I wanted to give a heads up on the new and improved History of Rifle Silhouette on my website. I was donated a book from Bill Baumbeck of Yuma (The Gun Digest Book of Metallic Silhouette Shooting). In it is a good description of past events leading up to Metallic Silhouette as we know it today.

Thanks Bill Baumbeck!

When I made my Rifle Silhouette website, I wanted to give as much information as I could to anyone wanting to know about Rifle Silhouette. When I was looking into Rifle Silhouette for the first time, there was information out there but, in bits and pieces. After a little experience and, falling in love with the sport, I wanted to create one place that a new person could turn to and find everything important about the sport.

When I created the "history" page for my website, it was the same thing. I pieced together a Frankenstein version of what I could verify (somewhat) to be accurate. Because my knowledge was limited, the page was abbreviated. I now want to do for the "History" page what I have tried to do for the modern sport, put as much as I can there for those interested in understanding it.

With the addition of this book my knowledge is much better. It is relying on the author a lot, Elgin Gates, and the memories and accounts of individuals quoted but, it seems to be as best as could be done today.

If you have something you wish to add or think should be modified, I do want to know but... This is going to be a lengthy process. I am not sure how much time I am going to be able to dedicate to this at any given time. I want to get through a first run of the entire project before trying to go back and modify the middle.

Some things are pure speculation. Some of the oldest information known about the heritage of this sport can only be found in the memories of old men recounting their past. What seems to be accounted for in this book seems to be reasonable as to what happened in order for this sport to develop. I just hope you like my interpretation and presentation of not only can be read but, read between the lines.

As Rod Serling used to say, "Submitted for your approval..."

http://members.cox.net/riflesilhouette/ ... story.html

Jerry

In this article the writer mentioned briefly the Turkey shoots in the United States. If you do a search for Diary of Alvin York, you will find basically the Autobiography of the early life of Alvin York from Tennessee. York goes into some detail about how his Father gave him advice on Marksmanship and describes the Shooting contests held in the Mountains. Probably because in his area there were not many wide open spaces, he stated that Turkeys were actually shot but "beeve" shoots were at notches on trees. He specifies the distances also. There were 1st through 5th places in the "beeve" shoots where after the shoot the cow would be butchered and the meat divided up according to your place. Some competitors paid for 5 shots and if one person won the first five places they would lead the whole live animal home on the hoof.

York wanted it understood that contrary to the Hollywood movie he was never a conscientious objector at any time but that his Mother and minister filled out the papers to get him out of the military but York refused to sign them because he had plenty of brothers back home to support his mother.

It is quite an interesting read and touchs on similar shooting contests in early 1900's America.

Bobby R. Huddleston

TRC has some additional information on the history of the sport. I have been told that a couple of guys at TRC (probably after a couple beers) they decided that the ram needed a horn and a dinger so they added thoes two extra features to the ram. You just never know about thoes old story tellers.

http://www.tucsonrifleclub.org/Silhouette_Intro.shtml

Well I have finished my run through the new history page, hope those who read it will enjoy the effort.

I am open for questions or comment (I think haha).
Jerry

http://members.cox.net/riflesilhouette/ ... story.html

Nice job Jerry. Thanks for the effort.

Unfortunately some of it is in re-write.
I tried to research the information about Rifle Silhouette in Mexico today ion the internet.
The only thing I found, even searching exclusively in Spanish, was Pistol Silhouette.
There is Rifle Silhouette in Mexico, and I am working wityh Tony to get it accurate.

Thanks to Tony T. for the eye opener.

Well, A lot more has been added and it is basically through. I am sure as I look it over I can find something I am wanting to improve (that is what I am told by my wife haha!)

With courtesy of Wolf Publishing (publisher of Rifle Magazine http://www.riflemagazine.com/ I have been able to add the entire Roy Dunlap article titled Silueta. It was published in November of 1969 and gives an interesting look at Rifle Silhouette as it was first introduced here in the US. If you want to know anything about the history of the sport in the US, it is a good place to start.

With help from Tony Tello and, a lot of personal time translating web pages from Mexico, I was able to give some insight into the sport in Mexico. Some of it is very cool.

Enjoy!

Jerry

You have put together a very nicely done website Jerry I have been there a few times now to show people what silhouette it all about. Thanks for the effort to put together such a informative site. Been thinking about putting one together more about local silhouette matches available hoping to get some interest but I have yet to take the leap and carve out the time and I have free hosting no less. Mine will be Smallbore and Airgun mainly with a skoosh of high power.


Dee