IHMSA in Indiana?

[deerslayer512]

Does anyone know if there is any IHMSA matches in Indiana any more? In the early 90s, my grandfather was a 2x world champion in the big bore unlimited and small bore classes. He gave up on it in the late 90s and became a state champion skeet shooter in the early 2000s and then IHMSA died out before he could get back into it. Recently, he's been showing me the ropes on a regulation range we set up on the farm and I'd like to see some matches, but I dont know of anywhere that shoots IHMSA anymore. Im not sure why the sport died out, its very fun and challenging to me and some of the old silhouette guns are super cool. Anyone heard of any matches still going on?

 

[Hawkeye7br]

We shoot IHMSA on irregular basis due to attendance in Terre Haute. Linden Conservation Club is shooting air silo this winter. Wildcat Valley at Brookston (north of Lafayette) shoots smallbore. What is your grandad's name?

 

[natdscott]

Silhouette is too hard to be fun, and besides...don’t you own a shotgun?

 

[deerslayer512]

We shoot IHMSA on irregular basis due to attendance in Terre Haute. Linden Conservation Club is shooting air silo this winter. Wildcat Valley at Brookston (north of Lafayette) shoots smallbore. What is your grandad's name?

Lonnie Lee, he shot quite a bit at Wildcat valley and the now desolved sycamore valley which was in Bloomington, I believe.

 

[deerslayer512]

Silhouette is too hard to be fun, and besides...don’t you own a shotgun?

I use my shotgun on the silhouette range, #9 bird shot works wonders on them steel critters. I have to use my red ryder on the 200m rams though, those bighorns are tough.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

I remember Lonnie. Great shooter. You have a great teacher. A lot has changed in the sport in 25 years. You have some catching up to do. RCC is slated to host a major event in June. You should go to some air matches at Linden, the targets are close but humbling. Bring the old geezer with you.

 

[deerslayer512]

I remember Lonnie. Great shooter. You have a great teacher. A lot has changed in the sport in 25 years. You have some catching up to do. RCC is slated to host a major event in June. You should go to some air matches at Linden, the targets are close but humbling. Bring the old geezer with you.

Sounds interesting, I'll give the club a call to see when they are holding air matches. What's your name? I'll ask the old fella if he remembers you

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Linden shoots the 2nd Sunday each month, starts at 10:30am. Sometimes they do a setup & clinic on the day before the match. I'll PM you the name & number for the match director, they lock the gate after the regulars get there.

To your original post...silo is a tough game, both rifle and handgun. Its about the skill, much more than about the equipment. What are the pro's & con's?

Pro's: It's easy, 40 targets, 40 shots. Target falls, it scores a hit. Crappy hits count just as much as center hits. All targets score the same. A lot of mid-budget guns will get you started. Constructive practice creates skill, skill scores more hits. A hundred dedicated practice shots will take 60-90 minutes. You can take notes regarding sight settings and refer to them during your match. You can start at your skill level and work your way up. In handgun silo, you can lay down and rest the gun on your leg.

Con's: It's hard, 40 targets and you only get 40 shots. Target doesn't fall, it scores a miss. Center hits don't score higher than crappy hits. Distant targets (4x the distance but 4x larger mass) score the same as close targets. Newbies can't buy points, a $1800 Anschutz won't score more hits than a $500 CZ. Without constructive practice, you won't improve. Constructive practice is soothing (to people like me) but takes time. If you don't take notes and refer to them, you will lose targets. You won't start at the top skill level, and most newbies don't have an ego that can accept that. If you try to shoot offhand with a handgun, expect it to be hard.