ihmsa forums

The cartridge rules for FP and therefore PH are as follows:
C. Field Pistol Cartridges and Practical Hunter Short Course
1. Straight-wall, center fire pistol cartridges of standard manufacture with a maximum case length of 1.29 inches, as specified for that cartridge.
2. The .32-20 with a length of 1.32 inches, .270 REN, .22 Hornet, 25-20.
3. 22LR and .22WMR Rimfire fired as manufactured.

To increase the potential number of new shooters, I would propose a change to #1 to be:
1. Center fire pistol cartridges of standard manufacture with a maximum case length of 1.29 inches, as specified for that cartridge.

This would permit bottleneck cartridges at magnum cartridge length and below. Searching in "Cartridges of the World" 13th Edition and MGM web site, I find ~35 cartridges, current and obsolete that fit this criteria. The most current or well known are: GNR series, 400 Corbon, 22 Jet, 30 Luger, 30 Mauser, 357 Sig, 5.7x28, 22 TCM, 30 Reece, 357 B&D.

There are also 5 at 1.30" which might be considered as exceptions, the most well recognized are: 256 Win Mag, 38-40 Win.

Would the sport and its popularity be helped or hindered by adding these cartridges?

I submitted a proposed rule change years ago to include some of these cartridges for FP use. That was before PH existed. My proposal disappeared. No one seemed to have received it. Never heard it was received. Some of these old cartridges are not very popular these days but IHMSA shooters like to tinker so a TC barrel in some of these chamberings would be fun to play with. Good luck getting any where with this.