Had my first DQ today

[bigkyle72]

I just rack the hell out of my slide before I drop the hammer. Little redundant but it I will never have an AD like that. DQ's happen just do my best to never get one ( knock on wood)

[newmexicocrawler]

Slow down....you are not on the clock anymore

[JerryShoots]

I'm sorry that you had to suffer that. I used to unload and show clear very quickly until I saw someone else do what you describe. Now I take my time and I feel much safer for it.

I wish more of the really good shooters would make it a point to slow down their unload to set that good example.

Thank you for sharing this and reminding me again how important it is to practice safety as much as I practice shooting 8)

[BeerBaron]

given the pain of DQ telling you what to do at ULSC is probably redundant at this point as I'm sure you'll be super careful from now on.

There are a couple of good tips posted though and they may save another newer shooter from AD'ing at ULSC.

The 'not on the clock' tip is a good one. I have never AD'd at ULSC but I did have a kind of bad habit. I would often start to turn my body or bend to pick up my mag as I was still locking my gun into the holster. It wasn't super bad, but it wasn't good either. Now I make it a point to stand rock still until my gun is locked in holster and my hand is well off the grip.

It's also false to state that it's the RO's responsibility for safety. It's the shooters. You are in control of the weapon. No one else. I'm not sure of the words in USPSA but in IPSC they were changed at some point to "IF clear, slide forward hammer down holster". That points the onus on the shooter to determine if they are clear.

my routine is simple and I do it the same every single time.

First thing I do when finished and get "if you are finished...." is drop the mag and let it fall to the ground (I want all my attention on unloading the gun). Then I rack the slide once and hold slide back so that RO and I can both see in the chamber. He then says "If clear...." I then rack the slide twice more and then pull the trigger (again making sure it's in a safe direction). Then into the holster, lock the holster, hand off gun and now we are all cool. Now I can pick up my live round (if I ejected one), and the mag and then do whatever I want (pick up brass, look at targets, argue over mikes, whatever!).

Like most things it's about getting a routine and sticking to it AND building in a couple of redundancies into that routine. By racking the slide twice more after ULSC I know if a round pops out something is wrong...

One thing is for sure. You are not the first to AD at ULSC and won't be the last. The main thing is no one was hurt and you learned a lesson from it.

[BeerBaron]

I'm sorry that you had to suffer that. I used to unload and show clear very quickly until I saw someone else do what you describe. Now I take my time and I feel much safer for it.

I wish more of the really good shooters would make it a point to slow down their unload to set that good example.

Thank you for sharing this and reminding me again how important it is to practice safety as much as I practice shooting 8)

agreed. new shooters get the wrong idea when they see some dude who is a M or GM racking the slide, catching his ejected round in one hand, doing some cowboy twirl (yes I'm exaggerating) and whacking it into the holster in 0.2 seconds. They then think it's some kind of mark of skill to ULSC in the shortest possible time, doing the most possible things with your hands. It's an important piece of safety and should be done deliberately and carefully.

[joakim]

I always eject the mag into my left hand and then holds it with my right pinky finger before racking and show clear (right handed). And when I rack i flip the gun over to the side and hold my left hand over the ejection port so the round drops into my hand. That way I show the ejected magazine and the empty chamber and I'm 'trained' with the feel of holding the mag and ejected round in my hands.

Always do the same procedure, keep focused and follow the RO commands. Show clear until RO instructs hammer down.

And only unload while standing! The last position on the stage might be kneeling, sitting or whatever, always get up standing before unloading. That way you won't try to holster your gun in some stupid position..

Hotshots that does the unload procedure quickly wihout waiting for instructions, catch the round in the air at the same time as they are looking at their hits in the targets are not good role models for new shooters.

Edited January 21, 2014 by joakim