Texas Star In Main Match Stage

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

MTM makes a kit that mounts 2 stars on the same axle. I’ve thought about using this in a shootoff and having 5 red and 5 blue targets. Each shooter has to try to clear theirs off without helping their competition. 

[Grizzly Dave]

46 minutes ago, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

MTM makes a kit that mounts 2 stars on the same axle. I’ve thought about using this in a shootoff and having 5 red and 5 blue targets. Each shooter has to try to clear theirs off without helping their competition. 

 

That is just wicked!  I love it!

[Grizzly Dave]

1 hour ago, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

MTM makes a kit that mounts 2 stars on the same axle. I’ve thought about using this in a shootoff and having 5 red and 5 blue targets. Each shooter has to try to clear theirs off without helping their competition. 

 

24 minutes ago, Grizzly Dave said:

 

That is just wicked!  I love it!

 

put 3 red and 2 blue on the back one, and 3 blue and 2 red on the from one (assuming the stars hold 5 plates) and then have a bag with one red and one blue poker chip in it, have one shooter pull a chip to determine who gets what, and set the chips on the table in front of them 'in case they forget' LOL.  Maybe have the targets on the sides painted one side red, one side blue so the chip draw determines who gets which side.  Sounds like fun!  Might make it interesting to still get the stop plates side by side, but I'm sure you could figure something out.

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

1 minute ago, Grizzly Dave said:

 

 

put 3 red and 2 blue on the back one, and 3 blue and 2 red on the from one (assuming the stars hold 5 plates) and then have a bag with one red and one blue poker chip in it, have one shooter pull a chip to determine who gets what, and set the chips on the table in front of them 'in case they forget' LOL.  Maybe have the targets on the sides painted one side red, one side blue so the chip draw determines who gets which side.  Sounds like fun!  Might make it interesting to still get the stop plates side by side, but I'm sure you could figure something out.

That was the basic idea I had. Was thinking coin toss or something, but I like the chips in a bag idea too. 

[Jackaroo, # 29989]

21 hours ago, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

I’m curious how many of the “sure, use it in an annual match” folks are or have been match directors for an annual match. 

Me  only works well like I said in my post.

As for Yul trying on his range, nah,you're screwed mate.

[Jackaroo, # 29989]

I got stages how we played snooker and pool with them, at our Nationals in Oz for 10 years or so, we even had pot shots, gold coin $1.00 or $2.00 to play,winner takes all after about 20 shooters. LOL

[Doc Bonecutter, SASS #21133]

We've got 2 regular stars and one of the double stars.  On the double star, the back one tends to rotate with the front one so sometimes hides the back star if you're gonna use it as a dueling star.  Also, the front targets will sometimes take one of the back targets with it as it falls so that may be a little unfair. 

When we use the double, we allow shooters to pick up any leftovers from the rifle with the shotgun......

[Frontier Lone Rider]

We use the Texas Star at the West Virginia State Match almost every year.  They set up two on the same stage and the shooter determines which one to shoot.  The Posses are timed to have a staggered open period for lunch, but is scheduled to also alleviate any back up on that stage.

 

Yes, you need two to three pards to keep the star running smoothly and these folks need to rotate to keep fresh.

 

Bring on the challenge, thus a star, dueling tree...

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

3 hours ago, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

MTM makes a kit that mounts 2 stars on the same axle. I’ve thought about using this in a shootoff and having 5 red and 5 blue targets. Each shooter has to try to clear theirs off without helping their competition. 

 

Like this

 

Looks like fun.

[Sedalia Dave]

If you are really want to press your luck you could always use one of these with two different colors of targets. 

 

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Seems these guy love sadistic target setups.

 

 

[Yusta B.]

18 hours ago, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

MTM makes a kit that mounts 2 stars on the same axle. I’ve thought about using this in a shootoff and having 5 red and 5 blue targets. Each shooter has to try to clear theirs off without helping their competition. 

Too cool !!

[CodyMaverick]

On 10/29/2018 at 2:13 PM, Smokestack SASS#87384 said:

You also bring up an interesting point, in that if the rest of your stages are similar I’m reset time for whatever reason, it can still work, provided that there is enough daylight to get all of your shooters through. 

 

Yes that is a great point.  Causes me to rethink an earlier comment I made that writing stages that all take the same average time would lack variety.  Not necessarily so; though  it would require a much better stage writer than me to pull it off. 

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

So the considerations are:

1 Common firing line

2 Reliability of the actual device- Got spares?

3 Everyone works on the posse

4 Back to back stages

5 Cost of the device (?)

6 Experience levels of the shooters/ workers

7 Fun/unfun preferences

8 Shooters interest levels

9 Other factors I just read and have already forgotten

 

Charlie Bowdre always told me "make sure it works flawlessly for everybody"

 

Imis

[Red Eye Jim]

On 10/29/2018 at 4:32 PM, Sedalia Dave said:

Seems these guy love sadistic target setups.

 

 

 

That's getting close to being a whirling dervish...

 

[Toranado, SASS # 58447]

If you have capabilities for the shooter to move forward on a stage you could set it up where the star is shot and then the shooter moves forward past the star and to the other side of a stage to shoot the other targets.  Then the possee can start reseting the star before the stage ends.  Helps that stage move as quickly as other.  We have done this many times in the past, BUT have to have a good number of possee members so that a few are free to do this work while others are doing the normal possee work.

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

I can show you how 1 person can reset the Texas Star before the next shooter is ready.

 

Fillmore

[Michigan Slim]

On ‎10‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 3:31 PM, Yul Lose said:

How would it work with 6 posses with six stages and with one stage featuring the Texas Star? Would posses stack up behind the Texas Star stage? 

Not if your posse members pitch in and help. A stage with a Texas star ain't no place for 'cart leaners'.

[Carolina Gunslinger]

3 hours ago, Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884 said:

I can show you how 1 person can reset the Texas Star before the next shooter is ready.

 

Fillmore

Let's see it.

[Yul Lose]

3 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

Not if your posse members pitch in and help. A stage with a Texas star ain't no place for 'cart leaners'.

So how’s it going to work when all posses have to stop shooting so the Texas star resetters have to go down range?

[Sedalia Dave]

4 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

So how’s it going to work when all posses have to stop shooting so the Texas star resetters have to go down range?

 

Maybe use it on the first or last stage with a temporary berm to isolate it from the other stages.

 

[Michigan Slim]

12 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

So how’s it going to work when all posses have to stop shooting so the Texas star resetters have to go down range?

All the ranges I have shot the star at have berms between groups of bays. Or an individual bay. 

[Marauder SASS #13056]

7 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

So how’s it going to work when all posses have to stop shooting so the Texas star resetters have to go down range?

Been there, tried that.  Even trying a much faster setup such as having to reset on knockdown target that sends a flying clay didn't work well.  Having to reset a much heavier, more complicated 5 target rest just will not work for a multiple posse match on a single firing line.  Unless you only have one or maybe two posses at most.

 

Those of us who are blessed with ranges with multiple bays that isolate each stage do not realize the added limitations of having 1 single  firing line for 3, 4, 5, 6 or more stages and posses.  It drastically changes who you design stages and run your match.

 

Be thankful for your ranges with multiple bays.

[Yul Lose]

6 minutes ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Been there, tried that.  Even trying a much faster setup such as having to reset on knockdown target that sends a flying clay didn't work well.  Having to reset a much heavier, more complicated 5 target rest just will not work for a multiple posse match on a single firing line.  Unless you only have one or maybe two posses at most.

 

Those of us who are blessed with ranges with multiple bays that isolate each stage do not realize the added limitations of having 1 single  firing line for 3, 4, 5, 6 or more stages and posses.  It drastically changes who you design stages and run your match.

 

Be thankful for your ranges with multiple bays.

Yep!!!

[Michigan Slim]

We are. Enough to set 14 stages if we want. Are we spoiled? Yep! 

[Carolina Gunslinger]

31 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

So how’s it going to work when all posses have to stop shooting so the Texas star resetters have to go down range?

Simply put resettable targets in at least two more stages. This way your down ranges aren't wasted.

[LAST CHANCE]

Texas stars are used in all action pistol sports, certainly during main matches. . They are a great target(if in good condition). In cowboy you must have it on a stage that does not have a lot of shotgun targets/setup targets (like 2-4 at the most) and most importantly you need good posse marshals that make sure people are working and getting the posse moving along. Garbage posse marshals, overly large posse's and lazy shooters are the reason main matches don't have as many fun, reactive targets, which a serious main match should have. So, from a competitive shooter/match director standpoint, yes I think y'all should have it. 

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

6 hours ago, Carolina Gunslinger said:

Let's see it.

I don't have a video but that's not a bad idea. I can explain it. 

You'll need a "table" and a re-setter that can bend over easily. I'm 63 and I can, not everybody can. Our Texas Star is the "original" Star by Terry of Texas with spring loaded plate retainers. The Star should be firmly staked down.

 

 

Firstly, the re-setter picks up all the plates and puts them on the "table".  From behind, facing uprange, "spin" the Star and pull back all 5 retainers. Grab the first plate, put it in place and "snap" the retainer. The next step is important, SKIP THE NEXT ARM, by doing this you won't have to "fight" the Star. Grab and install the plate on the next arm. At this point, insert a plate on each arm that presents itself, stop the Star from spinning and walk uprange.

 

Fillmore

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

5 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

I guess I should just quit shooting as I can only count or run the timer.  Only one person ever asks me to run the timer. After clearing my guns, I always ask someone if I can have their counting stick.

 

I have had people give me dirty looks and make nasty comments when I declined to pick brass, even after my attempts to explain why. Arthritis in my fingers and hand. I tried to pick brass until April this year, when it left me in pain for two weeks after that match. Care to look up Kienbock's disease?  http://www.assh.org/handcare/hand-arm-conditions/kienbocks-disease I had the surgery to remove four wrist bones and my thumb joint (due to arthritis). That hand doesn't hurt as bad as the other.

 

You had better be sure you know everyone's health history before you admonish anyone.

Agree 110%

 I have hand and shoulder issues now, and by the end of the day shooting I'm well into the Tylenol.

I won't pick brass, but do everything else-

OLG

[Carolina Gunslinger]

3 hours ago, Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884 said:

I don't have a video but that's not a bad idea. I can explain it. 

You'll need a "table" and a re-setter that can bend over easily. I'm 63 and I can, not everybody can. Our Texas Star is the "original" Star by Terry of Texas with spring loaded plate retainers. The Star should be firmly staked down.

 

 

Firstly, the re-setter picks up all the plates and puts them on the "table".  From behind, facing uprange, "spin" the Star and pull back all 5 retainers. Grab the first plate, put it in place and "snap" the retainer. The next step is important, SKIP THE NEXT ARM, by doing this you won't have to "fight" the Star. Grab and install the plate on the next arm. At this point, insert a plate on each arm that presents itself, stop the Star from spinning and walk uprange.

 

Fillmore

Load one, skip one! I love it! I do appreciate learning the easy way to do certain things. Thank you!

As far as flexibility, I'm younger by a stretch and flexible. I find that the shotgun belts and gunbelts make competitors of all ages less capable of bending over and picking things up. Hence why I use the pick up magnets and support their use immensely. Speeds up reset and time is money. 

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L]

On 10/28/2018 at 6:55 PM, Assassin said:

Yes, they are fun to shoot. I have one out behind the barn, Belle and I practice with it, about the only practice we do. Haven't got the nerve up to incorporate it into a match. Might give it a try at a monthly, doubt I would use it at Hell On Wheels. 20-30 people mad at me is one thing, 240 is another. 

I'd enjoy it.

[Olin W. Moderator]

Let's stay on topic.

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

Back to Stars. They take a bit of time to reset. If I use it on a stage, I try to make sure the stages are balanced so I don't have a quick stand and deliver stage before the star stage where it would back up. We shoot six monthly stages (on three bays) and I try to have no more than two longer, more complicated stages and two short fast stages. We usually have two posses and if we set things up right, the posses won't back up on each other. Some creative planning can help you avoid backups but I still think a Texas Star on a common firing line at a big match will cause problems. Reset targets for a common firing line should be remotely resettable (ropes) and trips downrange should be few and far between.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

For folks that have never shot a match that used Yellow flags and red flags, any work needed downrange makes a big difference.

[Assassin]

3 hours ago, Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L said:

I'd enjoy it.

Considering it's my personal target. I'd have to buy some spare parts and we could use it as a side match.

We can supply the bay and awards, do you want to help run the Texas Star side match. 5 shots best time wins. There can be separate rifle and pistol. Just back up a few yards for the rifle. I'll speak to my club members and see if they are up for it.