Shot a man vs. man handgun match... did fairly well

[1KPerDay]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu_xDxz6dRM

On these you shoot side-by-side against another shooter with an identical array of steel targets... plate racks, falling pepper poppers, piano keys, etc., with a falling stop plate in the middle that has to be shot last after you complete your array. It messes with your head in a different way than the usual adrenaline/confusing issues of figuring out how to shoot a standard handgun run-n-gun match, where you shoot alone.

Hearing the other shooter get his first shot off first and hearing his plates start to fall makes you hurry, and then you miss, which makes it even worse. :banghead: It's a very exciting and fun type of competition.

I shot my trusty German SIG P226, and despite having to deal with the DA/SA trigger I did fairly well, winning 2 of the 4 stages in my group (I think) and taking second or maybe 3rd in another (I think... we'll have to see how the points shake out after they tally it all up).

Get out and shoot!

If you watch the video I'm the fat guy in the tan shirt with a scarf.

 

[BCRider]

It's sort of like drag racing isn't it?

My Cowboy Action group set up this sort of thing one time. But it didn't go over that well simply because it was set up as single elimination. So the folks that lost the first string of rounds had nothing at all to do for the rest of the afternoon.

What is needed instead is to go with a double elimination scoring setup so that the losers from the first string get to shoot at least one more time. And in fact with that setup the winner of the secondary lineup comes back to go against the loser of the first/second match to try for second/third place.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yeah if you like I'll get you in contact with the match director. It was a double elimination with points bonuses for wins in each direction... plus 2 points for second tier, plus 4 points for third tier or something. Worked great.

This way you're guaranteed to at least shoot twice at each stage. And if you win at least once, you shoot at least 3 times at that stage.

Results posted: I placed first in my division with 2 first places and a second place (I completely failed at one stage and lost both matchups). Yay!

 

[Godsgunman]

Looks like fun. Never done anything like it but would love to.

 

[marv]

Sounds suspiciously like a bowling pin match or pin shoot. We used to do it all the time.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I always liked man-vs-man contest, because of the different levels if stress involved.

I thought it was interesting how some shooters always shot in one direction and others would change directions depending on which array they were facing. It was also interesting to see how most shooters would pickup misses before completing the array

 

[On An Island]

It was also interesting to see how most shooters would pickup misses before completing the array

Is it considered better to finish the run and go back for stragglers?

 

[9mmepiphany]

Usually.

You shouldn't watch for the plates to fall. As you break the shot on one plate, your eyes should move to the next plate. If you're seeing that you missed a plate, you are either not moving on or you aren't focusing on the plate at which you're shooting.

Most folks also shoot faster going in one direction than the other. Shooting towards the center...unless you never miss...isn't much of an advantage, as you have to make sure you didn't leave any standing before you hit the split popper.

When I shot the man-vs-man during a Gunsite class, they threw in a mandatory reload before you could engage the split popper. The also had the poppers at varying heights and distances. It is a bit unnerving when the other guy fires his first shot before you even have the gun all the way out, but I could usually catch up during the reload...it was a 250 class...and it was a race for the split popper. If you had the presence of mind, you could put two shots on the split popper and try to accelerate it past your opponent's free falling one. It falls faster it you hit it higher

 

[loose noose]

when I have at least 4+ students, and they are accomplished shooters I'll take them out with my array of steel targets. I have the shooting tree, the 5 disc that need to be shot down, and a bunch of swinging targets, along with a large popper. Sure does look like fun, what is the power factor?

 

[Jenrick]

Man on man on steel or reactive targets is a blast as others have said.

For most right handed shooters it's faster and feels more natural to go L-R, reverse for lefties.

-Jenrick

 

[9mmepiphany]

That's funny because I feel more comfortable going R to L. The timer tells me that isn't too much difference, so I just go with comfort...plus I sink better toward my left hip

 

[1911 guy]

Some of the most fun I've had handgunning has been bowling pin matches shooting directly against an opponent. Like mentioned, it changes the dynamic a lot. You're not racing against a number on a timer, you're head to head with another shooter. Actual time is irrelevant, you just have to be faster than the other guy.

And yes, you'll see an improvement in time when shooting the rack from one end to the other, then going back to clean up any misses.

 

[BCRider]

With the split popper I wonder how often folks miss and hit the OTHER guy's finishing popper..... ... ...:banghead:

 

[1KPerDay]

quite a few times actually. One guy did it repeatedly throughout the day. LOL

 

[Deaf Smith]

You guys need to go back to the old Walk-n-draw SWCPL matches.

Now those were REAL man .vs. man matches.

And yes, I was in a few of 'em.

Deaf

 

[Double_J]

I did one of those matches one day. I was at the range breaking in a new pistol when a guy showed up with a set of plates. He was looking to have a little fun and asked if I wanted to play, I of course said yes. I did not know he was a grandmaster level shooter in either IPSC or IDPA, I forget which. I got beat every time, but I learned a lot about how to shoot and reload. These are so much more fun than shooting bowling pins or paper plates/index cards.

 

[Ankeny]

I love shooting the person vs. person steel. Any event I have shot has a mandatory reload before the cross over poppers. I have also participated in team shoots...that is where a cool head and cooperation really come into play.

Is it considered better to finish the run and go back for stragglers?

I suppose you will get mixed opinions on that question. If you are calling your shots, you will know exactly where the shot went at the instant the gun fires, no need to hear the "ting" or see the hit. The shot (called miss) can be made up on the spot without the need for a transition at the end. IPSC (not USPSA) still does man vs. man shoot offs at the end of their higher level matches. Do a search on youtube and you will see how the best shooters on the planet handle make up shots.