First stage fall.

[WaJim]

At Dundee yesterday after shooting USPSA since mid 2015 I had my first fall ..... while shooting a stage.

 

Don't know whether it was shoe laces, my own feet or tripped on a fault line but I went full down in the gravel.

 

It seemed like slo-mo to me and all I can remember was watching which way the gun was pointed. At some point between the trip and contact with the ground I also noted where my finger was....eject port. 

 

Falling and praying for no "pop".....It's a scary thing.

 

Man, I felt stupid/clumsy.

 

It also seemed like I waited minutes to hear the STOP.........nothing!

 

Got up and finished the remaining array.

 

Sorry to JuliAnne my RO for scaring her...I could hear her yelp/ squeek as I lost my footing.

 

It was also nice to hear one of my competitors shout "Great muzzle discipline" when I was laying in the gravel.

 

It was a good day.

[Steve RA]

Congratulations on getting through it alright.  

[matir]

Good work on handling it so well.  Sounds like you got through it safely, then brushed yourself off and pushed on.  I hope I can do the same when I find myself heading for the ground.

[Hi-Power Jack]

[crmcdm]

May be no greater compliment under that kind of stress on the the course of fire than "Great muzzle discipline "--well done!

[WaJim]

Thanks all, Id like to say it was training that kept me from stupid s#!t but I'm pretty sure fear had a big hand in taking one for the team.

 

Pistol was set up by a great NW Gunsmith as well.

 

2 lb trigger...jolt when I fell could have set off a lesser mans prepped 1911.

 

Thank You, JPL.

[ATLDave]

Your training/knowledge allowed your brain to properly prioritize fear of an AD/ND above fear of contact with the ground.  So it was fear that motivated you - fear educated by knowledge and experience.  

[IVC]

There is absolutely nothing stupid or clumsy about falling - it's a sport and people in sports fall. At least those who are trying. 

 

If anything, it was very smart and disciplined that you kept the gun in the safe direction, not only to avoid a DQ, but also in order not to sweep any of your fellow competitors. No "Stop" command is completely normal and good job on getting up and finishing the COF. 

 

Stories like this make me feel good about what we collectively strive for when it comes to safety.

[DKorn]

Great job with muzzle discipline, and great job by the RO for handling it properly. 

 

I made the mistake at the first major I RO’d of stopping someone when they fell. I saw him starting to go down hard, said “Stop!”, then watched him keep his muzzle in a safe direction without sweeping himself. After he stood back up I said “Unload and show clear... if clear, hammer down and holster... range is clear... I stopped you but you didn’t actually violate any rules. Would you like a reshoot?”

[DavidSeavey]

i took a pretty good digger shooting PCC last year.  Deep V shaped shooting area with walls so you had to fully poke each tip of the V, as i'm running around the point of the V to the other side the time slowed down as my feet went another direction in the gravel, got up and finished too, but i was complimented as well about falling safely!  made me laugh and i felt stupid but i too was happy to find under those circumstances that i handled the wrong thing the right way

[DukeEB]

I had a fall in sand at a Custer washington match.  Kept the gun out of the sand and in the right direction.  Next time you fall, keep in mind that sand doesn't cause road rash 

[IVC]

The most I've had was a "stumble" over a year ago when I was quite new to the sport.

 

I almost missed a location that was part of my plan, so I tried to stop quickly, at which point I slid pretty hard and instinctively went to "flailing arms" to regain balance. I remember thinking only about my muzzle and making sure that any movement of my body and arms was completely constrained by the muzzle direction, so that I take a fall before I "over-flail" my arms and either break 180 or sweep myself.

 

It turned out well and it was completely under control, but I was a bit shaken at the end of COF because it was the first time I had such an experience while running with a loaded gun. I guess training and discipline kicked in, so it's the usual "you fall back to your training in emergency" scenario... 

[j1b]

I fell hard core at a stage at Nationals one year. 

Honestly I didn't have the "praying the gun doesn't go off" thought. I don't remember much at all.

 

I do know my muzzle stayed safe, my finger was out of the trigger guard, and that the RO did not stop me. I was beat up after that. Hands were all kinds of scratched up. But hey, nobody got hurt. I finished the stage and I recall faintly in the background ... people clapping.

 

This sport teaches us as much about safe gun handling as it does shooting fast and accurate...

[9x45]

 

It also seemed like I waited minutes to hear the STOP.........nothing!   Yup, keep going.