clarification on muzzle direction during reload

[gravityBad]

I'm new to USPSA and have only shot for the last few months. I undersatnd the 180 rule and you can't point the gun down where it may sweep your feet while moving but my question centers around a warning i received at the last match while reloading. I started a reload midway through a stage and the RO yelled out "MUZZLE"...I had no idea what had happened and had never been called out for anything during a match...i promptly stopped with the muzlle pointed downrange. The RO then yelled 'keep going'...i hesitated as i was a little stunned and confused...he yelled again 'keep going - finish the course'.... At the end of the stage I was told I had the muzzle was pointing up too high while reloading. I didnt think i had reloaded any differently then anytime before--maybe muzzle was inline with my arm at no more than a 45 deg angle.

No one has ever mentioned this and after scanning the rules, i couldn't find anything pertainging to this warning. Can anyone clarify or tell me where i can find this info.

Thanks

[Kevin G.]

Without knowing the specifics of the range you were firing on, I would guess that it is a rule at that club to keep muzzles from pointing above the berm, not a USPSA rule.

[mhs]

According to the rulebook you can point the muzzle as high as you want, as long as you don't break the 180 or sweep yourself.

Some ranges have local rules (which may not be legal by USPSA standards) which forbid pointing your gun in some direction, or above a berm.

Was this a sanctioned match?

[Graham Smith]

No one has ever mentioned this and after scanning the rules, i couldn't find anything pertainging to this warning. Can anyone clarify or tell me where i can find this info.

I shoot at two ranges that are very strict on this. The safety briefing should have covered this, but if it didn't then I would have pointed that out to the RO and whoever is running the match.

[Corey]

It was a warning, not a stoppage and DQ. The RO may have thought you were getting close to the 180 and gave you the warning about it. You didnt break it or you would have heard "STOP!" instead of "muzzle". be mindful of where your muzzle is pointing when manipulating the gun and continue to be safe.

[Lee King]

The pertinent rule in the rulebook is 10.5.2. I THINK the phrase "median intercept" basically means the 180 (or technically 90 degree as defined) means vertical as well as horizontal. Though I could not find a good definition of "median intercept" to back that up. Anyone shed light on this?

It is also possible the club has a requirement you don't point the muzzle above the berm. In which case it should've been explained to you ahead of time (local rules debated in another thread).

Also, 8.6.1 allows a Range Officer to issue "safety warnings" at any time. "Muzzle" is the warning most RO's use as well as "Finger" if they think your finger is on the trigger at an inappropriate time.

ETA warnings

Edited September 28, 2010 by Lee King

[Poppa Bear]

Do you have an idea of which way you were moving when the RO called "Muzzle"? If you are right handed and moving towards your right, the muzzle has a tendency to point down range during a reload. If you are moving towards the left you have a tendency to point the muzzle UP range during a reload if you do not make a conscious effort to keep it down range by twisting your body, arm, gun etc.

[gravityBad]

I heard nothing of a local range rule regarding the muzzle pointing up too high during the shooters meeting...although there were about 70 shooters and it was hard to hear everything.

Being new to USPSA, I had never considered local range rules either trumping or adding to USPSA rules.

The 'muzzle' warning was while i was moving forward during a reload. I was no where near breaking the 180 (probably 30-40 degrees from it) and as i stated earlier, the RO specifically mentioned pointing the muzzle too high during the reload. He mentioned me getting close to breaking the "rule" along with other 180 and muzzle sweep rules...not implying that i had broke or even came close to breaking those rules. Since he mentioned the 180 and sweep rule and me being new to the game, i took the muzzle direction warning as a USPSA rule.

Thanks for the replies and I will ask at the next match whether this example is their local range rule or if they can site a specific rule regarding muzzles pointing too high.

EDIT: deleted club name per mods direction

Edited September 30, 2010 by gravityBad