Typical target distances?

[Hardcase Hardin]

Really enjoying all the great vids out there.  HawkeyeGin's CAS playlist is my fav morning wake up.

 

Its hard to tell due to camera distortion.  I was wondering what the typical target distances are for pistol, rifle and SG.  It appears to be close in, maybe 5-7 yds for pistols to keep the splatter factor down.  Rifle is maybe 15-20 yds?

 

Got a big bore bud who's havin a hard time understanding, we're not doing 100 yd precision shooting.

 

As always,

TIA

HH

[Chili Pepper Jack]

 

1 hour ago, Hardcase Hardin said:

Really enjoying all the great vids out there.  HawkeyeGin's CAS playlist is my fav morning wake up.

 

Its hard to tell due to camera distortion.  I was wondering what the typical target distances are for pistol, rifle and SG.  It appears to be close in, maybe 5-7 yds for pistols to keep the splatter factor down.  Rifle is maybe 15-20 yds?

 

Got a big bore bud who's havin a hard time understanding, we're not doing 100 yd precision shooting.

 

As always,

TIA

HH

Your about on with what I have seen at clubs I have shot with.  Tell your buddy to come on out and give it a go! If you shoot nice and slow it isn't hard to shoot clean but if you are pushing trying to be competitive it is much harder then he might think to have a clean match. 

[Chili Pepper Jack]

If you go to the SASS Wire F.A.Q. just above the wire on forums you can find more youtube channels from people on the wire. 

[Hardcase Hardin]

That buddy thinks dressin up like cowboys is silly.  ROFL

He don't know what he's missin.  Actually, neither do I...........for now.

 

And I just remembered I have a suit I've only worn once that'd likely help me impersonate J W Hardin quite well.  Dark grey with pin stripes, silver vest and matching tie.  Got the boots, just need the chapeau.

 

 

[Chili Pepper Jack]

13 minutes ago, Hardcase Hardin said:

That buddy thinks dressin up like cowboys is silly.  ROFL

He don't know what he's missin.  Actually, neither do I...........for now.

 

And I just remembered I have a suit I've only worn once that'd likely help me impersonate J W Hardin quite well.  Dark grey with pin stripes, silver vest and matching tie.  Got the boots, just need the chapeau.

 

 

Ya the wife always makes fun of me too. "do you have all of your costumes picked out to play cowboy"? If you haven't started yet you will love it just take your time and have fun!

[Sedalia Dave]

3 hours ago, Hardcase Hardin said:

Really enjoying all the great vids out there.  HawkeyeGin's CAS playlist is my fav morning wake up.

 

Its hard to tell due to camera distortion.  I was wondering what the typical target distances are for pistol, rifle and SG.  It appears to be close in, maybe 5-7 yds for pistols to keep the splatter factor down.  Rifle is maybe 15-20 yds?

 

Got a big bore bud who's havin a hard time understanding, we're not doing 100 yd precision shooting.

 

As always,

TIA

HH

 

Ask around and find a club that also shoots Cody Dixon or Billy Dixon categories.  Instead of a pistol caliber rifle you use a rifle caliber rifle. Most clubs require 30-30 or larger pre 1899 cartridges. So 30-30, 38-55, 30-40, 45-70, 45-75, 56-50 40-65, and similar cartridges.

Rifles also have to be pre 1899 designs.

Usually two categories Lever action and Single shot.

Rifle targets are usually 50 to 200 yards.  Depending on the club pistol targets may be the same as regular CAS or set out at CAS rifle distances. Use same shotgun targets.

Round count is same as CAS except rifle count is only 6 vice 10.

This lets us shoot our Trapdoors, High Walls, Sharps, 1895 Marlins, 76, 86 and 94 Winchesters more often.

Where I shoot we place emphasis on marksmanship in addition to speed so misses are 10 second penalties vice 5.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

Hardin:

    Our Club typically sets all targets at no more than 15 yds out; however, most all are within 10 yds.

    As the Shooter's Handbook states, the goal is have a HIT on the targets as opposed to a MISS.

 

[Johnny Meadows,SASS#28485L]

Many of the clubs in the West set their targets at 5 and 6 yards for revolvers and 9 to 12 yards on rifles and that's one reason there are so many 

fast shooters out West. J.M.

[Hardcase Hardin]

Thanks Papa!  I haven't read that far through the Handbook yet, but probs would have seen it soon.

[Lawman Mays]

In most clubs you have to move from one shooting area to another. The fast shooters will actually run as fast as they can from one location to the next. Some clubs have moving targets such as a "Texas Star". Some stages involve unusual sequences. Not always as easy as it looks.

[Trailboss (Santa) Dave]

It will depend on local club rules

 

Some clubs I have been a member of would not allow steel to be set closer than 10 yards

And 11-12 or more would have been even better

 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

I usually set the pistol at 5-6 yards, shotgun about 8 yards and rifle at 10-12 yards.  Actually use paces instead of yards and some days my paces are bigger than others.  You need to use good quality steel to minimize splashback.

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator]

24 minutes ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

I usually set the pistol at 5-6 yards, shotgun about 8 yards and rifle at 10-12 yards.  Actually use paces instead of yards and some days my paces are bigger than others.  You need to use good quality steel to minimize splashback.

That's  about what they are at the three local clubs where I shoot. Bet your pace is longer than mine though.

As you know, five paces at those Bar 3 chicken still gets us sometimes.

[Attica Jack #23953]

Try setting all the targets just a little farther out than norm, and get the crying towels out.   

[Griff]

4 hours ago, Chili Pepper Jack said:

 

Your about on with what I have seen at clubs I have shot with.  Tell your buddy to come on out and give it a go! If you shoot nice and slow it isn't hard to shoot clean but if you are pushing trying to be competitive win buckles it is much harder then he might think to have a clean match. 

Fixed that for ya.  Competition can take many forms... I generally compete to be the the 1st last place finisher... 

21 minutes ago, Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator said:

As you know, five paces at those Bar 3 chicken still gets us sometimes.

Don't take those mincin' dainty little steps, they're like a pace & ½ for full grown men.

[Rattler]

Try setting all the targets just a little closer than norm, and watch the "minority" get the crying towels out.  

[Chili Pepper Jack]

25 minutes ago, Griff said:

Fixed that for ya.  Competition can take many forms... I generally compete to be the the 1st last place finisher... 

Don't take those mincin' dainty little steps, they're like a pace & ½ for full grown men.

So do I Griff but just to be competitive is hard in a larger match. Only wins to date for me are at local matches best I have got at state is a 3rd, but don't worry I will be doing the "P" word until I get that first place!!! 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

47 minutes ago, Attica Jack #23953 said:

Try setting all the targets just a little farther out than norm, and get the crying towels out.   

If you think the targets are too big and close to challenge you; shoot faster.

 

Speed and accuracy are both skills that a shooter needs to master.

Of the two; speed is much more difficult.

 

 

[Attica Jack #23953]

All targets are a challenge to me.  I just don't like shooting at targets that I can spit on.  My thumbs are going as fast as they can right now, near and far targets.

[Assassin]

I've noticed that close targets are missed more frequently than if they are placed out a little further. Times don't really change that much. Shooters focus more on the targets when they are out at 7 yards vs. 5 yards or closer. 

[Bad Luck Jake]

I personally don't like closer targets because it's a safety issue - we had our targets closer in than we normally would for the Missouri state shoot, and I'm pretty certain 90% of the shooters got hit by lead splatter from pistol and even rifle - some of them drawing blood. This was with targets aimed down, and we didn't hit the minimum distances from the handbook, either.

 

Sorry, that's just not fun to me. I couldn't care less if the targets are easier to hit or harder to hit - I just want people to be able to have a good time without injury.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Maybe we should start stating the distances in inches.  180 inches sounds more impressive than 5 yards.

[Keystone, SASS # 47578]

What type of targets (size & shape) and the make-up of the participants is what drives the set ups at any particular club. Locally and to the best of my recollection, (Circa 2002), targets would generally fit inside a 10"-12" square area and were generally placed no closer than  SASS minimum recommendations. There were fewer SASS  clubs and large annual & state matches were limited.  The next generation of targets were cowboy &  buffalo shapes and 16" square targets placed fairly close to SASS recommendations. Then came 16" X 24" tombstones and 18" x 27" rectangles with placement moving in closer than SASS recommendations. Folks traveled more to bigger shoots the targets began the move inward  and shooting times became shorter. Most folks like shooting clean matches and having faster times. We are where we are. Neither good or bad just the way it is. Get involved, write stages and help with setup. I'm pretty much a middle of the pack shooter and try to enjoy each & every opportunity to gather with folks on Saturday mornings and send lead down range Cowboy style, Gunfighter of course.

 

Hasta Luego, Keystone

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

29 minutes ago, Bad Luck Jake said:

I personally don't like closer targets because it's a safety issue - we had our targets closer in than we normally would for the Missouri state shoot, and I'm pretty certain 90% of the shooters got hit by lead splatter from pistol and even rifle - some of them drawing blood. This was with targets aimed down, and we didn't hit the minimum distances from the handbook, either.

 

Sorry, that's just not fun to me. I couldn't care less if the targets are easier to hit or harder to hit - I just want people to be able to have a good time without injury.

  

I was not at this shoot; and I mean no disrespect to your opinions; but distance is not/ nor ever the primary cause of firing line splatter.  

 

Quality steel, hung properly, with appropriate stands and ground cover can be shot at amazingly close distance without splatter.

(admittedly,everyone of these items needs to be right to be successful)

 

Dimpled, pitted, junk steel or steel hung incorrectly or with badly designed stands or with hard pack ground or gravel will spit back pretty much irrespective of distance.

(and it only takes one of these things to be wrong)

 

If you were receiving splatter on 90% of the shooters with your targets out beyond sass minimums?

You have an issue with steel, stands, angles or ground; not distance.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

10 minutes ago, Bad Luck Jake said:

This was with targets aimed down, and we didn't hit the minimum distances from the handbook, either.
 

Howdy Jake, sorry y'all had a tough time, being hit with splatter ain't no fun. We have always had a nice selection of targets, most from the three more popular suppliers. I usually shoot (BP) first so I can run the timer later. There was one cowboy target that was dead steel bolted to a hard wielded bracket, I would joke with the TO that I'm gonna get a miss on that target once the smoke starts. Since I shot first I could always show the hit on fresh paint. Morale of story; we had three free hanging targets on a type of tripod stand (arntzentargets.com), the steel always rang loud and I could never remember any splatter coming from them.  A few years ago we order some new steel and about a dozen new stands. We also retrofitted all our other steel and stands to this free hanging style.  This meant cutting off hard wielded brackets, torching new holes and we even wielded new mounting brackets to all of our other stands. I can honestly say that I cannot remember that last time I was hit or saw splatter. IMHO it's not the target distance, but the condition of the targets and how they are mounted. When it's time to replace some old steel check these out. Good Luck

http://arntzentargets.com/

[CurlyDrew42]

3 hours ago, Assassin said:

I've noticed that close targets are missed more frequently

I have a much more difficult time hitting something consistently at 5 yards than I do at 7 to 10 yards.

[Null N. Void]

I'm been starting a new club and our target selection is limited.  They are mostly 16 x 16 inch targets.  I've found that around 5 to 6 yards for pistols and 10 to 12 for rifles works.  The shotgun targets are usually somewhere in between.  

 

I try to have 10 to 20% clean shooters and those distances with that target size generally works. 

 

NNV

[Hardcase Hardin]

Many thanks Pards!

 

My perceptions from all the vids I watch have been confirmed very well.

[Krazy Kajun]

On 11/15/2017 at 8:36 AM, Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator said:

That's  about what they are at the three local clubs where I shoot. Bet your pace is longer than mine though.

As you know, five paces at those Bar 3 chicken still gets us sometimes.

Them Bar 3 chickens got the yips. I swear those critters move just a little before I pull the trigger, I hit “empty chicken air!” 

 

Kajun

[LAST CHANCE]

I'd say a majority of target distance now days in the videos and at major shoots are literally within pissing distance from the shooter. A year or so ago I actually reached across a hay bale and touched a pistol target with the barrel of my revolver (major shoot). Some rifle targets are closer than shotgun targets. Some clubs and matches still set their targets in a "competitive shooting sport" manner.... Some are set for a speedy gun manipulating and handling sport. 

[Cowboy Junky]

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 10:46 AM, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

If you think the targets are too big and close to challenge you; shoot faster.

 

Speed and accuracy are both skills that a shooter needs to master.

Of the two; speed is much more difficult.

 

 

....and exactly why when they do get pushed out the same people win just by a bigger margin. The only difference is many less competitive people go home frustrated and with headaches...........lol

 

We do ours 4 -7 pistol,  8 - 15 for rifle and about 8 -10 for SG. I'll throw some other stuff in there to mix it up but they are usually bonus targets Oh MY! 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

Speaking of lead splatter, protective eye wear is a must. Wife and I wear prescription glasses, but modern lenses (and some 1800's designs) barely cover the eye itself. We use safety glasses that we can wear over our prescription glasses during the stage or observing.Make sure the side, just above the cheek, is covered as well.  They certainly don't look "cowboy" but there is plenty of time for that "cowboy" look after the match while having a bite and chatting.