A total Revamp

[willk]

We have extra rails at the house (your rails as a matter of fact) As Brenda said in front of both of us on Saturday, I am not allowed to go anywhere for a week or so, but afterwards I'll be glad to meet you and make the swap.

Will

[xp-100]

Charlie you are right about the price of the toys. One bench rifle to shoot NBRSA will pay for three guns to shoot IHMSA. I would still like to see field pistol shot from what ever position that is comfortable for the shooter to shoot in, not just standing position.

[Richard Pickering]

I'm for retaining Field Pistol as is. It was introduced as Standing only. If a competitor cannot stand they could use a chair but not lean on the chairback. We all like hitting targets but Field Pistol would dissolve into a ''short field'' half scale event if we were to introduce ''any safe position''. Richard

[19 Turkeys]

I'm for retaining Field Pistol as is. It was introduced as Standing only. If a competitor cannot stand they could use a chair but not lean on the chairback. We all like hitting targets but Field Pistol would dissolve into a ''short field'' half scale event if we were to introduce ''any safe position''. Richard

Agreed Richard. We have bastardized the game enough for the sake of bringing in new or retaining old members. It has not worked for the last 10 years. Why think this will? I saw the decline start 10+ years ago with the dissolution of many of our ranges. Now, we are under 1,000 dues paying members (best guess). Personally, I do not see how IHMSA can survive much longer. However, that does not mean we have to loose clubs. We have the Internet and can post schedules/match reports/special events on line. Keep the faith and accept change. Happy New Year to all! ;)

Steve W.

[xp-100]

Well Gentlemen, ask and see how many shooters would shoot field pistol if it could be shot with different shooting positions. What is the difference in shooting small bore in creed-more or butterfly or dead frog or standing or flop positions and then not shooting field pistol in the same stance? If something is not changed in some of the courses to help new and old shooters get involved, then it will go to a crash course ending. It is up to everyone men and women who are active shooters to figure out ways and change things so the club will survive, if not, then we will all perish in the dust of the new breed of shooting courses. No one has chimed in to see what can be done, just some negative answers and nothing positive.

[260 Striker]

If other topics are reviewed in this Forum you will find that many match directors allow shooters to use self defense guns, rifles and who knows what else to shoot on FP, 22 and big bore targets just for fun. I'm sure there is some charge for shooting at the targets but these types of entries are not reported or entry fees paid to IHMSA. Would those extra entries help our financial problems. Heck NO! Point is many MDs allow people to shoot just for the fun of using whatever gun they want to and just don't call them sanctioned entries. Trying to "officially" change any of our courses of fire really wouldn't improve things. If I want to shoot a FP entry lying down I will shoot it but just for fun which is what I consider all my entries, FUN. I'm not saying some rule changes might improve our sport but there are enough rules being bent at the local levels now that really don't bring in more shooters anyway. Honestly, how many clubs are measuring barrel lengths and weighing guns now days so they are 1/2 pound too heavy like we all did in the 80s and 90s. People show up with a gun that "looks" Production legal and just shoot. No one protests if that person should happen to win and has a gun with an illegal screw in his/her rear sight. I have seen that happen!!! We need our HQ to maintain a source to coordinate matches around the country/world. Local MDs will keep IHMSA afloat as long as we have ranges to hold matches. I see the decline in ranges as one major impact on our sport. OH used to have 7 active IHMSA ranges and we are now down to three and only two of them are big bore ranges. We used to be able to shoot IHMSA matches each weekend within easy driving distance. More ranges would at least make our sport more accessible to more shooters but there are major expenses in setting up new ranges. Hey its 2014 so lets hope things are better this year.

[Proclaim]

I have been a member of our local club for many years, most of those years just to have a place to go shoot my hunting rifles & pistols. I also spent time with all of my kids at the club's gun range teaching them to shoot. I only started shooting IHMSA four years ago so my experience is limited. I will share my thoughts on 'keeping IHMSA alive' though. In a single word the biggest challenge to IHMSA is SPORTSMANSHIP….that's right, true sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is about 'the other person' more than it is about yourself. True sportsmanship is putting the other person before you or at least at an equal place as yourself.

As I have listened to long standing IHMSA members/shooters talk about what they enjoy most about IHMSA it's been the camaraderie, NOT just shooting. It's about the friendships made way more than shooting a gun or guns. And way more than who won what! I know some of our local members that have travelled an hour and a half to another range and never shot a gun! They went to enjoy the positive people at the range!

I have also in my short time of shooting IHMSA had some very negative, discouraging experiences. I will share these to help all of us learn from them. It is very discouraging when you can't get anyone to willingly help you be successful. This involves giving you good information, helping you to get what you need, i.e. load data, leg protection, & other equipment. It also involves spotting for you so you know where your shots are going and helping you to improve. Good information also involves helping you to understand the myriad of IHMSA rules!!! I still don't understand or know them all (Is this an IHMSA problem?? Or just me??)

If we don't ALL, each individually, become champion SPORTSMEN then IHMSA may indeed die!

Here's my personal positive plan: I plan to take my grandkids to the silhouette range and have them shoot their 22lr single shot rifle at the Smallbore targets. My oldest grandson is in first grade and loves to shoot! He's also already learned to shoot quite well with very good form. I want my grandkids to become involved with IHMSA. The only way I will get them interested is to take them to our range and HELP THEM have fun by being around positive IHMSA people and shooting the reactive steel targets. By involving my grandkids I also hope to get more of my family members to become interested in IHMSA. I will also try to share my positive IHMSA experiences with other people I know and try to get them involved. I know for a fact that most people don't know anything about IHMSA, nor do they know anything about silhouette shooting! If I want them to know and become involved I must invest my time and my resources into them. I cannot just expect them to come get involved without my help.

That's my story and I will stick to it!!!

[Proclaim]

What if for 1 time. Every state or regional director was involved in the Internationals held at any or all ranges,( like a 80 round everyday match). scores compiled by the internet, shoot offs after each gun fired, score compiled each day and posted on the internet,until all winners were declared. That way there would not be no long drive times.very little time
off from work.every one interested could compete. this one time event would generate more entries and money. just a suggestion. Jackie

I like this idea!!

[Jimologist]

Posted this in the rules section as well.
The any position field pistol is already a class called practical hunter short course.

What you are asking for is already a classification and class. It's called practical hunter short course.
The rules are printed in the IHMSA news but a synopsis is;

Shot on the field pistol targets in any safe position, kneeling, sitting, prone or standing with virtually any handgun up to 21" overall. Ported barrels allowed, straight wall cartridges and of course no target damage.
a bipod or rest is allowed for unclassified shooters or A and AA class shooters.

Jim K
51873L

[KickBass]

and if you use a scope, it is limited to 6x.

I think we really need to make an effort to make people aware of the Practical Hunter categories, because this is the best way to get a new shooter or youth started in the sport since you can use sand bags or a bipod to start with.