What's important in a smallbore rifle silhouette match?

[kevinbear]

Bonner lets the kids and beginners shoot the smallbore pistol targets until they start hitting 20 to 25 of them before switching to the regular targets, this is huge to little kids. My 9 year old granddaughter thinks it's pretty cool, she got a stuffed animal last time she shot.

[Gerry]

I think one of many importances as a match director is to identify who the shooters are.(Give accolades when deserved) One of my gripes as a new shooter was a situation where the club had seasoned shooters that wanted to continue to receive recognition in a B Class level not allowing the new shooter a chance to be recognized. A sandbagger if you will. "One time recognition is fine, and either move on and become a better shooter or just enjoy the sport". Don't become a hindrance to the sport!

[TOP PREDATOR]

when i took over the matches at our club a few years ago, we had 6 or 7 shooters on average, now it's 15 with a few matches getting 20 or more.

i think the first consideration is a good looking range. nice berms, a neatly kept shooting line etc. i figure much like golfing, no one is going to pay to play on a crappy course.

make sure to get the matches NRA sanctioned.

the next thing is to keep the entry fees low. i'd rather attract more shooters for less "take" than less shooters for more "take". in the end it evens out anyway, just make sure the fees cover costs. you will probably end up losing or breaking even at the end of the year anyway. mine are $7.00 for 2 matches. i also include bottled water and cans of soda for free.

to attract the younger crowd and newbies, i have juniors (under 16 yrs old) and first timers shooting at the club shoot for free. if they don't like it, they don't lose anything.

then promote the heck out of the matches, not only locally (club website, gun shop or work bulletin boards) but nationally too (rimfire shooting forums, usa shooting sports magazines, etc.). attend club meetings to give reports, and add how economical smallbore silhouette is compared to other types of competition, and how it's actually great practice for hunting season and other off hand shooting competition.

posting of scores - it's nice to get everyone's scores together and either posted on a website or emailed directly to them ASAP. folks like to see their names and where they ranked amoung the others.

pins and awards - have pins on hand. for side awards i send out certificates for guys and gals for match winners in their shooting class. it's not much, but it's some sort of recognition. a simple word document template that can be changed with the info from the recent match either printed and mailed or sent via email. this year i did a club championship, taking points shot throughout the season, adding them up every month and posting the ranking. at the end of the year, i issued a plaque to the top scorer in their shooting classification. i also added in 5 bonus points for 5 in a rows and 10 for 10 in a rows.



another award is a free match voucher for next year's season, and if your club has a kitchen that offers breakfast and lunch, a voucher or coupon for X amount off a meal, or even a gift certificate from your local gun shop. usually you can work out a deal with them and they'll donate a gift certificate for the advertising value of it.

this year i also threw in what i call a "Silly Silhouette" cash prize for each match, everyone shoots and a number is pulled. if the target is knocked down that corresponds to the downed target, the shooter gets $3.00 (chicken and pig) or $5.00 (turkey or ram). i used to run an end of season money & prizes shoot, but i think the silly silhouette allows the oppurtunity to keep B shooters eligible to win something against the AAA shooters as it's all random, keeping interest in coming back.

in the end keep it fun, no one wants to participate in a match that has a match director that is a nazi, at least i don't.

[TOP PREDATOR]

I think this whole thread is sticky worthy, to give advice to those that want to facilitate matches. Lord knows the sport could use more matches to be held in more locations.

[Trent]

GREAT post Top Predator! Sounds like the guys and gals around you aught to be pretty happy to have you as a match director!

[teetertotter]

Jason, I have been involved in running matches since 1984, and am about to start my 13th year as match director. I think the best advice I can give you is to treat every shooter the way you would like to be treated at another match. These matches are attended by many different personality types , ages, genders,and skill levels. It is imperative that you treat everyone the same. You will come across some strange circumstances that will require rules interpretations and you must be fair and consistent. Not everyone keeps up with the rules and more often than not you will have to enlighten a shooter of some rule he will not like, but it should be a learning experience not only for him but for everyone. You don't have to be a tyrant with the rules, but if the match is run accordingly everyone will be the better for it. Shooters who shoot at loosely run matches are lost at a big match. Also try to get as many shooters as possible involved in running the match. I always tell the shooters it is not my match or the clubs match, it is their match. The more participation there is the better the match is. Hope this helps. Good luck. Al Foust

I concur with the way you see and run things. We operate in pretty much the same way at our club. Immediately get their e mail address and include them. Four new shooters bought books this year. We get many compliments on our SB Silhouete range. We just completed our final Saturday of work replacing all the 4 X 4's, drilling holes for the individual metal rod stands, reinstalling and leveling the stands, and reinstalling the 2 X 3 front plate angle iron.

We have matches every Thursday eve during the summer with no charge and just shoot for score. The last Saturday of the month we have our monthly match where we award pins only. We charge $10.00 per rifle. ForState Championship it is $20.00 per rifle with traveling trophies and medals w neck red/white/blue ribbons. For our state championship, those that did not place, they get a medal for participating with engraving on the back. I am fortunate to have 4 others involved with all our matches working together.

Top Predator has some very good information too, which I have taken note. We all learn from each other! Thanks!

[Bob259]

Walt,
You run a good match at Factoryville and all you do is appreciated by the shooters, as your attendance increase shows . With the possibility of a addition of a form of HP there next year should only grow your attendance, get the board to get you out to 500M and you should get a lot of interest as the area needs more of these (too bad the layout of the club forces the other ranges to close when you run one though, not well thought out in the early years of the club)

I’ll miss shooting there and all the guys.

[TOP PREDATOR]

tanx bob, miss you too. i could do a HP with reduced rams at 385, but going with the long range day for a little bit of everything, paper / gongs / silhouette steel.

perhaps HP in 2015 depending on other commitments, but for now at least there is a practice range available once a month.

forgot to put in my previous post another tip - if you have different available time slots, schedule your matches on a day where no other matches are being held in your area, especially those matches that may attract the smallbore / HP shooters away from your match, in other words if there are shooters that so SB and HP, chances are they will do HP.

setters - if you can get setters, that's a BIG plus. but setters usually need $ to set, so that will also effect the entry fee. perhaps a young un or two being setters, and donations for the setters asked for via coffee can.

match times - too early you lose out on the more mature folks and the night before partiers. too late, you miss the i have to be home for dinner guys. somewhere in the middle is the magic hours, with a lunch break tied in for BSing. luckily, but at the same time sadly, my season here ends just before football season get rolling...the club gives me sundays .

[TOP PREDATOR]

i also just thought of a few things to consider as i was putting together my 2013 program and have added as a "local rules/exception" to possibly bring in more shooters:

"ANY SAFELY OPERATING .22 cal. RIMFIRE RIFLE (OTHER THAN FULL AUTO) is welcome at the FSC matches, including bolt, lever, pump, semi auto (even AR15 styled rifles) – THERE IS A DIVISION AND SHOOTING CLASSIFICATION FOR ALL STYLES OF RIFLES AND SHOOTERS SKILL LEVELS.

Silhouette uses the standing / offhand position with no slingsor other aids, but at FSC if a PHYSICAL CONDITION REQUIRES A USE OF AN AID OR A SITTING POSITION and can be safely executed at the firing line, it will be allowed to shoot for fun...However, scores WILL NOT BE COUNTED toward Championships, Awards, or Silly Silhouette Prizes."

<<<<<i figure this way, folks that may be to "mature" or have an injury, handicap, etc that enjoys to shoot can get out for the afternoon and do what they like to do. i know it's contrary to NRA rules, but folks that may not be able to shoot off hand can still at least participate while understanding that no pins and such can be awarded because they will not be "official" by the NRA rules / fairness to the NRA sanctioned match / and to the regular NRA silhouette shooters. and the "tacticool .22 guys" can give it a whirl - they'll probably then get what is considered a traditional standard or hunting class rifle.

i don't see anything in the rules that would disqualify a .22 rimfire assault styled rifle anyway as long as it conforms to the weight, trigger, forestock, optic dimensions, if i'm wrong, please let me know so they can be considered in the "unofficial, but able to participate" catagory >>>>

[Jason]

Wouldn't a 22 Magnum qualify for this?

ANY SAFELY OPERATING .22 cal. RIMFIRE RIFLE

[TOP PREDATOR]

NAW, as further in the rules it's stated .22 long, long rifle, short. plus capping the FPS at 1250 in the header of my flyer takes out .22mag ammo.

but you did give me another tip to help to try to fool proof my nomenclature by adding "no .22 mag", thanks.

[ShootingStar]

Maybe the phrase below in the Stock Description would technically eliminate AR-22s. But like you, I have been allowing folks to shoot what they bring (I even let them win the 1st time), then explain the official rules. I say to them you can continue to bring/shoot the AR style rifle (and other non-conforming rifle) but will not win in the future. I try to get them hooked then point them toward conforming equipment.

3.1(d) Stock: The stock must be traditionally styled ...The comb shall not extend above the centerline of the bore, but Monte Carlo roll
may rise 1/2 inch on the off side.

The above phrase make me believe that AR butttstock is in-line and any cheek weld/cheek rest will be above the centerline.

My monthly matches are NRA Approved (except we get NRA Registered for our State Match). As such, I am more forgiving on equipment for NEW SHOOTERS to get them into the game. After they show continued interest, I'll start encouraging/enforcing equipment rules. For shooters capable I still insist on standing and no aids (sling, etc). If someone brings a young one - who is SAFE with the rifle, but not strong enough yet - I'll let them shoot off bench equipment! Again, the purpose is to get folks hooked into the game, then enforce the letter of the law. Kinda like how our Dads (GrandDads, etc) taught us how to shoot! I also make sure we have loaner rifles available if non-conforming equipment people want to give it an "official" try.

ShootingStar
Asheville Rifle & Pistol Club
Asheville, NC

[boats]

I run a club rules match after the regulation small-bore silhouette match.

It's used as both entry level match and a high level match for the hot shots. We use the IMSA Ram hung from chains at 75 yards, same visual as Regulation CLA target. 3/8 ram at 75 % distance duplicates 1/2 size CLA ram at 100. Spotted hit or miss by the off relay. Equipment rule is iron sight Lever or Single shot, another class is "non conforming" any .22 Rimfire, except Mags or stingers that would harm the target. We don't turn any safe rifle away.

Have picked up several new regulation shooters from the Club match. New shooters no problem with equipment bring anything they have. Lot of cross over CLA shooters who want to drill down on the Ram Target. Interesting to note easy as the target is match has never been won by a Regulation Small-bore scoped Silhouette rifle. Always a top notch iron sight single shot. Large CLA sized target does need the precision scopes provide, consistency is the key, Heavy set trigger single shots are hard guns to beat

My opinion you need something easier than SB Silhouette for beginners to start with. After they get comfortable with offhand it's easier to switch to a proper rifle and smaller targets.

Boats

[TOP PREDATOR]

darn, i keep forgetting the comb / centerline rule, and how it would apply to an AR22. i gotta get me more coffee in me before i post in the morning!

but still like you, i believe the first few times shoot what ya brought until your hooked. and also let them know that they are officially unofficial. the guys that usually show up with AR22's usually follow suit by getting a bolt soon enough, but i wouldn't turn them away.

until they started beating me!

[Ferret Master]

Blind scores are place scores like 5th 10th or 15th place jsut to make it interesting. We've had 6 way shotoff's for 15th place before!