Metallic silhouette
Encyclopedia
Metallic silhouette shooting is a group of target shooting disciplines that involves shooting at metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...

 cutouts representing game animals at varying distances. Metallic silhouette shooting can be done with airguns, black powder firearms, modern handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....

s, or modern rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...

s. The targets used are rams, turkeys, pigs, and chickens, which are cut to different scales and set at certain distances from the shooter depending on the specific discipline.

Governing bodies

IMSSU is the international federation controlling Metallic Silhouette for both rifle and pistol competitions. There are also two major USA-based bodies; the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...

covers all types of silhouette shooting in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and the USA-based International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (IHMSA). There are some minor differences between the international federations IMSSU rules and those of the NRA and IHMSA, but it is generally possible to compete in all with the same equipment.

History

Metallic silhouette is descended from an old Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

 sport, dating back to the early 1900s, where live game animals were staked out at varying distances as targets. By 1948, metal cutouts of the animals were used instead of live animals, and the first metallic silhouette match was held in Mexico City. Because of its Mexican roots, in America the silhouettes are often referred to by their Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 names, Gallina (chicken), Javelina (pig), Guajalote (turkey), and Borrego (ram).

Course of fire

Targets are set up in groups of 5 of each kind, with a silhouette's width between targets, laid out at the required distances for the given match. Each group of targets must be shot left to right; if a target is missed then the next shot is taken at the next target. Any target hit out of order is considered a miss. Targets are engaged in order of distance: chickens, pigs, turkeys, rams. The target must be knocked down or pushed off the target stand in order to score a hit; even a shot ricocheting off the ground in front of the target will count if it takes down the correct target. Shooters are allowed to have a spotter with them, who watches where the shots land and advises the shooter on corrections to make.

All disciplines require a minimum of 10 shots at each type of target, for a minimum of 40 shots per match; normal matches are 40, 60, 80, or 120 shots. To score a hit, the target must be knocked off its stand, so each cartridge used must provide sufficient momentum
Momentum
In classical mechanics, linear momentum or translational momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object...

 to knock the heavy metal targets over. Scores are recorded as the number of hits per rounds fired, so 30 hits with 40 shots would be a score of 30x40.

A tie can be broken in one of two ways: A sudden death shoot-off, used at all National and large regional competitions and for the overall match winner. Master class and AAA shooters would shoot at Turkeys, AA class shoot at Rams, A shoots at Chickens and B class shoots at Pigs. To save time and effort, a reverse animal count can also be used (number of hits on hardest animal to easiest), Whoever hits the most Turkeys would be the winner. If a tie still exists whoever hit the most Rams would be the winner. This would continue to Chickens and finally Pigs.

For IHMSA competition, tie scores are broken by either Reverse Animal Count, or by Shootoffs, as determined by the match director, however, for State, Regional and International Championships, shootoffs will be used to determine the winners in all categories and classes. For Reverse Animal Count, scores are compared starting at rams...the shooter with the most rams is the winner. This procedure is used sequentially down through turkeys, pigs and chickens. If a tie still exists, a shootoff will be used to determine the winner. Shootoffs will be in banks of 5 targets and can be any type or size, placed at any distance out to the maximum ram distance for the competition. Shooting strings will continue until all ties are broken. Sudden Death shootoffs are not allowed.

Equipment

Silhouette shooting with modern rifles is split into categories by weight, so that heavier target rifles with bull barrels (see accurize) were not competing against lighter hunting rifles. The basic NRA rifle classes are:
  • High power rifle, light
  • High power rifle, heavy
  • Smallbore rifle, light
  • Smallbore rifle, heavy
  • Black powder cartridge rifle
  • Open Air Rifle
  • Target Air Rifle
  • Sporter Air Rifle


All but the black powder classes allow any type of non-laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...

 sights, and high power telescopic sights are normally used.

NRA pistol

NRA pistol classes are:
  • Long Range Pistol
  • Long Range Pistol, Unlimited
  • Hunter's Pistol
  • Smallbore Hunter's Pistol
  • Air Pistol

IHMSA

IHMSA Handguns are broken down by action type, sights, and caliber:

Positions include Standing or Freestyle. Freestyle can be shot in any position so long as the firearm does not touch the mat. Creedmoor and Dead Frog are the most common positions.

Small Bore (.22LR ONLY, 3/8 scale of full size targets, shot 25/50/75/100 Yards or Meters)
  • Production (Shot Freestyle) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Revolver (Shot Freestyle) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Unlimited (Shot Freestyle) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Any Sights (Shot Freestyle) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed
  • Standing (Shot Standing) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Unlimited Standing (Shot Standing) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed


Fifth Scale (.22LR ONLY, 1/5 scale of full size targets, shot 25/50/75/100 Yards or Meters)
  • Unlimited (Shot Freestyle) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Any Sights (Shot Freestyle) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed


Field pistol (Any straight walled pistol cartridge with maximum case length of 1.29" specified for that cartridge plus .22LR, .22 Magnum, .32-20, .22 Hornet, .25-20, .270 REN, 1/2 scale of full targets, shot 25/50/75/100 Yards or Meters)
  • Production (Shot Standing) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Field Pistol Any Sights (Shot Standing) 5 lb (2.3 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame


Big Bore (Any round that does not do target damage, full size targets, shot 50/100/150/200 Yards or Meters)
  • Production (Shot Freestyle) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Revolver (Shot Freestyle) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Unlimited (Shot Freestyle) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Any Sights (Shot Freestyle) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed
  • Standing (Shot Standing) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, as manufactured grips/sights/frame
  • Unlimited Standing (Shot Standing) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed


Half-Scale (Any round that does not do target damage, 1/2 scale of full size targets, shot 50/100/150/200 Yards or Meters)
  • Unlimited (Shot Freestyle) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Any Sights (Shot Freestyle) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed


Air pistol (.22 caliber or smaller, lead only, no B.B.'s, 1/10 scale of full targets)
  • Production (Shot Freestyle) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, including any CO2 or other propellant containers. No Production Air Pistol shall have an MSRP of greater than $275.00 U.S.
  • Standing (Shot Standing) 4 lb (1.8 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 10.75" barrel maximum, including any CO2 or other propellant containers
  • Unlimited (Shot Freestyle) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Standing (Shot Standing) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Standing Iron Sights (Shot Standing) 6 lb (2.7 kg) or lighter, iron sights, 15" barrel and sight radius maximum, modifications allowed
  • Unlimited Any Sights (Shot Standing) 7 lb (3.2 kg) or lighter, any sights including scopes, 15" barrel maximum, modifications allowed

Positions

Rifle silhouette shooters generally shoot from an unsupported standing position, though blackpowder rifles may use shooting sticks
Shooting sticks
Shooting sticks are portable weapon mounts used by field shooters, like hunters, snipers and metallic silhouette blackpowder rifle shooters, similar to a monopod, bipod or tripod, with one, two or three legs....

 in some competitions.

Handgunners may be required to shoot from an unsupported standing position (two hands may be used), or from a "freestyle" position. Freestyle includes some unusual positions, such as the Creedmore position, which is shot lying on the back, legs bent and feet flat on the ground, with the pistol resting on the shooter's right leg. In a freestyle position the pistol may only contact the shooter's body, no rests may be used (not even, in the case of the Creedmore position, the top of a boot).

There are also informal matches for special classes, like Cowboy rifles and pistols and vintage military surplus rifles.

Target layouts

All rifle shooting is done standing, with the firearm unsupported. The exception to this is black powder rifle; the ranges are the same as large bore rifle, but only chickens must be shot unsupported; all other targets may be shot from any position including crossed sticks
Shooting sticks
Shooting sticks are portable weapon mounts used by field shooters, like hunters, snipers and metallic silhouette blackpowder rifle shooters, similar to a monopod, bipod or tripod, with one, two or three legs....

, a bench may not be used. Pistol shooting, unless in a designated standing event, can be shot from any unsupported position. Like the any position pistol shooters, standing pistol shooters adopt odd positions in their quest for the most stable possible shooting position. Standing pistol is the most difficult discipline; no one has shot a perfect 40x40. Standing big bore any sight pistol matches are often tied with perfect scores, and decided by a tiebreaker.
Silhouette sizes
Chicken Pig Turkey Ram
Width 13 in (33 cm) 22 in (55.9 cm) 19 in (48.3 cm) 32 in (81.3 cm)
Height 11 in (27.9 cm) 14 in (35.6 cm) 23 in (58.4 cm) 27 in (68.6 cm)


To allow shooting at ranges which may not have space for a full target layout, NRA rules allow the use of reduced scale pigs, turkeys and rams placed at the same distance as chickens. The scale will be reduced proportional to the change in distance, so the targets will cover the same angular distance as they would if set up at full range. Reduced scale matches fired at paper targets are also popular for informal competitions, especially for Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 based matches where the shooters may reside in different countries. These are generally fired with rimfires or airguns.

Targets for large bore use are 1/2" to 3/8" thick steel; small bore targets are 3/16" to 1/4" steel, and airgun targets are 1/8" steel, although some aluminum targets are produced.

Ranges may be measured in yards or meters, but all targets in a match must be set using the same unit of measure, and the shooters must be informed of the unit used. The exception is the new IHMSA Air Pistol discipline, which is in yards only.
Standard ranges (measured in either yard or meter)
Equipment Chicken Pig Turkey Ram Scale
Large bore rifle 200 300 385 500 full
Small bore rifle 40 60 77 100 1/5
Air rifle 20 30 36 45 1/10
Cowboy rifle 50 100 150 200 Full
Cowboy pistol 40 50 75 100 1/2
Large bore pistol 50 100 150 200 Full
Small bore pistol 25 50 75 100 3/8
Field pistol 25 50 75 100 1/2
Air pistol (yds. only) 10 12.5 15 18 1/10

QLD


Germany

  • BDS Abt. Silhouette, a division of the Bund Deutscher Sportschützen (BDS
    BDS
    - Companies and organizations :* Bergenske Dampskibsselskab, a Norwegian shipping service* Black Dragon Society, a Japanese paramilitary organization* Blessed Damien Society, a leprosy charity organization...

    ) association representing ~150 registered German silhouette shooters

Switzerland


See also

  • Shooting range
    Shooting range
    A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...

  • Field Target
    Field Target
    Field Target is an outdoor air gun discipline originating in the United Kingdom, in the early 1980s, but gaining popularity worldwide.-UK Rules:...

    , similar sport for air gun
    Air gun
    An air gun is a rifle , pistol , or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft...

    s
  • Black Powder Cartridge Rifle
    Black Powder Cartridge Rifle
    Black Powder Cartridge Rifle refers to modern shooting sports which employ black powder cartridge rifles. These firearms, often of the type referred to as "buffalo rifles", are single-shot firearms using a fixed metallic catridge containing black powder, which launches heavy projectiles at...

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