Shoot on the move or sprint then shoot ?

I stole this thread from the Brian Enos forum. I didn't get a definitave answer and I have been curious about this for a while . I know it depends on the shooter and the coarse but has anybody ever did a timed comparison . I like to shoot on the move but maybe it's making me slower . I shoot while moving cause it's more fun to me and seems right . . .but maybe not ?

Like you said I think it depends on the shooter. I think all top level shooters could probably do either at high speed. I would say it would be better for a less experienced shooter to sprint then shoot, but then they would never learn to shoot on the move. Some "tactical" "experts" say shoot to cover so if you are using competition for practical training then shoot on the move.

Ultimately it just depends on your goals and personal preference. I havent done a time study though.

I thinks is depends on the coarse of fire, but if ive got some targets that I can get on the move I will. If there's a big diffrance in targets I'll run than shoot. But what do I know lol.

I've worked with it in practice a fair amount in the past. The ability to shoot on the move is definitely a valuable skill to have in your set, but like Rob said, you need to be able to do both. It may be that you are forced to stand and shoot through a port or other narrow gap, and there are classifiers or other "speed shoots" that keep you confined to a box.

When it is an option, it does depend greatly on the shooter's ability and the particular course design and there is unfortunately no "catch all" answer for one or the other, but generally shooting on the move is a good idea if you can. It may feel slower, and you may in fact be shooting a little slower, but if you are covering the ground and still putting the points on the targets, it usually works out to be as good or better than staying planted and sprinting.

Just with some basic drills you can determine if you shoot better on the move to the right, to the left, backing up, moving forward, etc. You can also work on whether it is better to shoot say a few targets on the move when all you can cover is 4 or 5 feet before you lose sight of them rather than a spot where you have twice or three times that distance.

Doing what you enjoy is always a good idea, but here is a simple drill that only requires two or three target stands and a couple of boxes. Set up 2 or 3 targets and use either two boxes, some sticks, etc, or just some other way to mark the ground clearly.

For the first test, put one box at about 7-8 yards and the other directly behind it at about 12-13 yards. Start in the back box, shoot each target twice, sprint forward to the other box and shoot each target twice. Run this a couple of times recording the time each run. Then do it again where you draw and shoot each target twice and repeat while moving between the boxes. Alternate targets, i.e. don't stack shots. Run this a few times so you can get the feel for the speed needed both in movement and shooting. You should be firing the last shot right as you get to the second box. After you get a few consistent runs in, compare times with the sprinting method. Note - the targets should be getting the same number of hits in each test. I'm not sure if I am explaining it clearly here. LOL.

After you have done this a bit, do it in reverse, shooting from the close box and backing up to the far box. This is good practice for backing up and keeping the muzzle within the 180, but of course please be careful.

Then move the boxes on a horizontal line approximately the same distance from the target, so you can repeat the above moving right to left and left to right in relation to the targets. There is so much you can do with this drill. Vary the distance between the targets. Vary it up by putting the box on the left slightly further back than the one on the right, and then vice versa, so the movement is diagonal if that makes sense.

We need to get together and shoot sometime outside of a match. Maybe when it cools off a bit we could just do a Saturday "practice session" and kick around some drills, ideas, and such and burn some powder. Just open it up to whoever wanted to come.

That would be cool .

I'm in. Just name the time and place.

Id be up for it also. Once it cools down that is.

I am too old for all this running. I would stay still, hide out and shoot 'em in the middle.

Doug

LOL. I hear you, Mr. Bowser! And from your other posts and thereby having some knowledge of your background and interests (bullseye, etc), I feel quite certain that you could hit any reasonable target that you could see "in the middle"!

However, in the context of a USPSA "field course" stage, that would be the problem, you would have to move through the stage in one way or another to see and engage all of the targets. You bring up a really good point about shooting on the move though. I have seen smoother shooters (sometimes older but not always) move through a stage shooting on the move and never getting above a brisk walk turn in faster stage times than the "young guns" that run through a stage and hose the targets at each position. If you watch both shoot, often you would think the "runner" had the quicker time, but the timer doesn't lie. It does depend on the particular stage design, but it is all about efficiency of movement.

If you'd ever be interested in coming out and trying a USPSA match, we'd love to have you. You can move as fast (or not so fast) as you like, and as with most shooting competitions, you are always your own biggest competition! There are a couple of clubs within a reasonable driving distance of you. I imagine the closest would be in Amite, LA at the Sheriff's range on the 4th Sunday of the month. The next closest would be at the Magnolia Rifle and Pistol Club in Byram on the 1st Sunday of every month. I can provide some more info if you'd like.

Bryant

Bryant, if you don't mind having two red headed step children, I'm down for a practice session.

I'd like to go if nothing other than to watch the techniques ya'll use.

spanky wrote:Bryant, if you don't mind having two red headed step children, I'm down for a practice session.

Get 'em Spanky.

Bryant, I don't know about Spanky, but I'm certainly not going to let this go anytime soon.

Let's do it. I'd be cool with anyone coming that wants to. At some point a larger number of folks would cut into the actual shooting each person gets to do a bit, but we could still discuss some techniques and I think get some good practice in. I don't claim to be a pro and am definitely not Max or Travis, but we can kick around some drills and share some ideas. More like an open forum and trigger time/practice than a really structured class, but the only cost would be your own ammo and gas getting there.

We don't exactly have to wait until winter, but I would prefer to at least wait a couple months until the heat index is out of the triple digits. If we have a few Magnolia members, we can do it there. That would probably be the best option.

WELL I'M IN BROTHER, SO THAT'S ONE MAGNOLIA MEMBER

I'm a magnolia member, and I'll be in Jackson starting in August so I'm in anytime from then till January.

I second waiting till it cools off though.

Will_M wrote:

spanky wrote:Bryant, if you don't mind having two red headed step children, I'm down for a practice session.

Get 'em Spanky.

Bryant, I don't know about Spanky, but I'm certainly not going to let this go anytime soon.

For the record, as of this moment today, I WOULD mind having two red headed step children. That would mean my wife had kept a couple secrets from me. (Not only that, but the kids would be red heads). Seriously though, we'd let you come, Spanky, even if you are from the Bayou state (and a red head).