Chief Rick

Concur! I tend to keep the sweeps the same for pistol and rifle unless there are knock downs for one or the other.

I'm trying to comprehend what you mean by being more specific when writing a stage. To me, I'm hearing "tell me exactly which target to shoot exactly when so everybody has to engage it the same exact way". I've shot matches (single and multi-day events) where every stage scenario dictated exactly which guns were to be shot in a specific order and which targets were to be engaged in a specific order. Even when I felt a stage lay-out would allow me to be a little smoother/faster if I could shoot it differently, there was no shooters choice. I prefer to have choices. Yes, that can make spotting more difficult. I've seen more than spotter ask to be relieved when a really fast gunfighter comes to the line. There's no disgrace in that. When the shooting's over, if you can't verbalize where a miss or a procedural happens, it's a hit.

Not intending to be snarky or directing the comment/question directly at you. As I've said before, people say "bad stage writing" and that's the only comment. There's no further clarification on how the person commentating would write it to be more clear "to them". At the bigger matches that I've been to and the shooter's books from one's I haven't, the trend seems to be more brevity in stage instructions allowing for more shooters choices. Stage instructions can't be written to include every detail for every shooter and most of the people I shoot with like having different ways to engage the targets.

That would be P - unless your last shot was on P3 (the center target).

That is an acceptable way to shoot the stage.

That's the thing - there's not a specific way to shoot the stage. Why do so many people want to be told to shoot every stage a specific way? (Not necessarily saying you're one of those, but I do shoot with some people that don't want any shooters choice stages.)

Poor comprehension? Or do you prefer being told how to shoot every stage? It's a shooter's choice - round count stage.

I would not intentionally write a stage to say this, but... If the stage instructions read: With pistols, starting and ending on P3, engage the five pistol targets with at least one round each. Each target must be HIT with at least one round. The shooter draws first pistol and hits P3 but then has two misses, then hits P4 and P5. Shooter then draws second pistol and chooses to dump on P3. Would that be a failure to follow stage instructions? Shooter had the opportunity with the second pistol to HIT P1 and P2 before finishing on P3.

I don't understand the request for more clarification. It's a round-count stage. 10 rounds - five targets - the only requirements are: 1 - start and end on P3 2 - engage P1, P2, P4, and P5 at least once. A shooter can choose the best way to engage based on their particular shooting style. I also really don't comprehend how it's unfair to any particular shooting style, especially gunfighters.

2 Pistols - 5 rounds each, holstered ATB With pistols, starting and ending on P3, engage the five pistol targets with at least one round each. For the above pistol string, a several shooters engaged as follows: P3, P2, P1, P5, P4 - P3, P3, P3, P3, P3. If a shooter misses either P1, P2, P4 or P5 when shooting as identified above (example: P3, P2, P1, P5, MISS - P3, P3, P3, P3, P3)... I would assess a miss as there's no way to judge intent and a miss can't cause a P. What if the stage instructions read: With pistols, starting and ending on P3, engage the five pistol targets with at least one round each. Each target must be HIT with at least one round. Would that then be a miss and a P?

Because that's the number we went with for first place. When you only have three ladies at a monthly match on a regular basis, and maybe six on a blue moon coupled with an eclipse, there's no need (IMO) to assign 20 points. As a club we decided on these points/rules when we started the contest. No need to inflate numbers. If your club chooses to run a similar contest, they can assign points however they see fit.

After each match, our shooters are assigned points. First place male gets 20, second place male 19 and so on down the line. If there are more than 20 male shooters, everyone below 20th gets one point. First place female shooter gets 10 points, second place gets nine points and so on down to 10th place who gets one point. If there are more than 10 female shooters, everyone below 10th place would get one point. Points are tallied at the end of the year and a buckle is awarded. First tie-breaker for both is number of matches shot. Second tie-breaker is fastest total-time for all matches shot. We also give a buckle for the shooter with the most clean matches. First tie-breaker is number of matches shot. Second tie-breaker is fastest total-time for all matches shot. If they're still being offered, we may award Molly's tumblers next year.

If you do Facebook, I've been posting our monthly match scenarios. Mississippi Peacemakers

I'm glad I don't knowingly shoot with this type of shooter.

Rafe, Since I'm the one that wrote the original, allow me to modify it by stating: The first three rifle rounds knocked down the first three rifle targets. Shooter missed with the fourth shot. Shooter then knocked down the remaining standing rifle targets. Without questioning the shooter or assuming the shooter's intentions - what's the call? Not assuming where the shooter was aiming or their intentions. There were nine standing rifle targets when the shooter started with the rifle. There were 10 shots fired and no standing rifle targets when the shooter completed the rifle string.