So, a few days ago, someone asked about a 686 Silhouette revolver at their LGS.
8 3/8" 686 buy or leave?
That got the talk rolling on a number of related things. One of them was, the impact of IHMSA (metallic silhouette shooting) on revolver performance and accuracy.
I wrote this:
“ I’d like to give a “Shout Out” to Smith & Wesson, or at least the company as it was when the revolvers in question were first built, ie: 1980s.
The IHMSA Silhouette game was conceived as a test of long range marksmanship emphasizing skill over equipment. The course of fire is 10 shots at each of the following distances: 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, and 200 meters. Targets are metal animal shaped silhouettes. Targets had to be toppled to count as a hit. (Think about those distances next time you’re at the range and see some guy emptying mag after mag, spraying all over the giant “bad guy” target 10 feet away!)
IHMSA established strict rules to keep the match from becoming an equipment race, where shooters could “buy points”. Besides the “Unlimited” classification, single shot, revolver, and standing were shot with “out of the box” guns. No modifications were permitted besides a change of grips and a little trigger work. No optics were permitted, only iron sights! There were weight and dimensional restrictions. There was also a price ceiling: production guns could not be priced over $600 MSRP!
Gun makers like Ruger, S&W, Thompson/Center and Dan Wesson were at the forefront, collaborating with IHMSA staff, match organizers, and competitors to improve their products. Tolerances, quality control, and careful assembly were paramount. Gimmicks don’t help win matches! Technical innovations had to be carefully done to conform to the rules and stay within the price ceiling. S&W’s four position front sight was a brilliant example, as it could be adjusted and set for specific loads at each of the four distances,
Ultimately, this all made for an era of better, more accurate guns.
Today, many shooters pass over these great guns, unaware of their intended purpose or the performance of which they are capable.
Who knows, maybe one day they will shine again!”
Anyhow, it got me thinking about other great IHMSA revolvers.
Here’s Ruger’s excellent IHMSA Member Edition Super Blackhawk in 44 Magnum. It started as a “members only” limited edition of 500 revolvers that came out in 1979. Bill Ruger was committed to building a better gun for the game and was the first major maker to do so. It has a tuned action and a 10.5” barrel made by Douglas. It also featured a special benchrest style countersunk muzzle crown for added accuracy.
Most examples of this revolver are capable of shooting 6” five shot groups at 200 Meters (the distance to the IHMSA “Ram” target).
Aesthetically, the polishing and bluing is some of the nicer work Ruger has done.
Anybody else have any cool IHMSA revolvers? Maybe a Dan Wesson, or a Seville?
(I know there’s a few 10” S&W 29s with the four position front sight owned by forum members!
)
8 3/8" 686 buy or leave?
That got the talk rolling on a number of related things. One of them was, the impact of IHMSA (metallic silhouette shooting) on revolver performance and accuracy.
I wrote this:
“ I’d like to give a “Shout Out” to Smith & Wesson, or at least the company as it was when the revolvers in question were first built, ie: 1980s.
The IHMSA Silhouette game was conceived as a test of long range marksmanship emphasizing skill over equipment. The course of fire is 10 shots at each of the following distances: 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, and 200 meters. Targets are metal animal shaped silhouettes. Targets had to be toppled to count as a hit. (Think about those distances next time you’re at the range and see some guy emptying mag after mag, spraying all over the giant “bad guy” target 10 feet away!)
IHMSA established strict rules to keep the match from becoming an equipment race, where shooters could “buy points”. Besides the “Unlimited” classification, single shot, revolver, and standing were shot with “out of the box” guns. No modifications were permitted besides a change of grips and a little trigger work. No optics were permitted, only iron sights! There were weight and dimensional restrictions. There was also a price ceiling: production guns could not be priced over $600 MSRP!
Gun makers like Ruger, S&W, Thompson/Center and Dan Wesson were at the forefront, collaborating with IHMSA staff, match organizers, and competitors to improve their products. Tolerances, quality control, and careful assembly were paramount. Gimmicks don’t help win matches! Technical innovations had to be carefully done to conform to the rules and stay within the price ceiling. S&W’s four position front sight was a brilliant example, as it could be adjusted and set for specific loads at each of the four distances,
Ultimately, this all made for an era of better, more accurate guns.
Today, many shooters pass over these great guns, unaware of their intended purpose or the performance of which they are capable.
Who knows, maybe one day they will shine again!”
Anyhow, it got me thinking about other great IHMSA revolvers.
Here’s Ruger’s excellent IHMSA Member Edition Super Blackhawk in 44 Magnum. It started as a “members only” limited edition of 500 revolvers that came out in 1979. Bill Ruger was committed to building a better gun for the game and was the first major maker to do so. It has a tuned action and a 10.5” barrel made by Douglas. It also featured a special benchrest style countersunk muzzle crown for added accuracy.
Most examples of this revolver are capable of shooting 6” five shot groups at 200 Meters (the distance to the IHMSA “Ram” target).
Aesthetically, the polishing and bluing is some of the nicer work Ruger has done.
Anybody else have any cool IHMSA revolvers? Maybe a Dan Wesson, or a Seville?
(I know there’s a few 10” S&W 29s with the four position front sight owned by forum members!
)Attachments
Last edited:
