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Equipment
NRA rules define the rifles and pistols allowed in silhouette shooting. The rules define the most liberal allowable dimensions and weights. Any rifle or pistol which falls within these limitations can be used.

The items of equipment listed below are used in silhouette competition. The best part is that there is very little expense associated with silhouette shooting.

Spotting Scope - The use by the coach of a telescope or other optical device to spot shots is permitted.

A Shooting Mat or ground cloth is permissible in Black Powder Cartridge Rifle competition and Long Range Pistol/Smallbore Pistol Freestyle competition.

Gloves may be worn on either or both hands in pistol competition as long as they don't afford artificial support.

Clothing - Commercial type trap and skeet vests and shotgun shooting shirts are permitted as well as clothing normally suitable for existing climatic temperatures. Shooting coats, unnecessarily heavy clothing, or anything on the person that would provide artificial support, such as clothing having excess padding or stiffening material, or clothing which restricts or supports the body in the shooting position may not be worn.


Pistols For Use in Silhouette competition
Pistols allowed for Long Range Pistol silhouette are defined in the NRA rules and follow very closely the rules established by the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (IHMSA). NRA Long Range Pistol silhouette has two basic pistol definitions and forms of competition: 1.) Conventional, which permits minor modifications, and 2.) Unlimited, which allows almost anything that can be done to a pistol within the limits of a 15 inch barrel and 4 1/2 pound weight limit. Also associated with Long Range Pistol is a .22 caliber version called Smallbore Pistol that closely follows the Long Range Pistol courses.

NRA Hunter's Pistol competition is one of the most popular of the NRA silhouette games. Since it is intended as a sport for distances up to 100 meters, only certain calibers are specified as allowable in the rules. The definition is very similar to that of Conventional Long Range Pistol, except that the barrel length is limited to 10 3/4 inches and the weight to 4 1/2 pounds. Scopes are allowed as well as open sights.

NRA Smallbore Hunter's Pistol is fired with .22 caliber short, long or long rifle cartridges at the same distance and the same size targets as in Hunter's Pistol. The targets are thinner material to permit reliable knockdown by the .22.

Silhouette Range Facilities
Any silhouette range will have the same basic requirement: provisions for the four difference types of targets, and a single firing line.

Silhouette Targets and Target Stands
Silhouette targets can be cut from various types of steel. It has been found that low strength steels and some high strength steels are not satisfactory, because of the extreme damage done to them by high velocity bullets. For High Power Rifle, Black Powder Cartridge Rifle and Long Range Pistol targets, abrasion resistant alloy steels should be used. For Smallbore Rifle it is not necessary to use the harder steels. For Hunter's Pistol, it is suggested that the harder steels be used for the closer targets. T-1 steel is required for Hunter's Pistol chickens. The "feet" upon which the silhouettes rest should be of the same type of steel as the rest of the target. Silhouettes are set on stands which should be, if possible, two to three feet from the ground so that they can fall free of the stand when hit. Silhouette need not be painted black if another color makes them more visible. On some of the Eastern ranges, targets are painted white or even blaze orange.

NRA rules allow for reduced distance firing provided the targets are reduced proportionately to the distances used. This provision was put into the rules in order to allow those clubs which cannot attain the longer distances to have a silhouette program. If desired, all targets can be set at one minimum distance, such as 200 yards in High Power Rifle. The minimum allowed distances at which reduced courses can be fired are; High Power and Black Powder Cartridge Rifle, 200 yards; Long Range Pistol, 50 yards; Hunter's Pistol, 40 yards, and Smallbore Rifle, 40 yards.