How to spin MGM vertical dual target ("spinner")

[NicVerAZ]

All the feelings. So hurt. 

[Deathray]

Is glorious, no?

[Daft]

I use a .40 for the reason of running into these a lot.  Did notice people doing much better than me by triple tapping 9mm.  With your minor load you might to do it.

Always change mags out to a hotter load for them.  Basepads come in colors.

It really helped me to shoot them at practice with no timer around.

[rondog]

 In this weekend's match we have two spinners on one stage, to stars on 2 diff stages, And 2 swingers on one stage.  

This is going to be fun and challenging

[StealthyBlagga]

I shot the same match as Nick yesterday (outlaw 2-Gun at Rio Salado Sportsmans Club, Mesa, AZ). The target array consisted of TWO MGM Spinners shot with pistol at ~10 yards, so the adventurous had the option of switching to the second target if they got tired of waiting on the first. I am not adventurous (A-class Limited shooter), but I still managed to spin both in less than 40 seconds (penalty for not spinning was 60 seconds per target). The gun was a 9mm M&P pushing 124gr FMJ at ~1050fps. Here is the video of my unremarkable performance:

 

Edited October 31, 2016 by StealthyBlagga

[NicVerAZ]

I had a harder time with monlr 9mm than with my 1911 loaded major 40.

You need a lot less hits with major, obviously. one magazine per spinner with my 1911 is all it took.

[StealthyBlagga]

8 hours ago, NicVerAZ said:

I had a harder time with monlr 9mm than with my 1911 loaded major 40.

You need a lot less hits with major, obviously. one magazine per spinner with my 1911 is all it took.

 

Yes, like the archetypal USPSA steel target, the Pepper Poppers, this MGM Spinner target is designed to test power factor as well as accuracy. It also adds the timing element, and I suspect some percentage of your improved Day 2 performance came from experience shooting the same targets on Day 1.

For sure these Spinners are challenging, and require experience with them that first-timers lack (thus putting them at a disadvantage), but probably no more than a Texas Star, Polish Plate Rack or other moving target.

There are, however, two thing I personally do not like about the Spinner:

1) It requires a specially enhanced penalty for failure to spin... a regular penalty is simply not enough, leading most people to simply fire one shot and take the penalty. Under our Time Plus scoring scheme this weekend, each Spinner incurred a +60 second penalty if not spun. The preceding weekend, at another club's 3-Gun match, a Spinner was shot with rifle at ~80 yards with only a +30 second miss penalty... in that case, one-shot-and-eat-the-penalty was the smart play.

2) At distance it can be hard to visually discern whether the target truly spun 180 degrees versus stalling and then falling back the way it came. Tough for the RO and the shooter.

We chose to run these targets at our match over the weekend because they are something our participants are likely to encounter at other matches. As we all learned, experience with them is hugely valuable. Would I want to see them in USPSA? NO. Would I use them in a major match of any type? NO. However, knowing how to defeat a Spinner if you are confronted by one in a match is a skill worth having in your arsenal.

You now have that skill, young Padawan. 

Edited October 31, 2016 by StealthyBlagga

[NicVerAZ]

A piece of metal is more likely to move when hit harder.

I did not write the laws of physics.

 

Edited October 31, 2016 by NicVerAZ

[shippj]

Its a great target.  If I had only one steel target at my home range to practice with, it would be a spinner.  Makes you execute good fundamentals,  7 rounds of 115g minor ammo and its spinning.  

I used to be like most USPSA people and think it was a gimmick, that you can only do it with major, yadda.  

Now that I got the stick out of my butt, I shoot mostly 3-gun.  I love the spinner, practicing on it made me a better shooter.  Practicing on it with rifle made me a better rifle shooter.    Now that I am doing more precision, Ill be shooting it with my bolt gun.  

Start at the top, start at the bottom.  Doesn't matter.   Dont miss and time your shots so your not losing energy on hits past 90 degrees.   Also square up to the target as much as possible, bullets lose energy when shot at a diagonal to the plates. 

 

Great drill, plate rack and spinner.   Shoot a plate in between shooting the top and bottom of the spinner. 

Edited November 2, 2016 by shippj

[davsco]

i hate them just because i hate standing around 10, 15, 20, 25 etc seconds for one piece of steel.

curious though, when the top is angled back slightly beyond 180 and gets hit, where does that round go?

[motosapiens]

9 minutes ago, davsco said:

curious though, when the top is angled back slightly beyond 180 and gets hit, where does that round go?

over the berm. duh.

fun practice target. stupid match target.

[AFguywhoshoots]

32 minutes ago, davsco said:

curious though, when the top is angled back slightly beyond 180 and gets hit, where does that round go?

I have seen some matches where the bullet going over the berm is an issue, they will put a frame around it with a roof on top. They do this a lot at the range in St George.

[Mbauer67]

On 11/1/2016 at 7:54 AM, davsco said:

i hate them just because i hate standing around 10, 15, 20, 25 etc seconds for one piece of steel.

curious though, when the top is angled back slightly beyond 180 and gets hit, where does that round go?

If your standing around this long you're doing it wrong.  You should be engaging other targets at the same time.  3-4 fast hits on the top followed by 3-4 on the bottom with a 40 major and you will have it over in just over 2 seconds.  

 

[davsco]

yeah, 8 shots (+) to get one target to score just isn't my def'n of fun, more like a carnival.  and at least in 3 gun, not too many shooting 40 major.  it actually is a fun target with a shotgun and shot at relatively close range, but just too much time wasted with a handgun.

[Hoosiershooter]

If your standing around this long you're doing it wrong.  You should be engaging other targets at the same time.  3-4 fast hits on the top followed by 3-4 on the bottom with a 40 major and you will have it over in just over 2 seconds.  

 

I'd love to see that. Because I'm going to say it's not possible. It takes 2 seconds to spin it with a shotgun and prairie storm at 12yds almost.




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[ziebart]

It is a dumb target when shot with birdshot.  People resort to speciality loads like prarie storm even when the match bans them.  It also tears up the target.

[bigcalidave]

On 12/26/2016 at 3:04 PM, ziebart said:

It is a dumb target when shot with birdshot.  People resort to speciality loads like prarie storm even when the match bans them.  It also tears up the target.

huzzah!  

With the right load you just smack it once and keep moving    

 

I'd like to see more 150-200y rifle spinners. 

[ziebart]

My only issue with spinners past 100 yards is they can get hard to see for those shooting limited.  It is also less likely that the bolts get checked.