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  1. #1
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    Your opinion on the use of shot timers

    I have been going back and forth on the use of a shot timer... (I don't have one but I am considering buying one)

    On one hand I don't think it hardly has any practical application for concealed carry with one big exception. I am not a competition shooter. In the conceal carry arena it doesn't help at all about situational awareness, cover vs concealment, or any decision making stuff that will be far more important in the big picture. On the other hand where it does help is with constantly revealing the truth about mechanics and accuracy, which I personally think applies to concealed carry a lot.

    On balance are you using a shot timer in your regular routine or do you bypass that as something geared more for a competitive shooter?

    Opinions either way... please share...

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    Quote Originally Posted by alamo5000 View Post
    On the other hand where it does help is with constantly revealing the truth about mechanics and accuracy, which I personally think applies to concealed carry a lot.

    On balance are you using a shot timer in your regular routine or do you bypass that as something geared more for a competitive shooter?

    Opinions either way... please share...
    If you're trying to measure a baseline and/or establish or attain a standard, you have to have a way to measure the results. For the act of presenting and firing a weapon, one way to do that is assessing accuracy. Another way is assessing time on target. Note what I just said isn't specific to firing a hand gun, it's true overall for employing a weapon system, and standards exist for such things in the military.

    So, all that said, for the exact reason you mentioned, "revealing the truth about mechanics," a timer is a great way to establish such a baseline and work towards a standard, whatever that might be for you.

    I'm a huge fan of a timer, not because I shoot competitively, but because I can measure improvement or decline, and when I do shoot competitively, it adds some stress to the act of shooting.

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    ^ what he said. Two metrics of “improvement” would be speed and accuracy.

    Your accuracy may improve at the cost of speed or your speed improves but you’re not hitting anything

    Use the shot timer so both can be measured.

    I don’t shoot exclusive pistol-only competition (about 70/30 towards rifle) but adding time to the equation adds pressure to you as a shooter. You have X amount of time...can you, at the beep, execute all the actions necessary to stop the threat in a finite amount of time?

    I had an instructor and sort of mentor tell me a long time ago that you have the rest of your life to enter that gun fight. How long or short that may be is up to you. The situation wasn’t the same but the point was clear: get that gun up

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    Thanks for the responses. That kind of validated how I was sort of leaning I guess. The same metrics could be applied to rifles as well as pistols too I would imagine. Both a clear 'win'...

    On that note I have been looking at the Pocket Pro Timer II. Any experience with those or are better options available? I only mention that one because it's one of the few that Midway carries not because I have done any research on it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alamo5000 View Post
    Thanks for the responses. That kind of validated how I was sort of leaning I guess. The same metrics could be applied to rifles as well as pistols too I would imagine. Both a clear 'win'...
    My apologies if my post to sounded handgun-centric. That wasn't my intent, it just seemed like that's where your focus was, Alamo. The timer is agnostic, and I agree, it's a great tool, regardless of weapon system and/or discipline.

    On that note I have been looking at the Pocket Pro Timer II. Any experience with those or are better options available? I only mention that one because it's one of the few that Midway carries not because I have done any research on it.
    When I first started shopping, I ended up with the that timer. I liked it for all of the various settings you could adjust, especially on the random start time. The Pack (?) timer is a nice timer, but at least fpr the one I've borrowed, it doesn't allow for random start times. The smaller one (basically the third main option) is okay, but I like being able to clip my timer to a pocket or kit, so that ruled it out.

    The PPT does eat 9v batteries, though. The battery will last a long time, but the back light screen will be shut off early on in the battery cycle. Also, my timer's LCD screen has a decent sized blemish in it now, which makes reading some of the characters hard, but it's not like I've take great care with it and it's lasted at least 6-7 years. I need to get a new one, as I can't even read the settings and it reset itself the other day on me. But overall, I'm still a fan.

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    At the spring and fall shoots, we use a shot timer for the dueling tree. I don't have a local range that allows "from the leather", so I don't get to use it much locally. If you have a range that allows it, it does help with practice in that it will provide input into your time on target for the first shot. It sets a level that helps your practice. If you don't know how you are doing, it is tough to gauge improvement. I'm a big fan of input. The more I know, the more I can learn. We use a couple of PACT shot timers. Not expensive, and easy to use.
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  8. #8
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    Thank you all for the responses so far. No need to apologise for anything Gator.

    I don't use public ranges ever because I can shoot at home. It's been at least 3 or 4 years since I went to a range.

    The idea of getting feedback has been coming up a lot lately. I will probably be on the lookout for a good price but I know zero about timers so learning about any features that are good/bad on various models would be helpful.

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    Something I forgot to add earlier... The PPT allows you to adjust for suppressed weapons. I think both the PACT (thanks Jerry!) and the "other" (I can't remember the name) timers do that, as well, but something to research before buying. Again, why I went with the PPT, at the time, but it was some time ago.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gatordev View Post
    Something I forgot to add earlier... The PPT allows you to adjust for suppressed weapons. I think both the PACT (thanks Jerry!) and the "other" (I can't remember the name) timers do that, as well, but something to research before buying. Again, why I went with the PPT, at the time, but it was some time ago.
    That's definitely an example of exactly what type of things I would like to know before buying.

    If anyone can think of any other stuff at all please jump in. And definitely thank you Gator and others for your help. It definitely helps to learn from other people's experience.

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    AMG Lab Shot Timer is probably the best thing out there, from what I've been told. Beyond that, the rest of them all fucking blow equally; the CED, Pact, and Pocket Pros are all pretty similar in terms of features and all are old as fuck. I have had my Pocket Pro II for a long time now, and works fine still, I guess.

    You can do a lot of shit dry with just a phone app. Draws, reloads, etc.

    If it's raining out, just toss the timer into a Ziploc bag, maybe bump up the sensitivity a little, and drive on.

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    I got a shot timer a year or two ago and I find it both useful for practice to improve but also just fun. For some, the timer also adds some pressure to perform which can also impact your performance, which I find interesting.

    I got the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2 as it seems to be pretty well accepted and utilized. It's does have adjustments for sensitivity, but it won't pick up my shots when I shoot my MPX suppressed with subsonic ammo (which is pretty much all I shoot with the MPX) . I'm not sure if that is a "bad" on the timer or a just an "awesome!" on the gun.

    Get a shot timer. Go shoot with it. Get better. Have fun.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Default.mp3 View Post
    AMG Lab Shot Timer is probably the best thing out there, from what I've been told. Beyond that, the rest of them all fucking blow equally; the CED, Pact, and Pocket Pros are all pretty similar in terms of features and all are old as fuck. I have had my Pocket Pro II for a long time now, and works fine still, I guess.

    You can do a lot of shit dry with just a phone app. Draws, reloads, etc.

    If it's raining out, just toss the timer into a Ziploc bag, maybe bump up the sensitivity a little, and drive on.
    Those look great. Just need to figure out where to get one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BoilerUp View Post
    I got a shot timer a year or two ago and I find it both useful for practice to improve but also just fun. For some, the timer also adds some pressure to perform which can also impact your performance, which I find interesting.

    I got the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2 as it seems to be pretty well accepted and utilized. It's does have adjustments for sensitivity, but it won't pick up my shots when I shoot my MPX suppressed with subsonic ammo (which is pretty much all I shoot with the MPX) . I'm not sure if that is a "bad" on the timer or a just an "awesome!" on the gun.

    Get a shot timer. Go shoot with it. Get better. Have fun.
    Yes. More than just giving measurements of performance it does seem like it would add a new element to shooting. A fun one at that.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BoilerUp View Post
    I got the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2 as it seems to be pretty well accepted and utilized. It's does have adjustments for sensitivity, but it won't pick up my shots when I shoot my MPX suppressed with subsonic ammo (which is pretty much all I shoot with the MPX) . I'm not sure if that is a "bad" on the timer or a just an "awesome!" on the gun.
    Most likely has to do with the frequency of the sound, rather than the sheer volume. It'll probably pick it up if you have it pretty close to the ejection port. Or modify the drill so that you just use par times, I guess.

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