What does a "grease ring" really mean?

[Nik Habicht]

I can't tell from the photograph if there's definitive evidence of a bullet strike to the front of the target, or to the rear of the target.  If I were to find such evidence, It would score as a hit in whichever zone it fell.

[blasterboy]

As a competitor, I've had some interesting experiences with hard cover and grease rings:

1.  Provincial championships (level 3) As soon as my gun is back in the holster, the RO says "you're not going to like me" and brings me over to a target partially obscured by a barrel, "I'm scoring a miss here, you hit the barrel".  I had 2 hits on the paper, both nice round with grease marks.   The RO is a good guy, I'm sure something caught his eye when I was shooting that target, I'm sure I at least grazed the barrel.  I looked at the barrel, I counted 14 holes or marks where it had been struck by bullets, I asked which one was mine, he couldn't tell but he said he was sure it was 1 of the holes.  He stood by his decision and I let it go.......well sort of:)

2  National championships (level 3)  I chose to take a long shot at a target through a small port at a tight angle from the start position rather than running to the port later then backtracking to finish prone.  I wasn't the first to try it.  ROs were using paint to cover any damage to the port/hardcover, it had probably been hit 4 or 5 times.  During scoring the RO called 2 As, secondary RO said wait, there's a hit on hardcover.  Hardcover hit was full diameter, hits on paper were perfect identical with grease marks.  Official ruling A and a Miss.  Went to CRO and then RM, call stood.  Because of the look of the target hits, I wasn't convinced the hardcover wasn't a shooter before me.  Really disappointed at the time, had a great day to this point.  RO with the tablet apologized, said I just got screwed.

 

I guess if your planning some tight shots to hardcover, make sure all damage to hardcover is patched before you go to the line, but that's something extra you shouldn't be focused on at that moment.

 

As an RO, I never penalize a competitor unless I'm 100% sure.  Like the saying, "I've never DQed anyone for breaking 90.....but 95, absolutely"

I also hate plastic barrels in big matches.  Yes there quick, easy, will last fore ever and can be stored anywhere.  But the can be moved easily, changing the challenge of a stage, (as hard cover) they don't give a nice flat surface to patch hits, there not a barrel on a range without a couple holes in it already and they always lead to controversies. 

 

Edited November 19, 2017 by blasterboy

[Steve RA]

On 1/1/2017 at 4:50 PM, Sarge said:

9.5.5  Enlarged holes in paper targets which exceed the competitor’s bullet diameter will not count for score or penalty unless there is visible evi- dence within the remnants of the hole (e.g. a grease mark or a “crown” etc.), to eliminate a presumption that the hole was caused by a ricochet or splatter. 

 You'll note that, according to the rule, we should only be talking about "enlarged holes"  not bullet diameter holes !!!

[IHAVEGAS]

2 hours ago, blasterboy said:

As an RO, I never penalize a competitor unless I'm 100% sure. 

 

+1