NicVerAZ Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Had a stage with two of them. The first one, I clear the first 4 plates and the remaining plate miraculously sticks on top for a few seconds, while I completely miss the opportunity and get it on the next upswing. Great.... Then on the second star, I was already p-o'ed and I wasted a 10-round magazine. I think I just need to concentrate and stop hoping these darn TS's don't show up at the next game. They indeed do not show up often but they always give me a bad time. What's the trick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Get with the MD and see if he will get one out of the barn and practice. Other than that it's technique and timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 Get with the MD and see if he will get one out of the barn and practice. Other than that it's technique and timing. I have the keys and PB privilege, I can set one up and have at it. I might just do that. I needed to rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Ranting about a Texas star won't help. Been there done that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt1911 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 I enjoy the Texas stars. They're a fun piece of reactive steel targets that let you know if you're applying the basics properly and you know real quick if you're trying to go too fast. Practice practice practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rln Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 The ones that really give me fits are set behind a wall with only the bottom of the arc exposed....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amish_rabbi Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 I run a little side match at my club weekends when I dont have the motivation to set up a whole match. I drag the texas star out, you pay $2 and then you shoot it twice. score is both the times added together (no gimmies) winners of each division get 10% of the money that comes in. Shoot it as many times as you want just pay the $2 each time. works good and everyone has fun, also makes you be consistent rather than just going to fast and maybe getting lucky for one run and winning that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 If you walk up to a stage and see a Texas star or polish plate rack or a 35 yd PP or whatever and your first thought is " oh great, not another ------" you're already defeated. Do whatever it takes to turn this weakness into a strength .. Shoot the damn thing at every practice session until you can't wait to see it at a match ... And you'll be on you way. For me, as a new shooter it was steel, I secretly dreaded seeing it at a match because I KNEW I couldn't hit them. That was before I incorporated shooting steel in every practice session, now, the more steel the better ... Just my 2 cents .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Get with the MD and see if he will get one out of the barn and practice. Other than that it's technique and timing. I have the keys and PB privilege, I can set one up and have at it. I might just do that. I needed to rant. I don't think you can get the stars out of the shed. They have a separate lock that I think only MDs have a key to. I actually wish they would have stars more often. They aren't my strongest point either largely because the only way to practice on them is at the matches or drop about $1,500 or so for one which isn't going to happen. Hell of a fun match today though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Get with the MD and see if he will get one out of the barn and practice. Other than that it's technique and timing. I have the keys and PB privilege, I can set one up and have at it. I might just do that. I needed to rant. I don't think you can get the stars out of the shed. They have a separate lock that I think only MDs have a key to. I actually wish they would have stars more often. They aren't my strongest point either largely because the only way to practice on them is at the matches or drop about $1,500 or so for one which isn't going to happen. Hell of a fun match today though!! I guess I need to find out if Paul or someone will allow me to take them out, or I can make a makeshift one with 2x1's and paper plates. And a starter motor in the middle... I thought the TS's were on bay 4 at Rio, I guess I am wrong. I can also ask Bill at PRGC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Oh, and as to the trick..... Two theories. Both involve starting at the top and working down. Start anywhere but the top and you will turn a star into something that resembles a propeller. Theory one is start at the top and go down one side. As you go down the star rotates the plates to you and you more or less ambush them. Theory two is start at the top an shoot 12:00, 9:00, 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00. It you hit the 9 and 3 o'clock plates quickly the star barely moves, but you need to be able to hit those two in pretty quick order or you will find yourself chasing the star. All depends on your current skill sets. If you want to see how well you do with the 9-3 transition get the plate rack out and just put up the 1 and 4 plates. See how accurate and quick you are on that transition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Phil Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I ran into one of them at a steel match about 5 or 6 yrs ago. I shot it allright, then came home and built one. Took a long time to get the right hold/release system (I call them "triggers"). When I found the right formula, I built the next hated steel match nemisis: a polish plate rack. Mine is smaller, moves faster, and has 6, 6" plates. This year's match, there was a star behind a star. I built a 2nd on in the week after the match. We shoot them a lot at my Monday night fun shoots here at my house. The people that shoot them a lot don't fear them and, as said before, actually look forward to shooting them. Mine move a lot faster than the ones at the matches. We actually almost wait for the thing to index. My kid starts anywhere on the thing and chases down the targets. He's fast! The 1st has 6"x8" plates, and the 2nd has 6" round plates. This year, I'm putting one on an arm suspended from the top on a bearing. The swinging Texas Star! Awsome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I clear 4 plates and the remaining plate sticks on top What's the trick? Nic, the trick is to shoot the top plate first and work your way down - then they hardly move at all - you shouldn't have the last plate "stuck at the top". See the two ways to shoot a Texas Star - but, start at the top, don't end up at the top. And, watch the better shooters shooting the TS - you'll see how they handle it - very smoothly, very fast with little spinning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Phil Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I found that if you shoot them @ 11:00, 1:00, 4:00, and 6:00, the last plate will index back toward 6:00. As Jack said: smooth.The star won't spin fast at all... Unless you miss!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sroe3 Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 The two ways to shoot a star: Head, hand, hand, Foot, foot. I find this more difficult due to the transitions. Second: top down either left or right side. The best tip I ever received: Don't chase. Shooting down one side just point the gun about 12 inches lower each swing and wait for the plate. Shoot when the plate pauses (or slows dramatically). Honestly, my best stars felt slow because I waited but cleared it in 5 shots with no swings. The next plate just rolls into my sights. I love the star because it test my accuracy and patience. Embrace the challenge! Some stage designers around here use activators to start the star turning before we're allowed to shoot at it. Same theory applies, just have to wait for a plate to stall near the top to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biloxi23 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 At the Gator Classic/Area 4 there was a Texas Star that did not move, set behind orange snow fence that was soft cover. I saw a bunch of shooters waaaay better than me get bumfuzzled when teh star did not start moving at all. Or maybe it was that orange fence just in front of the muzzle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sroe3 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Soft cover can be disconcerting. If you shoot late enough in the day and it's full of holes it's much easier to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thanks, all. I have done well before on a TS. It is very random and never have the opportunity to train on one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 the quicker you hit the target the easier it is. start at the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Phil Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I also made cardboard plates for mine. I practice the timing and hitting the centers, doing about 5 or 6 runs before taping. After a few runs, I can easily see where my tendencies are. I think the timing thing is key... That and don't miss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 wait until you get to shoot the polish plate rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 wait until you get to shoot the polish plate rack. Now play nice! I didn't have the heart to mention the Spring Steel match we had about 4-5 years ago where they used a weighted star. You hit an activator and the thing spun as fast as a pinwheel. The crowd was at least three deep watching the pain that inflicted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelShooten Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 We set up a stage last season that used the star as hard cover. Yes, the idea was not to hit the plates on the star. There were four targets huddled behind the sweep of plates on the star. You started in a seperate area of the COF. Hitting a popper elsewhere insured that the star would be spinning (rapidly) by the time this array became available. Based on the results, there is another strategy: Try not to hit the plates and you'll be knocking the ends off the star in quick succession. A lot of people were surprized. Once one plate (or more) was off the target, it seemed to consciously stall at points that very effectively shielded the targets behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawboy Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 If you walk up to a stage and see a Texas star or polish plate rack or a 35 yd PP or whatever and your first thought is " oh great, not another ------" you're already defeated. Do whatever it takes to turn this weakness into a strength .. Shoot the damn thing at every practice session until you can't wait to see it at a match ... And you'll be on you way. For me, as a new shooter it was steel, I secretly dreaded seeing it at a match because I KNEW I couldn't hit them. That was before I incorporated shooting steel in every practice session, now, the more steel the better ... Just my 2 cents .... Bingo! If you can shoot steel well, you have a built in leg up on most other shooters in your class/division. Many people simply lack the fundamentals of accuracy necessary to consistently go one for one on steel. Get there, and you will be able to bank of taking first or at least top three on any stage that is heavy on steel. Personally, I LOVE steel of all types and get very excited when I get to the match and see white steel all over the bays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Phil Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 If you walk up to a stage and see a Texas star or polish plate rack or a 35 yd PP or whatever and your first thought is " oh great, not another ------" you're already defeated. Do whatever it takes to turn this weakness into a strength .. Shoot the damn thing at every practice session until you can't wait to see it at a match ... And you'll be on you way. For me, as a new shooter it was steel, I secretly dreaded seeing it at a match because I KNEW I couldn't hit them. That was before I incorporated shooting steel in every practice session, now, the more steel the better ... Just my 2 cents .... Bingo! If you can shoot steel well, you have a built in leg up on most other shooters in your class/division. Many people simply lack the fundamentals of accuracy necessary to consistently go one for one on steel. Get there, and you will be able to bank of taking first or at least top three on any stage that is heavy on steel. Personally, I LOVE steel of all types and get very excited when I get to the match and see white steel all over the bays! So... are you saying that steel shooters are the most well rounded or most complete or most balanced shooters out there? Just wondering, but then again, I've wondered that myself from time to time... Who can do it all? LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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