marinegrunt

so when my above statement is spoken by a SO or MD it is false, in fact a cover up for a lousy match, so if at anytime it is spoken at a match the match must be deemed a failure? Sounds to me like the only statement made to cover something up is a complaint about the entire match COF’S, and how it was not designed to suit a few competitors, a statement made to cover up lousy shooting, and sounds like someone needs to widen their practice format just a bit, I wonder how many people that trophied in there class and division has similar complaints If a match was draw and fire one target, made up of 20 stages doing the same, the match would only be boring, but would still be a test of every competitors skills that day, and would be equal for all, while drawing and firing one shot may not be everyone’s “best” skill, not everyone is diversified in practice at every single movement done at a match, and you will most defiantly find someone’s weak point of shooting at a match, so almost any match is damned if you do damned if you don’t I hope you guys at least enjoyed part of the time spent there +1000 I shot the nationals in the mud and muck I enjoyed it very much. I did not get a trophy by 1.22 seconds but I loved the match. From a game point of view it was fun. From a realistic point of view, it had more realistic stages with just a few BG's. I have every intention of attending PA. (as a side note I would prefer that you all not badmouth PA for their Gun laws, as they will isssue CCW permits to out of state citizens and the legislature rejected gun bans this week) BTW I spent some time in the airport with Ted. I believe that he will be a great MD for next year.

Page 52 paragraph 4 is as follows Subcategories such as High Law Enforcement, High Lady, High Senior (Ages 50-64), High Distinguished Senior(ages 65 and older), High Press, High International, High Military (Active Military), High Military Veteran (ex-military, retired or discharged) and Most Acurate Shooter may be recognized at Sanctioned matches, but are not required. end quote According to the Application for nationals. EVERY Subcategory above is listed with one Quite notable exception Military Veteran. WHY did They leave this one out?

Ive never seen a Marine that had a deficiency of Self Esteem. The Few The Proud The Marines! Micktom, who had a post that was deleted apparently, has a valid point. He was not asking for a new classification just if we are going to recognize Law enforcement, High lady etc. it would make sense to show appreciation to a CLASS that already is spelled out in the Rule Book and that class happens to be the insurers of our Freedoms. Now I personally have fought for my country in Desert Shield/Storm. I have never shot good enough at an IDPA MAtch to rate the Veteran Trophy and it is highly likely that there are Master Class Veterans that would win it. I support recognizing Veterans Wherever I happen to run across them. They took at least 2-4 Years and laid their lives aside to Serve a Greater Good. I take umbrage at being compared to the "Everyone recieves a gold Star" mentality argument that has been used to "throw Cold Water on this thread" For my beliefs. Comparing Veterans to teachers etc. is insulting. Have you ever seen the Military go on Strike. As for recognizing Ladies and Seniors and Juniors we are actually honoring them for something they had nothing to do with, namely what they were born as and when they were born. All it takes to be a Senior is Stay alive long enough. Veterans had an input into what they became. And unlike Some of the Anti American Crowd (which refer to our fighting men and women as unable to find other jobs) I believe Veterans and Military are the Cream of the Crop. Delete all Categories Or Recognize all categories, at least at the national level. For those who have fought for it Freedom has a Flavor the Protected never know. We all have freedom I just enjoy mine a lot more.

Micktom, Thank you for your sentiments, While i would probably not be high veteran, It would be nice for Veterans to be Recognized, and at what cost $20 for a single plaque or trophy. Might actually grow the sport.

It is apparent to me that RWR and TR are often put into scenarios to slow down shooters and put an "AHA I got you!" into the match. As an SO reading page 41 of the new rule book (BTW I shall henceforth attempt to refrain from referring to the Current Rule book as "the new rulebook" as it is the one and only rulebook for IDPA. WHICH ALL SO's SHOULD READ AND UNDERSTAND.) Under notes P41 it states "HQ urges Course designers to Draft Scenario Courses that do not require Tac-Reloads or Reloads With Retention to be performed "on the clock". Now to Quote Joel "you should follow all the rules or not SO" then one of those rules would be the Note on 41. I believe that we should not use "SPEED TRAPS" to ding the Shooter. Having been in Combat in Desert Storm, I never "Counted Rounds" However the targets were a little easier to see if a hit had indeed occured. Often we get into the discussion that it is a "game" which is true. This is dealt with in Appendix five Starting on P48. discussing the "real life" requirements in IDPA Scenarios. The likelyhood that I am going to count rounds and RDSL in Real life are Slim to none on a Close Target However a target that I can see or feel has a -1 or worse on it is going to get another rd before or after a reload. In Real life I may empty the 17 rounder that is in my Glock into 1 or 2 BG's while reaching for another magazine if BG 3 pops his Grape Around the Corner and I am in the middle of reloading in a Tactical Manner neither I nor he are going to wait until I stow the half empty Mag to engage each other in a deadly Manner. Such is life. FWIW Imagine a story about an 5+year veteran SO that dinged a Shooter for having a Glock 17 that had been modified by the addition of a factory extended Mag release and Glock 34 slide release. The Shooter was shooting SSP and the SO said that he could only shoot as ESP and as such was using illegal equipment. the Shooter broke out his rulebook turned to page 18. The SO said tough S### On the way home from the match The SO was going down the interstate at the Speed limit of 70 when blue and reds pulled him over for Going 15 MPH over the Speed Limit. SO says the Speed limit is 70 the Officer which happened to be the Shooter. Says tough S###! If you want to Go by Old Rules then 55 MPH is your Speed limit in my jurisdiction. Did this Happen? No, but it does illustrate the absurdity of some of these SO's that refuse to READ AND ABIDE BY THE NEW RULEBOOK.

For starters we could have SONOFA pronounced "Son of a" Stands for "Safety Officer is a Nazi Or Facist Authoritarian!" Heck I know several SONOFA's now. If we refer to the firearm of said SONOFA can we call it the SONOFA gun? We can have the VINDSL Vastly Improved Necessary Dump Slide Lock Pronounced Vin Diesel when not only is it a help on the "Gaming" of the Stage but the shooter really did need an extra round on a Far target to feel good About his prospects of disabling the target. such as the house stage at Badlands Regional.

My Point is mainly on most forums there is an outbreak of "what I would have done" as in I would have threatened an FTDR. Well maybe you would have but if you are going to offer an FTDR then maybe you should have the willingness to back the penalty with the rulebook and at least your interpretation of said rule. Otherwise you are seen as a seagull which craps on everything and leaves a mess. Whenever people say "it happened at a "major match" and do not say which match and "it was similiar" it makes me wonder whether there is any real SO's paying attention to the rulebook. Just because a shooter gets away with an error does not mean said error is now the law of the land. So should it be seen as if an SO and MD at a "Major Match" screw up on interpretation it should be recognised as a mistake and not become Precedent setting. For instance the Supreme Court screws up often and makes rules that are indeed contrary to the intent of the Constitution. Using international law as a guideline, do we in Idpa mimic them and use "uspsa law" to interpret our rules, no I happen to shoot both. And As an SO I believe we should enforce the rules in the arena we are playing in to the clearest and closest intent possible much as in Major league baseball. And as we always like the 2nd Amenment to the US Constitution so shall we as SO's and MD's (the governing bodies of the IDPA, at least on a local level) adhere to page 53 under SO's responsibility's # 2. Remember the shooter is always given the benefit of any doubt. I believe that PE's and FTDR's should be dispensable to SO's and MD's for repeated failure to recognize the new rule book and adhere to the same. Repeated failure to read and/or understand the rulebook before a major match is Unsportsmanlike conduct. Have I been gigged at major matches? No, I have earned every PE I have received at a MM. I just notice unfair actions and it leaves a stain on the sport.

The one thing that makes me as a shooter and SO more than a little PO'ed is when you attend a match and the SO's are willfully ignorant of the rules. especially a large match. by willfully ignorant, I mean doing such assinine things as not counting hits on a target because they were shoot thrus thru a non threat. The rulebook came out in early 2005 it has been in effect since April 15-2005. Now if you are an SO and you are going to officiate take about an hour and read the 82 page book. Break out a highlighter. Pay attention, there will be a test. You will be graded by more than a few shooters, all of which own a rulebook and probably have read it. As for the "aggressive Shooter" there is only one rulebook reference to hands Starting position it is located on page 8 S9 of the current rulebook. ALL COF will be started with pistol holstered and safe, hands clear of equipment as directed by the SO unless other positions for the pistol are stipulated (table top,drawer, pack, purse, or in firing hand). If you would give an FTDR for movement between load and make ready and standby I would reply with an FTDR brought on by the FTRTRB Failure to read the RuleBOOK. A PE is earned by movement between standby and buzzer. NOT before Standby. the Command Load and make ready allow movement looking around the barricade etc. so long as no sight picture/airgunning takes place and falls under the Make ready command that was issued. An SO that has a problem with this is probably one of two things. 1. A range Nazi 2. A poor shooter that has a jealousy problem with an Aggressive "read better" Shooter.

Postal congratulations on SSP Master, you did it in 97.99 pretty good you did it in a classifier. attaboy and two thumbs up.

here is the perfect vest for idpa