Kiwishoot

After all the time, effort and money you've spent on competitive shooting so far... knowing the rules is as a valuable investment as everything else.

Congrats. From a fellow heart attack survivor and zipper club member, every month, you'll look back and realise that you may have thought you were better, but no, still recovery time. Getting tired easily took many months for me to get rid of. But the daily exercise and better diet does mean all that hospital work will pay off for years to come. And it's back to shooting as well

Depends on what two guns you're shooting. Rimfire, pistol 1st, rifle 2nd. Because I shoot rifle better, pistol becomes my warm up. Limited before open, same reason. Yeah not ideal, but that's life.

Gotta love the clowns who are always desperately seeking attention

This

I've always found it hilarious that some people at the start show obvious tenseness argued "hey this IS my relaxed at side" yet when they're standing around 10 minutes later gossiping with others, seem to be quite capable of being actually relaxed. As per others posted, clear simple instructions on how to sit on a chair alas are required for those who feel an extra 1/2" advantage will make them win (and who feel astounded at getting DQ'd for other stuff).

Personally have always cleared my camera setup with MD, stage RO and let shooters know where it is. Tripod wise I've kept it halfway downrange if it's a long running stage, reckon the photos look nice capturing people running towards the camera. Ideally behind a barrel so it's not sticking out like a sore thumb right in front of the shooter, less of a temptation to be a visual distraction. Wireless remote, burst = a whole lot of fun.

You'll be surprised just how clean you can get wet tumbling without the pins Been without the pins for @3 years now, works a treat on everything I shoot and that little bit easier to use (for me).

A while ago had a fancy rifle bag shaped like a coffin with red velvet liner labelled "Zombie Killer", for steel challenge. Unzipped it after LAMR and somehow the bag caught the pistol grip as I flicked away the bag, spinning the rifle out of my hands and across the shooting bay. Both RO & myself looked at it, each other, and at it like some comedy before saying "have we learnt a lesson?" Purchased a proper rifle bag the next day and have been unable to repeat this performance

Side track but the best prize ceremony I went to was 1st/2nd/3rd for divisions, then random name pulled out of a hat. You had 30" max at the table, hands behind back, what you touched is what you got. It was well organised, well patrolled and I haven't heard so much laughing at a prize giving since. Plus a good encouragement for new shooters that they had a chance in getting something. Because let's be honest, a prize off the table is a bonus, not a necessity.

This. Folks stopped quickly yelling out scores after I told them to slow down or do the scoring themselves. For some it's part of the cool factor to yell out a score faster than it was shot.

^ actual feedback ! Paper towels in the toilets will always be in demand, and it's tough keeping the toilets constantly clean from shooters who can't hit a bowl, let alone a target. It's an Interesting thread. OP can't shoot good enough and USPSA isn't organised enough to make sure there's pamphlets with new purchases.

A couple of us travelled to the US for some matches a couple of years ago, including Berry's Steel and MultiGun Nats at ProGun Club at Vegas. Immense fun Not only were we hyper aware of DQ potentials having dropped some serious coin (and suffered a 15 hour flight to get there) but when shooters in our squad were DQ'd, we were surprised that they were surprised. Seems some people try to shoot ahead of their ability.

Oh so true ! The car is full of ammo and guns for Speed Steel If the goal of shooting a club match is practice, then as much shooting as they'll allow you to do is a good thing IMO. Thanks to Ken I shot Berry's Steel Match last year in 2 x divisions with the same gun (Limited and Production) in the same squad. No-one in the squad complained and because I wasn't competitive, it really didn't matter. The attitude displayed by many people there was impressive.

That sounds interesting, must keep an ear out

Yup that's the way.

Any malfunction that would lead you to think it's an unsafe firearm, including multiple mis-fires, as there could be unsafe ammo leading to a squib. So I would call it, yes but only if a competitor has bits falling off their gun, I'd argue it's rather unsafe. As I wouldn't know what else is breaking, or about to fall off. Mind you this is a hypothetical case as I've never seen a dot fall off during a COF. Dot failure however would fall under the usual "that's a shame" but if YOU have finished ... rule Your loose/flat battery is your problem, not my safety problem.

A pretty broad and peculiar example I'd be leaning towards IPSC 5.7 with your equipment malfunction during the COF, so the RO should stop you. It'll be scored as shot up to the malfunction and there's no re-shoot, and if you choose to rock up to the next stage with a non divisional firearm, the path is pretty clear.

My 2c worth - wrong call. Starting the unloading process of trying to hit the mag release button weak hand is encouraging unsafe gun handling. And I have never seen it called as a procedural at any level match. They're interpreting 10.2.8 incorrectly (Exceptions are releasing an external safety (without scooping), reloading or correcting a malfunction).

IPSC - Need permission from the Range Master BEFORE trying to modify the firearm. 5.1.7 Competitors must use the same firearm and type of sights for all courses of fire in a match. However, in the event that a competitor's original firearm and/or sights become unserviceable or unsafe during a match, the competitor must, before using a substitute firearm and/or sights, seek permission from the Range Master who may approve the substitution provided he is satisfied: 5.1.7.1 The substitute firearm satisfies the requirements of the relevant Division; and 5.1.7.2 In using the substitute firearm the competitor will not gain an advantage; and other stuff.....

Yup, it's part of the rules. But was there any feedback from the folks who shot the pre-match ?

Wading into this late but as mentioned before there is no rule. You can stop yourself at any time, unload and show clear. You must however wait for the next command of "if clear, hammer down and holster" You'll be scored on the course of fire as shot, so loads of FTE and Uncle Michael visiting. If you were to drop the hammer, holster and walk away before the RO has seen the empty chamber and called the range clear, you can be called back in a very loud voice. If you continued to walk away you could be DQ'd under 10.6.1 unsportsman like behaviour and failing to follow the reasonable directions of the RO. I've seen top shooters throw a tantrum like a 5 year old because they've blown a stage, storm off and called back and warned. Getting a zero on a stage usually means your comp is over, getting DQ'd means your comp IS over.

IPSC rules are pretty blanket, so in answer to your questions : * you will lose arbitration if you wanted to argue over picking up the firearm with your strong hand, 10.2.8 does specifically state "for each occurrence of touching the handgun (or scooping it from a table etc.) with the other hand after the Start Signal" * ULSC is not engaging the targets so you can use both hands (8.3.6 if you have finished ULSC) * holstering is not engaging the target, besides 8.3.7 specifically covers if clear, hammer down, holster - engaging a target after this command is a no no * remember the course of fire ends after the hand is clear of the holstered pistol (8.3.7.3) * shooting with a magazine is your other hand is fine as long as you don't gain any stability from it (key word is stability from 10.2.8.2, so holding onto a door you've just opened with your strong could be interpreted as gaining stability, just holding a mag would be a tough call as having seen some stages that have all mags on the table means grabbing one and shooting one handed is perfectly fine). Of course walking through the stage with a magazine in your hand is a no no (8.7.2) Hope this helps

And make sure you test ALL of your mags. Gun check can mean any of your magazines can be selected to make sure it fits in the box, not just the one you want to provide.

Have done this as a club match, the stage was around the corner up a hill so no-one could see it. Each shooter would walk up to the stage, shoot, then stay up there to help reset. After a while everyone who had shot was sitting around and laughing/encouraging when folks kept missing/not finding targets. For fun, it certainly was. For competition, not a hope.