Shooting around Barracades

Duxman · October 2, 2006, 10:06 AM

Hello everyone - just came back from a regular match, but was a re-shoot of the recent sectional here in Fredricksburg, VA. Several challenging stages, including a popper activated cart that rolled down a ramp carrying 2 targets that had to be shot on the move and a dark room scenario!!

Anyway, down the business - several stages had barracades that you either had to shoot under, lean around them, or one hand shoot (as not to break the 180 plane) to get your targets.

I get alpha's on the close range 21 feet or under, but when I get to the longer range shooting Charlie's and Delta's on the 30-60 foot range targets when it comes to leaning around the barracades...?

Any suggestions, help, tips etc?

Lurper · October 2, 2006, 10:28 AM

Back in my old stomping grounds.
You don't give enough info Dux. Are you having trouble when you lean around the barricade and shoot strong hand only or shooting around barricades in general?

If it is the former, then you just need to practice shooting strong hand only more. Shoot for accuracy.

If the latter, then you just need to ignore the barricade.

Barricades like no-shoots, do not exist. More often than not, shooters get intimidated by them. Just put the sights on the target and press the trigger. Don't let anything else get in your head. The target is the target whether it is the size of a pin or the broad side of a barn. If you focus on hitting the target, nothing else matters.
As a general rule (especially in IPSC) you don't want to touch the barricade. Shoot around it. Usually, you can get in a better position by bending at the knee when leaning around them.

BTW, I am the founder of the club at MCDEC at Quantico. Don't know if it still exists, but that was one of the clubs I started back there.

Duxman · October 2, 2006, 10:50 AM

Thanks Lurper. I knew it was something as simple as that.

I will look up the USPSA website and see if that club still exists. The ones closest to where we shoot are:

North Mountain - right off 66 and 81.

Fredericksburg - right off I-95 exit 126.

Fredericksburg is an all day event. Over a 100 shooters show up usually and its a day of fun....as Tino (Director would say) the best $20 you can spend.

North Mountain is a very intimate course. Smaller squads. 5 stages. About 1/2 a days worth of fun.

HSMITH · October 2, 2006, 08:28 PM

Get low to shoot around barricades. Spend part of the 5 minutes figuring out how low to get and where to place your feet for the most stable platform you can get in that presentation.

I like to keep the gun vertical, a lot of other guys cant the gun when shooting around an obstacle. For me, I like to see the same track of the front sight I see on every other target. The front sight goes straight up, comes straight down, and the gun fires again when the sight lands where it started. When I cant the gun I get all sorts of gyrations in the front sight that I have to muscle out and get the front sight back where it belongs. Yes, the gun still tracks pretty much up and down the axis of the gun when canted, but that isn't what my brain thinks it should do. My brain wants the front sight to track up and down relative to the horizon. Try it both ways and see what works better for you.

October 2, 2006, 10:06 AM	#1
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	Shooting around Barracades Hello everyone - just came back from a regular match, but was a re-shoot of the recent sectional here in Fredricksburg, VA. Several challenging stages, including a popper activated cart that rolled down a ramp carrying 2 targets that had to be shot on the move and a dark room scenario!! Anyway, down the business - several stages had barracades that you either had to shoot under, lean around them, or one hand shoot (as not to break the 180 plane) to get your targets. I get alpha's on the close range 21 feet or under, but when I get to the longer range shooting Charlie's and Delta's on the 30-60 foot range targets when it comes to leaning around the barracades...? Any suggestions, help, tips etc?

October 2, 2006, 10:28 AM	#2
Lurper Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2006 Posts: 943	Back in my old stomping grounds. You don't give enough info Dux. Are you having trouble when you lean around the barricade and shoot strong hand only or shooting around barricades in general? If it is the former, then you just need to practice shooting strong hand only more. Shoot for accuracy. If the latter, then you just need to ignore the barricade. Barricades like no-shoots, do not exist. More often than not, shooters get intimidated by them. Just put the sights on the target and press the trigger. Don't let anything else get in your head. The target is the target whether it is the size of a pin or the broad side of a barn. If you focus on hitting the target, nothing else matters. As a general rule (especially in IPSC) you don't want to touch the barricade. Shoot around it. Usually, you can get in a better position by bending at the knee when leaning around them. BTW, I am the founder of the club at MCDEC at Quantico. Don't know if it still exists, but that was one of the clubs I started back there.

October 2, 2006, 10:50 AM	#3
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	Thanks Lurper. I knew it was something as simple as that. I will look up the USPSA website and see if that club still exists. The ones closest to where we shoot are: North Mountain - right off 66 and 81. Fredericksburg - right off I-95 exit 126. Fredericksburg is an all day event. Over a 100 shooters show up usually and its a day of fun....as Tino (Director would say) the best $20 you can spend. North Mountain is a very intimate course. Smaller squads. 5 stages. About 1/2 a days worth of fun.

October 2, 2006, 08:28 PM	#4
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	Get low to shoot around barricades. Spend part of the 5 minutes figuring out how low to get and where to place your feet for the most stable platform you can get in that presentation. I like to keep the gun vertical, a lot of other guys cant the gun when shooting around an obstacle. For me, I like to see the same track of the front sight I see on every other target. The front sight goes straight up, comes straight down, and the gun fires again when the sight lands where it started. When I cant the gun I get all sorts of gyrations in the front sight that I have to muscle out and get the front sight back where it belongs. Yes, the gun still tracks pretty much up and down the axis of the gun when canted, but that isn't what my brain thinks it should do. My brain wants the front sight to track up and down relative to the horizon. Try it both ways and see what works better for you.