last year I bought a savage btvlss for use in smallbore rifle and finally got it hooked up with a sightron 6x24 and the ammo it seems to like(lapua center x),I have been shooting imhsa for about 5 years now and decided to give smallbore rifle a try.on sunday I shot a 40 round match to qualify and ended with a 11/40 which I guess in not to bad for someone who never shot rifles much,more practice is definitely needed, I had to turn scope down to about 10x,target were doing a two step

Nice! My first score was also an 11. Bet ya had fun!

As long as you're having fun, I wouldn't worry the scores. This was my first year too. My first round was an 8. Practice practice practice.

That 11 out of 40 is a very good score for your first match.

My first Smallbore match 13 years ago, I shot a 3 out of 40. It took me over a year to reach the double digits. In the past two years I have shot a bunch of 30+ out of 40 scores. I even won a Hunter Class overall monthly match this year. I started shooting Silhouette because my son wanted to compete in a shooting sport at age 8. He does not have time for it now but I continue to compete because I like it so much. My wife started this year and she is hooked also. She shot a double digit score her first match.

I have noticed over the past 13 seasons that the person who struggles in the beginning is usually the one who sticks with this sport for the long haul. I have also noticed that this same person realizes that it is training for the sport and not buying a fancy rifle that increases scores. Money cannot buy you success in standing Silhouette.

Keep shooting. Never give up.
Bobby

after competing in imhsa for 4 years the # 1 thing I have learned i need to focus on always is discipline,either sight alignment, breathing,trigger control,position,it all comes back to being disciplined each shot one shot at a time,we also have learned some good excuses for missing
thanks all

I'm reading this thread with interest. My first match looks like it's gonna be the middle of this month.

For a minute, or so, got all excited yesterday at a practice round. I have a single steel chicken spinner next to a 50 yrd nra target. On the first 5 shots I hit the steel 3 times. After that, never achieved anything close to this hit rate and I'm not yet showing groups on the target. More like chasing the bull. About 2 of 5 get in the black so I know that it's practice, practice. Not the rifle, it's me. When using a bench rest--the rifle, scope, and ammo deliver one ragged hole.

A question about expectations. When looking thru the scope, how small is the wobble? And, I'm assuming that a wobble is normal. Does the wobble stay confined to the target or is it more a matter of trigger pull control whereby one waits for the do reticle to pause over the target?

I laid out of shooting for about 15 years and shot a similar score when I started back. But, things will improved quickly; you'll learn from your mistakes, from others and you'll get more practice. Best thing for me is the "Bang-Clang" affect.
I shoot smallbore and Cowboy Lever Action silhouette - shoot a couple of smallbore matches and then look at the Cowboy targets - they seem huge...of course your next smallbore match will look like someone shrunk the targets!

Glad your having fun and if you ever get out to Tucson you are welcome to shoot our match too. You'll find that new shooters are welcome wherever you go.

Michael

PS: Wobble get better with practice. At first it's sort of like shooting skeet - shoot as they go by. But with practice you'll lessen the wobble, develop a "personal" left hand hold and refine your technique...all part of the experience (if everyone shot 40 for 40 their first time out it wouldn't be as much fun.)

wphill wrote: A question about expectations. When looking thru the scope, how small is the wobble? And, I'm assuming that a wobble is normal. Does the wobble stay confined to the target or is it more a matter of trigger pull control whereby one waits for the do reticle to pause over the target?

Don't worry too much about the wobble. Everyone has movement. The key is timing. If you break the shot when you need to you will hit the target. Focus on calming yourself down and making the wobble smaller and smaller and breaking the shot. As you get better you will start shooting at spots on the target instead of just the target itself. You have to get the physical part down first. Don't worry at all about scores until you've gotten a lot of practice and matches under your belt and have refined your hold. Focus on the correct process of breaking a good shot and repeat that process. If you focus on the process the results will come and will get better and better.

You have to keep in mind that you are participating in the most difficult shooting sport there is. You are not going to get good at it overnight. Don't get frustrated, enjoy learning. One thing I wish I had done more of when I was learning was enjoy the improvement. There is not much improvement at the stage where I am now but when I was going from averaging 12 targets to averaging 16 or 17 targets, that was an exciting time. I was too focused on getting to the point of averaging 35 targets that I didn't enjoy the improvements enough.

Remember, learn the process for each shot that works for you and repeat that process. That's all you have to think about. The score doesn't mean anything. If you work on it and do it right you WILL shoot good scores eventually!

Dustin

I do not know about other folks but the Smallbore Rifle Silhouette wobble is the most perishable skill I have. If I stay away from my rifle for even a month the wobble is huge. The Air Rifle and Air Pistol wobble do not seem as perishable as Smallbore.
Bobby

atomic...

And, your training program is....?
If it includes a good bottle of stout beer I'm all in. But, frankly,
the beer I consume is perishable too. Generally, if I may
continue to free associate on this Friday afternoon,
the shelf life on my body parts is not what I would like it to be, either.

wphill wrote:I'm reading this thread with interest. My first match looks like it's gonna be the middle of this month.

Where are you shooting?

Boyd..

Louisville...

wphill wrote:Boyd..

Louisville...

PM sent.

Boyd L. and wphill:

I am interested is starting to shoot Smallbore Silhouette. I live in Louisville KY area and wondering if you might know wear there may be matches in my area.

if you have info, please PM me!

riflemann101 wrote:Boyd L. and wphill:

I am interested is starting to shoot Smallbore Silhouette. I live in Louisville KY area and wondering if you might know wear there may be matches in my area.

if you have info, please PM me!

Sorry. To my knowledge there aren't any sanctioned (registered or certified) matches available in the central or eastern part of the state. There used to be a club near Paducah that had smallbore, PCLA, and handgun listed on their website. Anderson County has a well developed handgun program as does a range in northern Kentucky. Anderson County used to permit informal smallbore rifle on Sundays. You may want to check with them if practice is your goal. Otherwise, I'd love to learn of matches close to home.