Catching the bullet when unloading

[Chills1994]

If I go through a whole course of fire, shoot everything, and get as far away as possible from the foot activator so I can get a good running start, then launch myself off the "stomp box", and while in mid-air, not exactly within the fault lines but according to the rulebook not outside of the box either, and execute a flawless flip and catch, well...well.,. I think planet earth would implode right at that very instant I catch that round. ;-P

[shred]

"the cost of ammo" as a reason to Flip and Catch? really, Even at the Nationals if you dropped EVERY round at the end of EVERY COF you would be out of pocket with FACTORY ammo what? $12.00??? This is reason enough to risk your fingers? or to risk sweeping yourself and DQing??

I had to invent a way to save the ULSC rounds at the Ecuador World Shoot when the US shipment didn't arrive and those extra 35 rounds were going to be needed.

Roll the gun so the ejection port is downward, hook your thumb on the racker and pull back gently with your hand open underneath so the loaded round drops into your palm. Works best if you shoot Open and are a lefty . I guess if you had an ejector-fire it would suck (though not as badly as if you had the port totally covered), but it would seem tough for the round to climb uphill like that and you don't go yanking on the racker either.

Lots of ROs and others 'don't like' the flip-n-catch for whatever reason. The 'is it unsafe' debate will rage until the end of time. I'm for not-pissing-off random ROs, just in case

[AlamoShooter]

I do it & with no disrespect intended to the RO, so far not one has asked me not to or I would not.

If and when one asks me not to it I will comply with their wish.

[Sarge]

so far not one has asked me not to or I would not.

If and when one asks me not to it I will comply with their wish.

I would never ask a shooter to not do it. I interact as little as possible with shooters when I RO because that is how I like to be RO'ed.

[Jim Norman]

I do it & with no disrespect intended to the RO, so far not one has asked me not to or I would not.

If and when one asks me not to it I will comply with their wish.

Consider yerself ask'd

[ima45dv8]

I don't like the flippy-catchy method. However, there isn't a damn thing in the rule book to prevent someone from doing it, so I've learned to stay back a bit from the IFULASC sequence if I don't know the shooter very well. After the chambered round clears the gun I step in closer to confirm the gun is empty.

If they do it and I catch a splatter of brass, I have no rule to hang on it.

[Rob Tompkins]

The act is not unsafe in itself, but sweeping your self (or me), pointing the gun above the berm, losing control of the gun, etc. while doing so may be. I don't like it and I ask the shooter to not do it but I know I can't really stop them if they keep at it. But know if you sweep someone or do something unsafe you're going home whether you flip and catch, just flip, or even dribble it out.

[facelessman]

It's all about showboatin and lookin cool!!!

[ima45dv8]

I don't like it and I ask the shooter to not do it but I know I can't really stop them.... .[...]

And that's really the lesson here. We can't and shouldn't ask them not to do it no matter how much we might dislike the practice.

It's akin to not liking someone who shoots faster than we do. We can't ask them not to do that, either.

As one kindred timer-holdin'-sumbitch to another, we have to learn to just deal with it, or put the timer down.

[Rob Tompkins]

I don't like it and I ask the shooter to not do it but I know I can't really stop them.... .[...]

And that's really the lesson here. We can't and shouldn't ask them not to do it no matter how much we might dislike the practice.

It's akin to not liking someone who shoots faster than we do. We can't ask them not to do that, either.

As one kindred timer-holdin'-sumbitch to another, we have to learn to just deal with it, or put the timer down.

With respect, its not the same at all. When they do the flip and catch, they can't show me an empty chamber so I have to stop them and make them go back - its a waist of time and adds unnecessary (though small) risk. BTW: flippers often (but not always) over run the ULSC process and making a flipper go back and show an empty chamber often just pisses them off.

If you don't feel it's right to ask them to stop, then don't. But unless someone points out a rule that says I CAN'T ask them to stop, I'll keep doing it.

Be safe.

[ima45dv8]

I don't like it and I ask the shooter to not do it but I know I can't really stop them.... .[...]

And that's really the lesson here. We can't and shouldn't ask them not to do it no matter how much we might dislike the practice.

It's akin to not liking someone who shoots faster than we do. We can't ask them not to do that, either.

As one kindred timer-holdin'-sumbitch to another, we have to learn to just deal with it, or put the timer down.

With respect, its not the same at all. When they do the flip and catch, they can't show me an empty chamber so I have to stop them and make them go back - its a waist of time and adds unnecessary (though small) risk. BTW: flippers often (but not always) over run the ULSC process and making a flipper go back and show an empty chamber often just pisses them off.

If you don't feel it's right to ask them to stop, then don't. But unless someone points out a rule that says I CAN'T ask them to stop, I'll keep doing it.

Be safe.

Where did I say I didn't see a clear chamber? See post #31.

"After the chambered round clears the gun I step in closer to confirm the gun is empty."

I have no problem telling people that "Unload And Show Clear" is not part of the timed event! (small pleasures -- take 'em where you find 'em) and to do it again.

They have to do it as many times as it takes for me to confirm they are clear.

If they flip. or rush in any other way and pop one off on their own, my conscience is clear. I tried!

[Nik Habicht]

We can't and shouldn't ask them not to do it no matter how much we might dislike the practice.

It's akin to not liking someone who shoots faster than we do. We can't ask them not to do that, either.

I'll disagree. I think it's perfectly o.k. to ask; not telling/ordering/threatening with a DQ is a whole 'nother matter.....

But to ask for a favor, nicely and courteously? I think that's perfectly o.k. at the right time....

[latech15]

I have to practice my flipping before the match this weekend.

[spanky]

You righties have all the fun.

[whitedog]

Every time I try with snap caps, it hit's the floor.

I see both points of view......I don't particularly like it, but then I don't like a lot of things.

[ima45dv8]

Every time I try with snap caps, it hit's the floor.

I see both points of view......I don't particularly like it, but then I don't like a lot of things.

Watch Man on FIre for pointers.

[beltjones]

I was at a "team building event" at work where we went to a pistol range. Naturally I didn't tell anyone ahead of time that I'm a shooter. The poor range guy who gave us a compulsory safety / technique discussion was pretty surprised during the loading and unloading portion of the class when I dropped the magazine, and flipped the snap cap out of the gun an caught it before handing everything back to him. So you can do it with snap caps, you just have to REALLY be trying to show off.

[aztecdriver]

With respect, its not the same at all. When they do the flip and catch, they can't show me an empty chamber so I have to stop them and make them go back - its a waist of time and adds unnecessary (though small) risk. BTW: flippers often (but not always) over run the ULSC process and making a flipper go back and show an empty chamber often just pisses them off.

If you don't feel it's right to ask them to stop, then don't. But unless someone points out a rule that says I CAN'T ask them to stop, I'll keep doing it.

Be safe.

With the same respect, my experience at majors is most people that do this, have a fair amount of competency, the gun movement is very little is generally pointed at a berm and if they screw it up and and miss aren't reaching for it - and nearly all re-present the gun for me to inspect it. If someone does go all over the place, after the range is clear gets a little lesson as to why it makes ROs nervous, but I'm not going to request they not do it.

[Rob Tompkins]

With respect, its not the same at all. When they do the flip and catch, they can't show me an empty chamber so I have to stop them and make them go back - its a waist of time and adds unnecessary (though small) risk. BTW: flippers often (but not always) over run the ULSC process and making a flipper go back and show an empty chamber often just pisses them off.

If you don't feel it's right to ask them to stop, then don't. But unless someone points out a rule that says I CAN'T ask them to stop, I'll keep doing it.

Be safe.

With the same respect, my experience at majors is most people that do this, have a fair amount of competency, the gun movement is very little is generally pointed at a berm and if they screw it up and and miss aren't reaching for it - and nearly all re-present the gun for me to inspect it. If someone does go all over the place, after the range is clear gets a little lesson as to why it makes ROs nervous, but I'm not going to request they not do it.

Sounds like a reasonable approach.

[Chills1994]

In the movie apocalypse now there is a scene where Martin Seen's crew first meets Dennis Hopper. Hopper says "Did you know that "IF" is the middle word in life?!"

"IF you are finished, unload and show clear."

"IF clear, hammer down, holster."

the way the rules are written and the range commands are given, 100% of the onus is on the Shooter's shoulders to have an empty gun before holstering.

Notice nowhere in the rules does it say that the RO has to give his approval before the shooter can reholster.

For additional tips on how to do the flip and catch see the card playing scene in the movie Training Day.

[steel1212]

In the movie apocalypse now there is a scene where Martin Seen's crew first meets Dennis Hopper. Hopper says "Did you know that "IF" is the middle word in life?!"

"IF you are finished, unload and show clear."

"IF clear, hammer down, holster."

the way the rules are written and the range commands are given, 100% of the onus is on the Shooter's shoulders to have an empty gun before holstering.

Notice nowhere in the rules does it say that the RO has to give his approval before the shooter can reholster.

For additional tips on how to do the flip and catch see the card playing scene in the movie Training Day.

This. I typically catch it but if I don't catch it in a safe manner it hits the ground. I still show clear afterwards, to myself and the RO.

[Skydiver]

In the movie apocalypse now there is a scene where Martin Seen's crew first meets Dennis Hopper. Hopper says "Did you know that "IF" is the middle word in life?!"

"IF you are finished, unload and show clear."

"IF clear, hammer down, holster."

the way the rules are written and the range commands are given, 100% of the onus is on the Shooter's shoulders to have an empty gun before holstering.

Notice nowhere in the rules does it say that the RO has to give his approval before the shooter can reholster.

For additional tips on how to do the flip and catch see the card playing scene in the movie Training Day.

I want to make sure that the shooter doesn't leave the COF with a loaded handgun:

5.7.5 Under no circumstances is a competitor permitted to leave a course of fire in the possession of a loaded handgun (see Rule 10.5.13).

To facilitate, that the shooter still has to present the gun for inspection:

8.3.6 "If You Are Finished, Unload And Show Clear" – If the competitor has finished shooting, he must lower his handgun and present it for inspection by the Range Officer with the muzzle pointed down range, magazine removed, slide locked or held open, and chamber empty. Revolvers must be presented with the cylinder swung out and empty.

Yes, the commands are worded to put the onus on the shooter, but as an RO, safety is my primary duty.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Skydiver

[Flexmoney]

I can't believe we are talking about catching a round again. How is this a new thread/topic ???

[spanky]

I can't believe we are talking about catching a round again. How is this a new thread/topic ???

Someone clicked new thread and typed in some text then clicked submit.

[Singlestack]

In the movie apocalypse now there is a scene where Martin Seen's crew first meets Dennis Hopper. Hopper says "Did you know that "IF" is the middle word in life?!"

"IF you are finished, unload and show clear."

"IF clear, hammer down, holster."

the way the rules are written and the range commands are given, 100% of the onus is on the Shooter's shoulders to have an empty gun before holstering.

Notice nowhere in the rules does it say that the RO has to give his approval before the shooter can reholster.

For additional tips on how to do the flip and catch see the card playing scene in the movie Training Day.

You are forgetting that "Show Clear" is not a request and will be done before holstering.