1st DQ Yesterday

[Leland1]

Well after a year of competing I got my 1st DQ yesterday. Running the 1ST run of the 1ST stage of the day, an outlaw steel stage. Start in a box, 5 plates, change box, 5 poppers, change to barricade, 5 poppers, 5 poppers on the move, 5 poppers behind barricade.

Keep in mind the barricade had a 4" tall box and the start boxes were 2" tall.

I took out the plates, transitioned, took out the 1st poppers, transitioned to the barricade, took out the 2nd set of poppers..... then..... tripped over the barricade box, dropping the gun...

The RO didn't notice and as I sat there in a daze I hear "Your not DQ'd dude" I say " I'm NOT?" "No"

I picked up my gun and raise it to a popper. By this time my minds racing and I don't realize Im looking OVER my sights. 2 shots hit the ground and I hear "STOP! THAT'S a DQ...."

I unload and show clear and shrug it off. A handshake with the RO, who trained me in competing in the beginning, and I de gunned.

I walked to the lady shooter holding the clipboard,Jinnie, and trade up. I ran the scores for the day.

Jinnie kept telling me "Im sorry, Leland. I know your disappointed" I tell her "Your sorry? You didn't do nothing..... I just screwed up is all."

My wife tries to call me during a "stand by" and the RO looks at me. I hand the phone off to go in my bag and we proseed.

She shows up wondering why I didn't answer... I tell her I was working and I almost got fussed at. Her response....

"Your already DQ'd....."

I swear she has no idea about the responsibilities we as shooters have.

A shooter running a Springfield 1911 ran out of ammo halfway through so I loaned him my Glock 17 and ammo. He tell me I can shoot his 1911 after teardown.

Having never shot a 1911 before I was stoke..... until after teardown the wife gave me the "Im ready to go home look"

I take a rain check and my range day is over.

Oh well. Could be worse.

[GrumpyOne]

Sorry to hear that! Did the shots impact the ground closer than 10' to you? If not, then no DQ. But if you dropped the gun, I.E., if it left your hand in the fall, or broke the 180, then DQ. I'm assuming that if the RO told you to go on after the fall, you did not let go of the gun, or break the 180, so, it all depends if your shots after hit closer than 10'.

Match Disqualification Accidental Discharge

A competitor who causes an accidental discharge must be

stopped by a Range Officer as soon as possible. An accidental

discharge is defined as follows:

10.4.1 A shot, which travels over a backstop, a berm or in

any other direction, specified in the written stage

briefing by the match organizers as being unsafe.

Note that a competitor who legitimately fires a shot

at a target, which then travels in an unsafe direction,

will not be disqualified (the provisions of

Section 2.3 may apply).

10.4.2 A shot which strikes the ground within 10 feet of

the competitor, except when shooting at a paper

target closer than 10 feet to the competitor

Good for you to stay and help out with the match though! Very good sportsmanship!

Edit to add: You're welcome to shoot my 1911 anytime you want...as long as I'm not shooting it!

Edited October 3, 2010 by GrumpyOne

[Leland1]

Sounds good Grumpy.

My gun did indeed leave my hand but the shot didn't hit 10 feet from me.

This was just a club match so they can be more strict sometimes.

All in all, I still would've been DQ'd without firing the wild shots so its a lesson learned.

When leaving the box, walk tall.

[GrumpyOne]

Sounds good Grumpy.

My gun did indeed leave my hand but the shot didn't hit 10 feet from me.

This was just a club match so they can be more strict sometimes.

All in all, I still would've been DQ'd without firing the wild shots so its a lesson learned.

When leaving the box, walk tall.

Well, he DQ'd you for the wrong reasons at least. Club match or not, rules are rules. The RO is also at fault for not seeing (watching) close enough to see the gun leave your hand. The gun leaving your hand is a much more dangerous situation (IMO) than rounds impacting the ground more than 10' in front of you. But, as you say, it was a club match, not a sanctioned match, so club rules probably prevail. Still not right though, IMO.

And, if he didn't DQ you for the fall, why would you have DQ'd without firing the wild shots?

[Leland1]

Cause I would have told him I dropped the gun once I unloaded and got my bearings.

[driver8M3]

i can't tell if this was a uspsa match or not. but if it was not, why would the uspsa rulebook apply?

[Cy Soto]

Cause I would have told him I dropped the gun once I unloaded and got my bearings.

That is the right thing to do and I applaud your honesty!

A very long time ago I witnessed someone commit a DQ'able infraction for which he was not immediately stopped (he broke the 180). At the end of his run, the secondary RO pointed it out to the main RO and they agreed that the shooter had to be DQ'd. The shooter agreed that he broke the 180 but claimed that, because he hadn't been stopped at the moment the infraction happened, they couldn't DQ him now that his run had finished. The DQ stood even though the shooter didn't agree with the call.

[Leland1]

i can't tell if this was a uspsa match or not. but if it was not, why would the uspsa rulebook apply?

It was a Outlaw Steel Challenge match with a running course.

[gohuskers]

Sorry to hear about it. Every shooter has it happen at least once in their lifetime. At least nobody got hurt. Shrug it off and get back to competing.

[Rowdy-Finn]

I've had 2 DQ's. Happened in back to back matches and left me shaken for a little while. Keep goin'!