How to Shoot Pendulum - Essential Stage Planning Tips for Competitive Shooters
Pendulum is distance shooting across four plates at 18 yards. It requires good sight pictures and transitions. It rewards shooters who can seamlessly blend technical accuracy with efficient movement.
Pendulum - Strategy and Planning
Pendulum is distance shooting across four plates at 18 yards. It requires good sight pictures and transitions.
Maintain Rhythm:
A steady pace helps reduce the risk of missed shots, especially when transitioning between targets of varying heights.
Adjust for Elevation:
Be mindful of target elevation changes and adjust your aiming process as you transition from the outside targets inward.
Engage (T1-T4) Finish on Stop Plate (SP) - Competitors shoot all five strings from the center shooting box.
Best four out of five runs count for score.
Targets and Shooting Boxes:
One 3-by-3 shooting box at centerline
Two 10-inch plates at 5 feet high
Two 12-inch plates at 6 feet high
One 12-inch stop plate (SP) at 5 feet high
Max Target Distances:
18 yards deep (firing line to farthest target)
24 feet wide (farthest distance, left to right, from target centers)
Average target distance = 16.4 yards
Stage Planning Summary - Pendulum
Left Side Start
SC-106 Pendulum - Left Side Start
Right Side Start
SC-106 Pendulum - Right Side Start
Pendulum FAQ
What is the Pendulum stage in Steel Challenge?
Pendulum (SC-106) is a distance-shooting Steel Challenge classifier with four plates out around 18 yards, shot from a single centerline box. It rewards good sight pictures and smooth transitions, finishing on a 12-inch stop plate.
What is the layout of the Pendulum stage?
Pendulum uses one 3-by-3 shooting box at the centerline, two 10-inch plates at 5 feet high, two 12-inch plates at 6 feet high, and one 12-inch stop plate. The maximum target distance is about 18 yards.
How do you shoot Pendulum?
Hold a steady rhythm and read the elevation changes as you transition between the higher and lower plates, using a sequence such as T1, T2, T3, T4, then the stop plate. A consistent pace reduces missed shots at the longer distance.
Why is Pendulum a challenging stage?
All four plates sit around 18 yards, so it is one of the more distance-heavy stages, and the plates are set at different heights, which forces you to adjust your aim as you transition inward. Precise sight alignment matters more here than raw speed.