Smallbore Silhouette

[Hobie]

I know that somebody here shoots smallbore silhouette. I'm going to start, first match 7 August. Tell us about it.

[6pt-sika]

I assume u mean smallbore lever silhouette ?

If thats the case you shoot at 40 meters , 50 meters 75 meters and 100 meters !

Ten chickens at 40 meters shot in banks of 5 . At the call to the line you get 30 seconds to load once the command is given and then 2 minutes to shoot your 5 shots . At the end of the 2 minutes cease fire is called and a couple minute break is given and then you shoot your second bank same sequence . You follow this thru the 50 meter pigs , the 75 meter turkeys and the 100 meter rams .

While it doesn't exactly follow the rules I got myself to loading one at a time in the lever pistol cartridge and lever big bore . Wasn't anything to do with accuracy etc but rather just to slow myself down .

[Whit Spurzon]

Very addictive sport. WAY fun too.

Here's me and two other forum Members (Wind and KimCook) working on the Rams. Kim smoked the Rams.

[El Chivo]

The lever variety uses half sized targets; but the regular 22 uses 3/8 sized targets. You can use your Anschutz and scoped 22's, plus Contenders.

Just shot my first round of Cowboy smallbore this year, got a 31. I've been shooting long range all year but I'm tired of it - too much bang with those reduced 30-30 loads.

When I find my scorebook I'll post the scoring categories. I know they just reduced AAA to 29 for the cowboy version. Don't know about the scoring for the 3/8 size.

[jdad]

3 "classes"......2 scoped, Standard & Hunter...........and any tube fed lever, semiauto, or pump with iron sights qualifies for Cowboy. It's a "shooter" game, not an "equipment" game. I shoot Master class scores, with an old beat-up 1947 39A. You need to find the ammo that groups the best at 100m, in your rifle.

If you have questions about Standard or Hunter......... (I really didn't win this. Only 5 shooters showed up)

[Whit Spurzon]

Jdad, Cool. It doesn't matter how many showed up. The fact is that you showed up and shot well. Nicely done.

For us ordinary folks it is a fun and frustrating sport. Sometimes a good hit will just spin them on the rail, sometimes a nick with the back edge of the lube groove is enough to tip them over. Some days it seems like you can't miss and others it seems like the targets get smaller with each shot. The range I have the most trouble with is the 5" between my ears. I've had some good scores going into the chickens or the pigs and got the "yips." I have to remind myself you got to hit em before I can count em. It's forty one round matches, not one forty round match.

[41 Redhawk]

Hobie,

6pt has Smallbore cowboy levergun silhouette well covered.

Smallbore Silhouette is shot on 1/5 sized targets with scope sighted guns. The chicken is about the size of a silver dollar. The ranges are, I believe, 40, 60, 77, & 100 meters all shot off hand. A standard match is 40 shots done in banks of 5. You must shoot the targets in order left to right. If you shoot the second one when you should have shot the first one you lose two targets (that sucks when you do it and you will sooner or later ). You will be given a 30 second prep period followed by 2 1/2 minutes for your 5 shots. You may shoot single shot or from a magazine. I believe there are two classes. One for the target guns and one for the hunter class guns. The biggest difference is the weight of the gun allowed and the weight of trigger pull.

[Hobie]

I might well shoot a levergun, my 39 Mountie, but I suppose I should have better phrased the lead in.

Please, tell us about your experiences.

[6pt-sika]

I might well shoot a levergun, my 39 Mountie, but I suppose I should have better phrased the lead in.

Please, tell us about your experiences.

To be totally honest I never much cared for the smallbore event !

My preference would be the big bore followed by the pistol cartridge class .

There's no casting or reloading for the smallbore class , so whats the fun in that

[Hobie]

I might well shoot a levergun, my 39 Mountie, but I suppose I should have better phrased the lead in.

Please, tell us about your experiences.

To be totally honest I never much cared for the smallbore event !

My preference would be the big bore followed by the pistol cartridge class .

There's no casting or reloading for the smallbore class , so whats the fun in that

[AJMD429]

Where does one get a set of small-bore silhouette targets at a decent price...? It sounds like the perfect "family picnic" activity...!

[6pt-sika]

Where does one get a set of small-bore silhouette targets at a decent price...? It sounds like the perfect "family picnic" activity...!

Do a google search for silhouette targets ! Seems to me their was a guy in North Carolina that sold the approriate size or a shade smaller for about $100 a set . Now these were all cast iron as well as I can remmember .

When we purchased the correct size and thickness for 22 lever silhouette about three years ago it seems to me we paid right at a grand for the 40 targets . But that was because or silhouette chairman wanted some special hardness rating of steel !
Personally I think for home fun shooting the little el cheapo cast set would be fine !

[mav]

I've shot NRA levergun silhouette for 6 or 7 years. As was mentioned earlier, it is way fun. The 1/2 size targets are large enough to ensure some success and yet I've never seen anyone shoot a 40.

I've only shot regular smallbore (scoped guns) at unsanctioned club matches. Those 1/5 sized targets are tough, fun but tough.

Scope or not, knowing your sight settings makes a big difference.

Good luck.

[gundownunder]

I shoot cowboy lever action silhouette. I use my short barrel 39A for small bore and my 1894 .357 for pistol and big bore although I will probably upgrade to a bigger gun for big bore at some stage. Sights are easy, take your pick of open, receiver, or tang. I use receiver peeps and a front post on mine.
It doesn't matter whether your an expert or an ordinary shooter like I am, you'll have lots of fun either way.
From what I can gather, small bore rifle silhouette is an arms race, with lots of fancy rifles and telescopic sights costing lots of money, and they get real serious about winning instead of enjoying it.

[jdad]

From what I can gather, small bore rifle silhouette is an arms race, with lots of fancy rifles and telescopic sights costing lots of money, and they get real serious about winning instead of enjoying it.

Not true. It's still a "game" that's 90% shooter and 10% equipment. A poor shooter, with expensive equipment, still doesn't make him a "good" shooter. I used a CZ452 American and a Weaver V16, to shoot both Standard and Hunter class, for 5 seasons. I didn't trade up, to a Browning 52, until I moved up to AAA. The scope is more important than the rifle. If it doesn't have 100% repeatable zeros/settings 100% of the time you will get very frustrated.

Are there shooters that take the silhouette game as serious business? Absolutely. They come to win and set records. We have one and he has set more national and state records, in Big Bore lever, Pistol Caliber lever, and Small Bore Cowboy, in the last 3 years than anyone else in the US. He's a real nice guy, but a real competitor. I saw him shoot a perfect 40x40, in Cowboy class using a Marlin 57 & Remington GB and in Pistol Caliber Lever using a Marlin 1894C. A good shooter is a good shooter. Check the NRA records and notice how often you see the name Dr. Peter Krook.