22lr pistol "rule" question

[RickT]

I shoot a 9mm 1911 so thumb safety manipulation is pretty autoatic: safety on when the last round of a string is fired and off when the gun comes up on the first target

While I'm not a trained RO, I was RO'ing during a SC-like shoot and found that the 22lr pistol shooters essentially never used their safeties. I don't recall seeing anything in the rule book regarding safties and 22lr, but I would think the safety should be engaged until the shooter is at the low ready start position

[ZackJones]

For USPSA Steel Challenge Matches:

5.2.6: Any firearm that begins a stage from the low ready shall require the shooter to start with the finger off the trigger. Said firearm may start with hammer cocked and, if applicable, with the safety off.

[RickT]

For USPSA Steel Challenge Matches:

5.2.6: Any firearm that begins a stage from the low ready shall require the shooter to start with the finger off the trigger. Said firearm may start with hammer cocked and, if applicable, with the safety off.

Makes sense, but are the rules silent about having the safety on while the pistol is being manipulated between strings?

[DougCarden]

Been that way as long as I have been shooting.....NSSF Rimfire rules allow finger in the trigger guard as well, unless local rules don't allow that. If the shooter can't keep their finger off the trigger in the middle of the string then it takes care of itself....I put the safety on as part of my routine, but if the gun is in the hand under control the whole time it is not necessary.....

Edited September 7, 2015 by DougCarden

[ZackJones]

Makes sense, but are the rules silent about having the safety on while the pistol is being manipulated between strings?

I didn't go looking for it but I'm going to say yes. I've shoot 22 for the majority of this year and squadded with several shooters that shoot 22 and I've never seen anyone engage a safety on a 22 pistol or rifle during the match.

[photoracer]

I have not used the safety on a .22 in the 6-7 odd years I have been shooting. Its mainly because the gun is already in your hand and the RO should know where your trigger finger is. With a holstered draw any incorrect grab of the gun might get you engaging the trigger before you are sighting the target. However de-cockers and striker fired guns don't have to do a safety either. I am pretty sure it might boil down to the bean counters in the insurance carriers on why the rules are like that. I know I have no problem transitioning from my centerfire procedures to my rimfire ones because they are so different.

[RickT]

I was pretty certain the rule book didn't call for use of the safety. Most of these folks were cowboy shooters trying out steel challenge. Some of the 22's were a bit troublesome and they weren't all that adept at clearing a am or removing a stuck magazine. Had a few folks shooting their 1911 45ACP and being used to strong hand only in Wild Bunch they had terrible two hand grips. One fellow, not a cowboy shooter had sketchy gun handling.

BTW, this was a scaled down range and it turns out an 8" plate at 15 yards isn't that easy to hit under self-induced time pressure. Most folks I believe had a good time, but it went slowly with the number of shooters and the number of misses. We'll do it again in a month and see how it goes.

[photoracer]

Tell them to bring some .22 leverguns and try that.