PRS Talk Shot my first match last week....

[Boltgun7443]

75-650 yard course. 20 shooters (all were super welcoming and helpful)
Knew all my data...but never knew how much Id need to hold vs dialing. Is this normal feeling? Just felt like most held, shot, impact...While I was dialing, shooting, and it took alot longer...Is this normal?

 

[Gray Squirrel]

Yes, hold off is better in dynamic situations where you are engaging several targets at various distances. That's why we have MOA and MIL reticles versus just a traditional crosshair in traditional hunting scopes. Instead if dialing on the scope, you translate your hold to the reticle and adjust your point of aim. Basically turning your reticle into a BDC.

For example, if you are shooting at a distance that normally requires you to dial 2 MILs of elevation on your scope, if you are running a MIL reticle, just adjust your aim so your new crosshair is the 2 MIL hash mark up on the reticle. Then, if you are then having to switch immediately to a target where you normally dial .5 MIL elevation, you then just put the .5 hash mark of the reticle on the target. This can be done with windage too (its very common due to the varied nature of the wind).

You can create a cheat sheet of hold offs to help you out. You just have to translate your normal DOPE into where it corresponds to your reticle based on the round you are firing. Generally, its based on what your bullet drop is at a distance and translating that to your reticle.

At further distances, you may end up just having to dial or doing a combination of both, dialing and then holding off the rest. A technique we used overseas while overwatching an area was to establish the furthest distance we were realistically going to engage and setting our DOPE for half of that. Then we just used hold offs if/when targets would pop up at different distances. For example, we are in a position where 600 meters would be our furthest engagement point based on line of sight, environmental factors, positioning, etc. We would set our DOPE to 300 meters and begin scanning. Then it was just a matter of establishing range and hold off when it came time to engage. It would take too long to dial in most of those situations since targets would sometimes only pop out briefly.

Similar to a timed PRS course of fire as you found out.

 

[Sheldon N]

For me it depends on the time available and the number of shots needed. I'll always dial if given the chance. Through practice and prior match experience I have a pretty good sense of whether there is enough time to dial or if I should hold over. If there's not enough time to dial then I usually set my turret for one target then hold on the others using dope offset. Sometimes I'll even hold under rather than hold over. If a stage is tight on time and has the most difficult/smallest target farthest away I've dialed for the farthest target and used hold unders on the near/easy targets since I like the crosshairs and wind holds on the most challenging target. Gotta keep your head on straight though to keep track of what you're doing.

For someone new it's not a bad approach to dial and methodically get good quality impacts. A slow and steady 6 where you timed out on the last two shots is better than a hasty 8 where you missed three times.

 

[Carl_Ross]

It really depends for me on the course of fire. To me, there are clear “dial” stages and clear “hold over” stages, and some that fall in between. I dial by default, but on stages where it is obviously a disadvantage I will switch to holding.

The factors for me are time limit, target size, number of distance transitions, and position stability. In our typical Montana matches, the time limits are often generous, so I’ll go many matches without holding for elevation. In some national level matches, I’d hold on 25-40% of stages. In my opinion, do lots of dry fire and live fire practice, as mock timed stages, and you’ll develop a feel for which is better for you in various situations.

 

[combatgrunt84]

Im looking at picking up this sport. Do you know the ranges to the targets ahead of time?

 

[ballison]

Im looking at picking up this sport. Do you know the ranges to the targets ahead of time?

Yes. At most matches, you will get a match book when you register (day before or morning of) with stage descriptions, targets, and distances.

 

[lash]

Like already said, there are some stages where hold off is more helpful and even some where it is expected based upon the stage design. We often have at least one stage where you have to engage multiple targets at two or three different distances and then re-engage them during the same string, for example 200-300-200-300-200. That is designed to get you used to doing hold over.

In my opinion, you should get used to knowing what your holds are for those short distances. Anything 500 yards and less should be in your head already. By that, I mean at least the holds for the even yardages like 100, 200, 300, 400, 500.

 

[combatgrunt84]

Yes. At most matches, you will get a match book when you register (day before or morning of) with stage descriptions, targets, and distances.

Awesome thanks, I'm slowly working up the gear.

 

[combatgrunt84]

I want to shot my AR-10 what’s the standard ammo count per stage I only have one 10rnd 2x25rnds and about 10x20rnd mags and do you carry a spare?

 

[lash]

There really is no standard round count per stage, but typically, if you have 2-3 10-round mags, you are good to go. I cannot recall ever being required to use three mags in a stage, but did have a mag jam once and having the third mag ready saved me a bunch of trouble. Your 20-round mags will be just as good to use.