This was my third match and was just beginning to get comfortable with the people and the surroundings, etc. Been shooting for a long time but never competitively. Prior to my first match last year, I took a Practical Pistol class at the range and one of the things the instructor said after listing the various violations that could result in a DQ was that, "no arguement, if the RO calls a DQ, bag your bags, you are done for the night." During my first match last year, a shooter puts a round in the ceiling during a reload, is DQ'd and promptly packs his bags and leaves (although he had a bit of attitude about it).
So, on to my DQ: the course had a window with a couple shots and then a 20-foot hallway with a few targets at the end. I finished and was beginning to backout and decided to reload while backing (instead of waiting until out of the hall and moving right to the next doorway), as I was seating the new magazine I had my gun at about 45 degrees above sightline (half-way to ceiling) and begin to turn to start moving right. During part of my turn my muzzle went passed the 180 and RO yelled STOP! I knew what I had done before the STOP was even out of his mouth and squared up to down range, made safe and holstered. I told him I knew what I did wrong and apologized. He was very apologetic as well as some of the other regular shooters (i.e.. "we all do it", "It happened to me", etc.)
Here's my dilema: after coming home and reading through a number of posts on this board I realized that I probably looked like big ass for just packing my things and leaving. Given my limited experience, the comments made during the Practical class and the one DQ I had witnessed, I thought the protocol for a DQ was that I had to leave the match! I would have gladly stayed and pasted targets all night rather than have left immediately. So now, in addition to feeling guilty about the mental mistake and the 180 violation, I feel even worse about seeming like a poor sport and leaving.
David.
