Anyone still shoot handgun silhouette?

[Bill in Oregon]

Our local club is one of the last two in Texas that still holds a monthly IHMSA shoot. Thinking of trying a .44 Magnum in a single shot pistol. Wonder what a decent cast load would be for this purpose.

[JimT]

The Shootists Holiday home range is the Pistol Silhouette Range at The Whittington Center. We shoot a lot of silhouettes .. all of them in fact .. but we have never held a competition. Just there having fun trying to knock targets over with about any handgun ever. We use rifles also but only in pistol calibers. The more powerful ones tear up the pistol-grade silhouettes.

In the .44 a 320 grain cast SSK at 1000/1100 fps works pretty well.

[Grizz]

The Shootists Holiday home range is the Pistol Silhouette Range at The Whittington Center. We shoot a lot of silhouettes .. all of them in fact .. but we have never held a competition. Just there having fun trying to knock targets over with about any handgun ever. We use rifles also but only in pistol calibers. The more powerful ones tear up the pistol-grade silhouettes.

In the .44 a 320 grain cast SSK at 1000/1100 fps works pretty well.

I would think so. That one is close to my SBH hunting load in AKLandia. The no-fail venison maker. . .

[Bill in Oregon]

Hmmm. Just calculating that a 40-round course fired with say, the Lee 310, would use up more than 28 ounces ounces of lead vs about 22 with a 240-grain boolit.

[earlmck]

Hmmm. Just calculating that a 40-round course fired with say, the Lee 310, would use up more than 28 ounces ounces of lead vs about 22 with a 240-grain boolit.

Well yeah. Around a dollar's worth or so? Sometimes those rams don't want to fall with what seems like a pretty solid hit.

[41 Redhawk]

Southwestern Pa. still has 2 or 3 ranges that still shoot it alongside Lever action silhouette. It's the NRA version though not IHMSA.

[Bill in Oregon]

Earl, it isn't so much the monetary value since I use range scrap for 90 percent of my casting. But it's hot out under the Texas sun picking up spent bullets from the berms.

[GunnyMack]

Let's not forget the cost of primers too!
Add that to the powder and poor Bill sweating for lead and it's down right an expensive day

[JimT]

I thought that is what lady friends are for ... picking up spent lead so I don't have to bend over. It's much more fun collecting scrap lead when watching them do it.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, I like your system.

[Griff]

Jim, I... like your system.

+1!!!

But back to your original question... No. I didn't even shoot it back in the day! Laying down in the dirt on my back with a kevlar shield on my calf, propping my head up with splayed fingers... didn't interest me then, nor does it now.

Creedmoor-position-300x225.jpg

[AJMD429]

Southwestern Pa. still has 2 or 3 ranges that still shoot it alongside Lever action silhouette. It's the NRA version though not IHMSA.

What is the difference between the two versions...?

I used to do it with a Super Blackhawk in central Indiana - the range in the 1970's was still in downtown Bloomington Indiana, and the facility I think was owned by the university. A couple decades later when I returned from the Big Cities and gettin my ejumication, no more range there.... ....but I got to move back to the fambly homestead, and have my OWN bakyard 100-yard range to shoot steel on....

[AJMD429]

I thought that is what lady friends are for ... picking up spent lead so I don't have to bend over. It's much more fun collecting scrap lead when watching them do it.

God was indeed a fine sculptor....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Callipyge

[Shasta]

We at Hat Creek Rifle & Pistol Club in Burney, CA shoot NRA Hunter's Pistol and Smallbore Hunter's Pistol silhouette alongside our lever action matches. Both disciplines are shot standing at 40,50,75, and 100 yards.



Shasta

[41 Redhawk]

Southwestern Pa. still has 2 or 3 ranges that still shoot it alongside Lever action silhouette. It's the NRA version though not IHMSA.

What is the difference between the two versions...?

I used to do it with a Super Blackhawk in central Indiana - the range in the 1970's was still in downtown Bloomington Indiana, and the facility I think was owned by the university. A couple decades later when I returned from the Big Cities and gettin my ejumication, no more range there.... ....but I got to move back to the fambly homestead, and have my OWN bakyard 100-yard range to shoot steel on....

It's been quite a while since I shot IHMSA but when I did it was all open sights. Big bore matches were shot on full size target @ 50, 100, 150, & 200 meters. There were classes for up to 10" barrels called Production and up to 15" barrels called unlimited. They were further broken down by standing and freestyle. 22 matches were shot at 25, 50, 75 & 100 meters on 3/8 scale targets and included standing and freestyle classes. Since I last shot IHMSA they have added field pistol which is similar to NRA Hunter Pistol.

NRA long range pistol has the same classes as IHMSA with the addition of scope sighted classes in the production guns. They also have a scope sighted class for the scoped unlimited guns shot freestyle but on 1/2 scale targets. NRA also has Hunter Pistol for both 22 and big bore. They are shot at 40, 50, 75 and 100 meters off hand on 1/2 scale targets. There are separate classes for open and scope sighted guns. Barrel length is 10 ". NRA also offered a class call 22 Unlimited which are 22 scope sighted handguns shooting a 3/8 sized targets at 40, 50, 75 and 100 meters off hand.

I'm probably missing something here but hopefully someone will add it in.

[Bill in Oregon]

Griff, last time I shot sillywet, I shot from the Creedmoor. It is not particularly comfortable, as you say. I tried the "dead frog" position as well. This was all long before the four back surgeries . I just tried the Creedmoor and it hurt to be in it, and to get out of it, so maybe I'm just chasing the wind here.
Shasta, that's what they call the taco hold, right?
Looking at this short video, I will have to mess around and might yet find a comfortable freestyle position -- perhaps the "Broken Creedmoor."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4KAvG4L_E

[Shasta]

Griff, last time I shot sillywet, I shot from the Creedmoor. It is not particularly comfortable, as you say. I tried the "dead frog" position as well. This was all long before the four back surgeries . I just tried the Creedmoor and it hurt to be in it, and to get out of it, so maybe I'm just chasing the wind here.
Shasta, that's what they call the taco hold, right?
Looking at this short video, I will have to mess around and might yet find a comfortable freestyle position -- perhaps the "Broken Creedmoor."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4KAvG4L_E

Yes Bill, he is using the taco hold. I do the same with my TC Contender in .22LR.

Shasta

[Sixgun]

I’ve done it for years, not so much anymore, or in fact, not at all.. FORGET the heavy bullets with high velocity as the recoil will wear you down…….anything in the 357 magnum category will knock down the chickens, pigs and the turkeys…..the problem comes with the 80 pound rams where I had excellent luck with the 180’s in the 357 maximum…no less than 180 grains unless you hit the top or side edge.

Some guys use different loads/bullet weights for each animal. A 150 gr. bullet traveling 11-1300 will do fine then the 180’s at 1400 for the rams. You have to stay with one gun but you can change loads. Any 44 caliber gun/bullet weight at 1000-1200 will work fine for the first three animals and then a 250 grain at 1200 or more for the rams.

Just like a .22 is easier to shoot than a 38 (for the regular guy) a .357 is easier to shoot than a 44 but the problem with the 357 magnum is you can’t get enough velocity with the 180’s and that’s why the Maximum was invented.

There’s many other variables that figure into the equation such as wind can that help hold up or help knock over…….the biggest variable is how the targets are set on the rail…….I've been to some clubs where the locals will set the rams to the back of the rail almost to the tipping point where a 32-20 will knock them over….for their buddies….

As much as people don’t like to say, recoil WILL wear you down and the flinching begins. I got sick of all competition as there’s always a small group of people, who are usually buddies that skirt the rules in their favor. I’ve seen guys load 50 grain Sierra’s in 22 magnum cases, fine micrometer sights, optical front sights, 1 pound trigger pulls, etc. one group in McKean County made sure their buddies got to shoot in the shade all day while us flatlanders had to shoot in the sun which wreaks havoc on the front sight.

[Bill in Oregon]

Six: To heck with those hosers.
"All I wanna do is have some fun."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClbmWkbocoY

[Sixgun]

Ok…….thats what it’s supposed to be but as soon as I get involved I play to win….nobody remembers who was second place.