Varmint Benchrest Silhouette on Shooting USA TV Tonight
Shooting reactive targets is fun, especially when you get to use ultra-accurate benchrest rifles. To see how the “Varmint Silhouette” game is played, tune in to Shooting USA tonight on the Outdoor Channel. Tonight’s episode features a long-range varmint benchrest silhouette match at the Ridgway Rifle Club in Pennsylvania. This is silhouette like you’ve never seen it, with targets placed from 850 to 1,000 yards, and shooters using precision rifles, high-end optics, and advanced rests. This new sport combines the knock-down fun of silhouette with the high-tech precision of benchrest shooting. At Ridgway’s first Bench Rest Silhouette match 28 shooters participated. Five years later, nearly 120 shooters attend regular monthly matches. CLICK HERE for Match Info.
Varmint Benchrest Silhouette Basics
In 2010, the Ridgway Rifle Club combined Metallic Silhouette and 1000-yard Bench Rest into one exciting new discipline. Steel targets are arrayed in banks of five at four distances. The targets are set up as follows: Crows at 850 yards, Ground Hogs at 900 yards, Bobcats at 950 yards, and Coyotes at 1000 yards. Just dinging a target is not enough — to count as a “hit”, the target must fall down.
Ridgeway allows two classes of guns, Heavy Class with a maximum weight of 17 pounds, and Standard Class with a maximum weight of 12 pounts. Both classes must otherwise conform to the Light Gun rules for the Original 1000-Yard Bench Rest Club in Williamsport, PA.
Varmint Silhouette West of the Mississipi
Clubs in other states also host Varmint Silhouette matches (or some variant thereof). One of the longest-running and most popular Varmint Silhouette matches is held the first weekend of every month at the Pala Range, in San Diego County, California. At Pala, competitors shoot at “critter” targets placed at five yardages: 200 Meters – Field Mice (“pikas”); 300 meters – Crows; 385 meters – Ground Squirrels; 500 meters – Jack Rabbits; 600 yards – Prairie Dogs
Fun Weekend for the Whole Family
At Pala, there’s a deluxe Indian Casino/Spa nearby. So don’t hesitate to bring the wife. If she’s not a shooter, she can enjoy a fancy brunch or spa treatment while you’re having fun mowing down metal critters. Pala is a 30 minutes from the Pacific Ocean and beautiful beaches, so you can make this a weekend holiday for the whole family — kids love sand and surf.
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Tags: Benchrest, Pennsylvania, Ridgway, ShootingUSA, Silhoette, Varmint
Some load info would be interesting, like caliber preferred?
Pala has a limit of caliber 6.5mm and 105-109 grains, depending upon bullet maker. I shot a 6BR and won my first match but most shoot Dasher light guns.
I shoot a 6 Dasher in the heavy weight Class. I do well and getting better. You need a 100 Grain bullet to knock them over. Guns like a .223 will not do the job.
Steve, Id imagine not to many 6.5`s with the 109 grains limit. Interesting, thanks. Good shooting.
The Colorado Rifle Club just east of Denver has something of the same type of match: Long Range Precision Rifle.
Steel popper targets out to 585 meters.
Most shooters shoot prone off bipods, but you can shoot off benches. Scoring is either Hit or Miss, the poppers are spring reset. CRCI dot ORG
Dan
I shoot a 6BRX at ridgway rifle club shooting 105gr vld’s I have also shot my 243win 22″barrel sporter rifle there too shooting 95gr. vld’s with no issues whatsoever knocking over the coyotes.
I shoot 6brx and 6br at Ridgway with 105 Hybrids and have no problem knocking down coyotes at 1k.
Great job on covering Ridgway to the crew from Shooting USA, you covered the age groups and my addiction VBR well!
Does anyone know of a website where I can watch Shooting USA online?
The Ridgway VBR competition that was featured on Shooting USA was placed on youtube. When at the youtube site entering the number 20150128 210001 should get you there.