We held our last SB Silhouette match of 2008 yesterday at the StLouis Benchrest Club. It was very cold, but we have come to expect that during the winter matches.

We only had enough shooters for 1 relay. We were shooting 3 40-shot matches for the day. Partly in order to make the match run more smoothly and quickly, the Match Director asked us if we would like to shoot all of 1 kind of animal before moving to the next animal. We all agreed that we would do this. Here's how it worked... (example: Shoot your 10 chickens, then reset the targets. Then come back and shoot 10 more chickens, then reset the targets again. Then shoot 10 more chickens, then reset targets, and only then move to Pigs, and repeat for each animal). We saved a lot of moving equipment from bench to bench by shooting this way.

In the past we would have shot our 10 chickens, reset targets, then moved to pigs, then turkeys, then rams, and repeated the whole process 3 times. This method leads to a lot of moving around and carrying of equipment from bench to bench.

None of us could find any reason not to shoot the way we did, and after reading the rulebook, don't find any rule prohibiting us from shooting all the chickens first, then all the pigs, then all the turkeys, then all the rams, etc. (or all the turkeys first, then rams, then chickens, then pigs, depending on the starting location) The Match Director agreed that it was OK to shoot the way we did.

Are there any rules which prohibit a match being run in the way I've described above? If so, would you kindly point out the specific rule which we would have violated?

Thanks,

SteveM.

For an approved match, I don't see anything wrong with what you're doing, but would get a ruling from Greg Connor at NRA.

Only question I would have is that the rule book defines a match as 40, 60 or 80 shot and describes the course of fire for a match, as 10, 15 or 20 Chickens, then Pigs etc

Thanks for the response.

In the 2005 Rulebook (is this the most current rulebook)?,

Section 7.2 (Smallbore Rifle Competition) - A sanctioned match consists of 40, 60, 80, or 120 rounds fired in the standing position of one fifth sized standard High Power Rifle Silhouette targets as follows:

(a) Ten Gallina (chicken) targets at 40 meters

(b) Ten Javelina (pig) targets at 60 meters

(c) Ten Guajalote (turkey) targets at 77 meters

(d) Ten Borrego (ram) targets at 100 meters


There is a provision for a 120 shot match in the rules. I couldn't find anything about the sequence in which the targets must be shot.

SteveM.

I believe as long as all the competitiors shot the match the same way it is OK.. I know that was one of the rulings on colors of the targets we had asked.

Bob259 wrote:I believe as long as all the competitiors shot the match the same way it is OK.. I know that was one of the rulings on colors of the targets we had asked.

I would suggest that if they were fired as you did that would constitute a match. If they were fired at separate times and combined the score would become an aggregate instead of a match score.

Gator

One thing to consider in firing more that 10 animals in a match is long runs. The way you shot the match a shooter can not go for a long run unless he shoots all 30 animals in a row. AL Foust

WHAT??? If you get 10 in a row you can go for a long run.

Jerry G. In a 40 rd. match 10 in a row is the rule, correct. If you are shooting a 60 rd. match to go for a long run you have to shoot all 15 in the match to go for the long run. You would still get your 10 in a row pin any way you shoot a 10 in a row of the 15. 1st 10 middle 10 or last 10.
If you are shooting an 80 rd. match where you got to the line and fire 20 rds. at each animal, you have to shoot all 20 to go for the long run. How do I know this? We were shooting a regional cowboy match at Bradford Pa. a few years ago and the format was a straight 80 rd. match. They were allowing long run attempts the way you are thinking any 10 in a row of the 20 shots. Greg Connors was in attendance at that match, and he stopped the long runs in progress when he discovered they had not shot the required 20 shots in the match. I didn't know the correct procedure either, but I do now. Al Foust