What would you like to see more and less of at the matches you attend?

[shred]

Less focus on round count.  More _good_ short and medium courses.  The "Good" is important.  Too many people think 'classifier' when somebody says short course, instead of taking a 32 round stage and wiping out half the targets as a starting point.  Some of the bigger IPSC matches do this well (Level 4's are a good place to look).  Put a little shooting challenge in now and then but don't make it everything.

 

[ck1]

Comment withdrawn as it's not really about stage design.

Edited June 21, 2020 by ck1

[ChuckS]

It will take a rule change but I would like to see the 2 location restriction eliminated for short courses. We could have some very interesting 12 rounders

 

[ima45dv8]

5 hours ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

Less table reloads

Less distance shots

Less weak hand

Less no shoots

Less swingers

Less Virginia count

I don't have a real problem with any of these, but I agree with you on the low ports thing.

I'm 6'2" and as Ken Hackatorn once said in a class I attended, "Asking tall people to get short is a waste of time. We LIKE being tall!"  

 

I know that's a broad generalization, but there's some truth to it. I can do the low-walk, but it's not natural or easy. And we can't expect shorter people to suddenly grow taller to reach high ports, so the best solution I've seen (and used) is vertical ports. Place two walls close together and leave a floor-to-sky opening between them for shooters of all heights. Fair and equitable.

[Southpaw]

1 hour ago, ChuckS said:

It will take a rule change but I would like to see the 2 location restriction eliminated for short courses. We could have some very interesting 12 rounders

 

Just call them medium or long courses then.  Rule book only has max round limits for them, not minimum round limits

 

And I really like that stage you posted earlier in thread.  Way more interesting use of a small bay than a classifier or stand and shoot standards.

[AverageJoeShooting]

5 hours ago, ima45dv8 said:

I don't have a real problem with any of these, but I agree with you on the low ports thing.

I'm 6'2" and as Ken Hackatorn once said in a class I attended, "Asking tall people to get short is a waste of time. We LIKE being tall!"  

 

I know that's a broad generalization, but there's some truth to it. I can do the low-walk, but it's not natural or easy. And we can't expect shorter people to suddenly grow taller to reach high ports, so the best solution I've seen (and used) is vertical ports. Place two walls close together and leave a floor-to-sky opening between them for shooters of all heights. Fair and equitable.

Yea im 6'5, so hitting those super low ports is a pain inducing experience 

[AverageJoeShooting]

5 hours ago, ima45dv8 said:

I don't have a real problem with any of these, but I agree with you on the low ports thing.

I'm 6'2" and as Ken Hackatorn once said in a class I attended, "Asking tall people to get short is a waste of time. We LIKE being tall!"  

 

I know that's a broad generalization, but there's some truth to it. I can do the low-walk, but it's not natural or easy. And we can't expect shorter people to suddenly grow taller to reach high ports, so the best solution I've seen (and used) is vertical ports. Place two walls close together and leave a floor-to-sky opening between them for shooters of all heights. Fair and equitable.

I don't think all of those things are bad as long as the stages aren't completely littered with them. I've shot some stages where its like no shoots at 50 yards and then the rest of the stage is filled with them. I get having a few here and there, but sometimes it seems like the stage design just intends to make someone take a penalty. And i have no interest in shooting long stages. 30+ yards is rifle territory as far as I'm concerned. 

[rowdyb]

You can always get shorter, I can't get taller. A stage made for the shortest person works more than a stage built for the tallest.

[Schutzenmeister]

10 hours ago, ChuckS said:

It will take a rule change but I would like to see the 2 location restriction eliminated for short courses. We could have some very interesting 12 rounders

 

I've made this exact recommendation several times.  IPSC removed the maximum location restrictions on short and medium courses about 10 years ago.  I noticed two things:  The sky did not fall AND courses became much more interesting.

 

Contact your AD and push for a change!

[IHAVEGAS]

More - Balance of challenges. Matches which strongly favor one particular skill are not as much fun except for those who excel at that one skill. 

 

Less - Multiple memory stages, I want it to be about the shooting and not feel like work. 

            Single hand shooting, I get the IDPA justification but in USPSA I do not see the point. 

[ima45dv8]

3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

You can always get shorter, I can't get taller. A stage made for the shortest person works more than a stage built for the tallest.

You speak the Gospel truth. But vertical ports serve both types of shooters equally.

[caspian guy]

1 hour ago, ima45dv8 said:

You speak the Gospel truth. But vertical ports serve both types of shooters equally.

Yep something about course design in the general principals ( 1.1.6) where it says, "

which should reasonably allow for differences in competitors height and physical build" causes me to prefer vertical ports when I design stages. But that's just my preference you can handle it lots of ways, to each their own.

[davsco]

Less memory, more shooting on the move.

[cas]

6 hours ago, rowdyb said:

You can always get shorter, 

 

That's the problem and the complaint, we always are.  In 13 years I can think of two stages where being tall was a help.  Where as it was a hindrance hundreds and hundreds of times. 

 

You can chalk that up to bad stage design/building. But that doesn't really help, cursing bad stage design under my breath while bending over to shoot through a port that 95+% of the people shooting the match aren't. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by cas

[davsco]

If you're going to screw a lefty with a tight shot, balance it out by screwing a righty!  LLM.

[konkapot]

Less focus on round count. More technically difficult stages. More strong/weakhand. No clean targets inside 12-ish yards. Less unloaded gun starts. 

[HCH]

On 6/20/2020 at 8:34 PM, shred said:

Less focus on round count.  More _good_ short and medium courses.  The "Good" is important.  Too many people think 'classifier' when somebody says short course, instead of taking a 32 round stage and wiping out half the targets as a starting point.  Some of the bigger IPSC matches do this well (Level 4's are a good place to look).  Put a little shooting challenge in now and then but don't make it everything.

 

 

Yep. I made nearly the same statement to a friend of mine 6 months ago. 

[stick]

On 6/21/2020 at 8:07 AM, rowdyb said:

You can always get shorter, I can't get taller. A stage made for the shortest person works more than a stage built for the tallest.

Exactly!  At 6'5" I can always duck.  I've been to matches where the walls are only 5" tall.  I wish I could just shoot over them.  I know the walls extend to infinity, but just for giggles, I always ask if I can shoot over them.  Now they just add in the WSB no shooting over walls.

[motosapiens]

I have a similar list to the OP, and I also like stages with options, so I just put that stuff into stages that I design. Here's an example from sunday's match. You can go around or under the barriers. You can shoot one-handed with the weight, or you can set it down and shoot with both hands. many targets available from multiple spots, etc...  

 

at 6'2" and almost 59 years old, I enjoy the challenge of low ports and prone positions. It gives me a reason to continue working out and staying healthy and flexible.

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by motosapiens

[Mcfoto]

What I “want” are easier stages. That’s why I go to matches. I get what I “need.”

[MikeBurgess]

On 6/20/2020 at 8:21 PM, ChuckS said:

It will take a rule change but I would like to see the 2 location restriction eliminated for short courses. We could have some very interesting 12 rounders

 

no it doesn't take a rule change unless you are running a IPSC Match and need to keep to the 3,2,1 ratio, I have had several interesting medium and long course stages in the 10-12 round range. remember there is no lower limit on round count or upper limit on shooting locations on a long course.  

 

[ChuckS]

2 hours ago, MikeBurgess said:

no it doesn't take a rule change unless you are running a IPSC Match and need to keep to the 3,2,1 ratio, I have had several interesting medium and long course stages in the 10-12 round range. remember there is no lower limit on round count or upper limit on shooting locations on a long course.  

 

Just to be clear, you are suggesting that we field 8 round long courses?

ETA: I just re-read section 1.2.1. With the current language, I would have to agree

[IVC]

4 hours ago, motosapiens said:

Here's an example from sunday's match.

That's a very nice setup and quite an interesting stage - more like that would be welcome...

[MikeBurgess]

58 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

Just to be clear, you are suggesting that we field 8 round long courses?

ETA: I just re-read section 1.2.1. With the current language, I would have to agree

yep, 

 

I have had to make the RM change the WSB on a 10 rd stage because he originally put short course and there were 3 locations,. now he just leaves that part out. 

 

really other than the limitations on L1 exemptions the whole section on Long, Medium and Short courses could go away 

[gerritm]

On 6/21/2020 at 2:42 PM, davsco said:

If you're going to screw a lefty with a tight shot, balance it out by screwing a righty!  LLM.

This, most stages are set up by righties. Make the COF hard leans fair to all including PCC shooters. I shoot PCC left handed & open right handed due to an eye injury so I see it from all angles. Keep in mind all levels of shooters when designing the stage.

 

Had a stage a couple of weeks ago with a target @ 180 degrees to the left with a wall outside the shooting area blocking it so couldn't use it,  that was physically impossible for a left handed pcc or pistol shooter to shoot it without touching or hanging on the wall or breaking the 180.

 

gerritm