the range is made safe, the competitors will
move to the next bank of ten targets and target setters will go forward
and reset the animals knocked down.
When you first arrive and
register, you will need an NRA classification scorebook for pistol and
/ or rifle, available from the stat officer for $12.00. This is good
for the entire year, and is recognized at any NRA sanctioned silhouette
match around the country. You will also receive a scorecard for each
match of 40 shots you enter, which you fill out as you complete each
station. The scorecards are turned in as you complete the match, and
will be tallied by the stat officer and posted on the scoreboard and in
your classification book.
Eye
and hearing protection as well as open bolt indicators are required at
the match. The OBI is a highly visible flag inserted in the chamber
whenever you are not on the line shooting. It is an easily seen
indication of a safe firearm for the range officer to see.
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