Low Tech Hogan's Alley

[Bikenut]

A few members of our gun club and I put together a low tech Hogan's Alley.... then opened it to the membership and the general public. This weekend is the 3rd weekend we have done this and it is very well received by everyone who goes through it.

We made A-frame target holders with a pivoting mid section so we could prop up the pivot section then pull out the prop with a string and bingo! we have a pop-up target. Targets are arranged so there are good guys mixed in with bad guys... some bad guys are hidden by good guys so the shooter must move in order to get a shot at the bad guy.... there is also a bad guy who pops up unexpectedly when the shooter is concentrating on moving to the next shooting station... there are things to hide behind and shoot around or through.... and we change things around so there are new challenges for each event. The differing challenges are limited only by our imagination in setting up.

The focus is on presenting people with decision making/target recognition/and problem solving... the actual firing of the handgun becomes a secondary thing and accuracy somewhere in center of mass is all that is needed. It is not timed and there is no scoring.... it is not a competition. It is primarily a learning exercise presented as the course of fire being the actual "instructor" and each shooter has to figure out how to deal with the course on their own.

All props were made from mostly scrap wood... targets were bought online and are the black and white "picture" type to give the shooter a chance to shoot at more than a simple sillouette or a bulls eye. We charge each shooter $5 to cover the cost of the targets and encourage them to take their targets home.

Initial cost to get this thing going was $160. A few dedicated guys do the work setting up and working the event.

Sound interesting? Got some scrap wood laying around? Got a receptive Gun Club/range? Doing this type of event is great fun for everyone... shooters and workers alike......

Hope I've caused a few people to consider doing this at their range.......

 :grin:  :-)

[papajohn428]

Way to go, Bikenut!  I've always loved the concept of Hogan's Alleys, a great way to test your reactions and shooting skills, and it sounds like you found a great way to do it!  Bully!

I'd love to try that at our range but the layout is not conducive to it, but at least we have a pin range.  I often test my handgun skills by starting facing away from the pins, weapon holstered and concealed.   One round of that shows me why I need to keep practicing!   :eek:

When I was a kid I set up a Hogan's Alley in my basement, my brother would work the targets and I'd blast away with my BB pistol.  My mother finally put a stop to it because she was tired of stepping on BB's, and her washing machine was getting pretty dinged up!

If it wasn't for her I'd probably have been the next Rob Leatham!   :roll:

Papajohn the Appliance Assassin