What's important in a smallbore rifle silhouette match?

[Jason]

As of January, I'll be taking over as match director for our smallbore silhouette matches. I want to do my best to get the best attendance, but more importantly I want everyone who attends to have a great experience. I've tossed out ideas to the match directors in the past, but now I'll be the one responsible for driving ideas to reality. With that said, what do you think is most important to a successful smallbore silhouette match? I'd love to have opinions here from both match directors and those who attend matches about everything from targets, benches, berms, relays, time of day, # of shots in a match, and everything else you can think of. What info do you need ahead of time to plan? Where does that info need to be to get the most visibility?

Here's our website, for feedback on what information is out there. Note that we currently don't really do any advertising in publications or at local gun stores that I'm aware of.

http://seattlerifle.org

Here's our current approximate schedule on match day for commentary on it. Of course, these times are subject to the events that day. The only fixed time is that we can't shoot before 09:30. Note that we don't currently have any "extra" stuff like special animals that reward the shooter if they are hit or team matches.

08:00 - Match director and a few others arrive at the range to open the gate, complete the setup left from after the cowboy silhouette match the previous day, and get ready for the match
08:30 - Sign-ups for the match start
09:30 - Sign-ups complete, sight-in for the matches start, positions and relays get assigned
10:00 - When everyone is done sighting in, the paper targets and swingers are taken down and the 40-shot standard rifle match starts
11:30 - When the standard rifle match is complete, we take a break for 45 minutes to an hour for lunch
12:30 - The 40-shot hunter rifle match starts
14:00 - When the hunter rifle match is complete, we tally up scores, fill out books, give out awards, and a few of us hang around to clean up after the match, which usually takes around 30 minutes or so

So... what makes a great match for you? What do you like for match winners? What about class winners? Would you rather have a pin, small trophy, certificate, or money for winning? Do you like a record of your scores? What about a printout of everyone's scores for the day? What about scores published on a website or emailed out to shooters?

Feel free to toss out anything that you can think of here. I'll try to group feedback and ideas into general categories and then post separate topics for each category. I have three months until the first match that I run and I'd like to have a fairly specific list of things to work on well before then.

[southpaw]

I would like scores for the day posted on the wall and/or online.Thanks Jason for becoming the new match director---I know it involves a lot of work.
Leroy

[psteiger]

i always look forward to lunch...as my scores when viewed in the harsh light of reality are depressing.
Paul Freeman taught me to recognize the achievements of the shooters, recognize the progression and encourage it. pins, certificates, cash are all good motivators. nothing is better than public praise.

[AddictedToSB]

I agree recognition is important, especially for young or new shooters.

Organization is another important item. Having an organized system for sighup, relays, etc.

[cedestech]

Food....

[cedestech]

Making the match fun, easy, relaxed. It is a "club" shoot and not a state or national. The game is adictive to the type of person who enjoys personal challenge. Definantly have to
praise acheivement and offer sugestions for improvement.


and food.....

[kevinbear]

Bonner gives away ammunition as prizes, just sk standard but in todays world of 65.00 a carton it's always welcome. I personally don't want trophies anymore but when I firsted started shooting it was great to get them, I still enjoy them adorning the shelves and walls of my reloading room.

[DavidABQ]

Food....

Have plenty of cupcakes available.

[GTKF]

Post/send results quickly, In a row pins help to motivate new shooters. Rather than 2 separate matches you could run an 80 shot aggregate, which allows those shooters who want to shoot both rifles to shoot standard in the 1st relay and hunter in the 2nd relay. More shooting for those who wish

[oldrifleman]

I really do wish there were at least one or two Saturday matches.

[Jason]

I really do wish there were at least one or two Saturday matches.

Oldrifleman,

There are smallbore silhouette matches the first Saturday of every month at Tacoma Sportsmen's Club, and smallbore and pistol cartridge cowboy lever action matches the Saturday before the our standard/hunter smallbore matches at the Seattle Rifle and Pistol Association range in Machias. Let me know if you need any more info about either.

Everyone else,

Keep the ideas coming. They are much appreciated.

[boats]

Few keys to my match are

Advance email notice week before. Pre registration with first come first served bank and relay pick. Fast results by email after the match. Spread sheet maintained all year with individual results.

Always making small improvements to the range, little things can mean a lot. Last month we dug out and backfilled with gravel in front of the shooting house, was always wet and muddy now drains nice. Black mulch on the berm to give good contrast. Top quality paint. Constant improvement and upkeep shows. Match proceeds are plowed back into the facility.

Only prizes are pins, and November few turkeys hams bacon, half by high scores half by blind scores.

Run the match for two groups, serious shooters and new comers, Never turn anybody away, allow any safe equipment but it has to meet the rule to place, squad all the new guys together center bank where I can keep my eye on them safety wise . Good shooters like to shoot with good shooters. Squad those guys left and right together. Make all feel welcome. Listen to what they say.

Target setters if possible but it's hit or miss getting enough kids to set.

We run a simple swinger match after the Regulation match. Iron sights rams on chains single distance. Beginners and experienced alike enjoy it. Gives them a chance to shoot old equipment 52’s Single Shots Lever Actions etc. Many have moved over to regulation silhouette from the swinger match. Great entry point for kids too. We have several that are on their way to being good shots. Swinger match is a cash pay our ¾ of the entry fees, half to top scores half blind scores, Shooters love to go home with a few bucks in their pocket.

Starts at 8 am targets put away at 5 pm. 12 months rain or shine. Last month 49 shooters between the two matches. It's a long day and you have to pay attention to keep things moving along. Not counting setters it takes 4 or 5 of us to keep up, not all the same time, we cover for each other missed months etc. You can't do a good job with less than 3.

Boats

[dustinflint]

Last month 49 shooters between the two matches.

WOW! That's awesome! How do you promote your match? How do people hear about it?

Dustin

[DavidABQ]

Few keys to my match are

Advance email notice week before. Pre registration with first come first served bank and relay pick. Fast results by email after the match. Spread sheet maintained all year with individual results.

Always making small improvements to the range, little things can mean a lot. Last month we dug out and backfilled with gravel in front of the shooting house, was always wet and muddy now drains nice. Black mulch on the berm to give good contrast. Top quality paint. Constant improvement and upkeep shows. Match proceeds are plowed back into the facility.

Only prizes are pins, and November few turkeys hams bacon, half by high scores half by blind scores.

Run the match for two groups, serious shooters and new comers, Never turn anybody away, allow any safe equipment but it has to meet the rule to place, squad all the new guys together center bank where I can keep my eye on them safety wise . Good shooters like to shoot with good shooters. Squad those guys left and right together. Make all feel welcome. Listen to what they say.

Target setters if possible but it's hit or miss getting enough kids to set.

We run a simple swinger match after the Regulation match. Iron sights rams on chains single distance. Beginners and experienced alike enjoy it. Gives them a chance to shoot old equipment 52’s Single Shots Lever Actions etc. Many have moved over to regulation silhouette from the swinger match. Great entry point for kids too. We have several that are on their way to being good shots. Swinger match is a cash pay our ¾ of the entry fees, half to top scores half blind scores, Shooters love to go home with a few bucks in their pocket.

Starts at 8 am targets put away at 5 pm. 12 months rain or shine. Last month 49 shooters between the two matches. It's a long day and you have to pay attention to keep things moving along. Not counting setters it takes 4 or 5 of us to keep up, not all the same time, we cover for each other missed months etc. You can't do a good job with less than 3.

Boats

And don't forget the cupcakes! Especially the chocolate ones with creme inside.

[North of 60]

Only prizes are pins, and November few turkeys hams bacon, half by high scores half by blind scores.

Swinger match is a cash pay our ¾ of the entry fees, half to top scores half blind scores, Shooters love to go home with a few bucks in their pocket.

Boats

Okay, call me dumb, but I have no idea what you mean by "blind scores".
Google didn't really help.
Can someone explain please?

Chris in Inuvik, NT, Canada --- Where we are lucky to get 5 months of outdoor shooting, and we don't have an indoor range within 1000 miles