If you shoot enough matches, eventually you will have a situation where your gun breaks and becomes unreliable or nonfunctional. But what to do now? Do I just get my backup gun and carry on? Do I need to notify anyone? What is the proper way to handle this per the rules?
[Read more…] about When the gun breaks, the RM must be calledRules Insights
Unloaded starts
We don’t see a ton of unloaded starts in USPSA matches, but when there is one, the Range Officers usually have to advise the competitors to get the firearm in the proper ready condition. And usually it is a fair number of competitors who need some guidance. So, let’s chat about unloaded starts and what that means for pistols, revolvers, and PCCs.
[Read more…] about Unloaded startsWhere’s your chamber flag?
Often, my ideas for posts come from questions asked at matches. This particular question came up at two separate matches over the last couple weeks. What happens if a PCC competitor comes to the line without a chamber flag? We are not talking about someone who had a flag in and removed it, we are talking about a competitor who uncased a PCC and came directly to the line without a flag. What is the call? Both times it was brought up, the ROs thought it would be a DQ, but is it? Let’s look at what the rules say.
[Read more…] about Where’s your chamber flag?Unpasted targets and you
What to do if unpasted targets are noticed during the course of fire is one of the things that is often misunderstood by competitors and range officers, especially at local matches. Often at local matches, the competitor stops or the RO stops the competitor and a reshoot is issued after the target or targets are taped. But, that is the wrong thing to do and often leads to a painful learning experience for a competitor at a higher level match. Let’s look at what a competitor and RO should do, and not do, when they see an unpasted target during the course of fire.
[Read more…] about Unpasted targets and you6.2 & You
Just about every sport I can think of, especially the shooting sports, breaks competitors down by Division (or something like it) based on equipment used and by Class (or something like it) based on experience/ability/demonstrated skill level, etc. USPSA and SCSA are no different.
[Read more…] about 6.2 & YouHolster Position Redux
In a previous post, I explained that, while the position on the belt requirement (behind the point of the hips for Production, Single Stack, and Carry Optics) has been removed, the requirements in all divisions, yes, even Open and Limited, for the height to belt and distance from the belt have not changed. This is found in all the appendices, D1-D8, item #10. Here’s the text of the previous article:
[Read more…] about Holster Position ReduxPopper left up, now what?
This situation really depends on where this occurs. At a major match, the Range Master is going to be using tested calibration ammo. However, for most clubs in the country they do not have calibration ammo that meets the requirements. So, what happens at a local club match?
[Read more…] about Popper left up, now what?Battle belts and thigh straps
One of the things I have observed while at local matches is that many of the new competitors are showing up with a battle belt type of setup. There is nothing wrong with that, but often these rigs run afoul with the rules in a few places and the range officials at the match are not educating the new competitors that their gear is not legal. Here are the common things I have seen and I want to encourage ROs to help teach the new competitors on how to adjust their gear.
[Read more…] about Battle belts and thigh straps