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Target Sticks


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At a club match this past weekend a shooter received a procedural for shooting a steel plate from between the target sticks of a paper target. The procedural was backed up by the MD. I have attached an image that gives a simplified example of the shooter's view and shooting location. (Sorry, I'm not very good with SketchUp, but I wanted to include a visual aid to help explain the situation I am trying to describe).

As far as I know target sticks are clearly outlined in rule 9.1.7 (Target sticks are neither Hard Cover nor Soft Cover. Shots which have passed wholly or partially through target sticks and which hit a paper or metal target will count for score or penalty, as the case may be.). To me this means the RO and MD were in the wrong. Am I missing something? post-55941-0-67136200-1433795967_thumb.p

post-55941-0-34159300-1433796608_thumb.p

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I would say you aren't wrong. Target sticks basically don't exist, scoring-wise. Also, there's nothing in the rule book to say you can't shoot between target sticks, or around them or over them, or close enough to give them goose bumps, or whatever.

The thing you can't do is shoot a full-diameter hit through a paper target and then take credit for knocking down a steel - unless the hit on paper was a partial diameter, which makes it count on both the paper and the steel.

If the stage designer wanted to keep you away from the steel while the paper was visible, s/he should have designed the stage so the targets were separated by more space or by barriers.

I'd say the penalty calls were incorrect.

Edited by teros135
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Nothing wrong with the stage design. I've put out a few for USPSA matches where the steel was placed directly below metric targets and visible from around the target as well as between the sticks. The steel would be placed far enough back to avoid splatter on the paper targets and far enough below the target where shoot throughs were not a problem. We never had a problem with it.

So in my opinion (assuming nothing in the WSB prevented shooting between the sticks) there was nothing done to earn a procedural.

Did the RO or MD attempt to justify their call with a Rule?

Bill

Edited by Flatland Shooter
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you sure this wasn't an IDPA MD who showed up to the wrong match ... don't they have penalties for everything a shooter does? Sorry to make light of the situtation but I probably would be looking elsewhere to shoot if I encountered a MD like that ....

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MD should not be making rules calls... that's the job of the RM.

Probably confused this situation with the rule about barriers (rule 2.2.3.3), which - by default - indeed do extend from the ground to the height as built, so you can't shoot under them.

Edited by StealthyBlagga
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He needs to be able to site the rulebook if he's going to make a ruling ...

And its up to the shooter to keep him honest. Have your rule book handy and ask him to show you the rule if you disagree.

If you can locate a rule that supports your position, be ready to offer it.

Bill

Edited by Flatland Shooter
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  • 4 weeks later...

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