Getting DQ'd at the Nationals

[CPUFIXER]

I wrote a long drawn out version of the events that led up to it but here's the short version.

On stage 18, the 5th of 6th stages I shot the first day, I followed my sights looking at a target while moving down range and broke the 180. I knew it the second the RO called stop. I looked down at my feet in relation to the target and there was no doubt. As an RO myself, I would have called the same thing.

I showed clear, and explained to my squad what had happened. I thanked the RO's for working the match and shook their hands (just like everyone does...or should).

I did not whine, complain, throw a fit (or my mags) and just thought, "that's about par for the course for how the week had progrssed so far."

I wish it turned out differently (I was actually shooting pretty well before that) but I wish my squad good luck. (Squad 14)

Will I go next year?.....

Of course!

edit...to all the people who IM'd me about the long version, let's say a trip to the ER the day before I had to shoot was not in my plans..(neck problem, couldn't move neck...looked like Frankenstein)

Edited October 17, 2010 by CPUFIXER

[mark carr]

Hey cpufixer you weren't the only one that broke the 180 on that stage I watched the squad before mine and my squad and I saw at least 3 shooters break the 180 I think a few more vision bearers would have made this stage allot safer the head shot on the 3rd target on left side and last target where both easy to get in trouble on.

[Rolex]

Never quit in the sport. That's behind you,

Go forth and shoot well!

[chefcs5]

You handled it perfectly. I hope when it happens to me I do the same. As an RO I have seen a lot of people not handle it well. Some were very poor.

Hope you had fun on that stages you finished, I wish you the best of luck in the future year and hope next year you really smoke em at Nats!!!

[dirty whiteboy]

Been there, done that!

[sperman]

Chris,

I hate to hear that, especially at Nationals. Did you come home early so you can shoot Statesville tomorrow?

[Flyin40]

Nice job handling it. Been there done that. I counted up 24 DQ's at both nationals combined. 749 comp, 3% Dq'ed???

edited add at 2 more Dq's

Flyin

Edited October 17, 2010 by Flyin40

[outerlimits]

Taran??

[el pres]

Taran??

Ya, what happened there ??

[CPUFIXER]

Chris,

I hate to hear that, especially at Nationals. Did you come home early so you can shoot Statesville tomorrow?

Took an early flight on Friday. Don't know if I'm going to shoot or not, but will be there to keep score regardless.

[carlosa]

Taran??

Taran's gun poped out of his holster a's he sat on the stool at stage 4.

That's what I heard, I did not witness this.

[Ed K]

Taran??

Taran's gun poped out of his holster a's he sat on the stool at stage 4.

That's what I heard, I did not witness this.

I did witness it. Yes, the gun fell out of his holster after he made ready.

[Cold Absolute Zero]

Yep that stage was an easy one to DQ on. I remember looking stage 18 over when the published the stages and I was very paranoid about DQ'ing on that one also. You handled that well, no one got hurt and you acknowledge the mistake. On the bright side I'm sure you will be an even safer shooter in the future, and will be much more aware of your angles and your positional relationship with the target.

CAZ

[Chris Keen]

I can tell you I was VERY nervous sitting down on that stool even with my Ghost holster in semi-lock mode. I can certainly understand how that happened to Taran.

And as for stage 18 I didn't really like the terrain of the stage. To me the stage felt like a horse-race ... and the rocky, dusty, un-even surface made me very nervous going both downrange as well as uprange.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Chris Keen

[Cold Absolute Zero]

I agree, the dust and terrain on stage 18 was the worst of all the COFs. We had a limited squad ahead of our squad (prod) and many of them had malfunctions on stage 1 because of the dirt/dust that got into their dropped magazines, even after they brushed their mags out.

[pjb45]

How about stage 14 where you are facing at the 90 degree angle and told to make ready. I was looking at my muzzle as I was loading and the RO behind me is yelling muzzle muzzle. It was nice of the ROs to issue the warning. I tanked the stage due to my own issues. I should have unloaded and shown clear and moved down the list. My fault entirely and no one else.

But here is the real issue, most people do not draw their gun straight out to the holster and add their support hand to the grip. Most guns a slightly off the 90 angle to the body as they come up. Many many draws and aligning of the gun to the target broke the 90 degree rule.

In my opinion, that stage had a poorly designed start position that did result in DQs. It is silly to be capricious about calling the 90 degree rule. Understand the rule about not breaking the rule drawing but when does drawing stop and gun alignment begin. Stupid start position.

Our squad shot stage 18 late on Sunday by this time ROs were not even going down the range just starting the shooter, watching them and then going down the other side somewhat. Stage 18 ROs seemed pretty good about everything.

[DarthMuffin]

Sorry to hear about your DQ, but I think it's great the way you handled it.

Stage 18 was our second stage of the match. I went extra slow on that one! The only thing worse than DQing is DQing right off the bat and then having to sit on your hands for 3 days.

[rupture]

Sorry, I don't see why they put targets on the 180. Seems like they want to DQ people. I mean if you run past a target and try to pick it up thats one thing. But to have targets right on the line is not necessary.

[Corey]

anybody have a video or stage design from "18"? how bad of a 180 trap was it?

[ima45dv8]

Trap? I thought the shooter was responsible for their own muzzle.

[Singlestack]

anybody have a video or stage design from "18"? how bad of a 180 trap was it?

180 trap? pffftt...

I'll tell you what a 180 trap is. Its posting some fool near a target thats close to the 180 to watch for 180 violations.

[MVZ]

Trap? I thought the shooter was responsible for their own muzzle.

+ 1,000

MVZ

[Corey]

im just goin off what I'm hearing, haha. maybe "trap" was the wrong word for it? haha

[Merlin Orr]

We (hopefully) are all big kids and should watch ourselves and our positions in relation to the 180 line on all courses of fire...

Another 25 minutes of typing deleted and condensed down to this...

IMO. A good stage design should not have to dumb down to the lowest common denominator BUT a good stage design will not put the "reasonably prudent person" in a situation where he is likely to commit a serious safety violation.

Regarding the safety of any design - take a good look, pause - and consider........

[sperman]

Stage 18 starts at 41 seconds (I assume it is stage 18.)