Somebody educate me on standard target distancing

[Presidio]

First shoot in a long time was a surprise to find targets moved so close and personal.

 

Got me wondering what the standard or normal target distancing is now?

 

Mostly for Sharpshooter and Cody Dixon.

 

 

Now I don't want this discussion to open any cans of squiggly creatures.  Just looking for some basic info is all.

[Warden Callaway]

As you may guess from lack of replies,  there is no standard or normal distance.  I suspect it's up to the players that come and set up targets.  Pending approval of the match director. 

 

When Doc Hurd shows up, he moves them in some 5 to 10 steps. 

[slow poke gear]

From what I have seen it just depends on the club. My family bounces around 4 different clubs targets range from close and big (20 feet pistol 35-40 feet) to far and small(30 feet pistol to 50 yards rifle).

Really just depends 

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

SASS has guidelines but the current "norm" is much closer and larger.  SASS doesn't recognize Sharpshooter and Cody Dixon, as those are club offerings.  One club I shoot at has Cody Dixon targets at about 40-70 yards (my estimate) and those are also the rifle targets for Sharpshooter.  Another club has a back berm so no room for Cody Dixon but they added another set of rifle targets at about 15 yards or so for Sharpshooter.

[Griff]

There is no target too close or too big to not miss!  

[Sedalia Dave]

Around here some clubs have pistol targets as close as 8 feet 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

We normally set the targets as follows:

 

Pistol  6 paces

Shotgun 8 paces

Rifle 12 paces

 

These are small paces.  Not a full yard.  Big and close seems to be what everybody wants these days.  Give the customer what they want.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

8 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Around here some clubs have pistol targets as close as 8 feet 

Let me know where - that's ALMOST the correct distance (still a pace too far out).

[wyliefoxEsquire]

I would like to share my story.

At our first Bordertown match 2018.

We were checking out the targets the day before the match.

From a few feel behind the shooting table I saw the pistol target.  WOW they are really close.

Then approaching the table I looked down to see the actual pistol targets.  What I first thought were pistol targets were really rifle targets.

Since then the 16" targets appeared to have been replaced with 20" targets.

Big and  close does not guarantee  FAST.

 

Last weekend our club had a "Blast from the Past" match.  Using advice from Deadeye Dick and Brazos (check out the first six post)

 

The match was far & small and FUN.

 

We hope with Deadeye's and Brazos' advice this will be an annual event.

 

 

 

 

 

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

I too have noticed that the targets are sneaking up on us. I've always thought that the SASS recommended distances for 16" targets were about right considering lead splatter.. I also know that some of the would be go-fast types like them real close (I don't know why I'm using italics all of a sudden). I have also seen the really fast and successful, as in winning regularly, shooters come out on top regardless of the distances. Go figure. Maybe skill honed by (dare I say it) practice.

 

As for long range, that is usually a function of the range's farthest berm. Some clubs only have pistol ranges to work with while others can have 100yds (in the Northeast where I shoot). I believe that out West the ranges can get so long that you have to pull the trigger pretty hard to get the bullet all the way out to the targets.

 

Rev. Chase

[Widder, SASS #59054]

As we get older,  2 things begin to happen:

Our eye sight diminishes AND most everything gets smaller.     Its only natural that when we have

control over 'some' things, we make em bigger and closer........... 

 

My varmint rifle use to tote a 10X scope.  Then it bumped up to a 6-20X.

NOW..... it totes a real nice 8-32X with all the parallax adjustments and a lighted reticle.

 

 

..........Widder

 

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

When I was match director my standard was, from the front of the shooting table, 5 paces for pistol, 10 paces for shotgun, and 15 paces for rifle.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Okay so we're somewhat replicating a gunfight in the Old West right?

I think most gunfights were up close and personal. Rifle targets are another thing.

 

This from the rule book:

 

While a more detailed guide to match design and administration is available in the official SASS Match Directors Guide, there are no absolute rules when it comes to target placement. - Steel (and paper) targets of generous size are used. - Reactive targets such as pepper poppers and falling plates are used when practical to enhance shooter feedback and spectator appeal. - Targets are set at close to medium range. While there are no absolute rules, the following are distance recommendations by firearm, if using a target size of approximately 16"x16": o Revolver targets: 7 to 10 yards. o Shotgun targets: 8 to 16 yards. o Rifle targets: 13 to 50 yards. o Derringer/Pocket Pistol – point blank to 3 yards when shooting paper, cardboard, or balloons only. It’s too close to safely shoot steel.

 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

When I was a Match Director - my standards were:

(certain circumstances excepted i.e. specialty targets or very specific stage design).

 

Targets no smaller than 16" squares - using 24" squares when available. 

At Eldorado - we had some 48" half moon targets (requiring two men and one boy to setup { or one Shooting Bull }).

 

Pistol targets were placed at 3 to 5 paces

(my messed up knee gives me a pace short of a yard by about 6 inches {so figure 7.5 feet up to 12.5 feet}).

 

Rifle were placed as close as 9 paces (up to 18 paces - IF we were using the same array for Rifle and Pistol and requiring downrange movement).

 

Shotgun were at 8 to 9 paces.

 

Are these standards? 

No - but they are representative of the clubs that are committed to the Big and Close style of match design.

[Texas Jack Black]

12 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

As we get older,  2 things begin to happen:

Our eye sight diminishes AND most everything gets smaller.     Its only natural that when we have

control over 'some' things, we make em bigger and closer........... 

 

My varmint rifle use to tote a 10X scope.  Then it bumped up to a 6-20X.

NOW..... it totes a real nice 8-32X with all the parallax adjustments and a lighted reticle.

 

 

..........Widder

 

 Most things get smaller, you must live in Tennessee. 

[Kirk James]

Bordertown is a drag race.  Who can get close to the edge without crashing?  Last year I had two misses that felt like accidental discharges.  My son said I was holstering while still shooting and both shots went low.  Crash and Burn!!!!  It is my favorite match.

[Presidio]

16 hours ago, High Spade Mikey Wilson said:

When I was match director my standard was, from the front of the shooting table, 5 paces for pistol, 10 paces for shotgun, and 15 paces for rifle.

Yup. Those are pert near the distance's I'm used too.  Guess I'll be shooting Sharpshooter style, { or Cody Dixon when available }, from now on.  I do enjoy challenging myself.

 

Thanks for the input and info from everyone else !

[Texas Jack Black]

 I heard that at Bordertown a pistol target fell forward when hit and crushed the shooter.