training and shooting the texas star!

[T Bacus]

I move my gun more than most, but I prefer to shoot the plates as stationary as possible. I start with the top plate, then move to the lower of the next two upper plates, hit it then move over to the other upper plate and take it. The bottom plates are now stuck in the bottom position as there is no more weight on the top to spin the rack. Seems complicated but is very simple in practice and I've never had a problem clearing a star this way.

[melissa5]

A GM told me to do it this way. For a turtle speed shooter, this method works pretty good.

I started shooting USPSA a few months ago and really like the Texas star. I learned a technique that has helped me plan the shots better for a quicker time.

The top plate of the star usually leans to one side or the other. This is one of the things I pay close attention to before engaging the first shot.

Let say the top plate is leaning to the right at 1 o'clock. The Texas Star is telling you to shoot in a clockwise pattern by pointing in that direction. Always shoot the top plate first. After shooting the top plate, you will notice the star will rotate in a counter clockwise direction (clockwise if the top plate points to the left). Now plan on shooting the plates clockwise at the star rotates counter clockwise. Each plate will come up into your field of view and you won't have to move the gun very much assuming you hit a plate on each pull of the trigger. Take your shot when the star pauses motion just before it swings back in the other direction. I have seen a 4 - 5 plates stacked on the ground in a pile when using this technique. This technique can get you into single digit times.

Here's a video of me during practice that you can get a better idea of the technique.

[pawe]

Like the others, shoot the top plate first usually at the 1 o clock or 11 o clock position and work your way down.

I start as an ambush shooter then become a chaser for the bottom plate, probably because of the rhythm of my gun moving downwards already.

[Porsche320]

My club sets the star to where one of the legs is vertical Downward. This ensure significant motion from the first shot, but the quick guys shoot the top, then subsequent targets will come to you. Each plate will stall just below where the last one did. Works great until you miss one; I had tons of trouble, so I bought an airsoft texas star. Haven't made time to use it yet. Any else use the BAM airsoft star?

[mpeltier]

My observations are that most shooters who are unfamiliar with shooting the star try to do it to quickly. As has been stated start at the highest plate and work down one side. Be patient but dont wast any time either. Timing is everything. I use a predominately ambush technique but mixed with gun movement to meet the next target. I never chase. You dont want to shoot where your target is as much as where it will be when you break the shot. This anticipation of where it will be comes eisier with experiance but is critical to shooting the star cleanly and quickly.

Also of great importance is front sight focus. Due to the nature of this target its very easy to get distracted from your front sight and look for those moving plates. Be aware of this and dont fall into that trap.

Edited October 9, 2013 by mpeltier

[macgulley]

I usually shoot the top first then go to the highest on one side or another. Once you shoot that one it starts to spin and I just wait and try to ambush them as they come by.

[Jasonatlaw]

I shot my first match several weeks ago and my friend, who got me hooked on all this, told me to start at the upper right, then quickly take the lower left, then when it swings take the lower right which has swung into the position of the higher left. Then I ambushed in the pause of their movements. It wasn't pretty but I cleared it with one single stack mag. Felt pretty good about it. Wish I had one in my yard to practice on!

[zsavage81]

I see a lot of really good shooters shoot head, hands, then feet. They do it fast and can get them all before it starts moving, in my experience, this is extremely difficult and any misses can lead to a dumpster fire of a stage. So I'm a little more conservative and start at the top then shoot down one side. Usually I like to go down the right if possible. I end up shooting the star clean about 90% of the time like this.

[CZinSC]

I used to shoot the Star "Head Hands Feet" like most people do. Had my share of dumpster fires, had some really good runs. After discussing this at length with ZSavage a few months ago, I am a convert. Shot the Florida Sectional and went with the "down the right side" approach. It might have been a tad slower, but it was a clean run. Plus my confidence is a lot higher now. Head hands feet is a good way IF you do it clean. that is like saying "i can shoot these two arrays without reloading, IF i go one for one on the steel". I don't like taking risks like that and having to plan a back up plan. Point is, I'm shooting it down the right side from now on. ( or until i have a huge dumpster fire doing it that way...in which case i will blame Zsavage! )

[GuildSF4]

Opps wrong topic...

Edited November 12, 2013 by GuildSF4

[gondo]

This is the 3rd time I have ever shot one... all 3 times with a shotty and lets just say the first two times were slow. I got lucky here and one of the plates knocked another off (i think that is what happened... its hard to see with the barrel covering part of the star). Anyways point of my post is that I told myself no matter what happens this stage I'm not pulling the trigger on a Texas star plate unless I know i'm going to hit it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VRRsydRlAQ

[macgulley]

That setup definitely limits your options.

[larry weeks]

Rob Romero showed me. As others have said, I remember it top, right, right, bottom, bottom. Ambush, don't chase. If your front sight has enough room around it, watch for the moving plate to just start to come into the opening on the left side of the front sight blade, pull the trigger. By the time you do all the brain-to-finger commands and the bullet reaches the plate, it will be in the center of the plate. I suck on clamshells, swingers, drop turners, etc. but Texas stars don't bother me.

[newmexicocrawler]

Shoot the top ones first

[LilBunniFuFu]

This may sound a little silly, not that it has stopped any of us at trying to improve, but I lay under a ceiling fan and dry fire at it. You can turn it on for a second let it speed up a bit then lay down and practice either ambushing or leading the blades. Move to different point on the floor to simulate different angles. Even with it off I think it has helped build muscle memory for that 5 point patern.

I've tried this technique. Sure it sounds silly but add in a SiRT and you have something good short of an airsoft or real star.

[lawboy]

For me, the key to the Texas Star are:

1. Have your gun sighted in so you KNOW where the shots will land.

2. Front sight focus. HARD front sight focus.

3. Start at the top and work down, either ambushing or chasing, for most open sighted shooters, you are really not using either technique in its pure form. Most people ambush with a little chasing to speed up the process, and I think that is the correct way to do it. True ambushing is something I have only seen GOOD open shooters do, which is shoot the BOTTOM plate first, to get the thing really moving fast, then pick the plates off as the swing past the bottom apex. It is ridiculously fast but if you cannot do it reliably, it is pure poison on your score.

4. Shoot them like any other target. DO NOT pull the trigger unless you see what you know you need to see to get the hit. What kills on the star are misses and the related reload. The extra couple tenths of a second you use up two or three times to get the sights where they need to be is way faster than recovering from the recoil of three or four misses then having to do a standing reload. I guess I am saying here, take the time required to do it right. Do not try to outperform the curve. You won't.

Edited December 11, 2013 by lawboy

[JPeel]

I move my gun more than most, but I prefer to shoot the plates as stationary as possible. I start with the top plate, then move to the lower of the next two upper plates, hit it then move over to the other upper plate and take it. The bottom plates are now stuck in the bottom position as there is no more weight on the top to spin the rack. Seems complicated but is very simple in practice and I've never had a problem clearing a star this way.

This is my method as well. Seems complicated but really tends to keep the plates as stationary as possible, even if I miss once or twice. I use this technique for the shotgun also.

My first real encounter with the star was at the FB3 gun this year where there was a single star and a double star on the same stage. I did so poorly with those that I went in half with my local range owner to buy an MGM star. Now I can practice the star every week!