40 replies to this topic

[MemphisMechanic]

I'm working with a new shooter who finds steel frustrating - an issue I believe everyone has seen at their local matches. There's nothing more disheartening than watching who was having a fund day... throw a magazine and a half at a Texas Star only to finish the stage with three plates still standing.

Do you have any recommendations for drills to teach someone to See What They Need To See in order to slaughter steel more consistently?

I understand exactly what they need to do: find the front sight, pull the trigger straight back, and follow through without looking for the hit. What I'm hoping is that someone has a creative drill (or evan a more intuitive explanation) to really get someone to understand the process required to get hits on 15yd 8" plates as a novice.

[maximis228]

Dot Drill.

[MemphisMechanic]

Dot Drill.

...

Saw that one coming.

[Hoes Master]

If they can't hit a piece of steel it's because they can't shoot straight, not that they can't "see what they need to see".

I'd do some white wall drills so they learn to manipulate the trigger correctly. When moving to live fire id have them double up on ear pro to help mitigate a flinch.

[Sprewell]

All I do is practice hitting steel plates.  Staple paper plates on a cardboard backer and then shoot at them.  I'm too cheap to buy actual steel plates.

[GuanoLoco]

Tell them to try trapping and a slow spot vs. tracking plates. 

 

Most noobs I see dying on a texas star (a) suck at sights and especially trigger and (b ) constantly and randomly swap between tracking and trapping.

 

It doesn't help when the MD puts the star at 15+ yards.

[Sprewell]

Tell them to try trapping and a slow spot vs. tracking plates. 

 

Most noobs I see dying on a texas star (a) suck at sights and especially trigger and (b ) constantly and randomly swap between tracking and trapping.

 

It doesn't help when the MD puts the star at 15+ yards.

 

I've never shot a Texas star.  I noticed one off to the side at Talladega last year, some enterprising individual should set it up and charge a couple bucks to give it a run at the upcoming Glock match.

[GuanoLoco]

IIRC there are at least 3 of them.  The MD at the Talledega match loves them and is not shy when it comes to making the most of the deep bays.

 

I suspect running side commerce on CMP ranges and equipment would be frowned upon.

[MemphisMechanic]

If they can't hit a piece of steel it's because they can't shoot straight, not that they can't "see what they need to see".

That was a mockery of the inevitable BEnos reply.

My humor was casually crushed beneath your literal feet.

[MemphisMechanic]

I've never shot a Texas star. I noticed one off to the side at Talladega last year, some enterprising individual should set it up and charge a couple bucks to give it a run at the upcoming Glock match.

A star is no harder than a plate rack, unless you listen to your brain telling you it is. The moving plates make it even more tempting to trap sight pictures, as mentioned above.

[u sofa king we todd ed]

Tell them to try trapping and a slow spot vs. tracking plates. 
 
Most noobs I see dying on a texas star (a) suck at sights and especially trigger and (b ) constantly and randomly swap between tracking and trapping.
 
It doesn't help when the MD puts the star at 15+ yards.

This. Newbs need to aim at one point, and let the star rotate the plate to that spot.

[Hoes Master]

That was a mockery of the inevitable BEnos reply.

My humor was casually crushed beneath your literal feet.

You're trying too hard.

[Peally]

Pretend they're normal target headshots; you actually need to aim at steel to score 

[MemphisMechanic]

You're trying too hard.

My girlfriend says the same thing. Right before she rolls over and falls asleep.

[GuanoLoco]

You are doing it wrong. Always roll over and fall asleep first.

[Raynor]

Swinging Texas Star or gtfo

 

[GuanoLoco]

So much for trapping.

[Harry Palmer]

I'm working with a new shooter who finds steel frustrating - an issue I believe everyone has seen at their local matches. There's nothing more disheartening than watching who was having a fund day... throw a magazine and a half at a Texas Star only to finish the stage with three plates still standing.

Do you have any recommendations for drills to teach someone to See What They Need To See in order to slaughter steel more consistently?

I understand exactly what they need to do: find the front sight, pull the trigger straight back, and follow through without looking for the hit. What I'm hoping is that someone has a creative drill (or evan a more intuitive explanation) to really get someone to understand the process required to get hits on 15yd 8" plates as a novice.

 

First you need to diagnose why they are missing.  Watch to see if their head comes up (looking at the steel instead of their sights), or if they jerking the gun/trigger (rushing the shot, poor grip, etc...) or inconsistent methodology (switching between tracking & trapping) or all of the above.

 

Sprewell's method of practicing with paper plates is good for correcting poor sight focus & jerking the gun.  Make them call the shots. 

 

I put 5 paper plates up on paper backers so they are the same distance apart as a Texas Star and run the gun around them as fast as I can call the shots alternating between shooting them in a circle clockwise & counterclockwise then alternating with running them from top to bottom alternating right to left/left to right after the top plate.

[NickBlasta]

Missing steel as a beginner is a side effect of sucking. They will stop missing steel when they get gooder and learn at least what sight picture, trigger control, and grip pressure are.

 

I've watched lots of new shooters though (I get to be squad carry at our matches) and the ones that can aim but are slow as balls have no problem hitting plates, moving, spinning, or otherwise. The ones that habitually shoot left with too much slapping of the trigger are the ones that run out of ammo. This may also ignore the mental component- the ones that aim are not really freaked out by the existence of the star on the stage.

 

I usually get asked what the trick is for X steel prop/texas star and I say 'just aim at them', some of them get it and some of them laugh. Ah well.

 

Now if they are starting to understand, a good drill that I see pay dividends for newer shooters is call it and leave it. I like to use two poppers set to not fall over. It induces stress in firing at the steel, introduces some inconsistency in the sight picture from starting and stopping which is useful for a moving prop, and teaches them not to wait for feedback.

[Bikerburgess]

The other problem new shooters have with dificult steel is mental, they miss a time or two on a shot they know they should be able to make, and it gets into their head and they start doubting their sights and it all goes south from there

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