Texas star or spinner?

[ilikegunspdx]

Found these for pretty inexpensive. Ar500/sr500. The spinner is a little on the small side but has adjustable weights for pistol vs rifle.

What's your preference? I kinda like you don't have to reset plates all the time on the spinner but the star is more of a challenge. My primary use is timing one gun side by side against another just for kicks and to learn about the guns (in my hands i mean).

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[VinnieBoomBah]

I would think the Texas Star would be better overall despite the walking involved. I have shot spinners and they were challenging and fun, but it was a very specific movement / cadence that I don't see relating well to any other shooting skills

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I would think the Texas Star would be better overall despite the walking involved. I have shot spinners and they were challenging and fun, but it was a very specific movement / cadence that I don't see relating well to any other shooting skills

I agree. It would work well comparing one gun to another in terms of timing/accuraccy (Fe less recoil lets you get more shots on a plate in a single swing). But beyond that it's not as much of a moving target as the Texas star. Plus I have a 20% off coupon for the Texas star. Longer setup time though.

 

[Ben B.]

They are both range novelties. Having reset the star a zillion times, my guess is that you will tire of resetting the star MUCH sooner, maybe sooner than you think. The spinner will be a low hassle, useful target on a home range for much longer.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

my guess is that you will tire of resetting the star MUCH sooner, maybe sooner than you think

Sounds to me like another job for a kid with the 'tism!

 

[Jmorris]

I'll throw this out there, I know one range that was shut down 3 weeks after it opened because of a spinning target similar to the attached.

It actually was not 100% the targets fault, the design allowed a shooter to get into a cadence that had the top plate rotating further back with each shot, until the bullets did not strike the surface and disintegrate and instead skipped off of it at an upward angle (like a ricochet off water) and go over the berm. Would have been fine if they had been shooting at the bottom target instead of the top. Know where your bullets are going, because they can figure out where they came from.

I have a couple stars I shoot quite bit but use these when I don't feel like any exercise but want reactive targets.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOcNNcLxnU

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I'll throw this out there, I know one range that was shut down 3 weeks after it opened because of a spinning target similar to the attached.

It actually was not 100% the targets fault, the design allowed a shooter to get into a cadence that had the top plate rotating further back with each shot, until the bullets did not strike the surface and disintegrate and instead skipped off of it at an upward angle (like a ricochet off water) and go over the berm. Would have been fine if they had been shooting at the bottom target instead of the top. Know where your bullets are going, because they can figure out where they came from.

I have a couple stars I shoot quite bit but use these when I don't feel like any exercise but want reactive targets.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOcNNcLxnU


View attachment 2067378 View attachment 2067379

Very cool plate racks!

Makes total sense about the ricochet on a spinner. Like skipping a bullet off water/ice whatever. If angle is low enough it's like skipping a rock. Never thought of that before for a spinner but it makes sense cuz a lot of those shots will be when it's at an angle as you're trying to push it over. Thx!

 

[Deavis]

I would think the Texas Star would be better overall despite the walking involved. I have shot spinners and they were challenging and fun, but it was a very specific movement / cadence that I don't see relating well to any other shooting skills

The. Spinner has massive transferable skills.

You have to shoot it in the "target's time" not your time.

It forces to to shoot, and hit a moving target in a very compressed time frame.

Its invaluable.

 

[Sjaggard]

The cheap targets won't hold up I've bought both go MGM buy once cry once-Practical pistol and Muligun this weekend at DRRC!

 

[Jmorris]

Very cool plate racks!

Makes total sense about the ricochet on a spinner. Like skipping a bullet off water/ice whatever. If angle is low enough it's like skipping a rock. Never thought of that before for a spinner but it makes sense cuz a lot of those shots will be when it's at an angle as you're trying to push it over. Thx!

Thanks, they have saved miles of walking over the years.

I have made some that spin but I don't put top targets on them.

I generally work of transitions more if I am shooting fixed steel spread out a bit.

If you need more of a challenge you can put a port on the running target I made and shoot through that to hit the targets, while in motion.

Like this.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=knZjh8VcZaI

 

[gun2]

Found these for pretty inexpensive. Ar500/sr500. The spinner is a little on the small side but has adjustable weights for pistol vs rifle.

What's your preference? I kinda like you don't have to reset plates all the time on the spinner but the star is more of a challenge. My primary use is timing one gun side by side against another just for kicks and to learn about the guns (in my hands i mean).

I prefer the texas star. Better training to shoot moving targets and time shots, safer, more fun. Second choice would be auto reset, then hanging plates, then popups. I have all of these except the auto resets because they're super expensive! Although primary range I used to use had them so I've used them a ton.

 

[Jmorris]

I have all of these except the auto resets because they're super expensive!

I made all of mine, I use 12 volt power window motors to run another gear and a reset arm. Only need two switches at that point.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqp7WFw9zEc


This one is more of an advanced project though.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9jDuuf-wcE&t=6s

 

[Stomper]

Sounds to me like another job for a kid with the 'tism!

Also known back in the 60's to early 80's as Dad's TV remote control....

 

[Koda]

At first I thought the subject title was asking about stage names....


I think the Texas Star would be way more useful and fun for target shooting, unlike stage namesakes I think a spinner would get boring quickly. The Texas Star is a little out of my price range for not having land for a private range but would be a good investment for someone who does.

 

[gun2]

Those are some serious cool resetting targets! -I'm impressed! I particularly like the top one with the window motor, it's awesome how relatively "simple" it is!

 

[Jmorris]

Thank you, I thought about the reset for awhile and when that popped into my head I wondered why it didn't come to me sooner.

The larger rack has a larger gear, I used an old chevy flex plate for that one.

 

[Jmorris]

On the TX Star subject, one I built I added a gear to the shaft that spins with the target, that meshed with another gear that goes out the back and holds no shoot targets behind the star that rotates in the opposite direction.

The most interesting thing about it was how much better everyone shoots a star when a miss costs you so much more than just the split to the next shot. Much more focus on getting hits.

We have also put one behind another and paint one plate on each as a "no shoot", to make things more interesting, having to hit one plate on each before cleaning up the rest. This is my buddy Joe shooting a set like that. His reload is odd because he only has one arm, has to tuck the pistol, muzzle down range and reload with his only hand.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6ZOf5xXmpA

 

[P7M13]

Spinners are always preferred, except when it comes to shooting.
While stars can be a PITA to reset, they are excellent for drills when combined with multiple other targets. Shoot star, move and shoot other target, move & shoot star again, etc. you get the idea.