Wasted ammo and got DQ'ed

[DDustin]

Earlier in the summer I had my first bigger match. I had gotten to a stage with 200 yard flashers and started taking my shots. Typically rifle is my strongest point but for some reason I didn't seem to be hitting. It felt like I should be and looked like I was but the RO never called it. I couldn't figure out what was up and was starting to get pretty frustrated. To top it off it was raining and my glasses were getting really fogged up. I went through an entire magazine and was into another one before someone let me know I was shooting the crap out of the board above the target and that the target was actually the orange circle underneath that. Up until that point I had only shot local matches with steel targets that were limited to poppers and stationary steel. This was the first time I had seen flashers and I thought that the white square was the target and the orange circle was some sort of counter weight or something and that it was orange to signify a no-shoot. I felt pretty stupid, but I wasn’t done yet. By the time someone told me what the real target was, my glasses were totally fogged up to the point I couldn’t even see the rifle in front of me. So in my frustration I tossed them off and got DQ’ed to further drive home my embarrassment.

So lessons learned; Ask about everything, it looks less stupid then screwing up an entire stage. Don’t take off eye pro and maybe consider using the anti-fog stuff that turned out to be in my range bag. And probably the most difficult lesson for me to remember, sometimes you need to just take a no-hit and move on. It’s better to accept that then spend all of my ammo and time on one single target.

[cas]

Yeah I've had to pull my glasses down my nose and shoot looking over them a couple times from fog and rain, not fun.

I suppose something like that should sort of be in the course description/walk through. We assume everyone is familiar with the targets and what the scoring area is but it's not always the case as you proved.

[Rob Tompkins]

... And probably the most difficult lesson for me to remember, sometimes you need to just take a no-hit and move on. It’s better to accept that then spend all of my ammo and time on one single target.

This is very difficult to do! I know, I've wasted many rounds and much time chasing that hit.

When SO'ing shooters and they do that I keep thinking, take the miss and move on but when I'm shooting, nope the thought almost never occurs to me.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Rob Tompkins

[JPeel]

5 shots max at a target - if I can't get it then it's not worth shooting

[Keeganxt]

This is all good advice. I had glasses fog up for me at the end of my first ever 3gun match this weekend and just could not hit the last hanging target at 100yds. I eventually asked the RO if it was better for me to just stop, he agreed. Ended up winning irons division regardless.

[blaster113]

It sucks to DQ, had a couple myself. Also sucks to have to give one out as a Range Officer. We learn from our mistakes so that hopefully it doesnt happen again

[DDustin]

The next match I got a little better at taking the miss on some tricky pistol targets. It honestly feels worse than missing, but my score was better for it.

[dmd6x]

Local matches, I just keep shooting...use it as practice, and go home frustrated I shot at it for so long...

"Big" matches (ie any kind of prize table), I try to "optimize" and leave targets when appropriate...and go home frustrated that I missed, but hopefully with a prize in hand to bury my sorrows into...

The only real common theme I've found is going home frustrated. Why do we do this again??

[DDustin]

Just found out I was not DQ'ed I was stopped. Still learned a decent lesson, especially in equipment selection. I've been trying to find some prescription shooting glasses so I think I'll be making a thread for that here soon.

[Olivers_AR]

Just found out I was not DQ'ed I was stopped. Still learned a decent lesson, especially in equipment selection. I've been trying to find some prescription shooting glasses so I think I'll be making a thread for that here soon.

That's alot better, sometimes they are timed stages and you run out of time. Alot better then being DQed. Everyone times out without good stage management.

[coordinator]

First shot at the center. If it doesn't connect shoot at the 3, 6 and 9 oclock spots, then move on.

[DDustin]

That's good advice thanks. I do suck judging ranges, but in this instance I was hitting what I was aiming at but it wasn't the actual target.

[Jesse Tischauser]

DQ for taking off your glasses?

[Onagoth]

DQ for taking off your glasses?

Intentionally removing safety equipment is a DQ as far as IPSC/USPSA goes....have not heard of it in 3 gun though

[Jesse Tischauser]

What's safer handling a firearm blind or not having safety glasses on?

[Onagoth]

Obviously removing your glasses is safer....a match DQ may have been a little harsh...

Most ranges require safety glasses and hearing protection, and so most ROs will stop a shooter when this equipment is removed or dislodged. In this case, intentionally removing it (thus stopping the stage) could either be

1) match DQ

2) stage DQ

3) reshoot

4) an unfinished stage scored up until the point the equipment was removed.

Options 2 or 4 seem the most appropriate to me, but i guess this MD saw things differently. Again this is multi gun.....USPSA/IPSC both consider this action a match DQ. The rules don't seem to contemplate the safety concerns related to foggy glasses

Edited September 13, 2013 by Onagoth

[Jesse Tischauser]

Obviously removing your glasses is safer....a match DQ may have been a little harsh...

Most ranges require safety glasses and hearing protection, and so most ROs will stop a shooter when this equipment is removed or dislodged. In this case, intentionally removing it (thus stopping the stage) could either be

1) match DQ

2) stage DQ

3) reshoot

4) an unfinished stage scored up until the point the equipment was removed.

Options 2 or 4 seem the most appropriate to me, but i guess this MD saw things differently. Again this is multi gun.....USPSA/IPSC both consider this action a match DQ. The rules don't seem to contemplate the safety concerns related to foggy glasses

I would have went with the STOP you're finished with the stage and will be assessed penalties for unhit or unengaged targets. Edited September 13, 2013 by Jesse Tischauser

[DDustin]

Obviously removing your glasses is safer....a match DQ may have been a little harsh...

Most ranges require safety glasses and hearing protection, and so most ROs will stop a shooter when this equipment is removed or dislodged. In this case, intentionally removing it (thus stopping the stage) could either be

1) match DQ

2) stage DQ

3) reshoot

4) an unfinished stage scored up until the point the equipment was removed.

Options 2 or 4 seem the most appropriate to me, but i guess this MD saw things differently. Again this is multi gun.....USPSA/IPSC both consider this action a match DQ. The rules don't seem to contemplate the safety concerns related to foggy glasses

I would have went with the STOP you're finished with the stage and will be assessed penalties for unhit or unengaged targets.

That's what happened. I thought it was a stage DQ but I was informed it was a stop.

I do agree with the foggy glasses being less safe though but rules are rules and I don't disagree with them. But there really wouldn't have been any way to move or shoot in those things. It was like someone painted them gray. I was just more used to the military mentality of remove the problem and drive on. The tactical world uses more of a "big boy rules" mentality where matches use more of anyone might be a lowest common denominator mentality, which I agree with since you can be more sure of the level of training in the tactical environment. I'm trying to learn the rules more to get used to it and hopefully not make anymore similar mistakes. The last match at Rockcastle I went to really helped a lot.

Edited September 16, 2013 by DDustin

[JRicks]

As I was reading your initial post, I thought, hmm I remember seeing something just like this. Turns out, it was you I saw do it. It's a learning experience for sure.

[DDustin]

Lol well thanks for not laughing at me.