Pulling Targets - READ

[Albany Mountain]

I could get a frame down scored pasted etc average 20 seconds. I had a routine where I used to stick pasters on the four fingers of my left hand and pull the frame with my right. Whilst I was relocating the spotter & score disc with my right hand , the left would paste out the previous shot.
On more than one occasion I would get 'target 9 Message 1' which is "turn target and mark" , I would answer back , its done Sir ! The shooter was too busy doing book work and the scorer asleep not to notice the target had been pulled and scored.
One time , they asked me to slow down. This is not me braggin on myself , if you are a shooter then you should provide the best possible target service to your fellow shooters, particularly, those shooters that do not dismount the rifle between shots, as I do , so fast target service is essential for keeping your rhythm and shooting in a " wind condition."
And the best thing you can do after a shoot is, if possible, find out who your marker was and buy him or her a cleansing ale or two, they will appreciate it !

regards
Mike.

20 seconds is on the slow end. Are you sure you didn't mean ten??

 

[nosualc]

My goal pulling targets is 7-8 seconds, maybe 5-7 if pulling for a high-master (less time spent searching for bullet holes and moving the scoring disc). It's can be a bit of a workout, but I actually prefer to pull targets first at a match as it's a tension reliever.

We try to train new shooters in our f-class league to strive for the same standard, but you gotta show them how, and why it's important.

The keys for me are to get all the pasters (e.g. - 22) pulled off and put onto the bottom of the target frame such that I can pull one off as the target comes down. I do this when the line is in prep.

This way I don't have to fart around peeling pasters off the paper during shooting. It also gives me a handy way to know how many shots the shooter has left. I've tried putting them on my fingers, watch, forearm. On the target frame is way faster.

Another key thing for me, and I encourage new shooters to do the same, is to start a silent count as soon as I see the bullet impact. 1-mississippi, 2-mississippi, etc. The target should be going back up on or before 7-mississippi.

Most guys get it, and after a few strings can give good service. For whatever reason, there are always a few that can't, or won't do it. Not much you can do about it, except hope that you don't get paired with them.

Match directors can help by explaining the expectation during the pre-match safety meeting. Also helps to have target carriers in good repair prior to the match, and extra spotters available at each target. We also have soft plastic spotters than survive everything but a direct dead center spindle hit.

-nosualc

ps - The only time I've had trouble is at one of the local ranges here with an impact berm far behind the targets. Seeing bullet impacts (especially .22 bullets) can be very difficult at times. I feel shame.

 

[OIF/OEF]

I shot my first and still only match at OKC hunting club. I informed the gentlemen that I have never shot at a match before so they gave me a class on pulling targets, correct spotting and watch the berm for impacts. I pulled in the butts in the Marine Corps for 20 years so I had a good idea but at no point did I say man I've done this before so I got it. Target cage/frame design changes from range to range, some are nice pieces of gear and some were used during WWII.....As soon as you get to your target run it up and down a few times to see where the catches are and where it stops and so forth. In the Marine Corps if you have slow butt service I can PROMISE you after the second warning you will be so damn tired you will be greased lightning for the rest of the day. Poor butt service is inexcusable

Very Respectfully

 

[wolley]

And for heavens sake don't bring your wives, kids, girlfriends to a match expecting to hire them out as target pullers when they've never pulled a target in their life. I've seen this too many times.

 

[Bulletman]

Good post Jim, and a good tip about leaving the spotter out a bit instead of flush, I tend to want to SEE the bullet hole before pulling the target.

 

[Steve Blair]

Everyone that shoots F-Class Nationals at Ben Avery this year should be required to watch Matt Schwartzkopf work a target. The target is on its way back up before it ever even hits the bottom. It's really a thing of beauty to watch; fastest pit service I've ever seen.

[br]
+1 Matt is the best.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Everyone that shoots F-Class Nationals at Ben Avery this year should be required to watch Matt Schwartzkopf work a target. The target is on its way back up before it ever even hits the bottom. It's really a thing of beauty to watch; fastest pit service I've ever seen.

[br]
+1 Matt is the best.

http://youtu.be/aiot_Xbb0ys ;D

 

[mattt]

Best target service I have had has been the Calif Grizzlys that pull all the targets at the Can Am at sac valley in March . Those juniors earn there money and no one every has had to call for faster service

 

[gaboon]

YAWN....... 8)

 

[Medic505]

When I first read this post last night I started to throw my 2 cents in but thought better of it. I've slept on it and thought about it all day. This is a sore subject for me.
I was also a competitor at the TSRA Mid Range State Championship matches at Bayou. After receiving my squadding, I made my way to my firing point to find out I was paired with John Meyers. That was a good start to a bad day. John is arguably one of the better open shooters in the State of Texas and a real gentleman. John was shooting relay 1 and I had drawn relay 2. I never did meet the shooters on relay 3 and 4. When I inquired about them, I was told one had shot a couple of matches and the other had maybe shot one. I thought, well, there's two of them pulling one target how bad can it be? Things got started and I'll admit we had less than stellar pit service. I had hopes that it would get better. I'm going to say this because John never would, but the second match John lost seven points due to what I would call sub par pit service. I had my own train wreck the second match, but I'm not going to blame it entirely on pit service. After you've had your target pulled out from under you several times plus it swaying, it's hard to get into any kind of rhythm with slow service. Let me say this right now, my disdain is not with the guys pulling the target, but why would you squad two high masters with two newbies at a state shoot? Relay 3 got better and I'm going to give credit where credit is due. Maybe they noted the service they were getting and improved. Pit service, or lack thereof, is not the major complaint I have, which I will expand on now.
Paid target pullers are made available to some shooters. And yes I said some, as there were not enough pullers to have one for every target. Targets that I watched that had paid pullers had far superior pit service than what John and I had. Is this a level playing field? If paid target pullers are allowed, why do they pull for the shooters paying them? The only fair way to conduct a match with paid pullers would be to shuffle everyone that goes to the pits much as it was done during the team shoots at worlds. This may seem petty on my part, but all I want is an equal chance.

Let the hate mail begin.

 

[Mark Walker in TX]

If paid target pullers are allowed, why do they pull for the shooters paying them? The only fair way to conduct a match with paid pullers would be to shuffle everyone that goes to the pits much as it was done during the team shoots at worlds.

No hate mail here, you are spot on. Paid pullers should NEVER pull for the people paying them.

 

[Albany Mountain]

Many times, I worry about losing sufficient points either to puller or scorer. I called down to the pits for faster service after putting up with a lot of poor service. Wouldn't you know that with the recent trend of recreational radios taking the place of good com systems, my request was totally misinterpreted and the target went down for about three minutes while everyone in the pits was looking for a lost shot on my target and finally came up as a miss. can't win.?????

 

[gaboon]

Many times, I worry about losing sufficient points either to puller or scorer. I called down to the pits for faster service after putting up with a lot of poor service. Wouldn't you know that with the recent trend of recreational radios taking the place of good com systems, my request was totally misinterpreted and the target went down for about three minutes while everyone in the pits was looking for a lost shot on my target and finally came up as a miss. can't win.?????

The match director has the right to grant an extended amount of time for a foul up in the pits.

 

[Erik Cortina]

If paid target pullers are allowed, why do they pull for the shooters paying them? The only fair way to conduct a match with paid pullers would be to shuffle everyone that goes to the pits much as it was done during the team shoots at worlds.

No hate mail here, you are spot on. Paid pullers should NEVER pull for the people paying them.

I agree, that's knows as conflict of interests.

Some shoots I have attended put the high masters/masters in 1st and 3rd relay, this ensures that there is an experienced shooter in the pits at all times and also allows new shooters to learn from the seasoned ones.

 

[Albany Mountain]

Many times, I worry about losing sufficient points either to puller or scorer. I called down to the pits for faster service after putting up with a lot of poor service. Wouldn't you know that with the recent trend of recreational radios taking the place of good com systems, my request was totally misinterpreted and the target went down for about three minutes while everyone in the pits was looking for a lost shot on my target and finally came up as a miss. can't win.?????

The match director has the right to grant an extended amount of time for a foul up in the pits.

Yeah but I preferred shooting a shot every 30 seconds which wasn't going to happen at all that day.

 

[whatsthediff]

If paid target pullers are allowed, why do they pull for the shooters paying them? The only fair way to conduct a match with paid pullers would be to shuffle everyone that goes to the pits much as it was done during the team shoots at worlds.

No hate mail here, you are spot on. Paid pullers should NEVER pull for the people paying them.

Everyone has the same option to have a paid puller, and for the record my worst pit service came from a high master it was his age that was working against him so much for the newbie issue. Sorry mark this one you have it wrong, paid pullers can keep a lot of people shooting for years longer and my short experience has shown me most shooters do not want to lay out the funds for a paid puller, I am not willing to pay for a puller and get a crappy puller while you get my 18 year old that can pull for days. Paid pullers are just like your rifle, is it fair you have a great rifle and others can only afford a box stock rem 700? So long as it is available to everyone it is fair.

Respectfully
Don

 

[Medic505]

After some thought and rereading my post I would like to say I do not know for a fact that the paid pullers and the shooter that were paying them were on the same target. But, it appeared to me that the shooters that paid for pullers shot on targets that were pulled by paid pullers. I agree with Mark that that payee and puller should not be on the same target and I can not say for a fact that this was the case. I was not accusing anyone of cheating and I don't want this to be construed that I was implying such.
I did learn a valuable lesson last weekend, if you want guaranteed good pit service, pony up and pay the price.

 

[whatsthediff]

After some thought and rereading my post I would like to say I do not know for a fact that the paid pullers and the shooter that were paying them were on the same target. But, it appeared to me that the shooters that paid for pullers shot on targets that were pulled by paid pullers. I agree with Mark that that payee and puller should not be on the same target and I can not say for a fact that this was the case. I was not accusing anyone of cheating and I don't want this to be construed that I was implying such.
I did learn a valuable lesson last weekend, if you want guaranteed good pit service, pony up and pay the price.

You have the answer, I go to great lengths to make sure I have a good paid puller and it is worth every penny, if I was in Marks league I have one that traveled with me, I am sure at the big nationals and the team events he gets better service, but at the club or regional level paid pullers are the way to go. For the next three years at Bayou during the long range events paid pullers will be available and used, I will make sure Mark has one if he wants one, he is one of if not our best shooter, also Eric was right about squaring the 1 and 3,

Don

 

[Medic505]

Don,
I have no problem if a shooter has a disability and must have a puller. Why is this match not conducted in a manner such as the F Class national championships coming up in Phoenix? Read the line that says: Target Service: Competitors will pull their own targets.

 

[Steve Blair]

Mark is very good and that is why he should have crappy pit service. Just like a golf handicap.