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Rule 8.5 - definition of "safety should be engaged"


bluenite

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8.5 Movement

8.5.1 Except when the competitor is actually aiming or shooting at targets,

all movement (see Appendix A3) must be accomplished with the fingers

visibly outside the trigger guard and the safety should be engaged.

Question: what to do if you see someone shooting a 1911 and not using the safety when running from one box to another.

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8.5 Movement

8.5.1 Except when the competitor is actually aiming or shooting at targets,

all movement (see Appendix A3) must be accomplished with the fingers

visibly outside the trigger guard and the safety should be engaged.

Question: what to do if you see someone shooting a 1911 and not using the safety when running from one box to another.

Nothing.

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BOD really needs to delete that one, verbs like should,shouldn't, encouraged discouraged, etc dont belong in our rule book, rules are rules, definitive verbs like can,cant, will, wont, shall, shant should be used.

If a competitor should or shouldnt do something then it isnt a rule.

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Wow, I have never heard of this one. Does anyone engage their safety while moving? I know I have done it once or twice without thinking, but I certainly don't make a habit of it.

My safeties are engaged all the time when I'm not actively shooting.

But then again, I shoot a Glock :devil:

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BOD really needs to delete that one, verbs like should,shouldn't, encouraged discouraged, etc dont belong in our rule book, rules are rules, definitive verbs like can,cant, will, wont, shall, shant should be used.

If a competitor should or shouldnt do something then it isnt a rule.

So the part where:

- steel "should" be kept away by a physical barrier will become "must"? So there will have to be a low wall or port in front of steel? The Hillbillton drill classifier will be thrown out as illegal.

- calibration ammo "should" be between 115 and 125 PF and 9mm will become "must"? So pulling the first person shooting 9mm factory ammo to challenge steel will become a no-no?

- target placement "should" be clearly marked and securely fixed will become "must"? Clubs who shoot indoors must markup their range floor, and or glue/nail down the target stands?

- safety areas "should" come equipped with tables and clearly marked boundaries? Now there MUST be a table at a safety area and there MUST be a boundary?

- etc.

I think that the rulebook provides enough leeway to allow clubs operate in a manner without imposing too much of burden on them.

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- calibration ammo "should" be between 115 and 125 PF and 9mm will become "must"? So pulling the first person shooting 9mm factory ammo to challenge steel will become a no-no?

Bad example. Pulling the first person shooting factory 9mm for a calibration shot already is a no-no unless that individual gun and ammo combination have been tested and approved by the RM.

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IIRC in the early days it was a rule that your thumb safety had to be engaged when you moved more than a couple of steps. We practiced finger in safety off, finger out safety on, until it was automatic. I think it was changed to read should be because of the dificulty RO's had determing if a competitior did actually have his thumb safety engaged.

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Must-Have to

Should-Not mandatory,but recommended

Hence, I would do nothing.

If engaging the safety is not mandatory then why is it in the rules in the first place.

As guidance for the competitor, as to what "best practices" are.....

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Never saw that before. The only time my safety is engaged is when I holster the pistol at make ready. I've never engaged it to make movement between positions. My finger is indexed along the frame when not engaging targets. The gun isn't going to go bang without the trigger being pressed. Engaging the safety to make movement would only lead to the possibility/probability of me trying to engage the next array of targets without remembering to disengage it. :roflol:

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I made a dumb post but I understand it now. Maybe I got it deleted before anyone read it cause I really hurt myself by writing all that. For those of you that don't know there is a glossary that tells you what USPSA'S Definition of must, should, shall and other words. I found those when I read the entire rulebook tonight.

Edited by Obiareus
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  • 1 month later...
Wow, I have never heard of this one. Does anyone engage their safety while moving? I know I have done it once or twice without thinking, but I certainly don't make a habit of it.

I just ran across it myself and did a search which led to this thread.

I suppose that an RO should mention it to the shooter after a COF but as it is only a recommendation there are no penalties for not doing it. IOW, there does not seem to be any upside to doing it and there is no downside to not doing it.

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8.5 Movement

8.5.1 Except when the competitor is actually aiming or shooting at targets,

all movement (see Appendix A3) must be accomplished with the fingers

visibly outside the trigger guard and the safety should be engaged.

Question: what to do if you see someone shooting a 1911 and not using the safety when running from one box to another.

Design stages without boxes. :)

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