A few weeks back, we took a close look at Shooters Global’s SG Timer 2. Now, we’re turning our attention to the SG Timer GO, the SG Timer 2’s little brother. It’s smaller and more affordable, but those desirable traits come with some trade-offs. We’ll examine those closely to help you figure out which of these two timers better suits your needs. To keep this post from ballooning into a doctoral dissertation, though, we’ll save a full comparison for another day.

As a reminder, Shooters Global is an affiliate. If you buy directly from their website through a link here, I get a small cut of the sale at no extra cost to you. Also, just like with the SG Timer 2, they provided the SG Timer GO free of charge. The deal remains the same: they send it, I use it, and I give you my unfiltered take. I’d rather risk an affiliate gig than your trust and readership.

With the disclosure out of the way, let’s dive into the SG Timer GO.

In the Box

The SG Timer GO arrived alongside the SG Timer 2. As I mentioned before, this big dummy didn’t snap any pics of the packaging—just a box with stuff in it. I wasn’t as hyped about this timer, but I was darn curious and eager to stack it up against its sibling.

Here’s what came inside:

• The SG Timer GO
• A belt clip
• A belt clip remover
• A Velcro belt fastener
• A lanyard I’ll never use
• A tiny quick-start guide
• A USB-C charging cable

Another USB-C cable gave me pause. Dead timers are already a drag, and swapping batteries is a breeze to get back in action. Plugging in and waiting for a charge slows things down even more. Sure, it can be used while charging, but stuffing a power bank in your pocket with a cable tethered to the timer isn’t ideal—especially when that cable might snag on something while you’re hustling around the range. The saving grace, if we can call it that, is the 70-hour battery life on a full charge.

SG Timer GO

In hand, the SG Timer GO feels a bit awkward to hold. It’s not the size—slightly larger than a small action camera like a GoPro—or the weight, which is pleasantly light. It’s just that no matter how I grip it to hit the start button with my index finger, middle finger, or thumb while still seeing the display, the belt attachment (clip or Velcro strap) always feels in the way. Not uncomfortable, just odd.

The top-mounted 1.8″ 46 PPI backlit display does its job fine. The lower resolution limits how much info can fit at once, but it’s big enough to show the key details for whatever mode you’re in. More on those modes shortly. Honestly, cramming more definition and data into a screen this size wouldn’t necessarily help—it’d slow down reading or frustrate folks with less-than-perfect eyesight.

On what I assume is the backside (relative to the display), you’ve got the sensor and two buttons. The big one is the start button, which doubles as the power-on switch when held for a few seconds when the timer’s off. The small function button is a multitasker: quick presses cycle through mode presets, long presses switch between timer modes, and a combo of a held press plus a quick tap on the start button powers it down.

The bottom houses a buzzer pumping out a 99 dB signal at max volume, right next to the USB-C port.

The front features a quick-detach mounting system for the included belt clip or Velcro strap. The clip looks sturdy and fits common gamer, duty, or tactical belts, but I lean toward the Velcro strap. It locks the timer precisely onto the outer belt of my competition rig, secured further by the inner belt. That velcro setup is a pain if you’re constantly taking the timer off, but for solo practice, it’s spot-on.

All the Features Are Belong To It

Feature-wise, it’s got everything the SG Timer 2 offers. I know I said this wouldn’t be a comparison post, but it’s worth noting the feature sets are identical—same modes, same configuration options. We covered those in depth in the SG Timer 2 review, so here we’ll just hit the highlights, focusing on the function button and display info.

Free Shooting Mode

This is the default live-fire mode the SG Timer GO boots into after powering up. The function button cycles through gun presets, instantly applying these settings (tweakable via the Drills app—more on that later):

• Sensor setup: sensitivity, echo filter, beeper volume, spy mode (check the SG Timer 2 review for details)
• Shooting setup: delay (instant, random, or fixed), number of sets, set time limit, shot limit, pause between sets

Before starting, the display shows:

• Current mode: Free Shoot
• Bluetooth status
• Battery level
• Selected preset (gun type)
• Start signal mode (instant, fixed, random)
• Sensor sensitivity percentage

When running, it displays:

• Shot count
• Time of the last recorded shot
• First shot time

If stopped (only via the Drills app unless a time limit’s set), it shows:

• First shot time
• Times for the last three shots with splits
• Set number

Extra details? You’ll need the Drills app.

Shooting Drills Mode

Next up is Shooting Drills mode, similar to Free Shooting but tailored for drills set up in the Drills app and synced to the timer. Short function button presses cycle through those drills, each pulling these settings:

• Shooting setup: delay start (instant, fixed, random), number of sets, time limit, shot limit
• Timer settings: gun preset, sensitivity, beeper volume, echo filter

Pre-start display:

• Current mode: Shoot Drill
• Bluetooth status
• Battery level
• Selected preset (drill)
• Start signal mode
• Sensor sensitivity percentage

During and after, it mirrors Free Shooting mode’s display behavior.

Dry Fire Drills Mode

Dry Fire Drills mode follows, accessed via long function presses. It’s like Shooting Drills, but short presses cycle through dry-fire drills with these settings:

• Dry fire setup: delay start (instant, random, fixed), time limit, pause time
• Sensor mode: classic or smart
• Timer settings: gun preset, sensitivity, beeper volume, waiting time (for smart mode)
• Number of repeats

Display on entry:

• Current mode: Dry Drill
• Bluetooth status
• Battery level
• Selected preset (drill)
• Start signal mode
• Waiting time
• Repeat count (firmware glitch limits this to one rep per start, despite settings)

While running, the display shifts: classic mode shows remaining time; smart mode shows detected sounds and timestamps until the waiting time expires. Post-drill in smart mode, it summarizes the single repeat as the “best result”—likely tied to that firmware hiccup.

Range Officer (RO) Mode

The final mode, Range Officer, is a stripped-down Free Shooting mode with a simpler interface for ROs. I find it useless here. The function button doesn’t cycle anything, and you can’t tweak settings (even via the app). It’s locked to a random start (rarely ideal for an RO), fixed buzzer volume (fine), and 75% sensitivity. Future firmware might fix this, but right now, I wouldn’t use it to run a line or stage. No PractiScore integration seals its fate.

Drills App

The SG Timer GO’s limited onboard controls make the Drills app (iOS and Android) the star of the show. Without it, this $150 timer would be a frustratingly basic dud—no shot/split review beyond three shots, no start signal tweaks, no par times. Cheaper options outshine it there. Thankfully, the app unlocks its potential, making it worth a look.

Here’s the current iOS app rundown (Android’s likely similar, but I can’t vouch). Note: it’s evolved a ton in the two months since I got the timer. By the time you read this, it’ll probably look different. I got an “out of date” notice mid-draft, so expect flux.

Shooting Tab

The app opens on the Shooting tab, showing recent drill activity and quick access to drills, free shooting, and quick stage features.

Drills

Drills are the practice kingpin. Create live and dry-fire drills here for their respective modes. I don’t know the app’s drill limit, but you pick which sync to the timer’s slots. Beyond creating, editing, and deleting drills, you can start them directly from the app. A connected timer switches modes and runs as if triggered physically—buzzer and all—while syncing data back.

The video recording feature (covered last review) is here too. For live-fire drills with targets, you can enter a PractiScore-esque scoresheet, score targets, and get hit factor calcs (major or minor PF). Not match-official, but great for practice.

My only gripe: live and dry-fire drills can’t share names. My “Bill Drill” dry-fire and live-fire versions need distinct labels. Annoying, not a dealbreaker.

Free Shooting

This taps into the timer’s Free Shooting mode. Adjust gun type, sensor, and timer settings fast. Start and video buttons work as expected.

Quick Match

Quick Match lets you set up a scoresheet by defining targets for Free Shooting mode. Start, record, score, and calc hit factor from here. It’s handy for ranges allowing movement-heavy practice (not me), or “what-if” hit factor calculations.

Feed Tab

The Feed tab is a micro-community for Drills app users. Everyone gets a profile and can post text, pics, drill activity, or videos. It’s been feedback-heavy lately, but earlier saw shared stages (a shelved feature slated for return), videos, and drills. Neat, but I’m not hooked yet.

Match Tab

Match features let you design and share stages as a match with other users—think remote friendly competition or local match setup. With PractiScore dominating locally and few SG Timer pals, I haven’t dug in. Can’t say much more.

Activity Tab

The Activity tab logs all timer action chronologically—drills, free shooting, videos, scoresheets (not RO mode)—with performance stats. I visit here more than Feed or Match, though Shooting tab’s my main stomping ground.

Other Thoughts about the Drills App

I came for the video recording with shot data overlay—still a gem—but other features surprised me. The drill library shines for planning practice. Load drills, hit the range, get to work. I’m not Mr. Discipline, but planned sessions beat winging it, and this nails that. Scoresheets speed up hit factor calcs and aid coaching (a big part of my instructor gig)—a bonus worth noting.

I didn’t expect to app-control the timer, but I do it a lot. With a cheap tripod, I set up drills, start them, and review results without touching the timer on my belt. Add video for stationary practice, and it’s slick. Beyond solo practice, specific coaching, or squad mates recording me in spy mode, the app’s utility dips—partly due to no PractiScore tie-in and partly my aversion to juggling more range gear.

One snag: recording others’ shots outside RO mode muddies your stats. Cleaning that up is a chore, even if you catch it right away. Matters if it matters to you.

Verdict

I’m torn on the SG Timer GO.

On one hand, it’s a solid solo practice and training tool. At $150, the package—especially with video analysis—feels fair, far easier to swallow than the SG Timer 2’s $300 if you’re just using it personally.

On the other, full smartphone app reliance stinks. Lower dust and water resistance than the SG Timer 2 raises durability worries past the 2-year warranty—big for live-fire fiends or match videographers like me.

Beyond solo use, it’s a hard pass. Even with software leaps, app control won’t cut it for broader scenarios. Frequent UI shifts and firmware updates mean relearning the ropes—fine as it matures, but it’s real now.

I’ll recommend the SG Timer GO, but only for a niche: skill-focused shooters obsessed with practice planning and video analysis in dry, clean settings. That market exists, but many outgrow it fast as competition calls. Should they skip to the SG Timer 2? Probably, though price might tip the scales to the GO for now.

Torn as I am, I’ll suggest it to folks who fit that narrow bill.

All that said, I’m still beating the snot out of my SG Timer GO for dry-fire practice with video analysis—especially now that classic dry-fire mode’s risen like a phoenix from its ashes. I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. So, I’m reserving the right to tweak this verdict down the road.