A shot timer is a valuable tool in the practical shooting scene, but not every shooter is familiar with it. First developed in the 80s, this device is often used in competition shooting sports and law enforcement training to provide essential, reliable data in real-time. Read on to learn more about shot timers and what they can do.

DEFINING A SHOT TIMER

A shot timer is an electronic device that combines a digital stopwatch with a microphone calibrated to record a shooter’s time. The device indicates starting time with an audible signal and detects the sound of each shot. When the shooter finishes, the timer will display the time elapsed from the start signal until the last shot.

A shot timer provides crucial details about the speed of a shooter’s draw, transition times between targets, and follow-up shot timing. Each timer offers many of the same basic features. They include an audible buzzer, a microphone that records shots, and the ability to review a string of fire to get data from multiple gunfires. Many shot timers also have a setting for a random start time, which allows shooters to train by themselves.