Big 3 East: Triumph Systems Targets

The next target system is their line of Pop Packs. The Pop Packs are like a big Capri Sun drink pouch. They are filled with different colored non-toxic bio-degradable liquid and the bags have different shapes printed on them. These are used for training or competition. You can have shooters race each other while having a non-shooter call out a color and shape. Then the shooters will have to ID the target and shoot it first. They are a great training value and instant feedback. They allow for multi-variable judgement drills. Cost effective and Fun! A case of 12 Pop Packs will retail between $10-$15.

The third product is the Pivotal Trainer is the most interesting to me. It is an RF remote controlled target spinner.

The Pivotal Trainer has two modes, auto and manual modes. Auto has a few settings that cause the Pivotal Trainer to run random scenarios. The Manual mode is controlled by a second person overseeing the shooter. I could see this working well in action matches with a Range Officer manning the controls.

The Pivotal Trainer starts off by holding the target 90 degrees to the shooter. Jared calls this the “edge profile”. The remote can control how long the Pivotal Trainer holds that target, what direction it will turn, how many degrees it will turn and how long it will stay in any given position.

Jared showed it off by having two targets, one on each side of the cardboard. One is a silhouette threat armed with a hand gun and the other is a non-threat silhouette armed with a cordless drill. The pivotal trainer can spin to either direction showing the threat or non-threat. It is then the shooter who has to ID the threat and respond accordingly. Very cool training aid for many scenarios.

Photo shot by Matt Korovesis of Outdoor Hub.

I asked Jared a few questions about the Pivotal Trainer. Such as cost, range of the controller and will there be a plate to protect the spinning motor.

The Pivotal Trainer’s MSRP is $250 or less. The remote control is RF and operates in two modes – – manual and random (for single person training or for professional firearms instructors as well and as a tool to focus more on the actual student) and has the ability to rotate multiple 360’s (or 180’s or 540’s and so on). The range of the remote control is 50 meters.

In random mode, the defensive shooter will first select if he or she is training from the holster or outside the holster (low/ high ready). This sets the bell curve and randomizes the time period the target will be in edge profile (from the defensive shooters vantage point). Next the defensive shooter will select how long he or she wants the target to present itself for the purposes of positively ID’ing threat/ no threat and acting accordingly. The options for target presentation are 1.5 sec, 3 sec, and 4.5 sec. We intentionally started with 1.5 seconds because we feel a defensive shooter needs to be able ID a threat and neutralize that threat (from the holster) in under 1.5 sec as many violent encounters and attacks occur at close distances.

As far as the deflective plate for the motor, we are sourcing several options and closing in on the solution soon, but it will increase protection to motor from common training calibers (9mm). That said, if the defensive shooter is throwing rounds off paper, he or she ought close distance and / or increase the time that the target presents itself.