Anyone try Silhouette shooting?

[mattri]

Has anyone here done much, or any silhouette shooting?

F-Class and PRS style comps seem to be more common but have been looking into silhouette and interested in any experiences folks here may have. Thanks!

[fayettefatts]

I assume you mean metallic silhouette shooting. Over the years I have shot pistol, smallbore and highpower rifle silhouette. Really enjoyed it even though I'm not a very good offhand shooter. As you mention, other shooting disciplines seem more popular now. I would like to shoot it again now that I am retired and have more time. Would like to try lever action pistol caliber silhouette. If you have a club shooting near you give it a try. I'm sure you will be welcome. You don't need much to get started.

[Full Chisel]

My club doesn't do much silhouette except in indoor air rifle, outdoor .22LR, and some Sharps rifle long range steel shooting. That said, it's probably the most fun I have shooting. I have a silhouette spinner setup in the woods behind my house and shoot air rifle there. I like both, but I'd rather be shooting animal shaped steel offhand than round paper circles from a rest. I find it a nice break from the constant accuracy tweaking on the paper punchers. Silhouette is about 90% shooter, 10% gun. I made those numbers up, btw ;)

[charlie b]

Used to be very popular around here. We even have a range that was dedicated to it but they haven't had a match there in a long time (decades?). Probably cause it was so labor intensive with all the target resetting and the number of targets needed for a decent size match. IMHO I think that's why PRS and such have 'taken over'. Along with the lower interest in shooting from an unsupported standing position.

I practiced at it many years ago but just didn't care for it. The pistol was easier for me as the laid back position seemed to suit me with the TC Contender. But, I wasn't anywhere near accurate enough to be competitive.

Nowdays I'd rather sit at a bench and shoot at paper or steel squares/circles (or soda cans :) ).

[mattri]

Great replies- thanks.

Were you guys using Savage rifles? It seems that most shooters use a "silhouette" style stock with a pistol grip and high comb. Does anyone make something like that with a Savage inlet?

[Full Chisel]

Just for the heck of it, I shoot a Henry 22LR with Marbles tang sight. My sight line set a tad higher than normal using a higher front sight. We're iron sight only, BTW. I guess whatever butt stock design puts your eye at the right place would work. Our best shooter uses a CZ 452 of some flavor that has a slight downward curved butt stock that brings his peep right up into the perfect spot. Sort of the opposite of high comb. I have handled it and if I was going to buy another silhouette rifle, that would be the one for me. But I like to keep my head and neck a little more vertical when shooting offhand - I guess it's just more comfortable and less strenuous. But some people like more head tilt, or maybe they have different body dimensions, or like more cheek weld. I guess it's just personal preference really. If you look at some of the more traditional rifles, like the old Sharps, I think you'll see a butt stock design more like the CZ I mentioned where the butt stock sits a little lower relative to sight line. My guess is that it was the preferred design for offhand shooting with iron sights.

[Full Chisel]

Just want to add that if you're looking at 22LR, the Savage "B" series touts that their design is more ergonomic. If you look, you'll see the same lower shouldering point I was talking about. If I were looking for a silhouette rifle, I would give them a serious look. It's kind of hard to overstate the importance of being comfortable when shooting offhand, and any tension or fatigue in the neck and shoulder area will mess you up quick. Just my experience.

[charlie b]

No, did not use Savage, Remington. The original matches were meant for hunting rifles and some clubs had stringent rules that did not allow 'target' stocks. Now days I have no idea. But, if you are serious about the sport a good stock set up for standing position would be advisable if allowed by the rules.

[Steeltrap]

Several years ago I used my Bull Barrel 6.5x55 Swede cartridge...Savage single shot action to shoot what was called "Long Range Benchrest Varmint" at http://www.ridgwayrifleclub.com/photos%20club/Club%20Photos%202008.htm Ridgeway Gun Club in Pennsylvania.

The first set of targets are 6" crows at 800yds, then groundhogs at 850yds, Bobcats at 900yds, and finally Coyotes at 1,000 yds. It was a lot of fun but made for a long day as it took 2.5hrs to get there.

[RCE1]

I shot black powder cartridge rifle silhouette for a number of years. Attended the Nationals at Raton, took AAA one year. I'll say I learned more about actual handloading and shooting in silhouette competition than anything I've done before or since. Great group of shooters, too. I'd say there wasn't a person on the line that's I'd want shooting me at 300 meters. Lol.

[mattri]

Thanks for all the great replies.

I haven't done much offhand shooting- definitely nothing as involved as silhouette. The most is some informal Appleseed type shoots with a 22 rimfire.

This will be centerfire, just a factory Savage tupperware stock for now, probably throw a cheek riser on it just to get started.

[charlie b]

That fits with the purpose of those matches. Shoot what you hunt with. If you can find some matches try it and see what it is like.

[Full Chisel]

Thanks for all the great replies.

I haven't done much offhand shooting- definitely nothing as involved as silhouette. The most is some informal Appleseed type shoots with a 22 rimfire.

This will be centerfire, just a factory Savage tupperware stock for now, probably throw a cheek riser on it just to get started.

If you haven't already, take a look around the web for some pics off-hand shooting stances. I found that it varied quite abit from what I had learned growing up as hunter. Set your rifle up however you need to be comfortable in that position. Your left arm and elbow will end up dictating some of that setup, and where there butt pad contacts your shoulder will become important. The way I setup, I either have to raise my sight line so the butt can sit down in my shoulder pad comfortably, or I can raise the rifle and have the sharp bottom edge of butt dig into my shoulder all day. With centerfire, the latter may become an issue with the recoil, but can be tamed with a pad on rifle or on vest.

[prdatr]

A little late to the discussion but I shot HP Silhouette for a few years in the early 90's. My setup was a Remington 700 Varmint Special in 7-08. I had a Weaver T-16 scope in an H&S Precision Thumbhole stock and a Remington trigger lightened to 2oz with the safety removed and I glued an aluminum one piece load ramp where the magazine would go.
At the time there was also a hunter class for factory rifles. The biggest rule was no magnum calibers and no leather vests. Rifles needed to fit in a jig as to not exceed certain dimensions. The 308 was very popular and one of the guys shot a 6.5x284. Tubbs had just transitioned from 7-08 shooting 120 and 140 gr bullets to a 243 which I think he was shooting 105gr bullets. Lots of fun though and you learn alot about trigger control and breathing.

[Fuj']

Come to Pa and shoot Ridgway VBR. All animals are life size. 12 lb gun and 17 lb gun.

Crows at 850 yards.....Ground hogs at 900 yards.....Bobcats at 950 yards and the Coyotes
are at 1000 yards. It's more then popular and challenging. In the near 15 years of once a
month match's, no one has ever cleaned the 40 total targets. And how popular ?? There
are 32 benches with 6 relays. and generally only a few spots open on the waiting list.

ridgwayrifleclub.com I'm on Bobcat 4 for June. Benches are rotated each month.

[RCE1]

I cannot think of any other discipline that will teach you more about shooting than silhouette. Black Powder Cartridge Silhouette adds yet another important complication...bullet casting