disapearing targets

[fishhunter3]

at a local USPSA match a drop turner was used on a stage and it was briefed that since it was a disappearing target it didn't have to be engaged just activated, The way the stage was set up you could fire you last round and walk over and activate the footpad and not engage the target with out a FTE penalty, I called BS right away, so with some rule searching it was changed that you had to activate the drop turner before the last shot was fired but you didn't need to engage the drop turner, at this point I just let it go and shot the match,    

[ChuckS]

Activating last was legal until January 2019. Now we have this:

 

9.9.3 Moving scoring targets will always incur failure to shoot at and miss penalties if a competitor fails to activate the mechanism which initiates the target movement before the last shot is fired in a course of fire. This includes no-shoot targets that must be activated when in front of scoring targets to expose them. Penalties are based on number of shots required for the moving scoring target or the scoring target(s) behind the no-shoot.

 

ETA: The old 9.9.3

 

9.9.3 Moving scoring targets will always incur failure to shoot at and miss
penalties if a competitor fails to activate the mechanism which initiates
the target movement. This includes no-shoot targets that must be
activated when in front of scoring targets to expose them, penalties are
based on number of shots required for the scoring target(s) behind the
no-shoot.

Edited January 21, 2019 by ChuckS

[Sarge]

8 minutes ago, fishhunter3 said:

at a local USPSA match a drop turner was used on a stage and it was briefed that since it was a disappearing target it didn't have to be engaged just activated, The way the stage was set up you could fire you last round and walk over and activate the footpad and not engage the target with out a FTE penalty, I called BS right away, so with some rule searching it was changed that you had to activate the drop turner before the last shot was fired but you didn't need to engage the drop turner, at this point I just let it go and shot the match,    

You never have to engage a disappearing target. And it depends on the exact wording on the WSB. Now though Chuck got it correct, it's changed but you still do not have to shoot at a disappearing target.

Edited January 21, 2019 by Sarge

[ChuckS]

As for engaging:

 

9.9.1 Moving scoring targets which present at least a portion of the highest scoring area when at rest following the completion of their designed movement, or which continuously appear and disappear, will always incur failure to shoot at and/or miss penalties (exception see Rule 9.2.4.4). See Appendix B1 for the percent of target to be presented.

 

9.9.2 Moving scoring targets, which do not comply with the above criteria are considered disappearing targets and will not incur failure to shoot at or miss penalties except where Rule 9.9.3 applies.

 

So, if they fit the definition of disappearing targets, there are no miss / FTSA penalties. But you give up the possible scoring points but you do save some time. You just gotta figure if it is to your advantage