Strategy with a wheelgun

[JFlowers]

I have been toying with my wheelgun for a while, but I need some pointers on the difference in strategy between a wheelie and a bottom feeder.

This past weekend we shot a classifier that has three paper and one steel. Seven rounds. Is it more advantageous to take the miss on one paper or spend the time to reload for one shot?

[AzShooter]

Spend the time for the reload and shoot. Your class is calculated against the time of other revo shooters. By skipping a target you get a 10 point penalty for failure to engage and if steel 5 points for a miss. 10 points if papper that requires two shots.

Shoot for accuracy, speed will come later from shortuts you willl pick up, like reloading on the closest target when you get a chance. Shoot to your pace and don't worry about the auto guys. Eventually you will be kicking their butts with that wheel gun.

[cliffwalsh]

You do the math just like a auto.

If you can shoot the 6 a's in 3.5 secs and take the miss on paper, you get a HF of 5.7142.

If you can do the load and get 7 a's in 6 secs, you get a HF of 5.8333.

The question becomes, how good are your reloads. If they are weak, shoot 6; if not, do the load.

[cliffwalsh]

By skipping a target you get a 10 point penalty for failure to engage and if steel 5 points for a miss. 10 points if papper that requires two shots.

He stated he would skip one shot on paper so the FTE does not apply. He gets 10 points down for the miss and 5 for not shooting an A. If all others are A's he gets 20 points.

[Bill Sahlberg]

This is a great scenario and I too have shot this stage. I think with my 3 second reload and this stage being about 3 seconds in HF for a miss it breaks even.

'

My thinking was to shoot the steel first as fast as I could and if I fhit it on the first shot just hose the other 5 shots and take the miss. However, if I missed the steel with the first shot and had to shoot 2 at it then the reload was planned.]

Either way it is a "gay" stage for anyone shooting a revolver anyway. WWJD (What Would Jerry Do?) He would shoot it with a reload, all A's, and still kick everyones ass!

[Tom E]

This was something I obsessed about this when I started shooting again (and started shooting a revolver). I decided to shoot the stages "as intended" and not game it. You don't get better at what you don't do. I need the practice/experience more than I need a better score for shots not taken.

[pskys2]

In a big match, you can do the math but you need to know your abilities. The only way to learn that is to "NOT" short shot a stage at the club level. Then do the math afterwards. After you're comfortable with your knowledge of your Match Times, you can start looking for shortcuts at bigger matches like Sectionals.

Remember Match times are rarely equal to Practice times.

The problem with gaming stages like that is it's so easy to start thinking too much about it. Which can lead to thinking instead of shooting while on the course. Once you start thinking during a course, you will be slower and/or out of sync, losing points.

Case in point Stage 10 at the 2007 LPR Nationals. A 10 round affair with 2 twisters (1 which was one of the fastest twisters I've ever seen) and 3 long difficult shots. The problem was the long distance plate and target. A miss and you would have to reload anyway. About half of the Revo SS started by planning to just shoot 6. Most ended up reloading anyway. Note: JM engaged everything and did well, surprise, surprise.

The trick was to plan it so if you fouled up, you could seamlessly reload and pick up twisters left. Helping offset the time.

FWIW I nailed the long stuff just fine, skipped the "Hard" twister, then missed the "Close" steel 2x's!!!! Made my reload finished with 1 twister picked up and a good time. I ran the numbers and I would have gained a bit if my original plan worked, would've lost a lot more if I had thought about when to reload and/or missed the last twister.

Only Match Experience will help you with this. But then that's where all the fun is.

[spook]

Go for a fast reload directly after you shot your last shot. If the reload goes great or well, shoot the last shot

If you blow the reload for some reason, and you take more than the time to gain an advantage, stop and don't shoot after the reload.

@7yds this would be a tight one with open targets. You'd have to nail the reload in about 1.5s (if you can shoot the 6 shots in about 2 seconds)

Edited January 29, 2008 by spook

[Bubber]

I shot this one; took the closer Targets T1 and T3 with two hits then hit a reload for the steel and far target. Shooitng minor, had it done in 7.5 hit factor of 4.65. On the stage that pskys2 referred to at the Nationsl mudfest, I took the static and steel six shots, left the turners and finished about middle of the pack.

[Carmoney]

Cliff is correct that the correct answer can be determined by doing the math, with appropriate adjustment for each shooter's capability.

As a very general rule, if you have a decent reload, in Revolver Division you're usually better off shooting everything except disappearing targets. Most of the time, disappearing targets don't justify the time and risk of engaging them. Note this is only a general rule, but it is a good recommendation for the newer shooter who's still trying to figure out the subtleties of the scoring system.