The following is a letter I sent to the match organizers of a level 2 match I attended this year. I had been debating with myself as to whether or not to send it until I received an E-mail from the organizers touting how proud they were that out of 170+ shooters there were no DQs. Especially after I personally witnessed two occasions that should have been a DQ.
Since it is not my intent to embarass anyone I have removed all references to which match it was. However, some folks who attended this match may figure it out.
My intent here is to make it painfully obvious that ANYONE who is going to act as a Range Officer/ RM has GOT to spend some time reading the rule book!
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To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I just returned home from the 2008 XXXXXXXXXXX. Since this was a USPSA sanctioned Level 2 match I feel there are a number of things that you should be made aware of.
But before we get to that I would like to commend you for all the hard work you put into the match. I understand that you have very little help setting up and the amount of work required is staggering. Also you have a problem getting quality ROs. Again, I understand this.
As a former head instructor in the Navy, it was my job to critique the performance of my subordinate instructors. I guess I still slip into that mode today. I usually take up a position as near as possible to the stage officials to observe how they officiate and , who knows, perhaps learn something. As with any sport, the better you know the rules the better you can play the game.
The main thing I was unimpressed with was the poor understanding of the rules by a number of the range officers and, on three occasions, by the Range Master himself. I'll get to a few of those examples in a moment.
I arrived at the match fairly early on Friday and spent some time walking around and observing the range officers shoot the match. Since I was in squad 12 and would begin on stage 12 I naturally ended up there and watched a group of 5 ROs shoot the stage.
This was a Standards type stage consisting of 3 strings, the ususal free-style, strong hand and then weak hand routines. After the stage a shooter is then required to shoot across the chrono.
Rule 10.4.5 The last to shoot was a female RO. On the last string she was transferring the gun to her weak hand when the gun fired. Thinking (correctly) that she had DQ'd she immediately unloaded and holstered. However one of the other ROs said that it was just an inadvertant shot and didn't hit the ground within 3 feet of her so they just scored the stage as shot. This should have been a DQ, no questions asked.
After this happened I heard one of the ROs say that they should go ahead and set up the Chrono. The RO that forgave the DQ said, "Naw, we don't have to do that." He then glanced up and saw me standing there and quickly said, "Well, uh, we'll do that tomorrow". Another remarked " Yeah, sure we will" with a smirk on his face.
The only RO that I can say actually Chronoed was the one who was running stage 12. He shot it Saturday morning right before we began shooting the stage.
While I cannot say for an absolute certainty that the other ROs didn't chrono, I would pretty much bet the farm on it. There was no parade of ROs heading to stage 12 on Saturday or Sunday.
Appendix A1 shows that the Chrono is Recommended for a Level 2 match but not mandatory. Appendix C2 outlines the Chrono station proceedures. Rounds were not collected for the chrono stage and so everyone was allowed to use whatever ammo they wished. By allowing everyone to use their ammo of choice this made the chrono stage completely worthless. If the ROs were competing only among themselves then their failure to chrono is excusable. But not if they were included in the main match.
Rule 4.3.1.6 Stage X consisted of 2 poppers, 2 plates and 2 swingers. One of our squad shot it and his first shot at one of the plates scored a partial hit at 3 oclock on the plate, moving it but it failed to fall. A second shot missed and he then shot the rest of the targets.
The range officer ruled that it was a mike. I disagreed with him saying that it was a range equipment failure. He said it wasn't a "significant" hit. I then asked for the Range Master. I dug out my rule book and found the rule right after the RM had arrived and ruled in the RO's favor. However, after showing them the rule they finally relented and awarded a reshoot. I guess I have been spoiled because the RMs that I have worked for in the past can cite the rules chapter and verse.
While I cannot verify this.... I did "hear" that the same "significant hit" ruling was applied on another stage costing a couple of shooters some mikes.
Rule 8.3.7 and 10.4.3 Stage X. Our squad arrived before Squad 1 was finished, so we watched them shoot. One shooter thought he had completed the course, so he unloaded and showed clear. The RO then gave the command "If clear, hammer down and holster." At this time the competitor noticed several overlooked targets, reloaded and shot those targets. The RO with the timer then looked over at the second RO and shrugged his shoulders. The second RO stated that since he hadn't taken his hand off of the gun and the first RO hadn't said "Range is clear" that it was legal.
As a competitor, I don't believe it is up to me to run their stage or cause another competitor to be DQd. I waited until Squad 1 had cleared the area and then approached the ROs and showed them rule 8.3.7. While both took the book and read the rule neither bothered to turn to rule 10.4.3( referenced in the rule) to see that it is also a DQ.
Stage X. Rule 8.3.1.1 and 8.7.1. This stage consisted of a start box with Xs at the rear and targets located on either side of a long shooting area. One of the shooters in our group entered the box. There was no conversation between the shooter and RO. When the RO commanded "Make Ready" the shooter drew his pistol took 3 paces down range and took a sight picture on the targets to either side of the shooting area. At the VERY least the RO should have admonished the shooter to NOT do that again! The RO said nothing.
Appendix C1.7c While waiting for a group ahead of us to finish up I saw the RM arrive at the next shooting bay. Apparently he had been called for a popper calibration. He went to the shooting spot, took careful aim and fired at the popper. His bullet struck the popper approximately 3 inches above the calibration zone and it did not fall. He looked over his shoulder at someone and then took aim to fire again. From my position I couldn't tell who stopped him and told him the calibration was over and a reshoot was required. Again the RM didn't seem to know the rules.
Stage X. (Possible 5.1.11) As we prepared to begin this stage we had a shoot-through arrive. I didn't catch his name but he was slight of stature and had long black hair. When he got to the 3 targets engaged through the door we heard some "Extremely" quick doubles. Several of us looked at each other in amazement. It certainly sounded as if his gun was doubling. After the RO had scored the stage I asked to see the timer to check the split times. He had 2 consecutive split times of 0.08 seconds. However the ROs treated this as an everyday occurance. Granted I don't know this shooter but those are split times that even Jerry Miculek would be proud of. Had I been the RO, at the very least, I would have had to call the RM or MD over to inspect for an unsafe gun. BTW we heard it happen again when he shot the next stage. Appendix A3 defines Burst operation as "More than one round can be discharged on a single pull or activation of the trigger."
Rule 3.2.2 Several ROs gave the stage breifing from memory. I guess it was a good thing that we all had our own course booklets to make sure we got ALL of the relevant info.
On 2 stages the ROs were adding in things that were not in the written stage breifing.
On Stage X, the ROs stated that the shooter has to be "completely Inside" the start box, not standing with a foot "on" the start box. I asked if that was in the stage description (3.2.1 and 10.2.2) and they said , "That's how we're doing it" By this time I didn't bother showing them the rule. (10.2.1) Standing on a start box or fault line is not illegal (unless specified in the written Stage Briefing) as long as the competitor is not touching anything outside the box or line.
On stage X The RO said that the brief case can only be carried with all four fingers and thumb grasping the handle. The booklet stage description merely states, "Briefcase in weak hand". After speaking with a shooter from another squad he said they were told that they only had to start that way. This is not the way it was presented to us. This is another reason ROs are supposed to read the breifing verbatim Rule 3.2.2. The RO didn't have a stage description on hand.
On Sunday morning I again arrived early and saw the RM doing the steel calibrations. He would take his gun out of the bag, walk up to the shooting position, shoot the steel then turn around and carry his gun back up range to his bag. I'm pretty sure that safe gun handling techniques are required of the RM as well.
During the course of the match I observed several instances of shooters who , if they didn't actually "BREAK" the 180, were within a hairs breadth of doing so. Yet these actions failed to elicite even a "Muzzle" warning from the ROs.
Let me reiterate, I am not out to burn anyone and I don't have an axe to grind. But these are all things that took place within my sight and hearing. I find it hard to believe that these are the only inconsistancies that took place over these 3 days.
The reason we have a rule book and the NROI is to ensure safety and a "consistant" application of the rules throughout the entire shooting community, not just at one match. Shooters should expect the rules to be applied the same at any match they attend.
On a positive note, The stages were interesting and fun to shoot. The ROs and staff were polite and friendly.
Again, I applaude the tremendous effort it took to put on the event but your staff let you down.
David Johnson
TY54019
