Going prone

[rustychev]

We have not had a stage where you had to go prone in a few years and I know that is not something you see very often but every now and then you will at a level 2 or 3.  I have been thinking about doing it but our range is gravel and 3/4 crushed stones.  Not really the best thing or most comfortable thing to prone out on.  Any ideas for a cheap pad.  My two thoughts are a pice of carpet or sheet of plywood.  Or do I just try to pick flatter spot in the bay.

[p7fl]

Used an inexpensive exercise matt last year on a stage.

I miss the more physical stages we used to run so I set up a prone position on a  stage last year. It was the last shot so getting up was off the clock.

A lot of complaining and a few guys took procedurals.

[Kema]

Just train that indoors with gear on. Doesn't really pay off to do it outdoors in the mud

[DKorn]

I’d say either carpet or a cheap yoga mat or camping pad. Carpet is probably better because you can make it bigger. Make sure you anchor it down well so it doesn’t move! 

[elguapo]

A sheet of plywood?  Really?

[Mcfoto]

Another vote for a carpet remnant. We also shoot on gravel so I keep a set of knee pads in my kit even if I need to go to a knee. The last time we had a prone stage, it was set up so you could possibly shoot without going down but it would involve a huge time-sucking run around the barriers. And yes, almost all took the prone position last so getting back up was off the clock.

[MikeBurgess]

Carpet works good and makes people a little less unhappy about going prone, but oddly on the clock the carpet or whatever makes no difference, its really about making shooters feel better for the walk thorough.

[DKorn]

5 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

Carpet works good and makes people a little less unhappy about going prone, but oddly on the clock the carpet or whatever makes no difference, its really about making shooters feel better for the walk thorough.

 

I agree, but I also wear long pants most of the time when I shoot. If I wore shorts I feel like the carpet might make a bigger difference in that I wouldn’t be embedding gravel in my knees. Although, this is probably a bigger issue on a low port where you drop to a knee than going prone. 

[MikeBurgess]

Just now, DKorn said:

 

I agree, but I also wear long pants most of the time when I shoot. If I wore shorts I feel like the carpet might make a bigger difference in that I wouldn’t be embedding gravel in my knees. Although, this is probably a bigger issue on a low port where you drop to a knee than going prone. 

possibly 

but on the clock I'm most likely going to end up bleeding either way (pants shorts carpet or not) pants just hide it better

[ChuckS]

I have encountered prone positions  consisting of carpet, grass, loose dirt, hard packed desert with rocks, mud, muddy desert, wet and muddy carpet. In retrospect, I have to agree with Mike. The stress is only prior to shooting the stage. In fact, I was all worried about 2 prone positions they had at Area 2 one year. It turned out that both stages we my best stages of the match! Everyone gets the same 9.8 m/s/s. I vote carpet. Will still probably impale yourself on brass though...

Edited April 11, 2019 by ChuckS
spelin'

[motosapiens]

we have carpet for that stuff. for local matches, I also always try to allow a non-prone option that is several seconds slower (usually involving 2 different positions) for the folks that really can't or won't go prone.

[rustychev]

5 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

we have carpet for that stuff. for local matches, I also always try to allow a non-prone option that is several seconds slower (usually involving 2 different positions) for the folks that really can't or won't go prone.

I had not thought about guys that cant go pron due to bad knees or other problems dont really care is someone dose not want to.  Have to find out how to make that work with the stage layout.

[MikeBurgess]

8 minutes ago, rustychev said:

I had not thought about guys that cant go pron due to bad knees or other problems dont really care is someone dose not want to.  Have to find out how to make that work with the stage layout.

for a level 1 match, if your stage layout will not work with a alternate slower shooting location just pre plan what you want those that medically cant go prone to do and what penalty you will apply and put that on the WSB so all squads will do the same, or if you know who is going to have a problem talk to them before the match and let them and their squad mates know what the solution is. 

I have had shooters stand and shoot targets through mesh walls or go to a separate location and shoot from only certain targets from there, often walking the stage with them before the match works well to find a solution that works for them and does not give them a advantage over their normal competition. Luckily the shooters that need accommodation are not in my experience in the running to win a match so a perfect solution is not really required, just one that keeps the stage fun ad safe.

[MemphisMechanic]

30 minutes ago, rustychev said:

I had not thought about guys that cant go pron due to bad knees

 

Agree with you; guys that just whine about anything athletic? They can go ahead and whine. But shooters with a bad knee or hip? Those guys deserve an alternative option at your local match.

 

Quote

Have to find out how to make that work with the stage layout.

 

Place a shooting box out in the stage well forward of the main shooting area, over by a side berm, where it can see the ‘prone’ targets.

 

Put it close enough to the targets and far enough from the rest of the shooting area that running there is slower than shooting through the low port. Of course, you’ll want to deny the ability for someone in the shooting box to see anything else from that position.

 

Pretty simple to do at a level 1, really.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by MemphisMechanic