Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Unloading AR safely on a Multi-Gun stage


hockeydadnu27

Recommended Posts

Looking for advise on unloading your AR on a multi-gun stage. I have found during a tournament this action takes more concentration than shooting.

What is the safest and what is the quickest? I feel dropping the mag and then

discharge a round down range is not the safest. I always end up rechecking the chamber for clear before leaving the gun. If I drop the mag and eject the round manually, it feels like it takes forever.

I want to practice cooling down before ssm3gun 2005, just need some advise what works best.

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dad, I saw the title of your thread and thought you might have shot the 532 round carbine stage at the ITRC this year. :lol:

I'm not totally familiar with the rules on this. (I should be) This is one of those situations that, I believe match officials or maybe even USPSA needs to weigh in on. As a hardcore competitor, I'm going to unload the fastest way that's legal. :( If every competitor is required to clear the weapon the same way in the rules, we can all practice and become proficient it the safest manner. I assume most COF's will require the bolt to be left open and the magazine out. If you happen to shoot the gun dry, the bolt locks back and voila! You hit the mag button and you're clear. Otherwise, like you, I'm checking he chamber anyway. No point in firing an extra round. I've got to clear the chamber and hit the bolt stop anyway. Proficency is a good thing. I'm practicing several ways. B)

BTW, factory spec rounds "hand eject" better 'n faster than reloads in my experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Mark, if you have to leave it empty I would rather shoot it dry. Speed un-loading, no matter how much it is practiced has the potential for trouble. I prefer safety on and dump it in a muzzle control device. I am still on the fence about hot pistol re-holstering. I really like the hot-boxes the RM3G uses.

--

Regards,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

whats unsafe about firing your last round down range??? you just put 50 others down there?

M.E., I think the difference in the first 50 rounds and the last one is intent. Fifty rounds fired for points on targets are much safer in my humble opinion than one round hurriedly dumped in a general direction. Many berms are only 8 feet high. A person holding a carbine at waist level and "torching one off" can easily blast a bullet over the berm. I'm not at all concerned about experienced shooters like yourself doing this. I'm concerned about the guy that's at match #3 and shaking like Barny Fife. He puts one round out there where it doesn't belong and possibly someone dies. End of match. End of sport.

Just my .02, but I'd rather see guns cleared with muzzles low. At least when there's an AD, and there will be ADs, everbody knows were it went.

I really like Erik's point about putting the last shot into a target.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there was only a way to make the bolt on an AR lock back when fireing the last round with no mag in place? Any ideas?

As far as I am concerned you should NEVER have to reholster a hot handgun durring the course of fire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, reholstering a hot handgun in a speed rig, under time pressure, is not something I feel warm and fuzzy about either. Sweeping could be a problem. Having it fall out could be another problem. There's always at least one set of shaky hands at any match I've been to. Sometimes they are mine.

And it takes two hands and an arm pit to lock back my AR with no mag. Shooting it dry in aimed fire makes a lot of sense to me.

I have every confidence that our leaders will find the best and safest answer. (with plenty of input from the membership, of course) ;)

If we take care of the safety, the fun will take care of itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I have seen, with the "SAFE" carry type holsters someone is more likley to have an AD while holstering.

I have seen several occurences of 1911 shooters holstering with the safety off and Glock shooters not getting there finger completly clear of the holster while under pressure and on the run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BLKBRD:

What you describe would be an instant "bang" if a Glockenspieler holstered with his finger on the trigger. I haven't heared of this happen in matches, and have never seen on at a 3-gun match with multi gun stages. I do know of a few L.E. happenings but never at a match. Details??

As for a holstered 1911 type gun without the safety applied, I guess I'm good with that as long as the trigger is covered by the holster. I think a safety is more of a "feel good" device. It never should have been named that. I think hesitation device would be better. Remember "a safety is a mechanical device that can and will fail". This quote is a direct one from the N.R.A. basic classes! KURTM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

kurtm,

I have seen the reholster "bang" @ a FIPT match in the 90's. Finger caught the "the safty device" (holster) when the gun went in. Also have heard the storys of L.E. with the same result. Having witnessed this I have allways questioned the USPSA title of "saftey device" for the holster but that is my .02 on that subject.

I dont care for the hot handgun reholster on the clock. Too many mistakes can happen on the clock for hot reholstering. Witnessed a strong hand only reload AD where the guy put the gun empty back into his holster, stuck a fresh mag in and unholstered the gun hooked the rear sights on the holster thied to shuck a round in one hand and Bang AD. I'm not sure where his finger was or if it was too much triger work :o I jumped back and I wasent the RO!

Back to the topic of unloading the AR in a stage. I feel that the mag dump, fire last round into backstop/target is fine. If the RO is watching that should be a clear gun. You should be OK to advance in front of the gun @ that point. Or a device that holds the muzzle down (barrel) in a safe direction is OK.

Forgot to add: Speed holsters should not be considered in multi-gun matches. I believe the "duty" type is the way to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slowsure:

What is a FIPT match?

I can only feel that what you describe, the safety device in this case can not be considered the "holster" rather than the first digit of the hand holding the gun. Rule #3: Keep your finger off the trigger untill your sights are on target...not untill your sights are in holster :D

Your example of the one handed reload causing an AD can't be remanded to the holster either. the gun was as you pointed out in his hand, not the holster. How at this point can you blame the holster? I must admit it is an imaginitive way to solve the racking one handed problem, but what happened here was more than likely a strong grip on the pistol creating a sympathetic trigger finger squeeze.

Still and all I'm good with you not liking hot reholsering. I just happen to like it and it works for me.

As to AR unloading on the clock, I have timed it all ways I can, and have found that dropping the mag and manually racking out the chambered round to be the fastest. The drop mag shoot last shot isn't bad but I find it really slowes people down due to reaquiering the sight after dropping the mag and then tring to asertain the the mag did indeed drop free befor discharging the last shot. Dropping the mag and roaching the last shot off , hopefully at a berm,has the same hesitation penalty because once again you have to visibly reafirm that the mag droped out and I don't care who does it there is always a bit of flinch on the part of the shooter ( even the real hi speed guys ) because this just isn't a natural thing to do. The only way to do this one right, out side of being lucky enough to hit the berm, is to pull the trigger twice to make sure you didn't get the sequence just a bit off. :P The first flinch is bad... but the second is priceless!! :lol: KURTM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kurt-Florida Invitational Pistol Tournament. TJ, TGO, J Bernhart and all "those" guys used to shoot this match in Feb. I believe F. Garcias match (Florida Open) is now in the same time slot.

Eric - Forgive me father, for I have sinned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slowsure

Thanks. The letters just didn't mean anything to me. Now I know! I recognise some of those names, was this a USPSA sanctioned match? I just can't imagin USPSA "allowing" hot reholstering. It must have been a fun match! sorry its gone. KURTM

Sorry Eric I used the "H" word again, but I really only want the info, not to drift. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...