What is silhouette shooting?
Originally started in Mexico with live animals, in the US we began shooting metallic silhouette in the ’70s. Now several variations of the sport have evolved from handgun to lever rifle. I will brief you on the rifle versions and the smallbore and highpower aspects.
The sport is shot entirely in the standing or off-hand position and no “sighter” shots are allowed once the match has started. Rifle with scopes is shot at metallic silhouette targets at various distances. Chickens, pigs, turkeys, and rams are shot to scale depending upon the game you are shooting. In Smallbore 40, 60, 77 and 100 meters are the target distances. In highpower they are 200, 300, 377 and 500 meters. A match consists of 10 shots and each animal for a total of 40 shots.
Silhouette clubs are now scattered across the globe, come join the fun and be ready to become part of the family.
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Equipment Needed
If you have ever thought about shooting silhouette, you really should. You will meet a great group of shooters with a love for a precision game. Give your local match director a call and see if they will let your current rifle to compete, they most likely will, so you can get a feel for the sport. They might even have the equipment to loan you.
I recommend you start with a Smallbore rifle silhouette and this advice is based on that. Rifles that are 22lr caliber with scopes are used in the sport. There are two classes as well. One is standard and one is a hunting rifle. The main difference in these is the weight of the rifle as well as the trigger pull weight. Standard is a limit of a 10.2-pound rifle and any trigger pull and the hunter class limits it to 8-pound rifle and 2-pound trigger pull.
Scopes are also used and are not limited on the power, but 12-20x is a common setting. Most shooters use a shooting vest, but certainly not needed when starting. A spotter or someone who watches the target is also used and spotting scopes are used in silhouette. When just starting, these can also be easily borrowed at a match.
Basic Standing Position
The first step is to distribute your weight evenly between each leg. It is also important to remember to keep the legs straight, but knees not locked up. A common mistake I see is the rear leg tends to be bent, keep that in mind.
You want to also take advantage of your skeletal structure. That means if you are a lady, get that arm supporting the rifle on your hip if you can! Most gals can, so take advantage of this! If you can’t reach your hip (sorry guys) keep your arm in contact with your body. Having it in tight to your side is still better than having it out like a shotgun shooter.
Keep in mind to find a position that is comfortable too. There is no set rule on the distance between your feet, although more than shoulder-width apart, provides more stability to most shooters.
Everyone sees movement when on target, you just need to train to get your body and your muscles used in the standing position to lessen the movement.
Free Practice Targets & Training
Get instant access to our FREE silhouette practice targets and FREE training about how to aim at a spot on the target. Sign up now and start improving your scores!
