Designed some USPSA Stages need Critique/Help

[deerassassin22]

So I have been shooting USPSA for about 3 years never learned much about the stage design side of the house. I plan on reading/checking rules again tomorrow and adjusting as well but looking for a range of opinions. I figure I do a lot of setup with the MD so I figure I can help with this as well maybe at least a once or twice a year.

So please throw me some feedback this is for a Level I local club match

[alma]

Stage 1: it's a bit hard to tell exactly what is going on but it looks like 16 shots from the center port would be required. You shoot design for no more than 8 shots required in any single view and try to give some variety where there are some targets that could be shot from multiple locations.

The box seems right in the way and could be a tripping hazard. If it doesn't serve a purpose aside from a starting location then remove it and put two Xs on the rear fault line for heels. Another option would be leave the box and declare it as not a part of the shooting Area. That would be interesting in my opinion.

Start position includes your hand position. Remove hand position from gun ready condition block. Remove stage procedure information from start position block.

Edited July 7, 2014 by alma

[alma]

Stage 3 looks good but "hands relaxed at sides" should be part of the start position not the gun ready condition.

[alma]

Stage 4 looks good. Watch out for shoot throughs on that first see of targets. Move had positioning to Start Position.

[alma]

Stage 5. Be more specific about your started position. Starting with what on the X? It's might get cool to find a way to start them facing the opposite direction of that first port.

Consider using a low wall to shoot over and down onto the targets instead of always having ports.

[alma]

Stage 6: I would put an X on the center of the table and specify that the gun starts there. Specify that the slide/cylinder is closed and hammer or striker is down.

Specify that all magazines must come from the competitor's belt. These things are mostly default but it will help to avoid confusion. The stair step pattern of the forward and rear fault lines might not be adding much but could make setup slightly harder. You might be able to just use straight fault lines and get the same outcome.

[MarkCO]

Barrels, I can only assume your club has a bunch, and uses them a lot. What method have you enacted to tape holes in them and deduct the pass-through hits? On some of the stages, looks almost impossible for the RO to get the right call. Also, barrels in general create some safety issues...odd ricochets and bullet coming back out of and towards the uprange. Especially the stage with the swingers, looks a bit scary.

You need to consider shoot throughs as well. You have some targets that are definitely in the path of a shoot through. Some paper to paper, some steel to paper. Makes it difficult for the ROs to score.

[fishhunter3]

stage 1 you can't have Classic Target at 90 deg angle. 45 degrees as far as they can be turned

2.1.8.4

Scoring static Classic paper targets must not be presented at an

angle greater than approximately 45 degrees from the vertical.

No-shoot static Classic paper targets may be presented at any

angle

[Graham Smith]

I agree with Mark about the barrels and the swingers. Props, like walls and barrels, are generally considered to be hard cover and are best used as vision barriers, so that the shooter has to move to see what's behind them. Having a swinger coming out and back with a hard cover barrier can create some really scoring problems. Bullets can go thorough and hit a target or be deflected off the side of a barrel and hit something - messy.

[Trent1k1]

Our barrels are painted. If the color of the barrel (usually blue) is visible, then a round went through it. Same thing with walls or any hardcover, you need to find a way to determine if a bullet was fired through the hardcover.

we have more arguments about the No-Shoots on Max-Trap's than we do with hard cover. Usually the bullet tumbles pretty badly coming through a barrel and it is obvious that the 3/4 inch hole was not a clean shot from a 9mm round. Especially if the barrel moves when it is shot (scorekeepers are supposed to be watching for those faults)

Barrels and walls are not a huge problem on our range.

[deerassassin22]

Thanks guys made some changes adjust some targets.

[pmt]

I counted 11 classic targets on stage 1, not 10.

[pmt]

Stage 5, targets #7 & #8 (right side of walkway heading north) position barrels/targets to avioid 180* traps when/if shooter is transitioning from left to right.