National..

Boy, is this turning to a well-discussed theme!

I have to agree with nearly everyone here.

Pancho, what you see as fun is right out of MY "fun book."

I DO like the type of stages that allow the shooter to use what they want and in the order they want, but Ima sure brings up a good point. Not EVERYONE will choose the same method, and furthermore, the spotters can really be challenged when no one is sure what target will be shot next! Ima, if I'd been there that time you wouldn't have gotten a "P" for doing things differently!

I don't like "Ps" anyway, at least for most that get given. I think (and I guess this is the old, dumb, ex-tanker/soldier in me, but it IS MUCH more important if all targets are HIT, rather than what order the shooter happens to shoot them! I look at which target is the "most dangerous." In other words, which target would most likely get YOU first. That's why anyone who has shot with me knows that the closest targets SHOULD be shot first. This is often most common, but I've seen plenty of elaborate stages that start with the farthest targets, i.e. rifle targets, first. This is pretty stupid in a real-world situation. And even though this is for fun, I feel you should ALWAYS practice as you would shoot for real. Don't practice bad habits or procedures.

And another thing. I don't see this a lot, but sometimes spotters are too strict. The shooter should ALWAYS get the benefit of the doubt. Period. Not safety matters, mind you. If two spotters say the shooter missed 3, but the 3rd spotter says 2, and the discussion that WILL follow doesn't resolve it, the shooter should only be assessed 2 misses. IMHO. MOST of the spotters I've worked with agree, but I've certainly seen times when "personal issues" have caused a spotter to be more "strict" in their interpretations and not always have a fair & partial objectivity.

At our SMVS shoot yesterday there was a short discussion about sweeps. I have a 2-page list somewhere that lists all the sweeps that writer could find. This is, to ME, totally unnecessarily complicated. Nevada Sweep is about the most common, whatever. Use the most common and forget the rest! And if the stage directions mention a sweep by name they should explain it. Or not use the name at all. Many folks don't know what the difference is.

I believe in the K.I.S.S. theory very heartily. Keep It Simple, Stoopid! The more complicated it is and the more "math" needed (as Trap so wisely put it) just confuses things ... and it becomes less fun for most. Yer mileage may vary, as always.

Thanks ...