dcbfluff

When I originally posted this I thought that the RO having an AD (ND) was a DQ event (sorry for all the acronyms in one sentence, but I work for the government and am used to talking this way). My intent was to point out that we always need to be living at least 4 safety rules, and that sometimes bad things happen to good people (Like RO's). Since this happened, I've had people tell me that the RO cannot DQ while helping a shooter clear a jam: not sure I know that rule. For me, an AD (ND) is a pretty big deal. When I first started shooting USPSA/IDPA I was suprised that the only penalty/response to an AD was DQ from the match: come on back tomorrow, (or whenever our next match occurs). When I was in the military an AD was treated a lot more seriously, and meant that: 1) The shooter had something going on in his life that lead to the AD and he needed to step back from shooting a bit. 2) If he didn't have a problem before, the fact that he just AD'd meant he had a problem and needed to step back from shooting a bit. In this case, if it were me, I would not have any question about shooting the rest of the match, (nor did the RO in question). To me, BANG! "Oops!" should be the end of the shooting day, even if you are the RO. You need to give yourself a chance to reflect, adjust, and prepare yourself. Hard to imigaine shooting the rest of a match after an AD.

It sounds trite or simple, but there is a pain that dog (pet) people have to endure that folks with no dogs (pets) in their lives can't ever really understand. They give you so much, unconditionally, while they are here, but ultimately they are likey to leave sooner than us. Sorry for your loss, but at the same time am envious of the time with you had with those great friends. What I try to do is enjoy/rejoice remembering them; still working at accepting that they are gone.

This isn't meant to be a rules discussion (I think the DQ was pretty straight up). Today at a local steel match I had just shot and moved back to reload magazines. While talking to another shooter and reloading magazines, I was watching the shooting action with what was left of my attention. I saw the shooter having trouble with his revolver gun, and the RO (his dad) step forward and take control of the gun. After a few seconds of rattle and shake, everyone's attention got focused on only one thing with that heartbreaking and unexpected "bang." I dropped what I was doing, and stepped up to the RO (and AD Shooter) while he went through ULSC for me. I did not say "Stop" at the AD, although I could/should have, but I guess I was as surprised at RO's AD as he was (and at that point he and everybody else had stopped WHATEVER they were doing). While he was unloading he made it clear that he knew he had AD'd/DQ'd and was great/sportsmanlike about it: ungunned and RO'd the rest of the match, but obviously nobody felt good about things. When I got with the match director later and told him about it he said "So he DQ'd himself?" to which I replied "No, I think that they all DQ themselves, but in this case the guy that DQ'd was the RO that called it." For me though, the point of all this is that this is a volunteer sport, where we encourage new participants and family participation. Unfortunately, while helping a new shooter (who happened to be a family member), a good guy and volunteer RO managed to do something (make a mistake) that took himself out of the match. I will still help a new competitor clear a jam (if requested), and will still RO/SO my wife/friends, but this was a pretty significant event for me. That DQ monster is always lurking: even if you aren't the shooter!

Maybe you could do this the weekend after the FL Open: WHAT: 2010 Florida IDPA State Championship WHEN: 26-28 Feb 2010 WHERE: Wyoming Antelope Club, Clearwater Florida HOW MUCH: $110 for Shooters, $20 for SO’s and Juniors MATCH/SO APPLICATIONS/MAPS/INFO: WWW.WACACTIONSHOOTING.COM SCHEDULE: Primarily a two-day (Sat and Sun) format, with very limited one-day shooter slots (1-2 squads) on Friday, and limited one-day shooter slots (2-4 squads) on Saturday DETAILS: 11 Stages, 130 +/- Rounds, trophy/plaque match, awards and random prize drawing Sunday afternoon MATCH HOTEL: Executive Suites http://www.executiveinnclearwater.com

If you are on the fence, or been putting off deciding about shooting this match, there are still some Saturday slots available. This is for sure going to be a great match, and it's not too late to be a part of it.

WHAT: 2010 Florida IDPA State Championship WHEN: 26-28 Feb 2010 WHERE: Wyoming Antelope Club, Clearwater Florida HOW MUCH: $110 for Shooters, $20 for SO’s and Juniors MATCH/SO APPLICATIONS/MAPS/INFO: WWW.WACACTIONSHOOTING.COM SCHEDULE: Primarily a two-day (Sat and Sun) format, with very limited one-day shooter slots (1-2 squads) on Friday, and limited one-day shooter slots (2-4 squads) on Saturday DETAILS: 11 Stages, 130 +/- Rounds, trophy/plaque match, awards and random prize drawing Sunday afternoon MATCH HOTEL: Executive Suites http://www.executiveinnclearwater.com Our webmaster may not have the match/SO applications posted for this match on WWW.WACACTIONSHOOTING.COM yet, but if you go to the site you will see that we still have room for you at the central Florida Sectional Factory Gun (USPSA) match next weekend: a good chance for you crossover (IDPA/USPSA) shooters to come out and shoot a fun match at our range!

Jim- I think that you are understating the awsomeness of the box in question: I have not only seen this box in action, but watched in awe as Smitty demonstrated his GM drill gun skills during it's construction. And the box is just the initilializor: what about the bowling ball? Clearly, to miss this match will be like sleeping through the last lunar eclipse of the century; I pity the fools that don't come shoot the 2009 Central Florida Section Factory Gun(palooza).

Match Hotel for the 2009 Central Florida Section Factory Gun Classic: Executive Inn 3580 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL 33762 (727) 573 1171 Say you are part of "USPSA Match" for rate of 45.95 per night (while the rooms last) Right around the corner from the WAC range, Free Wi-Fi, breakfast, etc

This is not "Production Only" but is close (Production, Revolver, Single-Stack only). 2009 Central Florida Section Factory Gun Classic. What-Central Florida Section Factory Gun Classic Where- Wyoming Antelope Club, Pinellas Park, FL When- October 24th and 25th 2009 How Much- $75 adults, $25 for juniors and Range Officers working the match. Tee Shirt included with match fee Schedule- Shooters can shoot all day Saturday or Sunday. ROs will shoot either day and work the other day. Details- 10 Stages, approximately 200 rounds. Trophy match. Awards ceremony will take place after shooting completes on Sunday Divisions recognized will be Production, Revolver, and Single Stack More information and the application can be found here- http://www.wacactionshooting.com/index.php...6&Itemid=67 please contact Charles Kibert- ckibert@yahoo.com with any questions-

For what it's worth, now that you have her interest, I suggest you get someone (besides you) to be her shooting coach. Nothing against your teaching/shooting skills, but there is something to be said for taking the personal relationaship out of the shooting instruction. As the wife of a fellow shooter once told me about why her husband is not her shooting coach "If I start taking his instructions on shooting, he might think I should start listening to him on other subjects." Seriously, I went to the range today with my wife and we had a great time sharing something that we've both come to enjoy; glad you had the same experience.

Go Navy! As a former Army guy I've seen a lot of rub between services, but in this case: yea! Hats off!

It's become sort of a running joke with me and our IDPA Club (and applies to our USPSA matches as well),: if you design it , you will zeroe it, PE it, or in some other way demonstrate that you lost the connection somewhere between the time you conceived it and the time you shot it. dagnabit!

For what it's worth, he did the trophy/plaques for our recent 2009 FL State IDPA MAtch: very nice work!

I'm relatively new to USPSA, but have been steadily impressed by everyone I've met. As a new competitor, I was coached and encouraged by the folks at my local club. At my first major matches I was taken by the professionalism and integrity of the match staff. In the last six months I have attended outstanding NROI instruction from George Jones, an extremely beneficial Local Leaders Workshop hosted by Dave Thomas, and met and worked with other key USPSA leaders (including John A. and Michael V.) while supporting the SHOT Show in Orlando last week. I have been part of a number of organizations (volunteer, military, voluntary military, etc), and am as proud of my association with USPSA as I am of any other. I have tremendous respect for all of the Area Directors and USPSA leadership involved in this discussion, but like most of the other folks responding, am a bit disappointed with this recent decision. Good intentions aside (and I don't have any doubt or question about intentions), I am struck by the irony of the decision to have one person (no matter how qualified) select the team to represent the UNITED STATES Practical Shooting Association at the next World Shoot. Somehow, that just doesn't seem like the way the American Team should be put together. I know I am not likely to ever win a slot to the World Shoot (I’m still trying to win C Class at local matches), but believe that by setting out objective criteria (as was done for the 2008 WS team selection) we honor the American ideal that if you have some talent and work hard enough you can achieve anything. Our USPSA Team at the next WS is representing not just individual shooting skill, they are representing America. Their selection process can reflect fairness, competition, hard work and acheivement or it can reflect unilateral decisionmaking: I know which aspect of America (and USPSA) I would like to convey to the world.

Going back to Smitty's original Post "I don't normally bitch about things done by USPSA as I think they are generally done for the betterment of the sport. Whether it ends up that way or not, I think the intentions are normally good.

I think part of what you ran into was a result of you trying to do the right thing and help out by running the timer, yet not being 100% comfortable/confident making the DQ call. Unfortunately, as you point out, the RO is not there just to run the timer. I don't know anybody that wants or likes to command STOP and to DQ another shooter, and I think most folks will tell you they feel bad every time it happens, but it is a necessary part of the game. Recognizing the tension because of the incident at the earlier stage, and despite the fact you were trying to help, if you were not ready to make the DQ call you probably shouldn't have been RO'ing. As you know, for the most part, folks DQ themselves, and know it is their own actions and not the RO that DQ's them. This guy sounds like he didn't even understand he was doing something wrong, which is odd. Although the table start confuses things a little, this seems pretty straight up: pointing a loaded gun into the crowd is about as serious a safety infraction as you can get. I'm not sure I would want to shoot there again if I were you.

I don't really know that many GM's personally, but those I do know are pretty focused to the point that they are not going to decise to shoot a match just because of the match fee. Match fees are just one part of the total expense of shooting this sport. There are not that many "Paid Shooters" in this sport, (folks that are fully sponsored to shoot), and we all know the match fee is just the start of the expense. Perks for being a GM: yea sure, I'm for it, they have paid their dues. Thinking you can attract them to your match based on waiving match fees, no, not so much.

I normally load MG and I just loaded a handfull of zeros. When I drop tested them they went in snug, but fit flush in the case gauge. Looking at them afterwards, there were slight scratches (made by the case gauge) on the bullets (not the casings). Thought I might have something wrong with gause and ran some MG's through it, no issue. Tried them in a .40 barrel, again no issue with either brand. Both groups of bullets are 180 JHP, but it seems like the Zeros are a CH bigger than the MG. Thoughts/suggestions? Thanks

Shannon Smith, Tampa FL fastacademy.net Excellent instructor (shoots okay too)

www.uspsa.com www.idpa.com Both have rulebooks and links to local matches posted

Saw this post last week, then got a stack of primers stuck in the tube just the other day. Started to get ready to impatiently "give the tube a little tap on the bench" and remembered... thanks for the post, may have saved me some grief.

I don't know many people that use shok buffs (for the reasons stated above) and saw a gun get locked up HARD (as in take it home to fix it) when one came apart and got tangled up inside.

+1 for Brian at Brassman

Just got back from the Friday Night Fun Shoot with the new competitor: and yea, I think he's hooked. He shot safe, shot well, and had a great time. For sure the help that the other RO's gave him on Wed made difference (no confusion on his part about Range Commands or Saftey Rules). I had planned on having him share my wife's gun tonight (she's also pretty new at this), a G-17, the gun I had him practice with. When we got to the range to help set up (I'm trying to teach him everything) one of the other guys there said that he had a G-17 that he wouldn't be shooting tonight, so "here, use my gun so you don't have to share." I've seen this kind of thing before, the way the shooting crowd all try to help each other. After the match, while talking to Match Director Charles Kibert and GM Shannon Smith (both former Army guys) this young ROTC student got to not only talk about shooting, but the Army (and his future) as well. I'm pretty happy with the way things went. Tomorrow we'll go to a steel match, then Sunday a Sanctioned USPSA match.

I'm bringing a new competitor out to shoot at our club match tomorrow. Not a "New Shooter" since he has shot before, but this will be his first match, so he is a "New Competitor" (this is a Dave Thomas thing, and I agree with it: calling an experienced Law Enforcement Officer, Military member, or anyone with firearms skills a "New Shooter" just because they are new to our game is wrong) . A college student in an ROTC program, he has an interest in shooting and his parents put him onto me. Yesterday I took him to the range for a practice session (Range Commands, safety rules, gun handling) and ran into two other RO's from our club that were out there to practice, so he got a pretty good intro. For me, this is one of the best things about this sport: sharing skills and knowledge with others that share your interest. Working with a new competitor, especially someone willing to listen and learn this is inherently rewarding, but I still get taken by the way people in this game reach out to each other. The other RO's were out there to practice, but they made time to teach. This kid (young man) is going to his first match tomorrow night, but has already been drilled on range commands and safety, and got some pretty good shooting pointers as well from two RO's/shooters that took the time time to help him. Gotta love it.