Favorites Types of Stages

[Camille Eonich]

I like to write stages and I like to write stages that people have fun shooting.    Tell me what makes a stage fun for you to shoot.



I like something that makes me think just a wee bit. 
I like a story to go along with the match and tie things together so that you know why you're doing what you're doing in a stage.
I like to do different sweeps or different combinations of targets but don't throw in a whole stage full of completely different sweeps.  Especially then turn around and make me remember a shotgun order.

I like a little movement in a a stage but I don't like track meets.
I like poppers.
I mind shooting a couple of rounds and then moving to shoot a couple of more but I don't like to have to do it with the rifle because I never remember to not lever it or to lever it open and keep it that way while I move. 

Come on....let's talk about shooting.

[Badlands Walker]

I have been to several shoots & saw some interesting stages.  A few I found boring & a few I thought would be quite exciting.  Because I have never actually shot at a match yet, it would be difficult for me to say what I think I would enjoy.

The movement part you speak about looks like fun.  I think the rules on keepin' the lever open, or chamber empty or what ever the rule is, would be very distracting for someone new.

I always thought that a match set up somewhat like the Police do with their training would be cool, but how you would make somethin' like that in cowboy, I don't know!

I prefer moving targets vs. stationary.  These steel targets to me also leave a little to be desired.  I'm not sayin' they're a bad thing but, I have been hit by lead before standin' where the shooter would be when I took photos at some of the shoots.  Nothing serious mind you, but it is a bit concerning.

The problem with having a big shoot with moving targets, buildings & such... one needs a lot of land which at times, is hard to find.

[Arcey]

Kindah like ta mess with folks................

Rifle targets (3) are black, pistol targets (3) are white.  Shotgun, (4) KDs.

Two rests, six or seven paces apart, rifle loaded with ten rounds, goes on one - shotgun on the other.  Don't matter which.  Two pistols loaded with five each are holstered.

Shooter starts behind either rest.  After the shooter shouts some silly line the box goes 'beep'.

Shotgun targets are to be knocked down. 

Black targets are to be shot at, with the intention of hitting, at least twice each, no more than two consecutive rounds on either.

White targets - first five round string - five on three, no more than two consecutive shots on either.  Second five round string, five on three, no more than two consecutive shots on either (let's Gunfighters do their thing)

Rifle shall not be shot last.

SASS rules apply.

Good luck 'n good shootin'.......

[The Arapaho Kid]

I shoot at Marysville, here in Washington State.  Most of the stages there are fairly simple and easy to handle and no moving targets on most of them.  There is, however, one shotgun stage that a real killer.  Here you have a very large 5 pointed star with the targets at the end of the points and it doesn't move.....until you knock one of the targets off.  Then it starts rotating back and fourth because you have removed some to the weight.  Now you have moving targets and if you are a shotgunner like me...you can waste a lot of rounds before all five targets are on the ground.  Most shooters can be in and out of that stage in five rounds. It takes me at least 10 or more to finish that stage.  I don't do moving targets well!

They have another rifle stage that I really like.  Standard targets and shooting patterns. Here you are shooting at targets that are about 60 feet away.  Fairly big targets and easy to hit.  Between the targets is a bonus target.  There is a white metal chicken on a post.  The physical size of the chicken is about 6 inches tall, so from the firing line it's a white spot.  I don't like to brag, but I haven't missed the chicken yet!

One of the pistol stages has a target you just can't miss.  It's a sheel of metal cut in the shape of a Buffalo standing with his left side facing you and it's almost the same size as a real Buff.  This target is about 30 feet from the firing line.  If you miss that....you need glasses!

[Camille Eonich]

Here you have a very large 5 pointed star with the targets at the end of the points and it doesn't move.....until you knock one of the targets off.  Then it starts rotating back and fourth because you have removed some to the weight.  Now you have moving targets and if you are a shotgunner like me...you can waste a lot of rounds before all five targets are on the ground. 

Texas Star...we shoot that with pistols and rifles...sometimes they let yo make up any misses on it with the shotgun but not usually.



Arcey...sounds like fun!

I love to throw 24 in as a stage every now and then.  People hate that!  I don't know why.  It can be as simple or as complex as you make it.

[Badlands Walker]

I think when I actually shoot my first match, I may run into a problem because...  I am use to shooting at 50, 75 & 100 yards and y'all shoot yer' targets much closer than that!  I guess if ya can hit somethin' at 100 yards, you can hit somethin' 50 feet away.

I also shoot NRA Regulations .22 Competetion with a Ruger Mark II, Red Dot scope... but that's a bit different.

Wouldn't it be easier to have say, 5 or 10 stages whether is SASS rules or not, and just stick to those so that people can become better at what they do, or would most find that boring?

[Silver Creek Slim]

Here's a stage from a NCOWS shoot I attended.
15 rifle targets staggered in two rows like below:
R1   R3   R5   R7   R9     R11     R13     R15
   R2   R4   R6   R8   R10     R12      R14   
You can load your rifle to the max: 10 or 11 for most, 13 in Henrys. The targets are must hit. Reload to finish.

I liked it because it was different then the "10, 10, 4 stages".

Slim

[Arcey]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......  The Star........

Stencil the targets one thru five.  One is top, five is lower right.  Shooter spins that 'Roulette Wheel' of mine.  If the number is two, the sequence would be 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.  Four - 4, 5, 1, 2, 3.  So on.  Sure would like to do that once but a bunch of folks don't like the luck factor 'n be lookin' ta tie me to the damned star 'fore the stage was over.

Roanoke, State Shoot.  Ten rifle, clear the Star, dump whatever's left on a static target.  Wild Bill Lee's two kids cleared the Star with the first five.  Ole Bill is on deck.  I ask 'im if there's any pressure on 'im affer the kids' performance.  The boy looks it me 'n sez, 'Thanks.  Didn't think about it 'til you mentioned it'.  He proceeds ta need eight ta clear the Star.

Hehehehehehehehe....  GOTCHA BILL!

[Mean Matt McCord]

As with most clubs, ours will often write the stages based on a western movie or TV show.  As you might guess, the opening lines we have to say are famous quotes from said movie or show.  I just got through writing stages based on everyone's favorite cartoon cowboy, Yosemite Sam.  They ought to be fun when we eventually get to use them.

[REELFOOT REGULATOR]

I like my targets to be BIG AND CLOSE UP! This way i may be able to still hit targets with  all the smoke i'm making. Hitting targets is the name of the game, i like for the average shooter to come to my matches and be able to clang enough steel to have a good time!

[Arcey]

Shot one at ECSASS awhile back.

Shooters on the horse, eyepatch over either eye.  Pistols are in holsters mounted on the horse.  Rifle is held by it's wrist, butt resting on shooter's leg.  Off hand holds a small hunk of clean clothes line.

Off the clock, shooter does the 'Ned Pepper, I've come to........  What'll it be?'  The line was scribbled out 'n mounted on the horse for those that didn't know it.

Spotters sing back, 'I'd say that's... for a one-eyed fat man'.

Shooter shouts, 'Fill yer hand you (fill in the blank)'

On the signal, shooter sticks the hunk of clothes line in the teeth and gets to shootin'.

[Marauder]

Camille, I agree with your list.
And Arcey, I like your stage as well.

I also like to recommend the SASS guidelines for stage design, with the caveat that I don't like any luck to be introduced into the stage.

I like some variety.  And sometimes a stage like Arcey mentioned with very little target order so it was more shooter's choice.

One bit of variety that I don't see too often is a stage or two that lets folks see how fast they can shoot.  I didn't think of it until a couple of shooters said they liked to come to one local match because they had never before got to see if they could shoot fast.  Surprised me, but then I realized it is sort of true.  We have several clubs but most shoots try to avoid any sort of "dump" stages.

For example, we would set up a stage with three fairly large rifle targets fairly close together and you could triple tap them.  Then set up three pistol targets and you could shoot 5 on 3 any way you wanted.  And once every few months we would include one state with 4 shotgun knock downs, two pistols targets and two rifle targets.  Dump the first pistol on one and the second on the other pistol, the shoot 8 or 10 at the two rifle targets hitting them each 4 or 5 times.  Folks could shoot them alternating if they prefer – usually to help black powder shooters.  Nope, these wouldn't be stages to be shot all the time, just once in a while to let folks try out pure speed.

Of course, a good short story – especially poking fun at local folks.  With an occasional silly starting line or activity. 

[Ozark Iron John]

I like the one where the balloons are setup in a cross on top of a barrel pattern.  You can run the barrels left or right first.   It don't matter so long as you run the cloverleaf pattern.  You shoot the five White balloons then round the third barrel and rundown the five Red balloons.  He who does it the fastest wins.  5 second penalty for each miss.  5 second penalty plus remaining rounds for a dropped gun.  Cain't nobody pickup a dropped gun but the Range Master.



                               O
                               R


                               R


          O        W        W         W        O
          W                  R                     W
                           

                               R


                               R



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[The Arapaho Kid]

Camille, I agree with your list.
And Arcey, I like your stage as well.

I also like to recommend the SASS guidelines for stage design, with the caveat that I don't like any luck to be introduced into the stage.

I like some variety.  And sometimes a stage like Arcey mentioned with very little target order so it was more shooter's choice.

One bit of variety that I don't see too often is a stage or two that lets folks see how fast they can shoot.  I didn't think of it until a couple of shooters said they liked to come to one local match because they had never before got to see if they could shoot fast.  Surprised me, but then I realized it is sort of true.  We have several clubs but most shoots try to avoid any sort of "dump" stages.

For example, we would set up a stage with three fairly large rifle targets fairly close together and you could triple tap them.  Then set up three pistol targets and you could shoot 5 on 3 any way you wanted.  And once every few months we would include one state with 4 shotgun knock downs, two pistols targets and two rifle targets.  Dump the first pistol on one and the second on the other pistol, the shoot 8 or 10 at the two rifle targets hitting them each 4 or 5 times.  Folks could shoot them alternating if they prefer – usually to help black powder shooters.  Nope, these wouldn't be stages to be shot all the time, just once in a while to let folks try out pure speed.

Of course, a good short story – especially poking fun at local folks.  With an occasional silly starting line or activity. 

That's another bit I question.  I have been told by the timer on a pistol stage to slow down.  I was hitting the targets at the speed I was going, but he seemed to think I should slow down.  If I slowed down any more I'd lose my coveted bottom of the barrel position and take up a new one...under the barrel.  I don't know if it was a safety factor or not?

[Arcey]

I like my targets to be BIG AND CLOSE UP! This way i may be able to still hit targets with  all the smoke i'm making. Hitting targets is the name of the game, i like for the average shooter to come to my matches and be able to clang enough steel to have a good time!

We think the same way, despite the nasty stuff I've put in this post.  I put this on CAS-L a couple days ago when someone asked for opinions:

>>ML

Get yerself big targets.  Set 'em close.  Make the shooting sequences
simple.  Don't run the shooters like they've entered a track meet.  The more
nice props you can get built and the better, if you have the storage space.

Bust up the classes as much as you can.  Computer generated certificates are
cheap.  The good shooter can take 'em or leave 'em - probably throw 'em away
when they get home.  The not-so-good shooters will smile like crazy when
their name is called at the next Safety Meetin' to step up front to get 'em.

Make it fun.  Try to remember the shoots you enjoyed the most and pattern
yours after that..<<

No debate, Marauder.  Most folks don't like luck.  I wrote a four stage a couple few years ago, each stage involving the wheel, dice or cards.  We shot it at two clubs several hundred miles apart.  Both clubs' shooters had a blast with it.  It was unique.  The point was made in mailings sent well in advance how the stages would be, those feelin' it wouldn't be fun should stay home. 

Stages like that would never work and keep a crowd month to month.  Apart from that, it takes specialized targets and props many clubs don't have and a day's worth of stenciling targets.

[Prof. Bullspit]

I like stages that let me shoot targets in any order that I want. These types of stages really make you think about what gun to use, what sequence to use etc.

I also like stages that have knockdowns, especially pistol and rifle knockdowns.

[Marauder]

That's another bit I question.  I have been told by the timer on a pistol stage to slow down.  I was hitting the targets at the speed I was going, but he seemed to think I should slow down.  If I slowed down any more I'd lose my coveted bottom of the barrel position and take up a new one...under the barrel.  I don't know if it was a safety factor or not?

That seems odd to me, but I wasn't there.  Unless there was something unsafe, that's what I thought we were doing.  I've seen shooters shoot 5 rounds in a second (from first shot to last shot)

[Camille Eonich]

Stencil the targets one thru five.  One is top, five is lower right.  Shooter spins that 'Roulette Wheel' of mine.  If the number is two, the sequence would be 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.  Four - 4, 5, 1, 2, 3.  So on.  Sure would like to do that once but a bunch of folks don't like the luck factor 'n be lookin' ta tie me to the damned star 'fore the stage was over.

This sounds like fun but people would whiiiine! 

I agree about targets that are up big close and personal.  Love to do a five shot dump on a target bigger then a manhole cover.  That big target really builds up confidence and makes people want to go fast.  Sometime too fast! 


I'm starting to hear more and more people talking about how they miss some of the old action stuff that took place on the clock.  You know, roping and using a whip and stuff like that.

[Wes Virginian]

When I was writing stages, I tried to always make them Gunfighter friendly. Even though I usually shoot Frontiersman, I sometimes like to shoot Gunfighter.

[Arcey]

I'm starting to hear more and more people talking about how they miss some of the old action stuff that took place on the clock.  You know, roping and using a whip and stuff like that.

Don't remember who did it first, I stole it 'n did it at Pungo.

Wash tub 'bout half full of water, placed so the shooter couldn't see in it.  In the tub were big ole washers, about six or eight each painted black or white.  Four pistol targets painted and lined up black, white, black, white.

Shooters sat on a hay bale holding a cane pole.  The cane pole had a magnet tied to the line.  The magnet had to be touching the ground outside of the tub.

On the beep, the shooter fished out a washer.  Targets were shot according to the 'fish' .  If black, the first pistol went alternating between the black targets, second pistol on the white 'n the other way around.

Did I ever catch guff from the gamers.  N' heck, I'm a 3/4 gamer myownself...............


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