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METALLIC SILHOUETTE

Welcome to the Handgun Metallic Silhouette competition range hosted by the Sporting Shooters Pistol Club (SSPC) and located at the SSAA Victoria Eagle Park Sporting Complex in the State of Victoria, Australia. The range is located in Gifkins Lane at the northern end of the picturesque You Yangs Mountain Range (also here) near the township of Little River, approximately 50 kilometers south west of the City of Melbourne.

Handgun Metallic Silhouette competition at Eagle Park is promoted and conducted by the SSPC under the guidelines of IHMSA competition rules and regulations, with affiliations to IHMSA Australia Inc.

Handgun Metallic Silhouette competition is a challenging sport where the competitor tries to knock over 40 metallic targets in the shape of Chickens, Pigs, Turkeys and Rams. Each competitor is allowed 5 “sighters” prior to the main match of 40 to adjust their sights for the varying distances.

The history of Metallic Silhouette competition is descended from an old Mexican pistolero past-time dating back to the early 1900’s where live game animals were tethered at varying distances and used as targets. Around 1948, the sport became more civilized and Metallic Silhouettes substituted the use of live animals, with the first recorded metallic silhouette match being held in Mexico City.

In Victoria the sport has undergone a popularity revival at Eagle Park in recent years and is keenly contested by a growing number of enthusiastic competitors. Association with IHMSA Australia Inc., (the representative body in Australia), assures competition is maintained within the true interpretation of the rules.

Events are held in an atmosphere of friendly competition while at the same time adhering to strict safety guidelines that are of paramount importance and the responsibility of all competitors.

There are fundamentally three types of competition disciplines conducted at the Eagle Park Sporting Complex – the traditional 200 metre Big Bore event, the 100 metre Field Pistol event and the 100 metre Rimfire event.

The 200 metre Big Bore event pre-requisite involves sturdy hardware, strong loads and a steady hand all of which are necessities to knock the targets over at 50, 100, 150 and 200 metres. Typically a 44 magnum Revolver configuration would be required for this class, or perhaps one of the many caliber offerings for a Thompson Contender such as a 7mm or 30 cal configuration.

The 100 metre Field Pistol event uses scaled-down targets and is over 25, 50, 75 and 100 metres. The nature of Field Pistol is such that strong loads are not required and it is therefore more gentle to the competitor, however the factor of difficulty for the scaled-down targets is just as challenging as the Big Bore event. The Field Pistol event is ideal for those who wish to progress from the Rimfire category, but not desiring to take the full step up to Big Bore competition with the sometimes considerable recoil. A typical, very manageable caliber for this class would be .357 magnum in Revolver, or perhaps a 22 Hornet in a Thompson Contender.

The 100 metre Rimfire category is an especially exciting and extremely fast growing sport because enthusiasts are challenged with a minimal target of just a few inches in size and as a result, presents a considerable factor of difficulty. The Rimfire category is conducted over distances of 25, 50, 75 and 100 metres. It is virtually a perfect, in-expensive introduction to Handgun Metallic Silhouette, with the equipment easy to handle due almost solely to the fact that there is no noticeable recoil, making it an ideal choice for those new to the sport.

Competition days for Handgun Metallic Silhouette at Eagle Park is nominally the fourth Sunday every month, except in December, (check the Events Calendar for details). Start time is 9.00am sharp by which time all competitors should be signed in and ready for the day’s competition events.

Inquiries for Metallic Silhouette competition can be forwarded to metallicsilhouette@gmail.com

Last modified: 12.12.09 by PeteM