BillR1 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 (edited) It was one of the last stages at a local match; just a simple 6 round "hoser" stage with 3 targets. I normally do really well at those. Anyway, I must've started the gun toward the first target before the muzzle cleared the holster. The gun slipped out of my hand and hit the ground. Needless to say, it was humbling and more than a bit embarrasing. I normally end up finishing quite well at this particular monthly match, so the stunned silence was deafening. The RO said "Umm..that's a DQ, right?" I said "Yes sir it is" and packed up my gear. I stuck around and helped tear down and tape. Time for LOTS more dry practice on getting the proper grip... Thoughts? Edited September 9, 2012 by BillR1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Live and learn. Never good when it happens but it's good it happened at a local match instead of a major match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romans 13 4 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 It's only a matter of time until we all DQ. Kudo's to you for sticking around to help tape and set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) I've heard it said, and seen it done in matches by the same top level shooters, that a good starting grip on the gun is more important than risking a fumbled fast draw. Your unfortunate experience demonstrates one reason that is true. Another is that a crummy grip on the gun, even if you hang on to it, will screw with every shot until you can adjust to your normal grip. Kudos to you for having/showing the right stuff by staying and helping. Edited September 10, 2012 by kevin c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmego Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I was told by the guy who taught my IPSC safety class that there are two types of shooters...ones that have been DQ'd and ones that will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saikatana Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I was at Lafayette Gun Club near Yorktown Va. when a shooter showed up with a NEW Colt Python in a shoulder holster. The RO advised him to stand with his shoulder toward the target so as not to sweep the firing line. At the buzzer he snatched the weapon which slipped out of his hand and flew through the air down range!!. The weapon stuck muzzle first into the red clay. The shooter froze for a second before running down range and snatching the weapon out of the mud and leveling off on the first target. 10 people were screaming " CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!" New weapon, new holster, ne girlfriend watching. BAD DAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saikatana Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) I was at Lafayette Gun Club near Yorktown Va. when a shooter showed up with a NEW Colt Python in a shoulder holster. The RO advised him to stand with his shoulder toward the target so as not to sweep the firing line. At the buzzer he snatched the weapon which slipped out of his hand and flew through the air down range!!. The weapon stuck muzzle first into the red clay. The shooter froze for a second before running down range and snatching the weapon out of the mud and leveling off on the first target. 10 people were screaming " CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!" New weapon, new holster, new girlfriend watching. BAD DAY Edited September 17, 2012 by saikatana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxriver6 Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I was at Lafayette Gun Club near Yorktown Va. when a shooter showed up with a NEW Colt Python in a shoulder holster. The RO advised him to stand with his shoulder toward the target so as not to sweep the firing line. At the buzzer he snatched the weapon which slipped out of his hand and flew through the air down range!!. The weapon stuck muzzle first into the red clay. The shooter froze for a second before running down range and snatching the weapon out of the mud and leveling off on the first target. 10 people were screaming " CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!" New weapon, new holster, new girlfriend watching. BAD DAY Oh My!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aztecdriver Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I was at Lafayette Gun Club near Yorktown Va. when a shooter showed up with a NEW Colt Python in a shoulder holster. The RO advised him to stand with his shoulder toward the target so as not to sweep the firing line. At the buzzer he snatched the weapon which slipped out of his hand and flew through the air down range!!. The weapon stuck muzzle first into the red clay. The shooter froze for a second before running down range and snatching the weapon out of the mud and leveling off on the first target. 10 people were screaming " CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!" New weapon, new holster, ne girlfriend watching. BAD DAY Please tell me this wasn't a USPSA match? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I was told by the guy who taught my IPSC safety class that there are two types of shooters...ones that have been DQ'd and ones that will be. Yep, always heard that, but thought oh this will never happen to me. After 20 years of competitive shooting I got my first DQ at the Georgia State Championship a couple of weeks ago. So I am no longer on that will be and now am one that has Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUshooter Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 As for the DQ others have stated the obvious. As for the grip: I like to do draws at various speeds in front of a full length mirror. It allows me to spot trouble areas. Also always get a full grip before coming out of the holster. Even if you drag/snag the front sight you shouldn't lose control of the pistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick88 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I was told by the guy who taught my IPSC safety class that there are two types of shooters...ones that have been DQ'd and ones that will be. Not true, there are far more shooters who have never been Dq'd I'm not sure why someone teaching a safety class would say such a thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aztecdriver Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I was told by the guy who taught my IPSC safety class that there are two types of shooters...ones that have been DQ'd and ones that will be. Not true, there are far more shooters who have never been Dq'd I'm not sure why someone teaching a safety class would say such a thing... You find the statistics that cooberate that, because nearly every shooter I know in every community has their first DQ story, at ALL levels, including GMs. There may be a few exceptions, but I will guarantee you poll your locals and even level IIs and you'll find the majority have DQ'd once, one time or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick88 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I'm just the opposite, I know a huge amount of shooter who have never received a Dq. However my issue was with the safety instructor telling a new shooter that he would screw up and get a Dq thats just not something that you should put in the mind of a new shooter. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireman489 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I had almost an identical experience last night... Im VERY new to IDPA(almost 3 months), but I have been dry firing & practicing grip, draw, sight alignment & trigger control on a daily basis under the guidance of a Master level shooter. I have been fortunate enough to have been very competitive since I started & now am to the point of scoring as a high level SS to low level EX. Yesterday evening, on my second stage, my grip must have been too weak and pulling from the holster on an aggressive angle I can only assume the front sight caught on my holster. My hands came together, but there was no gun in between them. It dropped straight to the ground. I was more embarrassed & disappointed in myself than anything, I looked at the RO & said "Im done right?" he politely said "yes, Im sorry". The rest of the squad was whispering things like "what just happened??" & "I cant believe I just saw that !" I went to the safe area w my head hanging low, thinking how could I be such a booger eat'n moron & these people are gonna treat me like a leper from Biblical times!..... I came back after putting my equipment away, to help tape & score. Ironically, I did not receive any "nasty looks" or "rude comments"...it was quite the opposite, I was almost applauded... one master shooter came up & shook my hand & said "Welcome to the club, Anybody who has ever taken any shooting sport seriously & pushed themselves to improve has been DQ'd at some point in their life...heck Ive been DQ'd twice !" So I take away some important lessons.... 1 Grip is more important than speed 2 Stay mentally tough.... everyone makes mistakes...just work through them 3 "Attitude determines your Altitude" 4 Hard work pays off 5 Grip is the bottom line...good grip CAN = good run ............bad grip USUALLY = bad run Just thought Id add to the thread.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz2011 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 It is some thing to learn from .And it happens to all one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harleypilot Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Pilots have a very similar saying. There are those who have landed with the gear up, and those that will. Well I never landed gear up, and I retired a year ago last September. I don't plan to fly anymore, so that didn't hold true for me. Hopefully I will be able to say the same thing about being DQ'd when I retire from shooting USPSA. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovel919 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Just got my first DQ earlier today at a charity match, Toys for Tots at Mid Carolina Rifle Range, I just started moving from left to right, went to reload, I left my trigger finger in the guard when I went to hit the mag release with my thumb, then bang, round into the berm. I usually get my finger out and put it on the frame and I naturally press against the frame when I hit the mag release, so I think that natural pressure caused me to fire the gun when I still had the finger in the trigger guard. I believe this is what happened cause it happened so fast. I think I let my mind believe that it was an automatic move for me and had a mental lapse. Very humbling, you can practice over and over, but you have to stay focused when you're in the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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