Rob D Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 OKC Gun Club had a stage last weekend that was all "chicken" target setups (two targets peaking around the sides of a no-shoot as seen here) I had to shoot the stage without much of a walkthrough because my dad was in a hurry to get home. I hit 2 no-shoots on that stage. After I shot it, I started thinking about where I was aiming. I was putting the tip of my front sight on the center of the visible portion of the target. I've heard a lot of guys say that you should aim for the center of the visible portion of the A zone, but with chickens, the center is difficult to find and is very close to the no-shoot. Where do you guys aim on these targets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 "Top" of the A zone. Not too close to the no shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLM Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 SO not where I thought this was going, LOL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronEqualizer Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 From Max and Travis.....center of the available area. AL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 From Max and Travis.....center of the available area.AL Yup, that's what Max told us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I think that classifier makes you shoot smart to do well. If you try to shoot to the "A" zone you are encroaching on the no shoot. But if you shoot for the center of "available" target, I think it will let you shoot a bit faster and, in that area, get as many "A's" as "C's". All this from a struggling B class open shooter dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 "Top" of the A zone. Not too close to the no shoot. +1...especially at Minor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 While I like to aim for a consistent "target spot"... ...because it often stays consistent through various presentations... For a setup like Chickens, you aren't losing a whole lot of Alpha (please imagine that the target is sideways and that my black area represents a NS): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 In reality...if the NS/hardcover is crowding...I still go want to go for the Alpha, but the corner. The aiming area (red square) is tightened down to 2.0 -2.5 inches (which is probably good in general) compared to the 4.0 inch red square in earlier diagrams. Which still yields a pretty good margin of wobble...represented by the red circle which is about 6in: All the diagrams I posted are just gross representations. In fact, the original 4in red square is just a drawing to show what I used to like to practice on. I have 4in square stickers that are my "Alphas". To hit within 4in...or 2in...you need to aim smaller than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 For somebody that hasn't practiced these types of targets much, I'd suggest starting out with just an open target and then taking a thick magic marker and tracing a "target spot" onto the target (use a pop can or water bottle as a template) at various spots. Just practice hitting various spots with a completely open target (no hard cover and no NS's). After you get that down, add in some hard-cover. Notice if you do anything different. If that goes well, put a NS in the mix. Your groupings should not change. If they do, you are losing some focus on hitting what you want to hit (positive execution) vs. not hitting the hard cover or NS (avoiding the negative). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineshootah Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 While I like to aim for a consistent "target spot"... ...because it often stays consistent through various presentations... For a setup like Chickens, you aren't losing a whole lot of Alpha (please imagine that the target is sideways and that my black area represents a NS): I was going to say when I shoot at chickens I aim for the blue one... however, I like Flex's reply here better. +1 Nice illustrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob D Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 While I like to aim for a consistent "target spot"... ...because it often stays consistent through various presentations... For a setup like Chickens, you aren't losing a whole lot of Alpha (please imagine that the target is sideways and that my black area represents a NS): Thanks Flex. I lost track of this thread for a while, and came back to find all this great stuff. What you said about picking a consistent spot makes complete sense. I'm going to go home and marker off a square for dry fire tonight. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 From Max and Travis.....center of the available area.AL That's good general guideline. Depending on the target/no-shoot relationship and distance however, I wouldn't always stick to that. In general, the more difficult the shot, the more you go for the middle. But if the target was close and the A-zone was fully visible, I'd probably go for the A's. One example - target is at 5 yards, and there's a no-shoot on the left side of the target, and the right edge of the no-shoot is on the left edge of the A box. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I'm sorry, I'm in a silly mood and I can't resist this any longer. Question: Where do you aim when shooting chickens? Answer: I try to blow their little heads off and watch them run around the yard flapping their wings. Again, I'm really sorry about that. I'm gonna pay for this one, I know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Yes indeed boy, I say yes indeed you will pay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middle Man Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) After you get that down, add in some hard-cover. Notice if you do anything different. No Shoots/hard-cover can certainly be bullet magnets if you concentrate on *not* hitting them. No shoots seem to be stronger though... Edited July 31, 2009 by Middle Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Sometimes the polarity seems reversed, and they push shots away from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 After you get that down, add in some hard-cover. Notice if you do anything different. No Shoots/hard-cover can certainly be bullet magnets if you concentrate on *not* hitting them. No shoots seem to be stronger though... Sometimes the polarity seems reversed, and they push shots away from them. Both true. That's why it's best to just pick your spot and completely ignore them. I was just thinking of a good drill to practice shooting A's when you really could but might be scared to. Set up 3 targets el presidente-style at 7 yards. Put one no-shoot on each target so that the full A-zone is just visible. And "switch-up" where you put the no-shoots. For example, on the left target, put the right edge of the no-shoot on the left edge of the A-zone. Then reverse that for the next two targets. And shoot it with or without the turn. Shoot it for a bit, then move the no-shoots around and shoot it some more. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUKE Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Am I missing something here are we shooting chickens or USPSA targets? {Seriously} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 "Chickens" is a goofy title. It refers to a classifier stage for USPSA...that has "Chickens" in the title. (I think there is a link to an example in the first post.) Basically, we are talking about partial target exposures, with a No-shoot/penalty target covering part of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob D Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 (edited) I was just thinking of a good drill to practice shooting A's when you really could but might be scared to.Set up 3 targets el presidente-style at 7 yards. Put one no-shoot on each target so that the full A-zone is just visible. And "switch-up" where you put the no-shoots. For example, on the left target, put the right edge of the no-shoot on the left edge of the A-zone. Then reverse that for the next two targets. And shoot it with or without the turn. Shoot it for a bit, then move the no-shoots around and shoot it some more. be Sounds like an awesome idea. By varying the no-shoots I'll be making it harder and harder for myself to consciously avoid them. Hopefully after enough repetitions, all the obstructions will kind of blur together in my head and the only thing left to focus on will be the exposed A-zone. I'll definitely work on that. Thanks Brian. Edited August 2, 2009 by Rob D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob D Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 I was doing dry-fire drills with No-shoots last night, and my mind wandered to this popular optical illusion. Somebody may have pointed this out before(in fact on this forum they probably have), but I thought it was worth stating anyway. = There are no faces, just shoot the vase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Now imagine the above picture with the single target as a slow swinger and the N/S are steel and thats the stage we had at Area 7! Most ended up firing hopers as the target went by and either tagged A's or took a miss, and the target took so long to return that it wasn't worth the make up. So you choice was fire hopers and likely suck up a miss or wait for the return swing and take an even bigger points hit. I of course took option "C" Notice that the target sits a bit low between the N/S's, and the area of the D zone is quite a bit larger as the target swings by. I tagged 2 D's, had all day to do it, and placed 3rd on the stage. Sometimes it is worth taking a points hit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris iliff Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Pat, I appluad your ingenuity! Lately I have noticed that sometimes doing something that is a little different may be the best for me. Might not be the "correct" way, or general consensus among the gurus, but if it fits my game then I'll do it. Good job recognizing that advantage, sometimes simpler is just better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Pat, Hmmmm... Was the steel hard-cover or NS? Lets see... 2 D's @ major = 4pts ...plus the time of a split. 1 A = 5pts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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