How many stages in one day?

[TaterHead]

How many stages in one day is too much? Seems like many Level 2’s are now becoming one day matches. Thoughts?

[Out of Ammo]

Definitely no more than 12.

[RJH]

I believe I did 14 once, I will never do that again. 10 is about the max that I'm interested in, but would rather have seven or so

[GigG]

Down South where I do most of my shooting more than 10 in the summer you are risking somebody getting really sick.  

[CClassForLife]

Number of stages isn't the problem. The problem is how much downtime am I willing to bear. I think not shooting for a total time of a work day is when I start mentally asking myself why am I here.

 

Heck, I'll shoot 50 stages nonstop if it was possible.

 

 

[robchavous]

Staff reset match where you shoot 10 stages in half a day is ideal to me.

[Racinready300ex]

I think it probably depends, I've shot some 12-14 stage matches in August and it really seems like to much. Especially if they're all big and long stages. But this could vary some depending on the size of the squads and how fast the stages can turn shooters over. If we start mixing in more short and medium courses that helps too. Staff reset can turn shooters over faster if done right and allow for more shooting in the same amount of time. It's not really the shooting, it's how much resetting can I do on top of the shooting. 

 

I think 9-10 in a day is a good number for a level 2. I kind of wish out area match would go to a two day format.

[Racinready300ex]

1 minute ago, robchavous said:

Staff reset match where you shoot 10 stages in half a day is ideal to me.

 

I've shot this, and it's pretty amazing. I also shot one once with competitor reset that was the same and it worked pretty well. It'd be a good way to fit more shooters into a match. 

[motosapiens]

10 real stages in a day (5 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, or 6/4) is pretty reasonable for me. I have done 12-14 (staff shoot at classic nationals), and it seemed like a bit much for most people. Admittedly, we are doing more stuff with less people on staff day. I guess it would be cool to be able to shoot 10 stages in half a day, but it seems like that could be a long half day, which means a long full day for staff, which means they'll need to be compensated even more if you expect them to ever come back and do it again.

 

I don't get the whole idea of staff reset. a) I don't want my match fees to be high enough to support double the normal amount of staff, and b) resetting keeps me more involved in the match, and allows me to sneak more peaks of the stage on my way to/from resetting.

[robchavous]

13 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

10 real stages in a day (5 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, or 6/4) is pretty reasonable for me. I have done 12-14 (staff shoot at classic nationals), and it seemed like a bit much for most people. Admittedly, we are doing more stuff with less people on staff day. I guess it would be cool to be able to shoot 10 stages in half a day, but it seems like that could be a long half day, which means a long full day for staff, which means they'll need to be compensated even more if you expect them to ever come back and do it again.

 

I don't get the whole idea of staff reset. a) I don't want my match fees to be high enough to support double the normal amount of staff, and b) resetting keeps me more involved in the match, and allows me to sneak more peaks of the stage on my way to/from resetting.

 

I'd encourage you to find and shoot a full staff reset match.  I can almost guarantee you'll never want to shoot a major match another way.  Most of the state matches in Area 6 have gone to this model.  I honestly prefer working the match in this format too.  You get the same ~4 people on the stage taking care of the same things in the exact same way every time.  It's efficient and offers the most consistent match to all shooters.

[Nathanb]

One of our locals is 10-12 every month. It’s a lot. Especially with reset and running the tablet or timer. That’s my limit. And when it’s hot it’s tough. I had a reshoot on stage 8 due to a prop failure and the ro looked at me and said you got enough ammo?  My only response was yeah. It’s the gas in my tank im

worried about.

[Racinready300ex]

39 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

10 real stages in a day (5 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, or 6/4) is pretty reasonable for me. I have done 12-14 (staff shoot at classic nationals), and it seemed like a bit much for most people. Admittedly, we are doing more stuff with less people on staff day. I guess it would be cool to be able to shoot 10 stages in half a day, but it seems like that could be a long half day, which means a long full day for staff, which means they'll need to be compensated even more if you expect them to ever come back and do it again.

 

I don't get the whole idea of staff reset. a) I don't want my match fees to be high enough to support double the normal amount of staff, and b) resetting keeps me more involved in the match, and allows me to sneak more peaks of the stage on my way to/from resetting.

 

The matches I've shot with staff reset in a half day. Overall wasn't really any longer than a normal full day match. I think the squads were a little smaller and they turned shooters over really fast. Entry fee was about on par with other matches I shoot, I also don't think they had double the staff either. They seem to not have problems with staffing but I don't really know that. Staff had paster guns, that helps a lot. Less reshoots from props not set right or someone pasting early or not pasting. 

 

There is some down time where you end up relaxing or BS'ing and can get you out of the zone. But the stages moved faster than you'd expect. You can also go look at the next stage if you're not happy about your stage plan and your squad wont be pissed you're not resetting. Similarly you can go take a piss, get food or go a see a vendor in that time.

[Joe4d]

3 hours ago, CClassForLife said:

Number of stages isn't the problem. The problem is how much downtime am I willing to bear. I think not shooting for a total time of a work day is when I start mentally asking myself why am I here.

 

Heck, I'll shoot 50 stages nonstop if it was possible.

 

 

This, the stand around to shooting ratio is pretty excessive,,, or was... 
Number of stages is gonna be dependent on daylight and how much time between rotations.
IIRC at the handful of Majors I RO'd we would have about a 50 minute per stage.  What are they like these days ? I didnt think much of the lunch break either. Just made the day go even longer. Competitors have  plenty of break time and wouldnt take much more staff to rotate through lunch. as staff AND shooter. Id rather get done an hour earlier.

[zzt]

The problem for me is not so much the number of stages, but the flow.  If the course design is not right, you get stacked up.  I've waited for two entire squads to finish before our squad could shoot.  That is just piss poor management and stage design.

[motosapiens]

30 minutes ago, Joe4d said:

This, the stand around to shooting ratio is pretty excessive,,, or was... 
Number of stages is gonna be dependent on daylight and how much time between rotations.
IIRC at the handful of Majors I RO'd we would have about a 50 minute per stage.  What are they like these days ?

 

the majors I've worked the last few years (A1 and nationals) have been 40-45 minute rotations. I don't stand around when I'm not shooting tho, I constantly prepare to shoot.

[rowdyb]

If it saves me a travel day and I can get out of an area that likely holds no off-range interest for me,I don't care how many I shoot. I'll always choose to shoot a match in the fewest days possible. 

[mscott]

1 hour ago, rowdyb said:

If it saves me a travel day and I can get out of an area that likely holds no off-range interest for me,I don't care how many I shoot. I'll always choose to shoot a match in the fewest days possible. 

What he said. 

[Dirty_J]

4 hours ago, robchavous said:

 

I'd encourage you to find and shoot a full staff reset match.  I can almost guarantee you'll never want to shoot a major match another way.  Most of the state matches in Area 6 have gone to this model.  I honestly prefer working the match in this format too.  You get the same ~4 people on the stage taking care of the same things in the exact same way every time.  It's efficient and offers the most consistent match to all shooters.

Facts. 1/2 day staff reset is the way. 
 

And somehow they’re able to offer them for the same entry fee of most competitor reset matches. 

[broadside72]

I drive to the majors I shoot and drag my trailer with me so multiple days is usually not an issue for me. I often prefer it actually

 

After 10-11 stages in a day though it starts to wear on me and the last stage or two my performance is really impacted. However those single day showings are usually staff matches which are dragged out and as a very active CRO with MD/RM experience I spend a lot of energy reviewing the stages for issues and resetting, running shooters, etc. as I care about the outcome of the match and equity for everyone even if it is not a match related to my club or that I am running. 

 

Sure I could get in better shape but a long day of shooting and essentially working the match as the same time can be exhausting. 

[MikeRussell]

I'm 50, so not a spring chicken, with a prior back surgery and knee/shoulder issues and arthritis starting to cause issues with my hands. 10 stages in a day is a good limit for me, if there are a lot of long stages then that's pushing it. When we did staff for Classic Nats, 15 stages (plus a reshoot) was a bit too much for me and I was wiped. In my younger years, before I even new USPSA existed, I could've easily done 15 stages in a day and probably would've wanted to shoot more if available. 

[Johnny_Chimpo]

10 hours ago, robchavous said:

 

I'd encourage you to find and shoot a full staff reset match.  I can almost guarantee you'll never want to shoot a major match another way.  Most of the state matches in Area 6 have gone to this model.  I honestly prefer working the match in this format too.  You get the same ~4 people on the stage taking care of the same things in the exact same way every time.  It's efficient and offers the most consistent match to all shooters.

 

That sounds awesome

[shred]

IPSC majors are pretty much all no-reset.  In fact they don't even want you going downrange.

 

Also it depends a lot on the range layout.  Six stages on a typical range gets me 2 or 3 miles of non-shooting walking.  Wider layouts and more stages and you can get a pretty good hike in.

[motosapiens]

15 hours ago, MikeRussell said:

I'm 50, so not a spring chicken, with a prior back surgery and knee/shoulder issues and arthritis starting to cause issues with my hands. 10 stages in a day is a good limit for me, if there are a lot of long stages then that's pushing it. When we did staff for Classic Nats, 15 stages (plus a reshoot) was a bit too much for me and I was wiped. In my younger years, before I even new USPSA existed, I could've easily done 15 stages in a day and probably would've wanted to shoot more if available. 

I'm a bit younger than you, at only 61, and I also found that was a long day. 2 of my last 3 stages were definitely sub-par, but I somehow rallied on the last stage (too tired to flinch?) and got 6th overall on the standards.

 

Compressing a 3-day match into a 2-stay staff match is perfect for me, more shooting, and one less 'first stage of the day'. Compressing a 2 day match into a 1 day staff match is a bit much, even for us spring chickens.

[motosapiens]

9 hours ago, shred said:

Six stages on a typical range gets me 2 or 3 miles of non-shooting walking.  Wider layouts and more stages and you can get a pretty good hike in.

 

I see this as a win, but I like to stay active. I'm usually racing with matt hopkins to the furthest steel to reset.

[Boomstick303]

6 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

I see this as a win

 

It is crazy how many steps you can get in a normal local match, not to mention what you get in a day where you shoot 10-12 stages.  Like you said a win for certain.