How To: Target Pulling In The Pits, Short Video Tutorial
 

I was at the range yesterday and was in the pits pulling for my friend on the long line, so I said "What the Hell" and recorded a video on target pulling. Unfortunately, I was woefully unprepared and only had a Canon 7D with a single 8gig CF card. Luckily I brought my tripod.

Anyway, it's split across three individual videos due to youtube filesize restrictions (2gig uploads; the videos are 1080p 24fps).

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dXA9A5jY1E

Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSU2oa5Rs1I

Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF9qENgrevU

or

Playlist - http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...8F7FE5E77137D4

Since it was an impromptu thing, the videos are quite unrefined.

Thank you...
 

for you posting the informative videos. I now have an understanding of pit

work.

Regards,
John

Excellent presentation and the Video quality is quite adequate. I was impressed with the evolution of the pits ans spotting techniques. Last time I pulled targets, 55 years ago at P.I., the location of the spotting disc placed in the bullet hole was flagged by holding a large metal disk on a pole over the spotting disc. The color of the the large disc indicated the score. More than once I had another bullet go through the large disc. And more than once I had more than one bullet hole in the target when someone fired on the wrong target. Thanks for posting this.

Well done. Thanks for the videos.

Thanks... A group of us are shooting a match Sunday and I am the only one on the team who has worked the pits. Only once.

I'm probably going to re-record a new video. I also need to create one to demonstrate pulling for rapid fire stages. I plan on shooting at a match in a couple weeks. I can probably record some footage at that time.

Looking forward to seeing the rapid fire video.

Great job!

Good job ocabj! I've never been to Camp Perry and this was the one thing I was most worried about. Hopefully I'll be ready this fall.

Good videos! Thanks!

Great video. I'm glad you gave the safety tip about not looking up. I've only pulled targets in the pits one time, but the guy I was pulling for hit the top of the berm I was standing behind. Its a good thing I was wearing a hat and glasses otherwise I would have had a shower of sand in my eyes.

No impact berm at Camp Perry other than Lake Erie so looking at the target is the only option for slow fire - Eyewear needed.

Jim Owens has a CD called "pit and line procedures" on his website for a small fee. It was a great asset to me when I started shooting XTC HP matches.
Here is the link:
http://www.jarheadtop.com/Books.htm

Not to take away from the video on YouTube.

I was going to record footage during an actual match with a good pit officer, or do a demonstration of various stages while in the pits with actual pit commands.

I just haven't had the time and opportunity to get to the range (weather).

I could record during the Navy Matches coming up in April...

Great job making these videos. Just one question, where is the location of the range where the videos were filmed. Thanks very much.

Would have liked to see that some years ago
 

My Guard platoon was assigned to pit duty for qualifications a number of years ago.We didn't get much guidance beforehand. Just kind of thrown in to it. I got hit in the cheek by what I assume was a fragment. Didn't do any damage, but it sure hurt like hell.

Flying pieces is one reason why clubs with pits do not people using staples to attach targets to the backing. Wallpaper paste only.

Good job!!! Thank you.

Puling targets
 

At Camp Perry, in the 60s, I remember sand being sprayed down our necks, bollows and granny's drawers for a complete miss.

OLDBRK42

I worked the 1000 yard pits in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba waaay back in '69; scoring sure has changed since then!! Great video.

I enjoyed the videos. I think the standard set by Mr. Ocab for target service in his videos is a worthy standard (10 seconds). I would add that the NRA Highpower rules note that the normal time required from firing the shot until the target is again ready averages 15-18 seconds. So don't stress if you are running longer than 10 seconds and are new to the game. The shooter appreciates it if you can keep things humming. I preferred to take an extra second for quality control - proper contrast for spotting disk, scoring disk correct, that sort of thing.

As a shooter (these things should not bother you but) i rather have the puller take longer than rush dump the target 1/2 way up then yank it down to move spotter or score disc. Actually i would rather they toss it up and wait for a line/shooter to call out to fix any mistakes.

Halfway up but then yanking back down
 

Oh yes! Agreed. The yanking the target back down makes you wonder when the target is really up. Or is it going to stay up or something else will cause the puller to yank it down.

Thanks, your above post happened many times at Edison Range, 1966..
We had many targets full of holes from other shooters. It was a common mistake, I missed expert by two points, I was heart broken. boo hoo.

Woes be to the non qual. they PT those dummies all day long. made them put there uniforms on backward and march backward. I never could figure how they could miss such a large target. I'm guessing most recruits out of my 90 man platoon never ever handled a rifle before boot camp. thanks...... Junnie