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The
‘Gee, Whiz’ Factor
As a
competitor on paper target ranges (i.e. most Australian pistol shooters), the
first time you ‘experience’ EST, either as a shooter or as a spectator, you
can feel slightly overwhelmed.
Gone are:
·
The
need to go forward to score and patch after each series,
·
Decisions
over gauged shot values, ‘doubles’ and ‘skid’ shots,
·
Register
Keepers,
·
Additions
on the Registers,
·
Transferring
Registers to the results computer.
The
technology when EST was introduced for ISSF competitions was not exactly new:
in WW1 the British used acoustic sensors to accurately locate artillery
guns. The latest generation of EST use
laser and acoustic technology for the hybrid Targetry.
xxx
Insight
#1
Whether you are shooting on paper targets or on
Electronic Targets (EST), the front sight of your pistol is the same!
Insight
#2
“I cannot see the scoring rings
on EST”
a) Guess what? For ‘open’ sights on
paper targets, IF you were focussing on, and at,
at the front sight, you never
could! The laws of optics apply.
b) You don’t need to be able to
discern the scoring rings on a target – they are only a distraction anyway.
c) IF you are trying to aim at a
specific part of the target, you need a session on ‘area aim’ with a coach.
d) Refer Insight
#1>, above.
Pros & Cons of EST
·
There
are no scoring rings on the target:
o
On
the Pro side, (refer Insight
#1> and Insight #2>
above) there are no scoring rings to distract you from your front sight! The shot values will be available on the
monitors.
o
On
the Con side, nil! You do not need to
be able to see the scoring rings to fire ‘good’ shots.
·
You
do not have to go forward to the targets for scoring and patching:
o
On
the Pro side, this saves a lot of walking and the need for patches,
o
On
the Con side, during training sessions it is all too easy to fall into the
way of shooting series after series without a reasonable break between series
– you will tire quickly!
·
The
shot values and shot placement are in effect immediately available:
o
On
the Pro side, there is virtually immediate feedback on your shot values. These shot values are incredibly accurate
for value and placement!
o
On
the Con side, there is a tendency to look for the shot values and placement
and abbreviate (or even fail to) carry out proper Follow Through> after
the fifth shot.
·
The
timings of your shots are in effect immediately available:
o
On
the Pro side, there is immediate feedback on your shot timings.
o
On
the Con side, again, there is a tendency to look for the shot values/timings
immediately after firing the last shot in the series and abbreviate (or even
fail to) carry out proper Follow Through>
after the fifth
shot
·
A
print-out of your session is available from the EST:
o On the Pro side; you, and your
coaches can view the date from the session.
o On the Con
side, nil.
·
Red/Green
lights:
o On the Pro side:
§ The green light
comes on EXACTLY seven seconds after the red light
– irresepective of whether the RO calls presses the start button as the start
of the call half way through the call, or at the end of the call“ATTENTION”.
§ The lights are
at the top of the targets, so you should be looking a the area where the
sights will appear at the bottom of the target when you raise the pistol from
the Ready position (this is a ‘good thing’).
o On the Con
side:
§ for shooters who
on paper targets rely on the sound of the turning targets operating or the
turining of the targets, both these cues are missing with EST.
§ It is all too
easy to get trapped into looking at (and focussing your eyes at) the
red/green lights instead of the distance that the front sight will be at when
you raise the pistol.
©
2026, Spencer Tweedie
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