R&R Racing Stage 7: The Klein Family

Stage 7 of the 2007 R&R Racing Multigun Match is called "Breaching Doors".


For this stage, Bobby Wright has created a new stage prop. It's a door frame which must be opened by blasting the lock with a shotgun charge. The competitor must completely sever the locking mechanism (a 1" diameter wooden 'lock') before he is able to continue to the first shooting position.

This stage actually features two doors, so both 'locks' must be 'blasted' open. Sometimes, this works fine. Sometimes, this doesn't work as well as might reasonably be expected.

I watched the match this weekend, and took a lot of pictures and filmed a lot of videos. My attention was focused most often on this entirely new stage design, because it was eminently viewable (the few vision barriers were composed of 'snow fencing', so spectators could see what the competitors were doing at almost every position of the stage).


Also, this new stage prop was cleverly designed to present an unique challenge to the competitor, while making it easy for the stage crew to set up for the next competitor. In fact, it took less time to set up the two 'doors' than it would ordinarily take a stage crew to reset most target activators.

There were ZERO delays on the stage because of the need to reset this prop (twice featured on Stage 7) because of the simple and robust design of the door mechanism. The only delay ... and it lasted no more than a minute ... was when one competitor muscled his way through the door and slightly damaged the opening mechanism. Repairs by Chief Range Officer Bill Sahlberg were simple, intuitive and easy.



While filming this stage, I noticed that three of the competitors were surnamed "Klein". Grandfather Jeff, son Jason and grandson Jacob demonstrated three different approaches to the stage. Unfortunately, Jason experienced many firearm malfunctions ... both with the initiating Shotgun and the follow-up Rifle ... which dramatically extended his stage time.

In the video, you can hear Jacob exclaiming excitedly as his father determinately fights the malfunctions.

And you can see the way the door works.