Almost DQ'ed for bringing the gun out early

[motosapiens]

Did you bring it to the attention of the RO that he used the incorrect commands? That is exactly why we have them. At a level 1 event, I would have argued, anything higher than level 1 and it shouldn't happen. Personally, because of listless tapers and brassers at level 1, I will put a hand on the shoulder of my on deck shooter and clear the range. Not a good habit, but it works.

Putting your hands on someone you are not married to or going out with is never a good idea. If that person turns around and slugged you what would you say after possibly getting up off the ground. OUCH. My exception would be after I see the hole in the end of the barrel.

I have never seen or heard of anyone getting slugged by the on-deck shooter at a match. Turning around slugging someone seems like a pretty bizarre (and probably criminal) response to fairly normal and routine human behavior.

[BillD]

All of this can be resolved bu just using a little common sense. If the shooter is at the starting position and the RO is standing behind him/her, the RO needs to be careful what is said. Until that time, say what you need to say to run the COF effectively. The Range Officer Creed says, "It is my duty to assist all competitors in their attempts to accomplish their goals..." Therefore, it is our duty to take steps to make sure that we do nothing to place a competitor in a position where he/she might receive a DQ even if it is technically his/her responsibility. ROs should be there to help not just enforce the rules.

I like common sense.

I believe all RO's should not talk, joke,chitchat or issue non standard range commands at the beginning of the course (here's some common sense including the time right before "Make Ready" As said many times before any other statements might be confused by the shooter. It is also distracting the shooter and affecting the match results(Besides safety issues the absolute worst thing an official can do.) Some people are standing in the box relaxing, getting in the zone, rehearsing the course etc.......

I know that a statement "Do you know Betty" might sound a lot like "Make Ready" to a double muffed shooter with other bays noise but what about If you use the phrase "make ready" in a sentence and that's all they hear? DQ, Shooters fault but a possiblity that you were part of it, Simple, Don't do it.

Hey you can talk to me about anything after "Range is clear" and that is the appropriate time but that's when I see those "chatty" RO's run to score T1

Using "make ready" in a sentence? That's a stretch. Why would anyone use the command the shooter is waiting on in a sentence while the shooter is standing there? Have you heard this done?

Besides, if the RO uses the words, make ready, even in a sentence, then the contestant can make ready. I'd fight that DQ.

The RO doesn't have to be talking to you. I don't like RO's talking to me while I'm going through the stage plan either. But if they are talking to the peanut gallery, I tune them out.

The point is RO's can talk before the COF begins and they do. You'll have to figure out when they say make ready or ask them.

Edited June 21, 2012 by BillD

[LPatterson]

Did you bring it to the attention of the RO that he used the incorrect commands? That is exactly why we have them. At a level 1 event, I would have argued, anything higher than level 1 and it shouldn't happen. Personally, because of listless tapers and brassers at level 1, I will put a hand on the shoulder of my on deck shooter and clear the range. Not a good habit, but it works.

Putting your hands on someone you are not married to or going out with is never a good idea. If that person turns around and slugged you what would you say after possibly getting up off the ground. OUCH. My exception would be after I see the hole in the end of the barrel.

I have never seen or heard of anyone getting slugged by the on-deck shooter at a match. Turning around slugging someone seems like a pretty bizarre (and probably criminal) response to fairly normal and routine human behavior.

So if I came up and put my hands on your ---, you would be ok with that. But then I don't know you either. Also you don't know some of the females I do so it wouldn't be a good idea with them.

Editted out a word.

Edited June 21, 2012 by LPatterson

[BillD]

He said he would put a hand on the shooters shoulder. That's quite different than grabbing someones ass.

[motosapiens]

Did you bring it to the attention of the RO that he used the incorrect commands? That is exactly why we have them. At a level 1 event, I would have argued, anything higher than level 1 and it shouldn't happen. Personally, because of listless tapers and brassers at level 1, I will put a hand on the shoulder of my on deck shooter and clear the range. Not a good habit, but it works.

Putting your hands on someone you are not married to or going out with is never a good idea. If that person turns around and slugged you what would you say after possibly getting up off the ground. OUCH. My exception would be after I see the hole in the end of the barrel.

I have never seen or heard of anyone getting slugged by the on-deck shooter at a match. Turning around slugging someone seems like a pretty bizarre (and probably criminal) response to fairly normal and routine human behavior.

So if I came up and put my hands on your ---, you would be ok with that. But then I don't know you either. Also you don't know some of the females I do so it wouldn't be a good idea with them.

Editted out a word.

first off, putting a hand on someone's butt is not the same as putting a hand on someone's shoulder. second, i would be ok with someone putting a hand on my shoulder. I would not be ok with someone putting a hand on my butt. But being a civilized human being, I would not turn around and slug someone for putting a hand on my butt, especially the RO at a pistol match.

[bbbean]

... But being a civilized human being, I would not turn around and slug someone for putting a hand on my butt, especially the RO at a pistol match.

Depends on whether I wore a kilt to the match!

[bikerburgess]

I have seen the hand on the shoulder at matches from local to national level, after the RO has issued Stand By and the timer did not work correctly, never seen someone react negatively.

Mike

[Nik Habicht]

Did you bring it to the attention of the RO that he used the incorrect commands? That is exactly why we have them. At a level 1 event, I would have argued, anything higher than level 1 and it shouldn't happen. Personally, because of listless tapers and brassers at level 1, I will put a hand on the shoulder of my on deck shooter and clear the range. Not a good habit, but it works.

Putting your hands on someone you are not married to or going out with is never a good idea. If that person turns around and slugged you what would you say after possibly getting up off the ground. OUCH. My exception would be after I see the hole in the end of the barrel.

"Get off the range and don't ever come back" would work pretty well in that situation.....

I'm predisposed to like the folks at matches -- if one of them slugs another however, that feeling will evaporate very quickly. I'd also strongly suggest to USPSA that they terminate that person's membership.

There's a big difference between touching someone and putting your hands on someone. Touching someone's shoulder, to get their attention falls into the former category....

[Nik Habicht]

Did you bring it to the attention of the RO that he used the incorrect commands? That is exactly why we have them. At a level 1 event, I would have argued, anything higher than level 1 and it shouldn't happen. Personally, because of listless tapers and brassers at level 1, I will put a hand on the shoulder of my on deck shooter and clear the range. Not a good habit, but it works.

Putting your hands on someone you are not married to or going out with is never a good idea. If that person turns around and slugged you what would you say after possibly getting up off the ground. OUCH. My exception would be after I see the hole in the end of the barrel.

I have never seen or heard of anyone getting slugged by the on-deck shooter at a match. Turning around slugging someone seems like a pretty bizarre (and probably criminal) response to fairly normal and routine human behavior.

So if I came up and put my hands on your ---, you would be ok with that. But then I don't know you either. Also you don't know some of the females I do so it wouldn't be a good idea with them.

Editted out a word.

I used to be an EMT, and I'm currently a nurse, so I'm pretty comfortable with the idea of touching other people and being touched by them. There's a big difference between touching and groping....

[aztecdriver]

Just the other week I bear hugged a guy. A shooter was sweeping up brass (indoor) around the start position and he got around in my blind area behind me and I didn't realize he was stepping forward from behind me to get a pile. I start saying make ready and see the shooter start to reach as I see the sweeper out of the corner of my eye. I just said stop and instinctively wrapped my arms around him from the strong side to keep him from drawing. ( he was a lefty).

I apologized for grabbing him and expressed it was my fault as I didn't see the guy. We were all good.

[JohnRodriguez]

seems to me that if you would have announced to the squade that the "range is going hot" then the person sweeping brass would have heard you and stopped what they were doing and let he course of fire begin. From a lot of the comments so far, the concensous seems to be DQ the individual for handling the firearm before the offical start of the COF. Many years ago, I had gotten a stern warning to not ever handle my firearm until the RO had given me the Load and Make ready command. When i run the clock, I will let the shooter know that they can be DQ'd for handling there firearm before the make ready command, if they do do it. I consider it a courtousy to the shooter. we do tend to learn from our mistakes, and this is one, that from what i've seen, does happen to everyone from time to time. call it complacence, mind on something else or just a brain fart.

At some point, all the RO's do need to take ownership of the stage they are running and try and make it as safe as possible for all the shooters and spectators. if this involves walking the course because they can't see behind all the props, to make sure no one is still taping, or having the squad quiet down for the on deck shooter, or announcing that the "range is going hot", then so be it. The official course of fire does begin at "make ready" and that is what the shooter should be making sure to hear it clearly. For those who do feel that the COF range commands should be followed, then a immediate DQ should not even be argued with, if given, but some form of id should be required to let the RO know that you are a stickler of the rules.

my opinion and I know I cant spell to save my life.

[Jadeslade]

This is one of the reasons I do not talk, bullshit, make noise, touch, or interact with the shooter until I say "Make Ready" I try to make sure that is the first thing I say to anyone on the line.

On a side note...

I have had many a new shooter and experienced shooter stand outside the start position as if waiting for me to tell them to stand in the box or start position or anything like that. Some even get a little upset because I did not tell them to get into the start position and then say "MR"??? What is going on here? Am I responsible for making sure they know they are allowed to get in the start position?

This is not a Make Ready start position this is simply the "I'm next" position……

If yer next then git yer ass to the spot!

Am I crazy?

Not crazy. Just don't be so critical or antsy about the shooter getting to to spot. I like to make sure I have eye contact with the RO so I know he has my full attention as well-it's a two street. There is no way for me to know you are the best RO in Texas or California unless I know you and I want to make sure you are ready as well. Sometimes it's just a courtesy-it can be a long day RO'ing and waiting to make eye contact allows that connection that occurs needs to happen- happen. Sometimes you know -you just step in to box, it's a classifier, you know the RO, but git yer ass to the spot is not , like, how I like to look at it.