I received the message below from a concerned range official and I think it sums it up quite nicely. I did notice and correct some competitors not aiming at the aiming point during the WSSC match, but obviously couldn’t catch every stage every time. We deliberately specified a diameter for the aiming point to accomodate a little bit of variation, but sized it so that the RO should be able to tell if the competitor’s muzzle is pointing at it. In the past, there was an imaginary circle of acceptability, but now there is a defined area to aim at. If you are running Steel Challenge matches, then you should be following the rules in this regard. And, the range of height is indeed 18-24 inches, but that doesn’t mean that if the aiming point is 18 inches high, you can aim at 2 feet. That’s not what the rule says.
As a range officer on the stage, you must not start the competitor until they are in the correct starting position–you wouldn’t start a centerfire handgun shooter with his wrists below his belt, would you? This is no different. If the competitor objects, get the Range Master involved and move on to the next competitor. I also strongly suggest that your match uses 9″ diameter aiming points, and 24 inches is a good aiming height.
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