The USPSA rules allow for a Written Stage Brief, WSB, to specify a variety of start conditions for the firearm. The second most common condition, after “loaded and holstered” is “unloaded”. What does that mean? Let’s talk about what loaded and unloaded are, and the requirements for each.
In any loaded start, if a loaded magazine is in the magwell, the gun is considered loaded. That’s why the rules specify that if a competitor inserts a loaded magazine but doesn’t rack the slide, the RO does nothing. The gun is loaded and therefore in the correct start condition. Another reason for remaining silent is consistency–not every RO catches everything in the Make Ready process, so some might gain an advantage and others not. See 8.1:
8.1 Firearm Ready Conditions The ready condition for firearms will normally be as stated below. However, in the event that a competitor fails to load the chamber when permitted by the Written Stage Briefing, whether inadvertently or intentionally, the Range Officer must not take any action, as the competitor is always responsible for the handling of the firearm.
Now, let’s talk about unloaded starts. Per rule 8.1.3: Courses of fire may require ready conditions which are different to those stated above. In such cases, the required ready condition must be clearly stated in the Written Stage Briefing. When a firearm Ready Condition requires a firearm be prepared with an empty chamber (or cylinder), the slide/bolt of the firearm must be fully forward (or the cylinder must be fully closed) and the hammer or striker must be fully down or fully forward, as the case may be, unless otherwise specified in the stage briefing.
Unloaded starts are fairly common, but there is always some confusion surrounding them. First off, most people are used to loading the gun and simply do it at Make Ready, even though the WSB states “unloaded”, which is empty chamber and empty magwell. As the RO, you must require the competitor to unload the gun, verify it’s unloaded, and then proceed. A key point to all unloaded starts is that the hammer or striker must be down, so if the competitor cocks the gun while dry firing or clearing it, etc., you must instruct them to drop the hammer. This applies to all firearms–handguns, PCC’s, shotguns, rifles.
Another common confusion is the application of the safety. If the gun is unloaded and the hammer is down, on most firearms, the safety cannot be applied. The rules also cover this, stating: 10.5.11.1 A single action self-loading firearm with the safety not applied. If the primary safety on the firearm cannot be engaged due to the design of the firearm, and the hammer or trigger cannot be actuated in the condition the gun is in, the safety does not have to be applied. If the gun is completely empty, the safety need not be applied.
So, loaded starts, single action guns with the hammer back, or any gun that’s loaded and cocked and has a safety, the safety must be applied. If the hammer is down, the safety need not be applied, and in most cases cannot be applied. Unloaded starts, the bolt or slide is forward (closed), the hammer is down, and there is no ammunition in the gun at all. In this instance, the safety need not be applied, and again, in many cases, cannot be.
Bottom line: Loaded? Safety on if there is one and the gun is cocked. Unloaded? Slide or bolt is closed, no ammo at all, safety need not be applied.