ihmsa forums

Maybe I missed it somewhere but I do not see in the rules or on the main website how a match is sanctioned by IHMSA?

A person/club can hold handgun matches without being IHMSA sanctioned. The entries from that match will not be "officially" counted as IHMSA entries since the person/club did not coordinate with IHMSA as far as getting a schedule approved through the state director and also by not paying IHMSA for official entries after the match. Also match results would not be posted on this website. Being sanctioned is mostly working with your local state director to get the matches approved by IHMSA then paying entry fees and posting match results to HQ. I suspect there may be some local backyard matches between friends that IHMSA doesn't even know about.

The closest sanctioned IHMAS match is 3-1/2 hours away which I have not been able to work into my current schedule. A few years ago I added NRA hunters pistol to the monthly levergun match I run but stopped sanctioning them with the NRA due to low participation. I didn't start shooting hunters pistol until late last year so I have not officially classified in hunters pistol. The NRA is currently monkeying around with "modernizing" the match reporting and classification system for silhouette and I have no real desire to support them on the handgun side of silhouette.

I guess what I am getting at is would it be possible to sanction a match with IHMSA even though there might only be only 1 or 2 participants? I shot my best to date standing cast bullet score last night and I have no place to memorialize it.

There is no minimum limit on match entries as long as the person conducting the match has done the correct coordination with IHMSA HQ. Some clubs have less than 10 entries but their match directors are die hard IHMSA members and they want to keep IHMSA silhouette matches going in their states. I commend you for your good score and wanting to remember it. Please check the master schedule on this forum or on the IHMSA.org page for matches that are near you. This is a great game and you will meet many friends. I hope you can find a range near you so you can keep shooting some great scores.

By all means - get a match sanction !! There is no attendance limit for sanction - hell, here in Louisiana I have participated in matches with as few as 3 shooters ! The one positive is this - there may be others nearby with your same situation, If you have the range and targets - give it a try. We also share our smallbore/ fifth scale/ Field Pistol matches with a small group of NRA Lever Action silhouette shooters. Find someone in that group to run their match, and you run the other = win, win !

Well, since I am the IHMSA CA state director, I can take care of you getting Sanctioned! and since I live close to you, I will show up to the matches also as long as they are on sunday (i work on saturdays).

main thing to get sanctioned is to submit your match schedule to me for approval. And since I also take care of the master schedule and send out match packages, I can take care of you there also.

I know of 6-7 shooters in the bay area that will probably show up to some matches. and I just may show up to a lever action match every once in a while (as soon as I fix my gun).

nutcase wrote:Well, since I am the IHMSA CA state director, I can take care of you getting Sanctioned! and since I live close to you, I will show up to the matches also as long as they are on sunday (i work on saturdays).

main thing to get sanctioned is to submit your match schedule to me for approval. And since I also take care of the master schedule and send out match packages, I can take care of you there also.

I know of 6-7 shooters in the bay area that will probably show up to some matches. and I just may show up to a lever action match every once in a while (as soon as I fix my gun).

Sent you a PM

Maybe I missed it, but doesn't "sanctioning" require certification/verification that the proposed club have targets and distances that meet the requirements of IHMSA and the match is run based on the IHMSA Range Commands and Safety Requirements.

Robert, I am not trying to be a contrarian. But, and this is personal experience - when I applied for the sanction for Ascension Silhouette in 1990 - my State Director did not step foot on my range. In fact - he never showed up until about 5 years later ! The rules and requirements are not enforceable, but we have to take his word that he will follow our rules. We are all operating on the "honor" system - right ?? Lets encourage - not discourage !!

Years ago at the LHA we started with railroad ties for target stands and sheets of plywood for shooting platforms. We had to clear the range at the end of each match so target distances varied at each match. Sometimes a little or a lot if there was water on the range. When we were able to install more permanent equipment we used long measuring tapes to ensure correct distances to targets. Later one of the members had a laser range finder and we verified all our stands again. During all this time, not once did any "official" representing IHMSA ever ask if our range met requirements in the rule book. I'm not saying this to mean IHMSA didn't care but as Philip pointed out we all started out on the honor system and held matches. I have also shot on a small bore/FP where the MD stated the distances were not standard due to the natural layout of the range. Sure my sight settings were a little different but everyone still shot and had a great time. As far as official targets that is a whole different story. Some ranges had home made targets with some pigs looking more like hump back whales. I thought it was fun to shoot at those odd targets. Point is, you start with what you have and go from there.