May 12th 2023If you enjoy accurate rifles and reactive target, you’ll love this 48-minute video by Shooting USA TV. It features a long-range varmint-silhouette competition in Texas, The Lone Star State. These matches are a lot of fun. We’ve participated in them on the West Coast. The sport combines benchrest competition’s accuracy with the thrill of taking down critter-targets. The silhouettes are smaller, and it is a challenge to hit these targets at 300 yards or beyond. In this episode, John Scoutten competes using his 6.5 Creedmoor PRS. He found that steel Coyotes with a 1-MOA size offered a lot of challenge at 385 meters. Most shooters use rifles with front rests that are benchrest-grade. Steel Targets by distance: Mini Prairie Dogs – 200 Meters3?x3? Armadillos — 300 Meters
3?x5? Coyotes — 385 meters 5?x4 Hogs – 500 Meters
Chickens (on swingers) — 600 yards
Pigs (on swingers) — 750 yards EDITOR: This Shooting USA feature is well worth your time. It shows some top-notch benchrest rifles and also discusses the origins of the benchrest silhouette for varmints in Pennsylvania. AccurateShooter forum members are also shown on screen. John Scoutten does a nice job of explaining the challenges that come with shooting this discipline on a PRS setup. Travis Frazier, who designed steel targets for Field & Cave Outfitters says that shooters love the reactive target: “The most thrilling thing is seeing your shots — these [targets] actually go airborne”. Varmint Silhouette matches are the best because they deliver instant gratification. Travis designs and manufactures these steel targets. This Texas match features 10 different target shapes at each distance, including Tiny Prairie Dogs, at 200m; 3?x3?? Armadillos at 300m; 3?x5? Coyotes are at 385m, 5?x4?? Hogs are at 500m, Chickens (on swingers), at 600 yards and Pigs on Swingers at 750 yards. Each set of targets is allowed 10 rounds, and competitors have 10 minutes.
Tags: 6.5 Creedmoor, John Scoutten, Shooting USA, Steel Chickens, Steel Target, Varmint Silhouette
