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Do you count your shots?


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I don't count them per say, but I do calculate reload points.

 

I know how many shots it is to the point of a planned reload. Then I know the number of shots of slop and adjust the point of reload from there if I bust that number.

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I count mine on my walkthrough, and usually plan a 2nd shot for Steel. Once the buzzer goes off I don't think about trying to count how many I have taken. Although, at an all steel match it would have helped to keep count.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Im new to this sport so trying to remember how many shots I took, whats left and if I hit what Im intending to with the estimated rounds I alloted is a ton to remember. I try to plan reloads with one or two left in the gun to try and not run out. However I always miss more thsn anticipated so my plans usually go out the window. I can only have 10 rd mags so I need a lot if magazines on me!!

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Im new to this sport so trying to remember how many shots I took, whats left and if I hit what Im intending to with the estimated rounds I alloted is a ton to remember. I try to plan reloads with one or two left in the gun to try and not run out. However I always miss more thsn anticipated so my plans usually go out the window. I can only have 10 rd mags so I need a lot if magazines on me!!


That’s part of the challenge with production/L10. I usually never had issues since I generally planned a reload every time I moved with at least 1-2 left in the mag. If I got to a point in my stage plan where I expected 9 or even 10 shots without makeups I would usually try and plan that spot differently by shooting other targets sooner or after a mag change. Even on further steel shots I left myself plenty of makeup rounds before a reload. There’s been times recently that I can think of where I’ve hit a couple mini poppers at like 15+ yards on the first shot and still dropped a mag with like 4 rounds left in because that’s how many I planned for makeups.

Still, I got sick of limited capacity magazines and decided to switch to Limited last month. The reason is not so much that it’s harder to have only 10 rounds, but seeing how much less competitive Production can be against guys who are shooting Major PF and not having to reload 2-4 times in a stage really irked me. Plus, winning Production at a local match isn’t very fun when you’re beating the same 4-5 guys every time. It seems there’s a lot more diversity in Limited as far as competition goes.
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I find it easier to plan reloads by array and any "free time" I have moving. I'll take a standing reload if I need to but try to avoid, even if I throw down a mag after only 2-4 shots somewhere else.  If I need to plan a standing reload, I try to find an array with good separation of targets so I can reload while swinging to the other  target(s).

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  • 1 month later...

Your plan should never be to count.  If its a habit to do so, definitely work to eliminate it.  The way you know how many rounds you have till reload is by stage planning.  Memorize actions not counting.  So when you do the walk-through don't go "1, 2... 3, 4...." just look and memorize what you see and what you will do.  No counting.  If you need verbal when you walk-through say "bang". 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Slightly different take. I shoot limited and plan the stage for reloads, including allowances for potential extra shots. I never count, except if I am shooting revolver, which I have done a bunch of in IDPA.

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when i shoot 3 gun with my extended mags i count the targets. like i know i can engage 11 targets before i have 1 shot left and then to either dump that last round or reload and start again

when i shot with a stroager m3k (before my vr80) i did the same, 12 targets before a reload (or 13 if its a shorter stage and i wanted to run it dry)

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/30/2016 at 11:00 AM, DarksideCZ said:

I Have a tendency that once the buzzer goes off I run on mostly instincts and muscle memory.

Last match on my last stage my stage plan went out the window fairly early and I reloaded early leaving me short 2 rounds for the last target. Somehow as I was moving toward the last target I instinctively reloaded and shot the last target. After I unloaded , clear, holster, I realized what I did and that I must have been counting shots Subconsciously. This was all in a 36 round 20 second stage.

Typically I count shots during my walk through and plan my reloads. Then I try to only remember where the mag changes go instead of consciously counting shots.

Anyone else ever catch themselves Subconsciously count shots?

 

Production here, so you pretty much have to count shots. I usually try to find ways in a stage to eliminate positions. As I gained experience I realized I was able to trouble shoot on the fly when I made mistakes/misses by remembering where mag change positions where. . Sometimes even what plan B was lol. Turning a big stage bomb into just a slightly slower run. 

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Production shooter here, plan reload points and if I miss or makeup more than one shot I reload then reload again at the planned point to get plan back in track 

 this Saturday I even had a Texas Star not go as planned (clean or break off at 8 shots) so I was able to move to next box maybe 2 steps away  while  reloadingshoot those arrays and come back once it settled a bit and picked up the 2 remaining plates now not hiding behind NS so maybe saved a little time vs chasing the revolving rabbit. 

 

Edited by Amerflyer48
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I count the stage like music, when walking through a stage. If you know how to count music, you will know what I mean. Its really only to find out the pace that I am going to shoot certain targets at.

 

ie: 3 uspsa up close targets, will be at a pace of 1 te, 2 te, 3 te . 3 uspsa long targets 25yds and beyond, would be at a pace at 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6

 

music people will know what I am talking about, then plan your reloads, but this counting method is used to burn the pace of the stage in, before you shoot it....

Edited by Sean Gaines
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Counting shots and having my plan go sideways for whatever reason reminds me of something I heard Mike Tyson say during an interview.  "Everybody has a plan until they get hit". 

 

 

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On 4/30/2016 at 11:01 AM, Hi-Power Jack said:

I always counted shots back in the 70's when I shot SS ... :ph34r:

Very difficult to count shots with my 29 round mags in my TruBor ... :bow::bow::bow:

Now that is the truth!

 

In SS/Prod/L10/Revolver I try to keep count,  in Limited most times it's more of a feeling that I must be running low.

So it's not so much that I count rounds as that based on my plan of the COF I know what I expect to shoot and when I take extra I count how many down I am.  

I expect to have 2 rounds extra, while still leaving one in the chamber, miss a plate so now I have 1 extra.  Then make up a shot and I have no extra.  Better reload no matter what.

Now in Limited I set my plan, where I want to reload and count down as best as I can.  But after 8 fingers I drop the gun so it's harder???😓

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  • 3 months later...

In stage planning I will plan my reloads but by array or shooting position.    6,10,8,  10 round mags in Canada so I find that works well and I am getting to the point to know if I am going to run dry if my plan falls apart.    Not always.   But I know on an 8 if I used too much ammo and need an additional reload.  

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/30/2016 at 11:22 AM, rowdyb said:

Production here. I plan where my reloads are and know if I'm 1-1 on thing how many should be left in the gun at each point. Almost always it's 8-10 shots. Sometimes 6. So I do not consciously count them but try to have an awareness of how many I have to "play with" at each array.

And I can only arrive at a new array with 0 rounds, empty gun. 1 round, no mag but one chambered. 10 rounds, sllide lock reload or hopefully 11 with a successful speed reload. That's what I really care most about, am I arriving at the new place with the right amount.

Should things go off plan I don't hesitate to do an unplanned mag change to get me back on plan for the very next array.

Plus 1.  This approach has served me well while shooting limited recently too.

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I tend to count during the walkthrough to plan my reloads and focus on the reload spot. If I feel like I'm missing more than I planned, I'll do my reload as soon as I can but then reload again at my predetermined spot so I can get back to the original plan.

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I am sure it has been said already, but I tend to count the # of targets as I look at a stage to make sure I have found them all. then I walk the stage and Figure out the best place to shoot the targets from. If my plan requires me to do an extra reload or reload early I could care less. Only then do I consider counting my Shots. I try to leave my plan so there is almost always 1 spare round available before the reload. The biggest thing I count is During the stage. I count my shots as I fire them. that way if I have make up shots I know when I am at 9-10 shots and do a Reload. Then if I go to move and I origionally planned a reload there I reload Anyway, even if I have an almost full Mag. That way I stay on my plan and get right back into it.

 

Counting Rounds before the stage Is not as important, Knowing when the gun will go Dry during the stage is Invaluable

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