&#%$@ Texas Star!!!

[Heraclitus]

I shot L10 at the IPSC match today, and would've wound up with a decent score if it hadn't been for the frickin' TS in stage #2, which took me all of 10 rounds to finish. Plates 1 and 2 were no problem, but then the rest began to swing, and that's when it got out of hand.

What's your method?

 

[dukeofurl]

Try and keep it balanced. Taking 2 plates off at a time can really screw you.

I call it the Death Star when I'm having a bad day.

 

[lmccrock]

Start at the top then side to side and down. L10? Reload before starting the star. I have done it in 5 shots; usually takes 6-7.

Way more fun with a shotgun

Lee

 

[Hoser]

Two theories. Assuming its not moving when you first see it.

Always start at the top. Pick a direction to work and never ever chase a plate. They may move, but they stop when they are getting ready to swing back. I dont care for the side to side as its too much gun movement.

My theory. Iron sights, shoot the bottom one nearest 7 O’clock or 4 O’clock first and let the plates come to the gun. Scope, go fast.

With no misses and iron sights, I run it in about 3.0-3.5. Scope, 2.7-3.0. Revo, 3.5.

I think they are an excellent training tool for shooting steel. Trigger control and follow through.

The worst part is people think it’s hard, therefore it is.

And they are a lot of fun with a shotgun. 00 buck at 20 yards = good time. Just make one of them a no-shoot plate.

 

[Heraclitus]

Okay. I think I've got it all figured out. I have read your replies and found some very interesting advice. That led to some serious brain work, and the conclusion that I reach is that the best way to engage a static TS is to start at the top, as a couple of you said, and then engage all the other plates in either a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion. Let's say clockwise for the purpose of this post.

Hitting plate 1 (at the top) does not set the star in motion. Hitting plate 2 will, but the torck that 3 and 4 put on the star cancel eachother out, leaving only 5 to put a counterclockwise twist on the assembly. Hitting plate 3 on the upswing will leave 4 and 5 (now at the bottom) in balance with eachother, with only the momentum originally infused by plate 5 to contend with. Engage 4 as it slows to a stop, and then 5 just as it reverses direction.

Sound about right?

 

[Wakal]

Or just run around the star, 1/2/3/4/5. Easy with .22 plates because they don't weigh as much and the star doesn't get moving as fast.

That said, at my paltry level of skill and with both Limited and Open guns, I run 1/2/5/4/3. The last three are just starting to swing if you don't miss. Easier said that done






Alex
San Angelo, Texas
Home of the Texas Star

PS
(FWIW, my club has the first Star Terry ever made. The twisted goon is still tinkering...last month's club match had a four-star stage. One two-arm star, one three-arm star, one 4-arm star, and one 5-arm star. With no shoots blocking the right side of the stars, and some paper thrown in for good measure. Note to self: Don't let Terry design stages :lol

AW

 

[Jeeper]

The best method I have seen is to shoot the plate that is the highest. That usually means 1/2/5/4/3. Just dont chase them. It is a great exercise for trigger control and calling your shots.

 

[dukeofurl]

I'm taking a can of WD40 to the star before my next match.

Its getting boring and I'm a sadistic bastard.

 

[Hoser]

For fun.... Weight one of the upper arms with something that can fall off when the star starts moving. Prop a 2x2 under an arm to keep it still. Attach a cable to that 2x2 and have it activated by a popper or a door earlier in the stage.

That way when any shooter gets to it, its already spinning. The better you are, the faster you get to it and the faster its still spinning.

Herc, you are a about right. Thing is, you have to try several different ways and find out what works best for you.

Alex, a rifle quality star would be fun at 150-200 yards dont you think? An idea for next years state match. Leading a peice of steel at an IPSC match? Too cool. I have tried it at 100 yards with a 10/22 and its about 1,000% harder.

 

[SDC]

Does anyone have a video of one of these in action? I'd love to have one of our local fabricators make one up for our matches, cause they SOUND like a lot of fun.

 

[Hoser]

I will look for a video clip.

Best not to try and make one of these things. Very complicated. Terry Ashton does endorse, or at least OK'ed MGM's version of it.

 

[Wakal]

Terry and Mike have a very amiable relationship. I've heard the same story (about Mike making his own Stars) from both Terry's side and Mike's side. The stories match, as I would expect from such gentlemen. I admit my bias, though, since I'm friends with Terry and think well enough of Mike to purchase a grand to a grand and a half of steel from Mike every year No other star maker's product works as well as Terry's original...or Mike's nifty take on the same product.

Terry's has adjustable tension on the locking bars, so you can put .22 plates on the same arms as the regular pistol/shotgun plates. Like two stars in one! You can also reconfigure the five armed "Star" to a two-armed "Hammer" (also a real pain to shoot). At my request (read: continued begging), Terry set up one prototype Star with a pulley and a weight so it really gets spinning. It accelerates, which doesn't happen so much with the weight/stick trick

Mike's is...get this....all rifle grade. Oh yes, Hoser...100 yard rifle stars... I'll be the match director for the 2005 Texas State 3-Gun Championship (they wouldn't fire me after this year's match, darn it), and am working up a medium range Star stage for rifles

Both Stars are available for about the same money.

Both are an...interesting...shooting challenge!




Alex

 

[Jeeper]

I found this video

http://www.krtraining.com/IPSC/Matches/2001/TxStar.mpg

 

[dukeofurl]

http://www.cherokeeipsc.org/pictures/April10_2004/davesevigny_st3_10apr.mpg

Filename explains it all

 

[SDC]

Thanks I'm sure <I> wouldn't be as smooth on that stage.

 

[Tacblack]

Just shot the TN state USPSA match. The star was was nasty it was weighted with a plate on one leg resting on a stick and when you pushed the door down the stick came out and around it went. Glad I hit it pretty fast and one missed once. If it took you long it really started going.
Spinning TS's should be banned