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Silhouette

Match Schedule

About Silhouette

I would like to take this time to welcome you to our shooting discipline on behalf of the other silhouette match directors. We take our shooting seriously and yet have a good time shooting and building relationships with other competitors. Our matches are open to the public and our club shooters are always here to help you with questions about our disciplines.

It is our hope you will find this information interesting and come join our matches at ENGC.  All matches are posted on the current range schedule with setup and starting times.  The schedule also includes the range on which the matches are shot and the current match director to contact for any further information on shooting metallic silhouette. This information is not all inclusive and questions should be directed to the match director for the shooting program in which you want to participate.

Michael J. Phan
BPCR & HP Rifle Match Director
(402) 301-5110
engcmem2@outlook.com

Metallic silhouette shooting is a shooting competition consisting of different target shooting disciplines involving shooting steel targets representing game animals. The disciplines shoot at various distances attempting to knock over metal targets off their resting stand or rail. Competitors can use open sights (mandatory for certain disciplines) and scoped rifles (certain disciplines).  Ask the match director or check the NRA Silhouette rules for further information.

Metallic silhouette shooting can be done with air guns, black-powder firearms, modern handguns, or modern rifles. The targets used are rams, turkeys, pigs, and chickens, which are cut to different scales and are of different thicknesses (see picture above). The targets set at certain distances from the shooter depending on the specific discipline.              

A sample of the silhouette shooting disciplines we participate in:

  • High Power Silhouette Rifle – Competitors can use modern firearms 6mm or larger in caliber and must weigh no more than 10 pounds. See NRA guidelines for specific requirements such as sights or scopes, stock configurations.
  • High Power Hunting Silhouette Rifle - A hunting style rifle having a maximum weight of 9 pounds, including sights and if applicable, an empty magazine or clip.
  • Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette - Any lever action center fire rifle .25 caliber or larger with a tubular magazine of original manufacturer or replica thereof. A rimmed case loaded with a round or flat nosed bullet must be used.
  • Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette - Any lever action rifle with a tubular magazine. A rimmed pistol cartridge loaded with a round or flat nosed bullet must be used, i.e. 25-20, 32-20, 38’s, 357 Magnum, 38-40, 44’s, 44-40, 45 Colt, 45 Long Colt, .22 Magnum and .22 long rifle.
  • Small bore Cowboy Rifle Silhouette - Any lever action, pump, or semi-auto rimfire rifle with a tubular magazine. Only .22 long rifle ammunition is allowed. Hyper velocity ammunition is prohibited.
  • Small bore Silhouette Rifle - Identical to the description of the HP Silhouette Rifle, except rifles shall be chambered for only factory loaded .22 caliber short, long or long rifle rimfire cartridges. Hot loads, such as “Stingers”, are not permitted.
  • Small bore Hunting Silhouette Rifle - Identical to the description of the HP Hunting Silhouette Rifle, except rifles may be a single-loading rifle, weight may not exceed 8 1/2 pounds, rifles shall be chambered for only factory loaded .22 caliber short, long or long rifle rimfire cartridges, and barrel turners or additional weights are not permitted.
  • Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) Silhouette - A hunting or military style rifle, single shot, originally made for black powder cartridges of United States manufacture prior to 1896 and being typical of the era. Replicas thereof, regardless of origin of manufacture, are permitted.
  • Scoped Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette - Identical to the description of the BPCR with exceptions and competitors should consult the NRA rules book on Metallic Silhouette for further guidance.

Equipment for shooting - Spotting scopes, shooting mats, gloves, cross-sticks (BPCR), ammunition, timer(s), eye and ear protection, and other equipment authorized by the NRA rules governing silhouette competitions. Special needs equipment for competitors with permanent or temporary shooting position waivers.

Ammunition Requirements and Target Distances -  Sanctioned matches consist of 40, 60, 80 or 120 rounds fired during the match and competitors should check with the match director on course of fire for the match being held.

HP Rifle, BPCR, BPCR (scoped) and Military Rifle Target distances:

  • Ten Galina (chicken) targets at 200 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Javelina (pig) targets at 300 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Guajalote (turkey) targets at 385 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Borrego (ram) targets at 500 meters (or yards)

Small bore Rifle Competition target distances:

  • Ten Galina (chicken) targets at 40 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Javelina (pig) targets at 60 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Guajalote (turkey) targets at 77 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Borrego (ram) targets at 100 meters (or yards)

Cowboy Lever Action Competition target distances:

  • Ten Galina (chicken) targets at 50 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Javelina (pig) targets at 100 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Guajalote (turkey) targets at 150 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Borrego (ram) targets at 200 meters (or yards)

Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action and Small-Bore Cowboy Rifle target distances:

  • Ten Galina (chicken) targets at 40 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Javelina (pig) targets at 50 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Guajalote (turkey) targets at 75 meters (or yards)
  • Ten Borrego (ram) targets at 100 meters (or yards)

Time Limits – Each shooting discipline has different authorized time limits, practice rounds, and target sighting requirements.  Consult the NRA rules on Metallic Silhouette or check with the match director.

Other Information - Competitors can purchase classification score record books from their match director and can be used to register match scores with the NRA.  Shooters who shoot a perfect score during the match (all targets knocked down) will be submitted for a Grand Slam pin from the NRA.

NRA Metallic Silhouette Rules PDF link:  http://compete.nra.org/documents/pdf/compete/RuleBooks/Sil-r/sil-r-book.pdf