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Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:42 pm
by lijeboy
Please see attached Silhouette Rifle Rules changes approved by the Silhouette Committee and the Rules Committee of the NRA.

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:55 pm
by cedestech
Thank you!

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 4:56 pm
by 40-65rl
Thanks Jeanne.

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:40 pm
by PhxShooter
NO LENSES?????? What caused this utterly disastrous rule change? I'm 70+ years old with 70+ year old eyes and have been using a rear lens for as long as they've been allowed. I NEED the lenses to shoot. So what do I do now? I am so ticked off right now that I'm going to stop before I say what I really feel and end up getting banned from this site.

This is an insane ruling!

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:43 pm
by curmudgeon
Thanks for sharing.

And, thanks to the Rules Committee for clarifying,
19.17 Reclassification - Competitors will be reclassified to a higher classification
when they fire two scores in any higher classification to go from B class upward
or three scores in any higher classification to go from A, AA, or AAA upward.
Scores fired in the previous 24 months will be used to reclassify upward.
Classifications will not expire.

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:08 am
by ShootingStar
Thanks Jeanne,
I've read through the document, but not studied it yet, but have a question.

The document states "• 19.17.1 Reclassification During a Pistol Match - ...." emphasis mine
That section used to be titles "Reclassification During a Registered Match -" emphasis mine
Does that mean if you "breakout" during any other match besides a Pistol Match, you don't move up like you used to?
I'm guessing they made an error here! Besides, doesn't even hold Nationals for Pistol anymore, do they?
I'll check into it an report back.

ShootingStar
Greg

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:44 am
by dustinflint
curmudgeon wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:43 pm Thanks for sharing.

And, thanks to the Rules Committee for clarifying,
19.17 Reclassification - Competitors will be reclassified to a higher classification
when they fire two scores in any higher classification to go from B class upward
or three scores in any higher classification to go from A, AA, or AAA upward.
Scores fired in the previous 24 months will be used to reclassify upward.
Classifications will not expire.
I agree - that is very helpful. Ends a lot of confusion.

Dustin

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:12 pm
by thauglor
PhxShooter wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:40 pm NO LENSES?????? What caused this utterly disastrous rule change? I'm 70+ years old with 70+ year old eyes and have been using a rear lens for as long as they've been allowed. I NEED the lenses to shoot. So what do I do now? I am so ticked off right now that I'm going to stop before I say what I really feel and end up getting banned from this site.

This is an insane ruling!
I agree, I'm only 31 and already looking into lenses for shooting levergun

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:11 pm
by cslcAl
I’m going to go way out on a limb here and state that the no lens in the rear sight is an oversight. The rules before clearly stated that a lens was allowed in the rear sight but not the front.
If this is not an oversight, it is a horrible injustice. Most of our shooters are seniors and a lot of them have vision imparements due to age. It is a huge injustice to not allow them to use a lens to help them see the front sight or the targets.
I was in this category and used rear sight lenses till my eyes got bad enough to need cataract surgery. Many of the vision impaired shooters will just have to quit shooting and that’s just not right.
I suppose next they’ll Outlaw the lenses my surgeon implanted in my eyes.

Al Foust

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:33 pm
by cslcAl
More info on lenses. This is from the official national program from last year 2018.
NOTE (b) below.

Some other items pertaining to Lever Action Silhouette Rifles are listed below:
(a) If using an interchangeable hooded front sight, the post may be placed in a vertical position so as to go from the bottom of the sight to center or from the top of the sight to center.
(b) Corrective lenses are allowed only in the rear sight.
(c) P.A.S.T.-type recoil shields are permitted in accordance with
Rule 3.12(d).
4.2 Target Setting (Lever Action Only)
To ensure that full-size rams will be knocked down with reasonable loads, they should be set so that the center of gravity works through a plane intersecting the stands approximately 11⁄4" forward of the rear edge. This can be accomplished by experimentally moving the target to the rear until it topples, and then moving it forward 1". Stands can be designed to incorporate stops to facilitate setting the targets at the proper topple point. Pistol Cartridge Lever Action and Smallbore Lever Action Rifle targets are to be set full- foot and flush with the backs of their stands.
AMMUNITION ALLOWED
Any appropriate ammunition as listed in Rule 3.1.3, which is not damaging to the targets may be used. Magnums, armor piercing, tracer and incendiary ammunitions are prohibited. The Match Director may prohibit the use of ammunition that proves damaging to the targets. In accordance with Rule 10.7 of the NRA Rules, only five (5) rounds of loose ammunition will be placed on the shooting stand for each series.
RIFLE POSITION DURING TARGET SETTING
NRA Whittington Center requires NO rifles may be pointed down range when any personnel, including target setters, are visible in front of the firing line. Rifles will be in a vertical position with the Empty Chamber Indicator (ECI) inserted in the chamber, either in the notch on the firing point tray or with the spotter or competitor holding the rifle with the muzzle pointed up.
TARGET COLOR
Targets for the Lever Action, Pistol Cartridge, and Smallbore Rifle Championships will be painted black.
LEVER ACTION FIRING PROCEDURE
The Long Range Pistol range, on which the Lever Action event is fired, is arranged in such a fashion that the normal sequence of fire: Chicken — Pig — Turkey — Ram, requires an excess of movement to complete the event. Therefore, a different order will be used to shorten the movement to fire the complete event. Competitors will shoot either chicken/turkey or pig/ram in the AM and then shoot either pig/ram or chicken/turkey in the PM to complete the course.
FIRING LINE
The Hunter’s Pistol Range used for Pistol Cartridge and for Smallbore has a covered firing line. The Long Range Pistol Range used for Lever Action, has a covered firing line.
AWARDS CEREMONY
Awards for the Lever Action Rifle and Pistol Cartridge Lever Action Rifle Championships will be presented at the Coors Building after a dinner, Thursday, July 26. The dinner will be provided at no cost. The final award ceremony for Smallbore Lever Action Rifle will be held on the range, after completion of all shoot-offs, Friday, July 27.
COMPETITORS’ MEETING
There will be competitors’ meeting on Thursday, July 26, following the awards ceremony. The meeting will provide opportunities to discuss competition programs and rules with members of the NRA Silhouette Committee. All competitors are invited to attend.
PRACTICE
The NRA Whittington Center is open seven days a week for practice. If you are not a Whittington Center Gun Club member, there is a range fee of $20.00 per day. The match entry fee includes one free practice day prior to the start of the match. Whittington Center
Gun Club members can use the ranges for free. Whittington Center Gun Club membership is $30.00 per year. Fees for shooting before a Championship shall be paid to the Center gatekeeper. During the Championship, the range will be open for practice from daybreak until one hour before the match and after the match until dark. Range fees for the Championship days are included in the match fees. Shooters will be expected to set targets during practice hours.
MEALS
There will be meal and beverage service available at the range and in the center cafeteria during the Championship.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE Individual Matches
9:00 AM, MONDAY, July 23
Rifle Inspection and practice
8:00 AM, TUESDAY, July 24
Match 1 — Lever Action Silhouette Rifle: 40 rounds fired as follows: 10 shots at chickens (50 meters); 10 shots at pigs (100 meters); 10 shots at turkeys (150 meters); 10 shots at rams (200 meters) fired on Long Range Pistol targets.
8:00 AM, WEDNESDAY, July 25
Match 2 — Lever Action Silhouette Rifle
40 rounds fired as above.
Aggregate Match
Match 3 — Lever Action Silhouette Rifle Championship
Aggregate of Matches 1 and 2.
24 n 2018 NRA National Matches — Silhouette
2018 NRA National Matches — Silhouette n 25

Al Foust

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:40 pm
by No1_49er
cslcAl wrote: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:11 pm I’m going to go way out on a limb here and state that the no lens in the rear sight is an oversight. The rules before clearly stated that a lens was allowed in the rear sight but not the front.
If this is not an oversight, it is a horrible injustice. Most of our shooters are seniors and a lot of them have vision imparements due to age. It is a huge injustice to not allow them to use a lens to help them see the front sight or the targets.
I was in this category and used rear sight lenses till my eyes got bad enough to need cataract surgery. Many of the vision impaired shooters will just have to quit shooting and that’s just not right.
I suppose next they’ll Outlaw the lenses my surgeon implanted in my eyes.

Al Foust
Al, I'm not sure that a very specific rewording of a rule can be called "an oversight".
The more important questions that arise from this are - What was the instigation for the change, and where and by whom did any discussion take place. Perhaps even, what input was allowed by or sought from us, the users?

I use an AOS Microsight which permits my aged eyes to see my sights and the target. It is, for want of a better description, something like a tiny Fresnel lens, but has NO properties that would correct for eye defects beyond what could be called 20/20 vision. How can it possibly be an advantage.
Oh, silly me - I can see well enough to engage in the sport I love.

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:28 am
by PhxShooter
Here is what I've learned regarding the rear lens debacle. If I'm wrong and someone has more accurate verifiable information please correct me.

At the 2018 Nationals inspection, one of the shooters who had a rear lens had his sight disallowed. There was some "discussion" regarding the sight and lens but the shooter was turned away. A few shooters later in the inspection line another shooter had the same exact rear lens sight. He was also denied the use of that sight. He, however, showed those who were inspecting, the actual rules and proved the inspectors wrong. His sight was allowed and retroactively the first shooters rear lens sight was allowed. That shooter, however, had already left the facility vowing never to return.

During the competitors meeting two (2) shooters complained about lenses in the rear sights. Whether or not it was rear sight lenses in general or the specific types of sights that brought about the discussion during inspection I don't know. I have been told that these incidents constitute the totality of information presented to the silhouette committee and based on these incidents and these incidents alone, all rear sights were banned. There was no input from the other hundreds of Lever Action shooters. I have also been informed that there is no longer a single Lever Action Silhouette shooter on the SIlhouette committee and in fact multiple members of the Silhouette committee do not participate in any form of silhouette shooting. What's wrong with this picture?

I know that this now falls into the category of conspiracy theory but "if" the NRA wants to kill Lever Action SIlhouette shooting this is the simplest way to go about it. The majority of our shooters are in the senior category and while not all of them use rear lenses MANY do. There goes perhaps 25% - 33% of the shooters if they retain this no rear lenses position. The NRA is a fantastic Legislative/Political orginization and without them we would have lost many of our gun rights but I also am being convinced that having to run shooting competitions is draining some of their resources that they'd rather spend in the Political/Legislative arena.

As I see it, we Lever Action SIlhouette Shooters have three basic choices. 1) we can accept status quo and slowly watch our sport go the way of Hunter Pistol. The last Hunter Pistol Nationals had only 38 participants and the NRA pulled all support of a National Championship. 2) We can try to get some Lever Action Silhouette shooters on the SIlhouette Committee so we actually have some representation. (and while we're at it see if we can't get all silhouette shooters on the Silhouette Committee). 3) This being the most difficult option, pull away from the NRA and start our own National Lever Gun Silhouette Association. 22BPCR very successufully accomplished that but it was no easy task and you'll notice I put that as the LAST option.

Oh, I forgot to mention shooting glasses. First it's not easy to find an optometrist that can make a good pair of shooting glasses for our sport. Second you're looking at a minimum of $200+ every year or maybe if you're lucky every other year for a new pair. With a lens in the rear sight the cost to change the lens is $30.

That's my thoughts on the matter.

Craig
NRA Life/Benefactor Member

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 5:34 am
by cedestech
PhxShooter wrote: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:28 am I have also been informed that there is no longer a single Lever Action Silhouette shooter on the SIlhouette committee and in fact multiple members of the Silhouette committee do not participate in any form of silhouette shooting.
That I know is not correct.

One of the committee is on this board and I shoot with them. I will leave it to them if they would like to identify themselves.

The cost of glasses is more then the rear lens but not drastically. I don't care for the Knobloch type glasses, I like the Junker type better.

http://www.bjonessights.com/

Mr. Jones glasses and lenses are very reasonable but you have to "modify" the frames into the shape you want.

I do not believe they are "trying" to kill silhouette, even though if feels like it at times....

B-)

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:53 am
by PhxShooter
To which part of the statement are you responding? You know some unidentified person who is a Lever Gun shooter and is on the Silhouette Committee or you shoot with some unidentified shooter that shoots some form of silhouette and is on the committee?

Not is direct response to you but we shooters really ought to know who the committee members are that supposedly represent us and we should have some reasonable method of contacting them. An email address would be fine.

Craig

Re: Silhouette Rifle Rules Changes - 2018

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 7:10 am
by BrentD
In my opinion lever gun needs a scope class, just like BPCR. A separate class with simple scope restrictions.