I just bought a Ruger MkIII pistol, and have started wondering about finding somewhere to shoot smallbore pistol silhouette competitions in Missouri. I've never done it, but it looks like fun.

I assume that the main sanctioning body is IHMSA for pistol competition, is this correct?

Is there anywhere in MO to shoot this sport?

Any guidance is appreciated.

SteveM.

Steve,
There is an NRA version of smallbore pistol silhouette, we shoot it here in Florida, but it is not as popular as the rifle. As you are aware the NRA is not totally supportive of the silhouette sport so the numbers of approved matches are declining. Check Shooting sports for an apporved match in MO but there may be some running fun forms of the competition as well.

Mary

Yep.. I shoot the NRA version of smallbore hunter pistol with a Contender. I've never shot an IMHSA match before, but the NRA version suits me fine and I can shoot it in the second relay after I shoot my cowboy rifle in the first relay. All in all, lots of fun but I still like the rifles better.

Steve,

Unfortunately I can't help you with places in MO to shoot pistol sil. But from what we have seen here in AZ I can tell you that rumors of lagging interest in the sport have not materialized into any smaller turnouts for our matches. I shoot NRA hunter's pistol both open sights and scoped in T/C and Browning BuckMark at two matches each month run by two entirely different pistol clubs. One is NRA style and the other is put on by the ASRPA (Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association) which I believe is associated with IHMSA (at least the pins they give out say IHMSA on them), but someone might be able to correct me on that. Turnouts are typically 15 to 30 shooters.

Pistol silhouette is an awesome sport! I love it. It is an easy sport to learn and improve at. As a new shooter I hit ten animals in my first match in April and just shot my first ten in a row (chickens) in any silhouette sport last Sunday with a scoped T/C pistol in .22LR. Finally shot my first AAA score (31/40)while shooting in my 8th match. NRA Hunter's pistol is a great game I just picked up in the spring. At our match, people shoot everything from HP Creedmore position with scoped monsters in rifle calibers to SB standing with .22's, big bore wheel guns, you name it. Even the lever gun folks get to shoot their rifles like 30-30's.

Your Ruger MKIII is a fabulous gun to shoot pistol silhouette with. You're gonna love it. Best of luck finding a match to shoot in, and welcome to the sport of pistol sil.

Steve,

There is IHMSA pistol silhouette shooting at Higginsville, MO which is located just east of Kansas City. This is the Laffayette Gun Club. They have an excellent facility and the folks running the match do a super job.

I'm not sure where you are located in Missouri but I know of a club in Paducah, KY (where Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri meet) that does smallbore pistol silhouette as well as a big bore program that started about two months ago. There may be some in the southern Illinois area as well but I'm not real familiar with that area.