Target painting at major matches

[kepkramer]

For those who have shot a lot of steel challenge major matches, how often is there dedicated painting staff vs. squad painting?

 

Does a dedicated paint crew significantly speed up match flow?

Edited February 1, 2023 by kepkramer

[joseywales]

Q1-Never seen it at the 2 WSSC's and 2 Area matches that I've attended.

Q2-Doubtful.

[blackss06]

Never once seen a staff reset steel challenge match. 
 

It would be convenient for competitors but not really any quicker than a competitor reset match where people are actually paying attention unless you had people that were going to literally run to paint every time. 

[varminter22]

I think dedicated painters are GREAT!  

 

Dedicated painters were employed at the Arizona State Steel Challenge Championship last year.  I think it DID speed up the match.  

[nso123]

I think the Mississippi state match has the local Boy Scouts paint. Not sure if it’s any faster, but it sure beats being stuck in a squad with folks who don’t paint. 

[AR_James]

For the majors I have attended, the majority of them where squad painted.  The few that had dedicated painting staff it was about 50/50 on it helping with match flow.  All depends on the motivation of the painters.  

[Squirrel45]

It really sucks when you get a squad who's allergic to paint cans, makes for a long day that can't end quick enough. 

[bigdawgbeav]

Every match I have attended has been squad paint.  Occasionally you will see a staff member go and paint as well, especially at bigger matches where there are more than 2 ROs on a stage.  This has happened at WSSC a couple of times, but that was rare and simply an RO just assisting to move things along.  If a match is squad paint then I firmly believe it should be the shooters going down to paint.  Not the parents, not the spectators, etc.   

Edited February 6, 2023 by bigdawgbeav

[Kiwishoot]

Have shot with dedicated painters and for us, 2 advantages. They were quicker than some of the ... age experienced shooters, who tended to amble and gossip with fellow shooters as they walked downrange, and for the squad... no paint on hands or clothes. Some even did brass pickup which was nice.

 

Is it a must ? Not really, but it was an enjoyable shoot. Bit like supplied cold water and sunscreen at the stage on hot days, it's just a nice thing rather than a must have.

[shred]

Texas State Steel Challenge when it was in Corpus Christi had staff-paint.  They used buckets and rollers which made for nice targets, but by the end of the day there was a thick layer of paint-wallpaper hanging off each one.  I suggested rolling through with a shotgun to clean them up for the next day.

 

I think the original Steel Challenge had paint-staff at one point, but that was 1980's-1990s.

 

 

 

[Thomas H]

On 2/1/2023 at 5:50 PM, kepkramer said:

For those who have shot a lot of steel challenge major matches, how often is there dedicated painting staff vs. squad painting?

 

Does a dedicated paint crew significantly speed up match flow?

 

I have been to a couple of matches where they kicked the price up $5 per division, and the local boy scouts (or JROTC group, or something similar) used it as a fundraiser where they got that money and had 3-4 kids on each stage doing the painting.

 

It didn't speed up the match in the slightest----but it DID mean that we were a LOT less tired by the end of the day, because we weren't walking out and painting all day.

 

I think it actually worked out well. 
 

That being said, I've seen it NOT work also, when the group that was fund-raising didn't send enough people so you ended up painting anyway.  Wasn't worse than normal, but it was a little annoying to be told one thing and have something else happen.

 

Personally, I think THAT is the way to go for SC matches.  Add $5 per division, and with 300 entries that is a solid $1500 of a fundraiser.  Share it between two groups (to make sure you have enough kids to paint) and have 3-4 kids per stage.  Staff doesn't have to do any extra running (their job is tiring enough), and the shooters don't have to walk and paint.

 

I don't mind painting, but it IS certainly true that if I'm shooting in the morning and afternoon blocks, all eight stages both times, by the time I reach Outer Limits, Speed Option, and Showdown at the end of the day I'm wanting a quad to carry me out to those far targets to paint. 

 

[Dr. Phil]

I did a couple SC Nats a few years ago. The guy from Steel Target Paint had teens who were his 'factory staff' that ran and painted the targets. They ran down and back. When they were on deck/shooting we painted.

The different 'pros' we shot with didn't paint very much. Guess they aren't allowed to get their shirts dirty?

Dang teenagers anyway!

[shred]

One match hereabouts long ago was a fundraiser for a Boys Ranch.  The kids from the ranch would come out and reset.  They loved it.  But some ninny made a fuss about 'lead exposure' and that was the end of it.

 

[Dr. Phil]

Should be a 7-day waiting period to get a 'ninny permit'. Maybe longer!

Edited February 8, 2023 by Dr. Phil

[zzt]

On 2/7/2023 at 8:39 PM, shred said:

One match hereabouts long ago was a fundraiser for a Boys Ranch.  The kids from the ranch would come out and reset.  They loved it.  But some ninny made a fuss about 'lead exposure' and that was the end of it.

 

 

Shoot the ninny in the head.

 

FWIW, I've been to one LIII and lots of LII matches and the shooters always handled the painting.  The only time I've seen staff painting was at a LIII USPSA match.  One one stage the steel was 75 yards down range.  A staffer on a Gator would race down range, paint and return.  MUCH quicker than if shooters had to do it.

[KelsonAK]

I have seen both squad and staff painted matches, and frankly - I prefer squad painted, both as a match director and as a competitor.  FOR STEEL CHALLENGE!  USPSA, 3gun...  yea, I like the assistance in the reset once folks are up to speed on how to do it, when to do it, etc.  Usually there is about a squad a day where the staff (boy scouts, etc) are learning to not tape early, etc.

Squad painted tends to be a little faster, a little more engaging as a competitor, and a little more consistent in making sure edges are painted.  Sure, it can make for a long ass day if you shoot morning and afternoon flights - and there are times when a squad has an over abundance of old farts, but even old farts paint, and it's a part of the game and part of the 'fun'.  

 

[rtl]

1 hour ago, KelsonAK said:

I have seen both squad and staff painted matches, and frankly - I prefer squad painted, both as a match director and as a competitor.  FOR STEEL CHALLENGE!  USPSA, 3gun...  yea, I like the assistance in the reset once folks are up to speed on how to do it, when to do it, etc.  Usually there is about a squad a day where the staff (boy scouts, etc) are learning to not tape early, etc.

Squad painted tends to be a little faster, a little more engaging as a competitor, and a little more consistent in making sure edges are painted.  Sure, it can make for a long ass day if you shoot morning and afternoon flights - and there are times when a squad has an over abundance of old farts, but even old farts paint, and it's a part of the game and part of the 'fun'.  

 

As a charter member of the old farts club I can assure you that I come home from matches with a white index finger far more often than not. I agree that it’s part of the game and fun. 
RTL

[xpierrat]

 I have shot and RO'd the last 4 worlds and last 4 Mississippi state matches   at Miss they used Scouts to paint and they did a very good job and was as fast or faster than squad painted matches, especially where you sometimes had to call for painters a couple of times.  BTW at worlds the "super" squad usually did a better job of being ready to paint then some others FWIW    The number one thing I have seen that speeds up painting is a golf cart on Speed option and Outer limits  save 10 to 20 seconds per shooter.   dont sound like much but that is 2 to a little over 3 minutes saved per squad times 8 squads and you are finishing 15 to 30 minutes sooner per flight.