Mostly revolvers

[PT7]

The Exemplar lives on I.... Hard gun to find, now, but not that many were made in the first place. Definitely a specialty pistol.

Here's mine and, no, it is NOT for sale. Two stage factory adjustable trigger set at 8 ounces at the factory, but you can safely go lower. Have shot it with a rifle scope, taco style, also with a red dot, but now I shoot it with the superb factory sights. This gun will shoot under half inch at 50 yards, same as our best 22 rifles.

Got to ask since there is no dumb question.
What is "taco style?"

[North Country Gal]

Silhouette shooting technique with a scoped pistol. Pistol is actually scoped with a high magnification rifle scope, so the handgun is held up close to the eye, with the offhand over the top of the scope, holding the scope kind of like holding a taco. Do a youtube search on taco hold and you'll see what it is. Pretty controversial in its day, though. A lot of silhouette competitors thought it should be outlawed, as it really did change the game in handgun silhouette.

Keep in mind that silhouette actually began as a sport for practicing hunting, basically bring whatever hunting gun you have and give it a try. As with any target sport, though, it became more and more ritualized, ever more specialized with categories for this and that and along with it, guns designed specifically for the sport.

[Old Syko]

Got to ask since there is no dumb question.
What is "taco style?"

Watch this. It's kinda hard to explain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7a85uctmQw

[Old Syko]

Silhouette shooting technique with a scoped pistol. Pistol is actually scoped with a high magnification rifle scope, so the handgun is held up close to the eye, with the offhand over the top of the scope, holding the scope kind of like holding a taco. Do a youtube search on taco hold and you'll see what it is. Pretty controversial in its day, though. A lot of silhouette competitors thought it should be outlawed, as it really did change the game in handgun silhouette.

Keep in mind that silhouette actually began as a sport for practicing hunting, basically bring whatever hunting gun you have and give it a try. As with any target sport, though, it became more and more ritualized, ever more specialized with categories for this and that and along with it, guns designed specifically for the sport.

Silhouette sort of took on a life similar to a lot of other pastimes with too many rules and regulations. Rules and regs ruin everything. Back when I was shooting silly wets it was iron sights only with no optics allowed, period. Funny part was I was perfectly legal running an electronic trigger in my 308 Wichita. In drag racing we called a lack of rules, run what ya brung. We need to get back to that in all the shooting sports.

[Mistered]

Rules and regs ruin everything.

Pretty much what kept me out of any competitive shooting sports all my life...

[markiver54]

My competitive shooting now is between me,myself and I. Shot competitively as a youngster. Now, however it's a lot closer to home and personal satisfaction.

[Old Syko]

In the 80s I tried sillywets for a couple years. I let a buddy talk me into shooting IPSC about 4 times and that didn't end well at all and yes it was over stupid rules and regs. Since then I hardly ever shoot around anyone else. I've decided theres nothing to be gained by proving I'm better than my friends. I only need to be able to prove it to my enemies. Funny. I was just telling my wife the other day that there's only one person still living who knows what I'm capable of with a rifle and I haven't even seen him in years. I try to help a lot of people learn to shoot but even then I don't shoot in front of them more than it takes to demonstrate technique.

Nowadays I'm the only one I need to prove anything to.

[markiver54]

Well put OS!

[PT7]

Best "competitive" shooting match I've seen...and you don't put the prize on the fireplace mantle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... pmsBOPSAJo

[Old Syko]

Best "competitive" shooting match I've seen...and you don't put the prize on the fireplace mantle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... pmsBOPSAJo

How I miss that show and those guys.

If I start licking my front site do y'all think it will help?

[North Country Gal]

The reason I gout of competitive shooting, silhouette and bullseye, was that the only person I care to compete against is me. I tended to spend more time helping the competition when they had problems or getting to know them than I did trying to beat them. Just not the competitive type, I guess. More the cooperative type.

I agree, though, about shooting sports "evolving" to the point of losing the very reason for them getting started. In the case of silhouette declining in popularity, it's also been a matter of practicality and economy. Takes a large shooting club and range to host a silhouette match and it takes a lot of labor, too, what with each competitor shooting 40 targets and the need for a crew to get the silhouettes rest, not to mention the wear and tear on all those silhouettes.

By contrast, our local club makes good money by hosting action shooting matches. Draws good crowds, can be done on any of our ranges and is easy to setup and takedown. Even made enough money to build our own little cowboy town for cowboy shooting matches.

Not for me, though. I shoot to relax, now, and just for the love of shooting.

[Old Syko]

The reason I gout of competitive shooting, silhouette and bullseye, was that the only person I care to compete against is me. I tended to spend more time helping the competition when they had problems or getting to know them than I did trying to beat them. Just not the competitive type, I guess. More the cooperative type.

I agree, though, about shooting sports "evolving" to the point of losing the very reason for them getting started. In the case of silhouette dealing in popularity, it's also been a matter of practicality and economy. Takes a large shooting club and range to host a silhouette match and it takes a lot of labor, too, what with each competitor shooting 40 targets and the need for a crew to get the silhouettes rest, not to mention the wear and tear on all those silhouettes.

By contrast, our local club makes good money by hosting action shooting matches. Draws good crowds, can be done on any of our ranges and is easy to setup and takedown. Even made enough money to build our own little cowboy town for cowboy shooting matches.

Not for me, though. I shoot to relax, now, and just for the love of shooting.

WOW! Reading a lot of what you print makes me feel like I'm talking to myself. When things go awry the wife's response is often "why don't you go shoot a while and calm down."

[PT7]

A hearty "yes" to both NCG and Old Syko!

From some of the Range Reports I've posted, can you imagine me with a revolver in competition with either NCG, Bandit, RR, Sir Henry, or easily others on our forum? If I tried that, it would be enough of an uphill challenge where it might be best to just bury my bullets....and ride into the sunset.

Yup, I agree. Competing with the gent I see in the mirror is the best way to go!

[North Country Gal]

PT, you're welcome to shoot with me, anytime. I promise that we'd both have fun and, after all, that's the whole point.

[PT7]

PT, you're welcome to shoot with me, anytime. I promise that we'd both have fun and, after all, that's the whole point.

NCG, thanks much for the invite. It would definitely be cool to meet you, and do some off hand shooting.

It's not beyond the realm of possibility. I'd like to get back up to WI sometime since I've family there. I've forgotten your home city? My sister lives in Kenosha (south), and my brother-in-law is in Appleton (central). I also have several friends who live in northern IL. So shall see down-the-road.

[BrokenolMarine]

The reason I gout of competitive shooting, was that the only person I care to compete against is me. I tended to spend more time helping the competition when they had problems or getting to know them than I did trying to beat them. Just not the competitive type, I guess. More the cooperative type.

I know this feeling. I was invited into local level PPC by the match director, one of the department's patrol sergeants, former range master, and Nam era Marine. I went. He gave me the basics, and when I was approached by fellow shooters I would discreetly look his way and he would touch his hearing protectors as a signal to let me know if I should be polite, or I should "listen closely" to what they had to share.

This sharing attitude continued when I moved up to state level competition, and it went both ways. I was now also mentoring the new shooters as well. My hope was, that if they glanced toward the tower for advice, Lou was touching a finger to his hearing protection.

After nearly a decade of shooting at the two levels, I decided it was time to quit competing myself. It was sad when the bulk of the new pups coming in were selfish and self centered, more worried about every point, and rude to those around them. It was no longer fun to compete, no longer as much a social event as a shooting event. (This was never a money match.) I wasn't going to spend twelve hours three or four days a month, nine months out of the year, plus practice days... attending matches, If I no longer enjoyed it. I could shoot at home.

[BrokenolMarine]

Must have been a lot that felt that way. A large number of veteran shooters stopped competing within a year or two of my departure.

[North Country Gal]

Marine, I do understand and have felt this myself. I think it's natural in any kind of competition to become obsessed with results and get a bit carried away. Have seen it in all kinds of sports. For me, it just got too intense to be comfortable and, after all, I shoot to relax and enjoy the shooting, itself. The stress of competition just soured me on it. Takes all kinds to make a world, of course, and I do know folks that enjoy the added stress of competition. For them, it adds to their shooting. I get that. Just doesn't work for me.

[North Country Gal]

Let me add another point about why my hubby and I both love revolver shooting or any kind of handgun shooting, for that matter, but especially revolvers. We love the convenience of it all. Less to pack and carry to the car and the range, not only in terms of the guns, but also accessories. No fancy (and heavy) shooting bags and rests, no need for a good spotting scope at the ranges we shoot handguns (out to 50 yards, binoculars do just fine), no long hikes out to 100 yards and beyond to post targets. In short, less to mess with and more time for shooting.

As to the revolvers, they're the perfect balance of accuracy and fun. Our single shots are more accurate and autos have some shooting advantages, too, but revolvers are plenty accurate and get you repeat shots without the need to mess with magazines and loading them. For me, working the action on a good revolver is something akin to working the action on a good lever gun or even a bolt gun and, certainly, a classic falling block single shot rifle. And, of course, it doesn't get any more traditional in handguns than shooting a revolver. After all, folks were shooting revolvers before brass cartridges were even invented. Did I mention that revolvers really are works of art?

[PT7]

I really need to be mindful to keep my post brief to these comments (the highlights for me). Not easy for a talker...

Simply YES.

~~~ why my hubby and I both love revolver shooting; but especially revolvers. We love the convenience of it all....less to mess with and more time for shooting.

As to the revolvers, they're the perfect balance of accuracy and fun...it doesn't get any more traditional in handguns than shooting a revolver. Did I mention that revolvers really are works of art?