How to Shoot Five to Go - Essential Stage Planning Tips for Competitive Shooters
Overview and Stage Plan - Five to Go is four 10-inch round steel plate targets set at 5 feet high, and each plate is progressively farther than the previous. The stop plate is a quick transition to the right on a 12-inch plate set at 7 yards.
Five to Go - Strategy and Planning
Practice the Long Shot:
The farthest target is often the most challenging, so dedicate practice time to mastering its distance and alignment.
Build Rhythm:
Consistency in target engagement and transitions is critical to achieving competitive scores.
Minimize Wasted Movement:
Keep transitions efficient by aligning your body and grip for smooth side-to-side motions.
Engage (T1-T4) Finish on Stop Plate (SP) - Competitors shoot all five strings from the center shooting box. The best four of five runs count for score.
Targets and Shooting Boxes:
One 3-by-3 shooting box at the centerline
Four 10-inch plates at 5 feet high
One 12-inch stop plate (SP) at 5 feet high
Target Distances
18 yards deep (firing line to farthest target)
27 feet, 4 inches wide (left to right from target centers)
Average target distance = 12.4 yards
Stage Planning Summary - Five to Go
Left Side Start
SC-101 Five to Go - Left Side Start
Five to Go FAQ
What is the Five to Go stage in Steel Challenge?
Five to Go (SC-101) is a Steel Challenge classifier made up of four 10-inch round plates set at 5 feet high, each placed progressively farther than the last, plus a 12-inch stop plate off to the right at about 7 yards. You shoot it from a single 3-by-3 shooting box on the centerline.
What is the layout of the Five to Go stage?
The stage uses one shooting box at the centerline, four 10-inch plates at 5 feet high, and one 12-inch stop plate. It measures about 18 yards deep from the firing line to the farthest target and roughly 27 feet wide across the target centers, with an average target distance around 12.4 yards.
How do you shoot Five to Go?
Because the plates get progressively farther away, most shooters take them in order and save the stop plate for last, since ending on the stop plate is what records your time. Planning a smooth path across the plates and a clean transition to the stop plate on the right is the key to a fast, consistent run.
Where is the stop plate on Five to Go?
The stop plate is a 12-inch plate positioned to the right of the array at about 7 yards, and you engage it with a quick transition after the four round plates. In Steel Challenge the stop plate is always shot last because it stops the timer for that string.