Shot timers have come a long way. After years of using a Pocket Pro Shot Timer—which served me well—I was ready to try something more modern. When Shooters Global introduced smart shot timers that pair with your phone, watch, and sync stats automatically, my inner tech nerd was immediately piqued.
I’ve been using both the SG Timer 2 and the SG Timer GO exclusively for a while now—training with them, learning how they work, and incorporating them into my live and dry fire routines. Over that time, they’ve become the timers I reach every time, and I’ve genuinely come to enjoy working with them.
Just for transparency: Shooters Global did send me the original SG Timer and these two new versions for free. They didn’t pay me to write this article, and originally I had no affiliate relationship with them. But after finishing this review, they let me know they’ve launched an affiliate program, which I’ve joined. So, any product links here are affiliate links that help support my work. That said, this review is still 100% my own experience and opinion.
Also worth noting: all of the ammo used in this review was provided by our ammo sponsor, Ammunition Depot. Huge thanks to them for making this kind of testing possible.
SG Timer 2 and GO: Two High-Performance Options, One Ecosystem
Both timers are high-performance and built for frequent use at the range and at home. The Timer 2 is larger, with more interface options, better weather resistance, and a few additional features. The Timer GO is smaller, more streamlined, and easier on the wallet—but still delivers a ton of functionality when used with the Shooters Global Drills app on iOS or Android.
SG Timer 2: Built Tough, Fully Loaded
The SG Timer 2 has a 2.6” front-mounted OLED screen with 172 PPI, three physical buttons, and a full menu interface. It’s extremely readable outdoors, even in bright sunlight, thanks to a smart screen design that reflects natural light and uses a light sensor to auto-enable the backlight in low light.
One of the smart design updates from the first version is the addition of a notch and bump on the magnetic mount. When mounted, the notch helps lock the timer into place and prevents it from sliding off if it gets bumped—definitely a nice upgrade.
The unit is water- and dust-resistant, so it holds up whether you’re out shooting in the rain or on the dustiest of ranges. Mounting options include a magnetic base, metal belt clip, and lanyard. The flexibility is great for whatever training setup you prefer.
Battery life is a standout at up to 100 hours of continuous use, and it supports both USB-C and wireless charging. Both are huge conveniences for me—I try to keep all my tech on USB-C so I’m not juggling cables, and I use a wireless charging mat on my desk, so I just toss it on there when I’m done dry firing in my office. But honestly, the battery lasts so long that I’ve never even seen it get close to zero. I’ve topped it off a few times, but it’s never died on me.
The 110 dB beep is loud enough for pretty much any outdoor environment. And one of my favorite newer features: you can set the beep to play only through your Bluetooth headphones, which has been a game changer during dry fire at home. A loud beep in a small apartment can be just as aggravating as the new puppy downstairs that’s been barking non-stop for two weeks. It’s made dry fire a lot more tolerable in the apartment. You’re welcome, neighbors. Now if only the dog downstairs had a mute button too.
During a recent class with USPSA Grand Master Joon Kim, I was running the timer for my group using the SG Timer 2. He commented on how loud the beep was compared to his Pocket Pro II—he was holding his timer up close to the shooter’s head, while I was standing a few feet back and it was still perfectly audible.
You can also pick up silicone protective cases in various colors and designs for the Timer 2. I went with the Sunset on the Range silicone case for mine. One style is a bumper that protects the edges, and another is a full-cover version with cutouts for the screen and speaker.
Lately, I’ve found myself defaulting to the SG Timer 2 more and more, both in dry fire and live fire. It’s just become the go-to tool I rely on.
SG Timer GO: Small Size, Full Power
The SG Timer GO is a more compact version of the Timer 2 with a 1.8” top-mounted backlit screen (46 PPI), two buttons, and a simplified on-device interface. It’s not as crisp in bright sunlight as the Timer 2, but it’s still completely readable. I use it most often with the app or my watch anyway, so that hasn’t been an issue.
While the GO isn’t water- or dust-resistant, tossing it into a Ziplock or waterproof pouch should keep it protected and still allow it to function without affecting connectivity.
Battery life is also excellent—up to 70 hours of continuous use—and it charges via USB-C like its big brother.
It includes a metal belt clip, and there’s also a Velcro belt attachment with a quick-release that keeps it secure but easy to grab when you’re setting up drills or adjusting settings.
Shooters Global also offers fabric camo wraps starting at $26.99. They help with grip and wear protection—or just to make it more tacticool.
The Drills App: Training, Stats, and Smart Features
The Shooters Global Drills app works with both iOS and Android (and smartwatches), and it’s the real engine behind the ecosystem. You can control both timers, run drills, view split times, and keep detailed records of your sessions.
Through my iPhone or Apple Watch, I can start and stop sessions, adjust settings, and view results. Since I’m already used to using my watch for notifications and it’s part of my everyday routine, it just feels natural to glance at my wrist instead of pulling out my phone. I know, first-world problems, but little things like that are what make this timer and app easy and efficient to use.
The stats history feature is where things really come together. Whether you’re using it for dry fire or live fire, you can track your performance over time and actually measure progress.
One of the most recent updates is the ability to create your own drills for dry fire or live fire. You can customize them with shot count, par times, sets, and more. There are also nine built-in live fire drills in the app, explained by Lena Miculek. She even recorded a YouTube video going over all of them. Drills include:
- Slow Fire Accuracy
- Draw to First Shot
- Bill Drill
- Controlled Pairs
- Transition Drill
- Failure Drill
- One-Handed Shooting
- Reload Drill
- Slow Fire
You can also score your targets inside the app. Snap a photo of your target and mark hits using multiple scoring modes:
- Standard (A, C, D, Miss)
- Metric (A, B, C, D, Miss)
- Steel (A)
- Penalty
It will automatically calculate your Hit Factor, let you choose Major or Minor power factor, and show your total shots, efficiency, and best split. It’s really helpful for tracking and improving over time.
Real-World Performance and Compatibility
Both timers allow you to adjust mic sensitivity settings, which is useful for ensuring accurate shot detection in different environments. Shooters Global’s technology is designed to isolate your shots even when others are shooting nearby, and in my experience, it does a solid job of that.
Personally, I haven’t had to mess with the sensitivity settings at all. Most of the time I’m out training alone in the desert, but I’ve also used the timers at a private range I’m a member of, and even with shots going off in other bays around me, it didn’t pick up anything that wasn’t mine.
I’ve used both timers for dry fire, with CO2 through the CoolFire Trainer, and with 9mm in live fire—and they’ve worked consistently across all of it.
Shooters Global says the timers are compatible with all calibers, CO2, and suppressed firearms, and while I haven’t tested everything, based on what I’ve done so far, that checks out.
Looking Ahead: Shooters Global Is Just Getting Started
One thing I really appreciate is how Shooters Global is pushing tech into the shooting world. At this past SHOT Show, I got to check out a preview of their upcoming Augmented Reality shooting glasses, which haven’t been released yet—but I can’t wait to get my hands on them. They overlay real-time data like par times and split times right into the lens. That’s exactly the kind of forward thinking that gets me excited about training technology.
They’re also branching into the precision shooting space with the SG Pulse (learn more here), which helps analyze shot timing and impact behavior for long-range shooters. Whether you’re into competitive pistol, dry fire practice, or precision rifle, Shooters Global is building an ecosystem that goes far beyond just timing your shots.
And if you’re running matches, there’s more good news—SG Timers are now officially integrated with PractiScore 2. This feature works with all models (SG Timer, SG Timer GO, and SG Timer 2), allowing real-time shot data to sync directly with the PractiScore app for match scoring. It’s another solid step forward in expanding the Shooters Global ecosystem into competition workflows
On top of the hardware and app innovation, they’re consistently putting out quality training content on their YouTube channel. You’ll find drills, tips, and tutorials featuring top-tier shooters like JJ Racaza and Lena Miculek, including the same live fire drills featured in the app. It’s a great resource if you’re looking to get more out of your timer or pick up some new training ideas.
Bonus: Prepping for My First USPSA Match
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been ramping up my dry fire and live fire training as I prepare to enter my first USPSA competitions this September. I haven’t talked about it publicly much yet, but it’s something I’m actively working toward.
I’ve been following Ben Stoeger’s Dry Fire Reloaded and using the SG Timer 2 for drills like Time to Grip, Trigger Control at Speed, Draw to Aim (no trigger pull), Draw to Aim (with trigger pull), reloads, and other fundamentals. Being able to track everything in the app has been super helpful—it’s nice to go back, compare times, and see where I’m making progress.
Read the full article here
