Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

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gunman5646
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Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

Post by gunman5646 »

I'm looking into returning to silhouette competition after being out of the game since 1979. I did shoot one Hunters pistol match in the 1990's, but nothing else since then. In the 70's I fired production standing with an open sighted Super Blackhawk on the full 200 meter course. I believe that Field Pistol might be my event now, as I don't enjoy shooting full strength 44 mag loads, as much as I used to. My eyes can see 100 meter targets much better than 200 meter targets now, as well.
Being a kind of minimalist guy, I would like to compete with a revolver in standing production. I recently purchased a Ruger Single seven revolver in .327 Fed, with a 7 1/2 " barrel just for this purpose. Is Field pistol as popular as long range courses of fire? Another question I had was, "what specific differences are there between NRA Hunters pistol and IHMSA Field pistol?"
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Jimologist
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Re: Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

Post by Jimologist »

I can address the differences between Field Pistol and Hunters Pistol but the popularity depends on locale more than anything.

Main difference between Hunter Pistol and Field Pistol is the distance to the chickens. HP chickens are at 40 meters/yards and FP are at 25 m/yds.
The NRA typically uses a shotgun start with everybody starting At once. You might start at turkeys then go to Rams then chickens etc. IHMSA always starts in order with a shooter starting on chickens. When that shooter proceeds to pigs the next shooter comes up.
Individual NRA ranges may at their discretion use the ascending order procedure.

Other differences are in equipment. IHMSA has a 10" max on barrel length and the NRA allows 12" . I believe the NRA allows 1/2 pound more per gun to allow for the barrel lengths but I did not go back and read both the rule books.
In practice. The NRA shooters use a 12" barrel in iron sight but still use the 10" in the scope classes . The advantage with the 12" barrel is the sight radius and with the scope you are just adding extra weight.

Both organizations allow peep sights now however IHMSA also allows a circle front or what is called peep on peep. The NRA requires a post front. It can have a minature ball on the top but it must be a stick up. Any width is legal. A lot of the IHMSA shooters use a clear disc in the front with a very fine hole drilled in it hence the name peep on peep. It shows as a circle in a circle with the target in the center.
There are severAl other minor rule differences but not major enough to affect the game. The NRA specifies that you may only have five rounds readily available. The NRA allows for alibis for equipment malfunctions and IHMSA does not. They both allow alibis for unavailable targets , however IHMSA penalizes you two tArgets for shooting an upcoming target out of turn.
If you intend to shoot both disciplines , read both rule books carefully. They are so much the same but so slightly different:)
The NRA also requires the use of safety flags and I wish IHMSA did but they do not. IHMSA requires them at the Internationals but that is the only place they are mandatory.

Good luck and welcome back. Have fun and shoot safe.

Jim K.
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Jimologist
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Re: Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

Post by Jimologist »

Forgot to say your revolver will be fine for both NRA and IHMSA. Load it way down, the targets Are much easier to knock down and you will be more accurate with the least recoil.
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DaveC
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Re: Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

Post by DaveC »

Welcome back - lots of us that dropped out for a couple of decades then came back. Have fun.
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260 Striker
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Re: Returning to shooting competition after 30 yrs.

Post by 260 Striker »

Gunman, Glad to hear you are coming back to our sport. Jimologist is the FP expert here in OH and has lots of good advice. I really suck at FP so don't want to pass on any of my bad advice but I do agree your revolver will do just fine. I like to shoot FP but only do it once or so a year since I am sooooooo bad at it. Last FP entry I center-punched number one chicken and then I will let you guess what my final score was!!!! OK, give up? ONE!!!! I try new guns and new loads so only blame myself but I had so much fun laughing at myself it was worth it. By all means, come on back, the people are just as great, if not greater, than when you left.
Lynn Shultz
IHMSA #15692 since 1980
Past Match Director Logan Handgun Association
Current VP Logan Handgun Association
NRA Member
United States Air Force Veteran
Retired USAF Civil Servant (47 years)
937-407-4885
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