Tom Mainus Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I am new to shooting IDPA but I have beeen shooting IPSC for a couple of years. I shoot revolver 625 4". At our last match after I had got done shooting the stage. One of the guys came over to me and warned me that if I did that again I would be dq'ed for unsafe gun handling. Here is what I do when I come to the line. When I get the load and make ready command, I draw my gun, open the cylinder, drop in the moon clip, close the cylinder, pull the hammer back a couple of times to make sure that the cylinder is moving freely. My guns are set up for double action only, my finger never touches the trigger. Then holster the gun. I have never been warned about this before. I have shot two USPSA nationals and have never been warned. I realize that if I let go of the hammer the gun has the potential to go off. What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Tom, Frankly, even though I understand why you need to do it, it always gives me the willies to see it ---- but if I'm SOing an IDPA stage I treat it the same as if I was ROing an IPSC stage. Muzzle in a safe direction, no bang - you get to shoot. Muzzle in unsafe direction or bang -- unload and show clear, thanks for coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Why wouldn't the cylinder move freely? Can't you feel any binding when you close the cylinder? Seems like an odd habit, unsafe? Seems a little unsafe to me. Never seen that prep before, so what do you do when it doesn't move "freely?" Pretty unlikely to go off if your finger is out of the trigger guard though huh? Have you ever decided you didn't like the situation and reloaded with a different moonclip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mainus Posted February 2, 2004 Author Share Posted February 2, 2004 AFDavis11, What I am looking for is high primers. If you don't get them seated just right , they will bind up. I usually don't have the time to check all my ammo for the local club matches before I go. Load it up and go. For major matches i load up all my moon clips ahead of time and check each one in the gun. I f they don't work, I find the bad round or use that moon clip for practice. Also tells me If I have bent moon clips or not. At a match if the cylinder binds up i remove the clip and put it in my pocket, not to be used again that match. Our IDPA club is new and they are really stressing safety. We have a safety meeting before each match that lasts 10- 25minutes each time. You miss the meeting you can't shoot the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmittyFL Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I don't shoot IDPA, but just to back up Tom. I do roughly the same thing shooting revo in USPSA. I shoot a 625 and after loading pull the hammer back enough to get the cylinder stop out of the way and then spin the cylinder to check for binding. Never been warned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I load then spin the cylinder too. Never had a soul say a word. If someone is going get on my butt about it they better have a rule to cite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayonaise Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I've seen it a bunch. No different than a chamber check to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 If it doesn't go bang, and you keep it pointed in a safe dirrection, I don't see the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larrys1911 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 New one for me. Ive seen so many Cylinders spun.....Hell Ive done it. If you just pull the hammer back far enough that the Cyl will spin I dont think thats unsafe at all. I personally grew up before Decockers, you know back when decocking a handgun, Lever rifle etc by hand didnt give everyone the willies though, so that may be the reason. No rule that I can think of either. Larry P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Perez Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Partially moving the hammer back and spinning the cylinder has long been recgognized as a function-check for the round gun. As Mayo posted - same thing as a chamber check for the auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I would love to see someone tell Jerry M. doing this (whom I learned this from watching him at Second Chance)at the load and get ready command that he is being unsafe and that they'll DQ him next time....... Riiiiiiiight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I've been doing that at the IDPA Nationals for several years. No problems there. Bil Nesbitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Yes, I've seen Jerry do it alot on his video. Since I'm with you on checking all the moonclips before a match I never bothered checking once I was on the line. I've always felt some binding when I closed the cylinder before the match and just assumed those weren't going to work. I'll have to try that. I would think at an IDPA match you might get away with a cylinder spin a little easier than several hammer retractions and cylinder "adjustments" I've had lots of these problems with revolvers at a match. I mean what really is the solution? How do you explain to 65 autoloader competitors that what your doing with your ancient firearm that they have never seen before is safe? Perhaps you should suggest to the 1911 guys that they have to "load and make ready without their hammer moving too" ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjobart Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I pull the hammer back slightly and spin the cylinder at "Load amd make ready" when I suspect that I may have a bent moon clip. It does not take much for a moonclip to get warped and bind the cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjbever Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Tom: Youre running into people that are ignorant of the nuances of revolvers. You gotta check for high primers and bent moon clips or youre asking for a malfunction. I would take that unknowledgable RO/SO aside after the match and in a friendly way explain to him what you are doing and why. How many times does a loaded 1911 get manipulated with the hammer back and the safety off during the "Load and Make Ready" sequence?......I press check everytime and so do most experienced shooters. If that doesnt work a simple "Blow me you ignorant range Nazi" would be appropriate!!!!! LOL!!!! I learned those people skills from my mentor Banjobart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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