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.

Creeker, Thank you for the explanation. This is how our TO and spotters ruled - without asking the shooter of their "intentions". Hope we were right.

Shotgun is irrelevant to the situation.

Marshal, I'm quoting you only because you are the first (or is it last??) to make this comment. Stage instructions: With pistols, first engage the five bottles then place all remaining rounds on the dump plate. With rifle, engage the 10 rifle knock-down targets. Anyone stating that these are poor stage instructions, please explain how this could be written any more clearly.

This is the first time we've run this scenario with the targets set up in these positions. We called it clean. Per pistol instructions, only standing bottles or misses on the dump plate are misses - after 10 rounds, there were no standing bottles or misses on the dump target. Per rifle instructions, there was no target order. 10 shots were fired and 10 plates were down. Would any of you calling a P or a Miss change your call if wind had caused one of the rifle targets to fall? The issue was with some of the rifle target locations not allowing a clean miss of a pistol target without affecting a rifle target. This is not an issue with stationary targets, but as you can see it can have an effect on knock-downs. I have ideas on how to make that work better going forward. We don't shoot these often because it takes a lot of time to set them up in first place to ensure they fall reliably, without falling with a gust of wind. It also takes considerably more time to reset. That said, we enjoy variety and using what we have.

Please write this as you would to make it better, using the targets as indicated. Yes. I guess we're just not perfect.

With pistols, first engage the five bottles then place all remaining rounds on the dump plate. ONLY STANDING BOTTLES OR MISSES ON THE DUMP PLATE COUNT AS MISSES. With rifle, engage the 10 rifle knock-down targets. Shooter engages the bottles with pistols. The first three shots knock over the first three bottles. The fourth shot misses a bottle but hits a rifle knock-down, making it fall. The fifth and sixth shots knock over the last two bottles, shooter then engages and hits the stationary dump target with the remaining four rounds. Shooter then picks up rifle and engages the rifle knock-down targets. There are only nine targets standing due to one being hit by a pistol round. The first three rounds knock down the first three targets. Shooter misses the fourth target with the fourth shot. Shooter re-engages the fourth target, knocks it down and then knocks down the remaining targets. What’s the call?

I bought a Pentax PF-80ED over a decade ago. Can't compare it to a Kowa or any other high-dollar spotting scope. The PF-80 has served me well, except for one shortcoming: eye relief. After I started wearing glasses, I found the eye box on the scope to be more difficult to get behind. Pay attention to eye relief, especially if you wear glasses. I bought the PF-80 based on reviews from a few bird-watching blogs/websites. Bird-watchers are very conscious of glass quality and portability, among other things.

Remember when it was hard to find Huy Fong sriracha (we just called it the rooster brand)? Now that it's been back on shelves it tastes different, and a lot of people don't like it (including me). My new favorite is Sky Valley sriracha. It has a slightly smokey flavor and goes great on eggs. I love it on grilled chicken and rice.

My current favorites: For tacos, nachos, enchiladas, etc: For hamburgers: For general use: These all have decent heat and good flavors. Not hot just to be hot.

The 7mm Rem Mag and the 6.5x55 are really not comparable. The 7x57 Mauser (or 7mm-08 Rem if you prefer an Americanized 7mm) are closer in performance.