Ensuring you dispose of gun correctly! 3-gun

[bluedevil008]

Shooting my first real 3 gun match, using an AR with an optic and Pmag40, put the safety on and place in barrel, trying to move to quick and optic gets caught on side of the barrel, continuing forward with the stage.... and boom DQ. Gun fell back out.

So lessons learned:

1) Always drop mag and eject last round

2) Always put safety on, wasn't a problem here, but it shows the need for it because someone got flagged when it fell out!

3) Use arm to seat rifle or gun deep inside the barrel to ensure it's actually in there!

4) Think about the size of the drop barrel (I was used to bigger, and angled drop points)

5) Don't go too fast to outrun yourself!

6) Only use smallest possible magazine in a stage to help with this.

Yeah, it wasn't pretty.

Edited December 16, 2013 by bluedevil008

[zmanktm]

I have shot a lot of matches without issues dumping firearms. Most important on your list is #2 & #5.

[bluedevil008]

Yes, I should clarify, not all of those are RULES per say, but things that I will now be making doubly sure that I do. One DQ is enough for me to take the extra second to drop the mag and clear.

[sbrkam]

So can I leave round in chamber and put on safe? Would that DQ me?

[amccallister]

So can I leave round in chamber and put on safe? Would that DQ me?

If the safety is on you're good under most rule sets... Unless your gun falls out of the dump barrel or off the dump table.

[jacketjoed]

So can I leave round in chamber and put on safe? Would that DQ me?

It depends whether or not you are going down range from the gun. If you the stage dictates you proceed down range the gun has to fully unloaded, if you aren't going down range, on safe will suffice.

Edited January 3, 2014 by jacketjoed

[george76904]

So can I leave round in chamber and put on safe? Would that DQ me?

It depends whether or not you are going down range from the gun. If you the stage dictates you proceed down range the gun has to fully unloaded, if you aren't going down range, on safe will suffice.

In this instance

Unless dictated in the rules a firearm is considered in MOST rule books to be in safe condition if it is a striker fired gun with a passive safety it is automatically safe, if the safety is engaged, or if there is no round in the chamber. In this instance If I am correct the gun with the optic and 40 round mag were too wide to fit in the bucket so when it was dumped the rifle tipped back out towards the crowd. Am I correct?

[bluedevil008]

So can I leave round in chamber and put on safe? Would that DQ me?

It depends whether or not you are going down range from the gun. If you the stage dictates you proceed down range the gun has to fully unloaded, if you aren't going down range, on safe will suffice.

In this instance

Unless dictated in the rules a firearm is considered in MOST rule books to be in safe condition if it is a striker fired gun with a passive safety it is automatically safe, if the safety is engaged, or if there is no round in the chamber. In this instance If I am correct the gun with the optic and 40 round mag were too wide to fit in the bucket so when it was dumped the rifle tipped back out towards the crowd. Am I correct?

Almost too wide. It could have fit, but they were smaller dump barrels than I was used too + the gun was wider because I was not used to running the 40 rounder. So those things + being on the clock meant I didn't ensure the optic and mag cleared the edges before letting go.

In this scenario, I could have left a round in the chamber with safety on and continued the stage, which I did. But because of the gun falling out, even though technically safe, I will be sure to make sure the last round is ejected regardless of what the stage calls for for safety reasons.

[Amr]

I agree with blue devil and take the extra second to clear a gun before abandoning it. An easy step to ensure everyone's safety.

[SSGJohnV]

Our local 3-gun match doesn't use barrels, partly for this reason. I always unload my guns regardless, except for the pump shotgun, because of this possibility, though. Dump tables are even more prone sometimes if they slide off.

[bluedevil008]

Our local 3-gun match doesn't use barrels, partly for this reason. I always unload my guns regardless, except for the pump shotgun, because of this possibility, though. Dump tables are even more prone sometimes if they slide off.

So what do you use?

[SSGJohnV]

In the winter we tend to limit movement in general due to the icy conditions. We use tables for the most part and our MD rarely does movement forward of the dump location to minimize the risk of someone leaving a loaded gun.

I brought up the barrel idea and got shot down, so we are sticking with tables I guess.

[bluedevil008]

I like the idea of limiting forward movement past a potentially loaded gun if there's any question of safety, but dump barrels are quicker and can be fine if they're stable and big enough.

[toothandnail]

While I always drop the mag, clear the chamber before dropping.

I have NO problem going down range of a gun abandoned in HOT condition.

[wgj3]

It's not the abandoned gun that would be the issue. Never had or seen one fire when left alone/abandoned.

[SSGJohnV]

I agree as well. In the army we do that all of the time when zeroing our rifles. But, its in the rules and an easy DQ for new shooters.

I think part of the barrel thing is they don't want to throw their nice guns in a barrel.

[outerlimits]

Empty also means no expended hull on the carrier! Ask me how I know...

[toothandnail]

It's not the abandoned gun that would be the issue. Never had or seen one fire when left alone/abandoned.

Exactly, 98% of mine are loaded ALL the time, not a single one has ever spontaneously fired

[bluedevil008]

I wasn't saying I'm worried about it, but if you're talking about guns left on a table behind you that may fall off, it's a little scary.

Also, it allows RO's to clear weapons if you move elsewhere. Can't do that, if you're in front. Big stage required, obviously.