What Makes a Fun Match??

[J.R. Logan]

Howdy all, was just wanting to know what all of you like in your shooting matches?  I was going to work this winter on writing some stages for a local club and would like some input as to what makes a good stage.

So what makes a great stage??  Movement, Starting line, props, close targets, far targets, team shoots, wood walks, let me know your ideas.
Also how many stages do you like to shoot at a match, 4, 5, 6, 8? and does this number change as the weather changes ie: really hot, really cold maybe less stages that match.

Thanks for your input.

J. R. Logan

[Quick Fire]

J R Logan, speaking strictly for myself, Variety is the spice of all life.  I enjoy a match where everything is not the same 10, 10, and 4 scenarios.  I like the targets to be a mix of large and small and close and far. I also enjoy the stardard 6 stage shoot. For me it's the most fun when you can shoot the scenarios as close to the way they would have been shot in the old west as you possibly can and still maintain a safe shoot, such as shooting out of a wagon box or off a prop horse or sitting a a gaming table. But like I said, this is just what is most fun for me.

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Howdy all, was just wanting to know what all of you like in your shooting matches?  I was going to work this winter on writing some stages for a local club and would like some input as to what makes a good stage.

So what makes a great stage??  Movement, Starting line, props, close targets, far targets, team shoots, wood walks, let me know your ideas.
Also how many stages do you like to shoot at a match, 4, 5, 6, 8? and does this number change as the weather changes ie: really hot, really cold maybe less stages that match.

Thanks for your input.

J. R. Logan

Personally I like lots of movement between firearms with life-like props & bulidings. I like to shoot a lot of rounds so I don't mind the 10, 10, 4 that's typical of a lot of SASS shoots. I even like it when they add a couple more shotgun shells & make it 6 rounds on a stage. As far as number of stages, I like to shoot no less than 6 and that's about normal around here. That's what I like I'm sure other's will very. WBR

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[Kayleen]

  The way Quick Fire put it, variety is the spice of life. Amen.
Write some stages that only use one or two guns. Start with a shotgun instead of a revolver. Shoot just the revolver and shotgun, rifle and shotgun, shotgun alone. Let the shooter pick the gun he/she wants to use to shoot the stage with.
My favorite is the stage where 21+ ammo count, you need to hit each target 3 times before moving to the next one. (7 targets)
For a bit of a twist, reload the revolver 2+ times.
Roll dice to determine what target to shoot, colored disc, work also.
Shoot snowball(styrofoamballs) or eggs(plastic Easter eggs) Put 5 different colored eggs in a bag, the shooter pulls out the eggs and places them in an egg carton and then shoots the coresponding egg.
A shoot is what you make it. Have fun and shoot straight.
Kaleen

[River City John]

A lot will depend on your audience and size of shoot. The more shooters you have to cycle through then each individual's time spent getting through the scenario becomes an issue. Lots of shooters then make the stages quick. Not so many shooters then you can afford to get a little more creative with stage directions, amount of movement back and forth, complexity of scenario.

The more relaxed you can keep things, the better. Average age of most of us shooters is on the 'mature' side. Three stages in morning, lunchbreak, then three in the afternoon seems to work well for a one day shoot. No one feels rushed or gets too tired. Time to travel home and get stuff squared away at the end of the day.
By all means have a mixture of stages. One thing that really helps is try to have different people write stages. This keeps the variety in and staleness out. If the same poor soul is always writing the stages it can get to be a chore. Try to have a blend that satisfies and gives something for the 10-10-6'er to those that enjoy a reload or two.
I've always been partial to stages that introduce an element of chance. Keeps everyone on an even footing. Draw cards to determine target order or similar. I've always wanted to shoot a stage where someone with some musical talent and a good ear checks targets for tone and then arranges them as a scale. Make up several target shooting orders that play a tune, but don't indentify it. Then the shooter gets a bonus for being able to 'name that tune'.  Having bonus targets is always appreciated. Gives everyone a chance to improve their score. And make them a true bonus, not counted as missed.

It's nice to have challenging targets. A hanging rod to hit, or a target with a hole cut out and a backing target behind it. Shoot through the hole. Then,too, it's fun to have clays clothespinned to chicken wire to shoot at close range with the pistol, or launch clays for the shotgun. People just like to blow things up. Could launch empty soda cans, too.
 
Stay flexible, and willing to accomodate last minute changes to stage design for whatever reason. Have backup targets ready.

Smile a lot and tell everyone thank you.
RCJ

[Arcey]

Ain’t much for a lot of movement, especially in the summer.  In the heat when I write I follow the ‘three step’ rule.  I go to any shoot, in the summer or winter, to shoot not to run.  If I wanted to run I could do that through the neighborhood.

No longer interested in ten plus shot shell stages.  As expensive as components have gotten those cost more than I’m willing to spend.  I shoot Black Powder with a double.  The thing gets too hot to handle safely on stages such as that.  Some tell me I’m just whining.  I challenged one to grab the barrels after a ten shell stage.  He wouldn’t do it.

I appreciate clubs that publish the stages they intend to shoot in advance.  That way I can look them over and decide whether or not I want to go. 

Accuracy is something I go for at the indoor range with street pistols and ammo, the stuff I bet my tail on in the real world.  In CAS I want the targets big and close so I can bang away.

My ideal monthly is a six stage shoot with easily followed instructions.  Round count doesn’t matter with the exception of excessive shot shell counts as noted above. Start at 1000 hours, get thirty to forty shooters thru it, secure the equipment and get out by 1530.  Funny story lines with posse interaction with the shooter before the clock sounds.  A half hour in the middle set aside for snack time to shoot the bull with the ear plugs out with pards you don’t see often enough.

Bonus targets are fine as long as they aren’t a ‘must try’ whether misses are penalized or not.  Have the shooter decide if it’s worth the possible reward to shoot at it or walk away.

Ain’t sayin’ I’m right ‘n others are wrong.  To each his own.  Just sayin’ what I’m interested in.  Been in this a long time.  Thrown thousands of rounds down range.  I can afford to be picky in my old age.

[Capt Clancey Mitarwan]

I, too, am a sucker for shooting from a "horse". When I'm shooting smokeless, I like a pistol reload every now and then.