When can you release safety during draw

[remoandiris]

I also made a decision long ago, that if I saw something unsafe, I'd call it -- and let the arb fall where it may.

Snip from 11.1.2

"Appeals arising from a disqualification for a safety infraction will only be accepted to determine whether exceptional circum-

stances warrant reconsideration of the match disqualification. However, the commission of the infraction as described by the Range

Official is not subject to challenge or appeal."

Not sure how spending $100 is going to get a shooter back into the match. What the RO says is what the RO says is what the RO says.

Edited September 28, 2012 by remoandiris

[h4444]

As I noted in my previous post on this thread, I checked my draw last night just to be sure no safety related bad habits had crept there way in. And I'm exactly where I want to be. As I'm moving the gun toward eye level,,,AFTER my weak hand has met the gun and I've rolled it into my grip, this means I'm disengaging the safety just before the gun is at eye level so I don't impact my ability to see my sights as they move toward the target. So, my gun is pointed well downrange before I disengage.

I also checked to make sure I'm not getting on the trigger too fast and so far, everything is checking out.

SO,,,,if anything were to happen after I disengage the safety, the round SHOULD go safely downrange. Doesn't mean I wouldn't be facing a potential DQ if something ever happened with a discharge at that point in my draw, but based on the angle of the pistol at the time I typically disengage the safety, should the unforeseen occur, I have far LESS chance of shooting myself or spraying anyone around me with shrapnel, and THAT should be what it is about,,,,not when CAN I disengage the safety based on the technicalities of a rule book, but when SHOULD I with regard to safety and optimum performance.

I would almost guarantee you there is zero performance advantage to flipping that safety off as soon as your hand reaches the holstered gun. So, if there is no REAL performance advantage, even if legal, why do it????? It makes ZERO sense to me.

Even if flipping the safety at the absolute earliest legal point in the draw buys a couple thousandths of a second, at ANY potential cost to safety,,,,I would encourage the shooter to look elsewhere for a safer place to gain back time. There is only one draw per stage/string of fire,,,,,look at transitions, entry/exit at shooting positions, engagement order, shooting on the move, running,,,,,,,any of a TON of places can be improved and gain more performance benefit.

Rulebook debates have merit and there are some interesting questions that arise. Ones like this, around safety issues help me to re-evaluate how I approach situations in our sport, BUT, anytime we look at a rule and consider ways to game the rule at the potential cost of safety, we should ask ourselves, are we having the right debate?

Byron