rhd2542 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 There's a couple ranges near by who hold non uspsa matches. They don't enforce common safety rules like breaking the 180 and or weapon safe areas. If you break theses rules they just say DONT do that and let the person continue to shoot the match. I have complained may times with they saying we will strait DQing these people. They don't. This type of activity is happening at both ranges near where I live. All other matches are to far for me to travel plus I'm retired limited funds for gas. I sure hate to quit a sport I really like. Any advise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hefta Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I'd try saving more money and shooting at another club... you can't fix stupid. Hope it all works out for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I'd try saving more money and shooting at another club... you can't fix stupid. Hope it all works out for you! I agree, shoot one less match a month, but many more years of life. Way more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centermass Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Run, Forrest, Run! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hefta Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I just thought of this... Volunteer to run the matches USPSA style and try to make them change instead of running away. Our sport needs good people like you to keep things going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I just thought of this... Volunteer to run the matches USPSA style and try to make them change instead of running away. Our sport needs good people like you to keep things going. Definitely worth a try. Not knowing the whole situation, sounds like whoever is running it now doesn't like rules very much, so it may be hard convincing them to abide by USPSA rules. However, hopefully for the OP, there enough like minded people that would embrace the "new" rules and everyone would be better off. Failing that, you're safety isn't worth it. FWIW, if i was at a range and the 180 was broken, and the only result was a "talking to", not a DQ, I'd pack my stuff up and leave. After having a polite discussion with the MD letting him know why. I know that is easier said than done, given the OP's circumstances, but consider the alternatives. Sounds like a tragedy waiting to happen at those ranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 (edited) I've had my own failures nudging a local outlaw club into a safer set of rules. I left matches that were unsafe after telling the person running the matches what I'd seen and not seeing anything done about it. Here's some of the common themes I was always up against: We don't have a rulebook because a real fight doesn't have one. (They had a rulebook, along with a hundred or so "special" rules that were only in the stage RO's head.) We don't like gamers. (Said by members with dedicated full blown SVI limited setups and a double belt rig) Our matches are oriented towards self defense scenarios. (Scoreboards, timers, charging through a door with 10 bad guys inside, squads rehearsing stages) If we throw someone out (DQ) for every little thing, how will they ever learn what's right? We've had a great safety record so far. (Shots in the dirt 3 feet away, poppers 10 feet away, AD's sent into the next county, stages started with another shooter still downrange) I can hardly bear to go back these days, but it's where I started. I miss a few of those guys, but they're happy with their club because it's "theirs" for better or worse. Most have been to a USPSA or IDPA match, but found the competition too steep. They will never change and I don't feel safe there so I don't stop by anymore. There are several USPSA clubs near me. I moved on. In the original poster's case, do you have any friendly collaborators? Could you and 2 other people work out a different weekend with the range to start a USPSA or IDPA club? That's probably a long shot, I know. Edited August 5, 2011 by ihatepickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Unfortunately, perhaps the only thing that will bring these groups to a halt will be civil suits and/or prison time for negligent homicide. Some folks just refuse to learn. Be smart. If you really CAN'T fix it, find a way to shoot elsewhere. This simply isn't worth your health or your life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gohuskers Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 With the way things are being run it doesn't sound like the club will be open for that much longer - somewill get hurt or killed and all sorts of legal hell will break loose. Like others have said, try and change it yourself with the help of whoever will listen. If that doesn't happen then get out and stay away. The situation will work itself out, and it will end badly. No sense in being a part of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz-0 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Well you can always bring their lax safety to the attention of the host club. Not likely to leave you with a safe match in the end though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Well you can always bring their lax safety to the attention of the host club. Not likely to leave you with a safe match in the end though. Good thought ... Maybe the Officers and BoD of the host org need to be made aware THEY can be held personally liable in such situations in addition to whomever is actually out there running the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 problem with these ole boy clubs is it is usually the Officers and BOD that are the worse offenders, I have only been to a couple clubs that I never returned to, one IDPA and one USPSA, both supposedly using published rule books. Letting people shoot on stages to check zero during the match with no RO in sight. No safe area, rounds that hit targets but left the range insisting on a hammer down on loaded chamber start, for a Browning Hipower, thats when I left. Bout all you can generally do is vote with your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I found a club 20 minutes from me that shoots "action pistol matches" every monday, year round. It pisses me off that the place was so full of clowns that I won't be going back due to their bad safety habits. It would have been a good opportunity to practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 This is why I love clubs that run affiliated shooting sports(USPSA ,ICORE,IDPA, etc) and adhere strictly to their rules. Visitors will always know what to expect with equipment and scoring and obviously safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Hmmm...starting a course of fire with a competitor...AND a RO...downrange... Watching slugs go over the squad's head as the shooter engages "slug" steel in a 270 degree arc... Hell, that was this weekend Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 One of the larger clubs in my neck of the woods has 450 members but is primarily a rifle club. Their pistol shooting is called Defensive Pistol Practice and it doesn't conform to any national organization..... like IDPA-USPSA etc. I went to one "match" and was astounded. People loading their guns directly behind people on the line shooting, folks serving as ROs who were there for their first ever pistol event. One dude had his loaded Glock stuck in his belt ('cause he forgot his holster) most everyone was "hot" but they allow dry firing nearly any place.etc. etc. Very scary. I went to the guy on the board responsible for range safety and convinced him to go with me to a well organized IDPA club in the area as a guest. I printed a copy of the rule book-- and sent it home with him with every safety problem he has at his club highlighted for him. It will be interesting to see if any of that "sticks". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I say vote with the feet. They set what safety rules they view as adequate for their "sport". Not all shooting sports have even close to the same rules. Mainly look at the shotgun sports if you wanna see a BIG difference. No safe area, guns assembled typically in the clubhouse or at the car{large match). No unload and show clear after each time you leave simply shoot, unload and walk off the pad( no one verifying), no chamber flag requirement, guns carried broken down at verying angles and semis locked back, no DQ for an AD(watch a trap match especially with someone shooting a release trigger that has to break the gun open after the trigger has been set), ATA also has a rule for handicapp where you can have a difference of 1 yard side by side on a squad and 2 yards total so someone on the line could be shooting 3 feet in front of you on your right and 3 feet behind you on the left. Like wise, go to the club there and bring up some of our rules and they will think they are unsafe, loading the gun up with more shots than you need, moving with the loaded gun etc. Not promiting unsafe acts but as an "outlaw" match they set what they feel are safe for them. If their comfort level and your comfort level are not the same voting with your feet is the way to go. If enough feel the same way then they will change or go away. Its just like outlaw 3 gun matches which require a slung long gun. Of someone is uncomfortable with that they simply avoid that match and go to a match where that is not required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoupirate Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Sorry to hear your situation. If you have informed the Match Director, Club President, Range Owner, and anyone up in the chain of authority, you've make an honest attempt at fixing the situation. Sounds like a prime case for litigation, if it can be established that safety violations are NOT being handled properly. Someone will get hurt and everone who enjoys a range anywhere in the country will have to pay higher insurance, and some ranges and clubs will have to shut it down because it'll be the financial straw that breaks the camel's back. Either get commited to making a change, or leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Some of this is getting to close to naming matches and we don't do that here. CLOSED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts