Disappearing Targets

[Graham Smith]

Disappearing targets are tricky to deploy effectively in field courses. On speed shoot stages they can work out really well. Usually the high hit factor for medium to large field courses will be in the 7 - 8 hit factor range. Knowing that, if it takes you more than 1.5 seconds of "extra" time to activate, engage, and transition away from a disappearing target you are better off with simply blowing it off. If it takes you less than 1.5 seconds to activate, engage, and transition away from a disappearing target then its worth going for it. We are also talking about getting two solid A's on the DT as well. If its a partial target with hard cover or no shoots blocking it then the risk verses reward makes it even less worth going for it.

That's very helpful. So DT's can be used for force a strategic decision, "can I shoot this target and hit it and thus gain extra points or is it not worth the time to try?" Make it too easy and everyone will shoot it, make it too hard and only a few will bother with it.

[Nik Habicht]

Disappearing targets are tricky to deploy effectively in field courses. On speed shoot stages they can work out really well. Usually the high hit factor for medium to large field courses will be in the 7 - 8 hit factor range. Knowing that, if it takes you more than 1.5 seconds of "extra" time to activate, engage, and transition away from a disappearing target you are better off with simply blowing it off. If it takes you less than 1.5 seconds to activate, engage, and transition away from a disappearing target then its worth going for it. We are also talking about getting two solid A's on the DT as well. If its a partial target with hard cover or no shoots blocking it then the risk verses reward makes it even less worth going for it.

That's very helpful. So DT's can be used for force a strategic decision, "can I shoot this target and hit it and thus gain extra points or is it not worth the time to try?" Make it too easy and everyone will shoot it, make it too hard and only a few will bother with it.

Yes -- or it can force the shooter to make interesting timing choices.....

Suppose opening a door activates a fairly quick drop turner. Place it between two static targets, and some shooters will go left to right, while others will start on the turner....

The choice is dependent on ability....

[CHA-LEE]

To effectively deploy DT's in a field course they need to be used in a way that that requires "Abnormal" shooting to successfully engage it without wasting an excessive amount of time. Far too many times a stage will be setup were a DT can be engaged along with a few other static targets in a normal shooting speed and sweep of the gun. So pretty much everyone shoots at it and hits it. This is a waste of time from a stage setup and reset perspective. You have basically created a "Static Target" scenario that takes 10 times as much time to rest between shooters. On the other side of the coin if you make the DT's too hard, awkward, or time consuming to hit then people will blow them off and once again you have wasted a bunch of setup and reset time between shooters for a target that doesn't even get shot at.