Steel calibration

[calebj06]

Can someone explain this too me?  What is to be done if steel is hit and doesn't fall? What can I ask for? 

 

Although not USPSA, I'm shooting an all steel match this weekend that follows uspsa rules. I just wanna be clear on what is right and wrong. 

 

Caleb

[motosapiens]

I would probably look at the uspsa rulebook. its pretty clear.  under uspsa rules, if the steel doesn't fall, you can ask for calibration. the RM shoots it with subminor ammo. if he hits in the calibration zone or below and it falls, you get a mike. if he hits above the calibration zone, or if it doesn't fall on a hit *anywhere*, you get a reshoot.

[bret]

16 minutes ago, calebj06 said:

Can someone explain this too me?  What is to be done if steel is hit and doesn't fall? What can I ask for? 

 

Although not USPSA, I'm shooting an all steel match this weekend that follows uspsa rules. I just wanna be clear on what is right and wrong. 

 

Caleb

Find out the rules and make sure its been repainted before you shoot.

[ChuckS]

1 hour ago, motosapiens said:

I would probably look at the uspsa rulebook. its pretty clear.  under uspsa rules, if the steel doesn't fall, you can ask for calibration. the RM shoots it with subminor ammo. if he hits in the calibration zone or below and it falls, you get a mike. if he hits above the calibration zone, or if it doesn't fall on a hit *anywhere*, you get a reshoot.

Just to clarify, it's if a popper that doesn't fall, then you can call for calibration. If it is a plate, then it is range equipment failure and the shooter gets a reshoot. No calibration on plates. Go read section 4.3 of the rules. From what I have seen, matches that "follow" USPSA rules on steel tend to diverge from the rules for plates. (ASK!)

[StealthyBlagga]

If the RM knows his business, his crews will keep steel adjusted and in calibration. I have seen far more competitor steel challenges lost than won, and even when won it is often because the RM could not shoot straight . The penalty for leaving steel standing is high, so when I am shooting I shoot until the steel falls or it is obvious there is a problem.

[pjb45]

We had a situation at the High Desert one year.  We used those big containers to separate stages.  It got quite windy/gusty off and on throughout the day.

We had a piece of steel back by the edge of a container.

 No Problem right?

Except the wind would whip around the back of the container and with a force that would keep the steel upright.  Then when the RM came by to calibrate it, the wind gusts had died.  Steel fails -----> = Mike.

Not an equitable situation what so ever. 

StealthyB. has it right!  Shoot it till it falls.

Edited May 4, 2017 by pjb45

[JAFO]

Also keep in mind that, after you ask for a calibration, the steel cannot be touched prior to the calibration.  If a match official (RO, RM) touches it, you have to reshoot the stage.  If ANYONE else, including you or another competitor, touches it prior to calibration, it's a Mike (App C1, 6c).

[Schutzenmeister]

5 hours ago, JAFO said:

Also keep in mind that, after you ask for a calibration, the steel cannot be touched prior to the calibration.  If a match official (RO, RM) touches it, you have to reshoot the stage.  If ANYONE else, including you or another competitor, touches it prior to calibration, it's a Mike (App C1, 6c).

 

Also ... If it falls for any other reason while waiting (e.g., wind) REF and reshoot.

[calebj06]

3 hours ago, Schutzenmeister said:

 

Also ... If it falls for any other reason while waiting (e.g., wind) REF and reshoot.

Funny you say that. 

 

My first  uspsa match I was the last shooter on the last stage. I shot a large popper and it didn't fall! I was gonna pick it up on the last port and just call it good, but on my way to that port it went ahead and fell in a gust of wind. 

 

Got done and everyone was like UHHHHHH, well you hit it and it didn't fall, but then the wind made it fall..... whatever. Last stage last shooter. Lets all go get lunch.  

 

Thinking on it now, I should have taken a reshoot, I would have gotten to shoot the stage again for free and had that much more fun!!!!  Lol. 

 

Thanks for the help guys. I just read some of the rules again and I'll ask questions day of the match too

[Schutzenmeister]

That's an interesting case, indeed!  However, were I to have to make the call, I would rule you shot the Popper down and it just took a while to fall.  My reason?  Appendix C1, 6c.  Before one can call this REF the shooter must first challenge the still standing Popper.  As it actually fell before you finished the CoF and could call for calibration, we never get to 6c ... Hence, you shot it down.  It was slow to fall, but nonetheless, you shot it and it went down before you could call for calibration.  I don't know where you hit it, or how stout your load was ... but it did go down - eventually!

 

Yeah - I agree ... thin.  But as RM, that's probably the call I would make.

[pjb45]

Yeppers!

[PatJones]

The penalty for leaving steel standing is high, so when I am shooting I shoot until the steel falls or it is obvious there is a problem.

You must shoot one of those divisions with extra ammunition in the gun.

The calibration system is broken. We have chronographs to determine power factor, poppers should be treated the same as plates. If you hit the calibration zone and it doesn't fall, you reshoot the stage. Yes there would be more reshoots, but that's faster than waiting for the range master to show up with calibration ammo.

[StealthyBlagga]

1 hour ago, PatJones said:

You must shoot one of those divisions with extra ammunition in the gun.

The calibration system is broken. We have chronographs to determine power factor, poppers should be treated the same as plates. If you hit the calibration zone and it doesn't fall, you reshoot the stage. Yes there would be more reshoots, but that's faster than waiting for the range master to show up with calibration ammo.

 

Another way to look at it is that the equipment divisions are broken - if I were King, everyone would be able to run their magazines at full capacity 

[PatJones]

I always load my moon clips to capacity.....

[thebigdogg316]

On 5/4/2017 at 0:31 AM, ChuckS said:

Just to clarify, it's if a popper that doesn't fall, then you can call for calibration. If it is a plate, then it is range equipment failure and the shooter gets a reshoot. No calibration on plates. Go read section 4.3 of the rules. From what I have seen, matches that "follow" USPSA rules on steel tend to diverge from the rules for plates. (ASK!)

What about if the shooter shoots a plate and it partially turns but still presents itself as shootable.  I had this happen at a match recently.  The shooter shot the plate and it turned about 1/2 inch but it was still shootable.  The shooter did not reengage the plate and moved on.  I call it a miss but was overruled by the rm and gave the shooter a reshoot. 

[Sarge]

32 minutes ago, thebigdogg316 said:

What about if the shooter shoots a plate and it partially turns but still presents itself as shootable.  I had this happen at a match recently.  The shooter shot the plate and it turned about 1/2 inch but it was still shootable.  The shooter did not reengage the plate and moved on.  I call it a miss but was overruled by the rm and gave the shooter a reshoot. 

That's an easy one. Reshoot

[ChuckS]

3 hours ago, thebigdogg316 said:

What about if the shooter shoots a plate and it partially turns but still presents itself as shootable.  I had this happen at a match recently.  The shooter shot the plate and it turned about 1/2 inch but it was still shootable.  The shooter did not reengage the plate and moved on.  I call it a miss but was overruled by the rm and gave the shooter a reshoot. 

Using plates that can spin is poor choice of range equipment. They really need some feature that inhibits spinning.