3djedi Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 So I got DQ'd today from crossing the 180 doing a reload. It's the first time I've ever been DQ'd and it happened to be a bigger match that I paid $75 to run. Happened on like the 3rd stage so I missed out on about 6 or 7 more stages. It's a good way to save ammo....... But the psychological aspect of it is what is costing me. I'm really down about it and wondering if I should just give the whole sport up. I had a really suck ass match last month and I went back and practiced everyday and now this. My shooting did seem improved until the DQ. Maybe a break would do some good..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Don't fret, it's like driving, eventually you will get a ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oskino Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Man I feel your pain I got DQ'd at steel challenge and it was on the best stage of the day. I was super bummed... dusted myself off and learned from it. DON"T GIVE UP SHOOTING!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZackJones Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Use the DQ as a learning experience. What can you learn from it? Don't hang up the holster. Were you moving right to left and reloading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Nothing wrong with a break. While not everyone DQs, most do eventually. The layered safety rules are in place to help prevent a single rule violation from being a tragedy. Analyze why you did what you did, learn from it and move on. Michael Bane and I still get people telling us their opinion when I DQ'd him at a match, and they put it on Shooting Gallery. Some think it was foolish to air it, others thought it was the best thing ever. Regardless of opinion, the example illustrated the importance of the layered safety rules philosophy. Break one, done with the match, break 2 or more...bad things can happen. As a RM, I have given 3 staff briefings this year that included a bit more emphasis on the safety diligence...no slack afforded. I have been working matches for over 20 years, and until 2 years ago, never knew anyone or heard of anyone being accidentally shot at a match excpet one guy back East somewhere. I know of more than 10 in the past 2 years, including 2 at matches I have been a competitor at, all were relatively new or trying new gear at a match. My take is that many of the "old hands" have slacked off on safety rules and we have a BUNCH of new shooters coming into the sport. A few of us lobbied for 2 years to re-instate a USPSA Section required safety program to train and educate new shooters, but most of the "veteran" shooters did not want it. We finally forced it through, but some of the clubs still refuse to use it. The long post is not to deflect blame from the OPs DQ, but to illuminate some of the reasons why shooters DQ. For the vast majority, it is shooters who do not yet have the safety aspects ingrained into habits. For the most part, few ever get properly taught/trained, and a lot of that is due to apathy and homegrown or outlaw matches who probably should amend their practices. We have Mil/Law and casual shooters who are not well versed in the competition safety protocols flooding into the competitive shooting ranks, and we give them full access without making sure they understand and know what they are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 I got DQed at the ProAm in Frostproof back in Jul after firing only 7 rds .... AD at the end of trying to clear a nasty jam on Stage one, Bob Vogel was also watching my bafoonery as he was coaching someone on our squad . Not exactly my first hour but I never considered doing anything but work even harder during training .... You may still want to take a break but don't use a DQ as an excuse ... It happens .... Get back up on the horse and keep going .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hercster Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 I've felt your pain. I picked up a weird DQ earlier this season. Following my life script I beat myself up way beyond any value. I've seen and know very experienced shooters to DQ. There are stages that are almost DQ traps and so it pays to understand when you are vulnerable. Breaking 90 while reloading and moving right to left is a common one. Some shooters, if given a choice, limit right to left moves if that fits with the stage. Clearly a pause just before you moved to reload would have cost time but you might have completed the match. DQ's don't necessarily equate to a moral failure to learn from the experience but be reasonable on the self inflicted punishment. DQ's are serious matters if you don't learn from them. However many will tell you that there are just two types of shooters; those that have DQ'd and those that will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 But the psychological aspect of it is what is costing me. I'm really down about it and wondering if I should just give the whole sport up. I think you need some tough love, so stop being such a freaking pansy. Yes, dq-ing sucks, but if you're not a pansy it should be making you think "how do I adjust my training to make sure that doesn't happen again." I've DQ'd twice, once when I was the MD, and I learned alot from both instances. Breaking 180 when reloading (especially when moving towards your weak side) is pretty common. I personally practice moving reloads in dryfire and pay alot of attention to the muzzle direction. I haven't gotten bitten by that one yet, but I came close enough to have the RO speak to me about it afterwards in a major match earlier this year. Bottom line: Don't be a pansy. Train your weaknesses. Learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 I know of more than 10 in the past 2 years, including 2 at matches I have been a competitor at, Holy Crap! That is very sobering. Safety with firearms is no joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 I've been DQ'd. I am super attentive to the make ready command now. Don't make the same mistake and get back out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlgentlegiant Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 (edited) I have had to DQ someone who never even got to fire a shot. The shooter's gun dropped out of their holster after the buzzer went off on their first stage. It happens. At least the OP got to shoot some of the match. I have DQ'd on the first stage of a shotgun match after I slipped in the mud when I was trying to stand up to clear my gun. If you want to take a break take a break. I have had to cut back on my own shooting and except for the match I run GA State is the first big outdoor match I have shot in over 6 months. All you can do is learn from the DQ and not make the same mistake again. Edited September 14, 2014 by Atlgentlegiant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarmyaviator Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Only two kinds of shooters in this - those that have DQ'ed and those that will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC702 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 It's like riding a bicycle. When you drop it, you have to pick it up immediately and start riding again, or you'll really psych yourself out of doing it for far too long, and never quite recover. You'd better be at the next match! We had to DQ a new shooter two months ago at IDPA after several of us got a good look at the caliber of his pistol when he turned around instead of backed up for retreating to cover. We took a good ten minutes at least to make him welcome to immediately come back to the next match and that he and everyone else understood why we have to DQ to keep the sport safe and treat it so seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinZA Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I had the best match of my life last weekend. I focused well and shot accurately. Only one mike and two no-shoots the whole day, which for me is very good (I'm really terrible). Due to an RO cock-up, we had to all reshoot stage 7 at the end of the day. Backing up and running around an obstacle on the course, I tripped. As I fell, the gun broke the 180. DQ Four shots left. On a reshoot. It does stress you out psychologically. But you've got to incorporate the learnings in your training and move on. The stress is a sign that you never want it to happen again - which is good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrydoc Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I know a guy who went all the way to Sth Africa for the World Shoot as a National rep ( southern part of the world ) and got DQ'd on the first stage so I would be worried about $75. Don't worry too much about it get back on the range and move on. As some of the guy's have already said it's not if you get DQ'd it's when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parallax3D Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 DQ's suck, but I think everyone eventually has one happen to them, regarless of how good you are. Rob Leatham DQ'd at Singlestack Nationals a couple of years ago, and he has pretty much OWNED that title for the last 10 years. So.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3djedi Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 I'm over it today...ready to get back on the horse and kick some butt. Lol Yes I was running left toward the edge of the bay and performed a reload. The gun was pointed into the berm so nobody was in danger or anything but it did bust the 180 so automatic visit to Dairy Queen. Live and learn.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copecowboy22 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I did the exact same thing on the last stage at Double Tap. I was pissed at myself for about a week cause I knew better. I hit the range and that's all I practiced for a while. It sucked but I learned from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3djedi Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 One of my problems is that I only have an indoor range practice at. Stand at a booth and shoot at paper. No movement. But at least they let me draw...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Dry-fire. Targets on wall, reload moving left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrydoc Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 The biggest test is if you hang around after you are DQ'd and help your squad pick up brass and patch targets or tail between the legs and go home sulking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3djedi Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 Went home sulking. But really I came home because I had 3 kids home alone. 15, 13 and 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grouptherapy Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I went a little faster than usual yesterday and almost broke the 180 unloading. Got a loud whoa! And "that was close". I deduced that I was trying to pick up my speed too much. Gonna slow it down a notch next match and try for more As. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm300 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 (edited) Only two kinds of shooters in this - those that have DQ'ed and those that will. I hear this a lot, I think we have three. Those that have, those that will, and those that will do it over and over. They don't learn from their mistakes. To the OP, don't be one of those people. Never give up. I worked a match this weekend and saw my share of stupid stuff. The stage was a shooting area up the middle and targets on both sides. The most common one was a move from right to left into a position at about 15 degrees off the 180. People would over run the two targets before it then turn to go to the left and start their reload. I saw at least 10 people out of the 200 or so that were very close but did not cross the line. There was a barricade on the line so it was easy to judge what was going on. Two people broke the line and their match ended there. When you walk up to a stage and look around, you need to plan for areas that will get you in trouble. Most of the more experienced shooters took the array that was only 65 degrees off the 180 first then transition to the the one on 15 degrees. Much safer plan. Even when they did shoot the tight array first they were reloading with the gun pointed pretty close to down range not close to the 180. Stuff happens in stages, plan to be safe. I don't think any of those 10+- shooters that got really close planned to do their reload from that far up range but it happened. Part of that play needs to be planning to turn your wrist up range while reloading there. Last suggestion, run shooters at local matches, work big matches, you get to learn from other peoples mistakes if you pay attention. Sure saves a lot of heartache. edit to change git to get go figure, guess thats a post DQ. Edited September 14, 2014 by ktm300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solvability Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Own it, learn it and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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