MMJ#89586 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I've been wondering what the normal target distance is for revolvers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Shooters Handbook - "Range Operations" - page 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 There is no "normal" Nor is there a "normal" size. Most successful CAS matches put them between 5-8 yards...on average... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 There is no "normal" Nor is there a "normal" size. Most successful CAS matches put them between 5-8 yards...on average... +1, bigger is better! A few clubs still insist on smaller more distant targets but most of those are losing shooters. Shooters don't like penalties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Variety is the spice of life. Every now and then, throw in a really close one and/or a really far one. Also vary the size. A mix of big and small keeps things fresh and fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 The handbook verbiage that Wolf refers to is: There are no absolute rules, but we suggest the following distances, by firearm, if using a target approximately 16" X 16": Revolver – 7 to 10 yards Shotgun – 8 to 16 yards Rifle – 13 to 50 yards Unfortunately, some clubs take these distances as being etched in stone, and they will not allow targets closer than the minimums listed above. I know, I TG at one of them. So we are going around the issue by ordering 20" pistol targets, set at 7 yards. Doing the algebra, that is the same as 16" targets set at 5.6 yards. That should keep people happy. The other club I TG at leaves the distances to my discretion. We have 18" pistol targets set at 6 yards. I don't hear any complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Variety is the spice of life. Every now and then, throw in a really close one and/or a really far one. Also vary the size. A mix of big and small keeps things fresh and fun. We like to vary stand height -- we have small, medium, tall and extra-tall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJT Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 The quote PaleWolf refers to is: "There are no absolute rules, but we suggest the following distances, by firearm, if using a target approximately 16" X 16": Revolver – 7 to 10 yards" My experience is the same as Phantom, folks have more fun with closer targets. Cheers, BJT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I guess next time I oughta just go ahead & post the text of the applicable "rule". (rather than pointin' the way to the answer) Primary consideration re: target size/distance is: There are no absolute rules... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulp, SASS#28319 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I prefer at least 10 yards for a 16X16 pistol target, but I am in a very small minority. And that doesn't keep me from shooting at closer targets and still having fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 We like to vary stand height -- we have small, medium, tall and extra-tall. That's the next thing I'm trying to put on our club's "To buy" list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Skinner, SASS#60697 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I prefer at least 10 yards for a 16X16 pistol target, but I am in a very small minority. And that doesn't keep me from shooting at closer targets and still having fun. Pulp, You can make it asuch of a challenge as you want. Make all head shots or shoot 'em in the foot or if it's a dump draw a smiley face, etc. It should make you happy if more difficult shots are yer desire and it will impress yer pards to see such marksmanship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud McCoy Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Big and close, but not dangerously close. I tell the shooters at my club this, if you want to shoot a fly at 100 yards, you should have taken up bench rest shooting. Here to have fun, save working hard for 9 to 5. Hud McCoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliath, SASS #41359 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 We try to vary the distance a little from time to time, with a variety of sizes and shapes - a cowboy might be tall and not as wide, while a bull head will be wide and not as tall, for example. People do seem to like close and big as a general rule. We have a couple of guys who like to pull out the tape measures! But if I shoot your match, I'll just enjoy shooting what somebody else took the time to set up, paint, and write a scenario for, so that I could have a good time shooting with my cowboy friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August West, SASS #45079 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 A person would be hard pressed to make the case that someone thirty feet away posed sufficient imminent threat to justify shooting them. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMJ#89586 Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 I figured about 7 yards. That's where I put my paper plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastmaster Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 A person would be hard pressed to make the case that someone thirty feet away posed sufficient imminent threat to justify shooting them. Just sayin' I disagree with your statement.... just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Have to agree with you Blastmaster. IIRC the old LEO drill was someone covering 21 feet in less then 3 seconds, closing with and attempting to disarm or attack another person. I like 5 to 7 yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck D. Law, SASS #62183 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 If you don't shoot fast and hit your targets, somebody's gonna shoot you first. Most want to shoot fast (as possible for them) and hit targets. It's pretty simple. The game is pretty simple: We are playing cowboy. Our hero cowboys could shoot all the bad guys before even one of them could shoot him. "You see, I understand you men were just playing around, but the mule, he just doesn't get it. Course, if you were to all apologize..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 But if I shoot your match, I'll just enjoy shooting what somebody else took the time to set up, paint, and write a scenario for, so that I could have a good time shooting with my cowboy friends. Yessir, indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 A person would be hard pressed to make the case that someone thirty feet away posed sufficient imminent threat to justify shooting them. Just sayin' How does that comment relate to anything we do in our sport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 How does that comment relate to anything we do in our sport? I was wondering the same thing. This is not defensive training. This is not combat. Heck, it isn't even old west -- they usually ambushed you. It is a fun game though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rodgers Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Put most of the targets at the minimum suggested didtance, but save a few for the maximum distance and somewhere between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Howdy, Pards, It may not be combat, and it may not be Old West, but I thought the idea was to simulate a shootout in the Old West. Personally, I don't care if they are up close or far off. Not every gunfight in the Old West (when there actually wereface-to-face shootouts...which was rare...mostly shotgun in the back from a dark alley), took place at 7-10 yards, nor every rifle shootout at a certain range, or with the badguys the same size, shape or showing the same amount of target. No matter how a match is set up, everybody at it has to shoot the same scenarios. Some scenarios make the shooters take more time than others. (Complain, complain, complain!) It's harder to hit some small targets at greater ranges. Well, can you folks hit anything out there? Remember what Wyatt said and was repeated by the late, great Bill Jordan: "Speed's fine! Accuracy's final! There's no second place winner in a gunfight!" Frankly, the scariest target I ever saw was a four or six foot diameter steel plate about five feet from the open door of an outhouse! First time I saw it, I thought I was going to get killed by my own bullets. But they had the plate tipped top-toward-the shooter, so the bullet fragments went straight down! Got nary a shard coming back! Ride easy, but stay alert! Godspeed to those still in harm's way in the defense of Freedom everywhere! God Bless America! Your Pard, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Howdy, Pards, It may not be combat, and it may not be Old West, but I thought the idea was to simulate a shootout in the Old West. Personally, I don't care if they are up close or far off. Not every gunfight in the Old West (when there actually wereface-to-face shootouts...which was rare...mostly shotgun in the back from a dark alley), took place at 7-10 yards, nor every rifle shootout at a certain range, or with the badguys the same size, shape or showing the same amount of target. No matter how a match is set up, everybody at it has to shoot the same scenarios. Some scenarios make the shooters take more time than others. (Complain, complain, complain!) It's harder to hit some small targets at greater ranges. Well, can you folks hit anything out there? Remember what Wyatt said and was repeated by the late, great Bill Jordan: "Speed's fine! Accuracy's final! There's no second place winner in a gunfight!" Frankly, the scariest target I ever saw was a four or six foot diameter steel plate about five feet from the open door of an outhouse! First time I saw it, I thought I was going to get killed by my own bullets. But they had the plate tipped top-toward-the shooter, so the bullet fragments went straight down! Got nary a shard coming back! Ride easy, but stay alert! Godspeed to those still in harm's way in the defense of Freedom everywhere! God Bless America! Your Pard, If this sport was meant to simulate a shootout in the old west the targets would be shooting back. Good match directors set up to make their CUSTOMERS happy. Most cowboy shooters come to the sport with little competitive shooting experience so in order not to pile on penalties, the targets have to be hit by a large percent of the shooters a large percent of the time. Many shooters shoot at the same speed no matter the size of the target or distance. That is just the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 The quote PaleWolf refers to is: "There are no absolute rules, but we suggest the following distances, by firearm, if using a target approximately 16" X 16": Revolver – 7 to 10 yards" My experience is the same as Phantom, folks have more fun with closer targets. Cheers, BJT Old Scout nothing wrong with referring them to the book, may read and extra paragraph or 2 and learn even more $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Old Scout nothing wrong with referring them to the book, may read and extra paragraph or 2 and learn even more $.02 The "Book" simply makes suggestions...that's it! These suggestions do not answer the question. Just my "$.02". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckwheat Jack Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I'm quite fond of big targets close, but an occasional "bonus" target at longer distance is a good way to vary things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Roosevelt Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 We like to vary stand height -- we have small, medium, tall and extra-tall. I forget the movie title. Kirk Douglas to John Wayne- "Mine hit the ground first." John Wayne- "Mine was taller." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oklahomabound Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 We vary the shape(s); square, round, diamond, cowboy, heart, club, spade, etc. We vary the distance-normally between those recommended in the handbook; however, we also move targets out; even using the rifle targets for the revolvers. Variety is the spice of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Hand Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I forget the movie title. Kirk Douglas to John Wayne- "Mine hit the ground first." John Wayne- "Mine was taller." "The War Wagon". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Just remember...as you move the targets out to challenge yourself...that you're presenting a much greater challenge to those that aren't experienced, not as physically fit...as you. Cheers! Phantom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I don't think you should have to worry about hitting the target as you swing the pistol. They should be at least that far away Fast is fun CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I don't think you should have to worry about hitting the target as you swing the pistol. They should be at least that far away Fast is fun CR Cowboy Rick.. that was kinda my squirrely thinkin' Up close and personal Glad to see your signin' up for Midwest Classic.. See ya there... Rance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 The "Book" simply makes suggestions...that's it! These suggestions do not answer the question. Just my "$.02". Bottom line, this is true. The OP wanted to know what is the normal target distance. I guess we'd have to do the math for every SASS club around. Okay, start sending all of your distances to Phantom. He volunteered to do the ciphering for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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