How would you shoot this?

[Chris iliff]

I know we have all seen a stage that begins with the shooter standing in a box that is positioned a couple of yards behind a wall with a port in the middle of it. The stage usually has 2 or 3 targets at the ends of the wall and then 2 or 3 targets in the middle through the port. My question is how do you shoot this simple stage? If I can see all the targets through the port then I will draw and engage those first. If not, maybe I can only see some, I will go to either end and work straight across the wall. I would like to hear some ideas on the methods used and why. Thanks

Nine target, 3 on left end, 3 through port, 3 on right end. All paper. Open gun, but any division good. How would a limited 10 guy shoot this?

Edited February 28, 2008 by fourtrax

[Jman]

It will depend much on what we're shooting (division) and round count (targets) at each shooting location.

Sorry for the non-specifics but it's as close as I can get.

Jim M

[Jman]

I will add this. If you're new at this resist the temptation of sticking the gun into the port. Or at least as little as possible. More times than I can remember I'll see a slide or sight clip the top of the port causing a failure due to incomplete cycling. Another little tip on ports is move where you can. In other words say you're moving from left to right shoot the target(s) you see first. Keep moving and shoot the center target(s) and as you depart, still moving to your right engage the last of them viewable on the left side of the port. Then make as fast move as you can to your next position.

Jim M

[Flexmoney]

I seldom want to stand still during the draw.

[AlamoShooter]

I seldom want to stand still during the draw.

You just say that because ...Butch Casidy & the Sundanced Kid was your favorite movie.

"Can I Move,? I'm better when I move"

[wide45]

I seldom want to stand still during the draw.

Yup

Why spend a second or more standing still, when you can be covering ground.

You have got to go to both ends. Unless the center spot will take more time to set up for, than your draw, get it on your way past.

[Flexmoney]

I seldom want to stand still during the draw.

You just say that because ...Butch Casidy & the Sundanced Kid was your favorite movie.

"Can I Move,? I'm better when I move"

LOL...that's is a great movie moment.

My reasoning here is that...standing still while you draw eats time. It's like doing a standing reload. What I am after on stage efficiency is...getting from the beep to the last position/shot without waste. If I stand still while I draw, I am already a second or so behind.

Another aspect is that, I can likely get closer to the targets by not taking them from the start position. That makes the shots easier (and often saves time).

[Micah]

Draw while running to the left side of the wall, reload going to the middle (avoiding sticking your gun through the port), and reload going to the right. I am right handed and have found my reloads require less 180 control while moving left to right.

This is assuming that the targets are of equal difficulty on either side. If you are required to stretch and lean hard on one of the sides, then that would be the side that I would shoot last. No need on setting up on tight angles just to untangle myself. This follows the same logic, to a certain degree, as saving going prone for last if possible. It's much faster to drop down and finish the stage then dropping down, then getting back up to shoot more.

[mlmiller1]

I am with Pharaoh on this one. If all else is equal, I plan my reloads moving from left to right. Yes, you can do loads moving right to left but you have to be more conscious of the 180. Especially if you have to change your grip to reload. It is always hard to say unless you can see it all but I would approach the stage for the walkthrough with my first thoughts being left to right, then adapt if necessary.

MLM

[LPatterson]

If you could shoot them all through the port then you would not have a legal stage. The difficulty of shooting this type of stage depends on the division. Limited/open shooter has one style, L10/Production has another style, SS has another and Revo can not afford a miss. Then there is the situation of the reload, some people prefer to reload going to the left because they like to jam the gun onto the magazine, I like to reload going to the right because it gives me better muzzle conrtol. Revo is different for me because the gun goes to the waist for the reload so target difficulty (partials/no shoots) determine direction.

[Ron Ankeny]

You have got to go to both ends. Unless the center spot will take more time to set up for, than your draw, get it on your way past.

Yup, that's usually my game plan. I am right handed so I usually go left to right unless the order of target appearance gives an advantage to going the other direction.

[Micah]

As addendum to my previous post:

It is very important to be proficient in right-left and left-right. Left-right will not always be the best option...in shooting positions as well as target engagement. Master both and sleep well at night.

[gino_aki]

As everybody has said, you've kinda left a bunch of the variables open, especially regarding difficulty of shots on each target. Are all nine targets the same relative difficulty...say as in a kind of a burner where they're all open targets and within 5 yds of the shooting positions and closely spaced? How much is "a few yards" from the port? How big is the port? How much distance between the ends of the walls? Is it greater or less than from the box to the port?

Let me expand on your scenario so I can better answer your original question.

In "Boogie Nine," an Open or Limited shooter might decide to take all the targets he could see from Box A and then only need to sprint to and between the ends of the walls to engage the rest of the targets. An L-10 or Production shooter might take only the array thru the port from the box, reload on the way to one end, engage and reload on the way to the other end for his final array. Or he might take only one side target and then move to the opposite wall end to engage the three there and save himself a reload if he knows he could get the reload done before he reached the port. There could be other variations on these themes and would primarily depend on how fast the L-10/Production shooter can get his or her reloads done. Open or Limited Shooters would only be limited to how close they wanted to be to each array before engaging.

(Couldn't figure out how to delete an attachment, the first one wouldn't open at first, the second needed editing, hopefully the third one works and is correct.)

Boogie_Nine.DOC

Boogie_Nine.DOC

Boogie_Nine.DOC

Edited August 29, 2008 by gino_aki

[Turtle]

Generally speaking I would have to agree with most of the above posts. I will say that if I can save a position plus a weird setup by taking an "easy" shot off the draw before I move then I'll do it. You kinda have to do the math by doing a realistic timed walk-thru both ways. Then you'll see which way is faster. As you progress you can do this in your head by breaking down the target sequence and add up your draws, splits, transitions, and reloads and see which way is faster. It's good to know how fast you can set up on a given target in a given position too. As an example, I'm always faster getting a shot off setting up to the left side of a wall not the right. I don't know exactly why but I found that out one day in practice. Like everyone else said, there are a lot of variables to the situation so you need to know what your limits are. Sometimes you can save a funny setup and a position by taking some far shots, generally that is going to be a tactic that will lend itself to the Open gunners. Many times the best way to shoot a stage (especially if you're first and you didn't get to pre-walk the stage before the match) is straight-up; meaning shoot it from left to right (or right to left) and just be smooth and call your shots. You might find a short cut hear or there but all will be lost if you eat a miss on a funky set-up or end up firing extra shots.