What's the most unsafe thing you've seen at a match?

[RJH]

20 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

New shooter. Instead of backing he turned and ran toward me with his gun pretty much pointed at my center mass, I am glad I do not know if his finger was also on the trigger. 

Yeah, ima going with it was 

[davsco]

especially with new shooters in my squad, i try to warn of various dangers on a stage, such as running uprange, and how to do it safely.

[Nathanb]

Saw an older guy who missed far too many times at stew stop tuck the gun under his arm and then wipe his brow with a handkerchief.  

[Hi-Power Jack]

Had an elderly gentleman, who was a club staple, unload and hammered down, and

the looked into the muzzle of his pistol   …..

 

Fortunately, he survived his last competitive shoot.

 

And, I've taken a couple friends to shoot their new guns at my local club - both

were Vets (one badly wounded in Vietnam), and I had ASSumed that they knew

the safety rules - couldn't believe some of the stunts they pulled at the range.

 

Last time I'll make that assumption about army vets.

[elguapo]

On 2/3/2019 at 8:18 PM, davsco said:

also had a guy in my squad light one off holstering, clothing got in the trigger guard,

 

This is worse in IDPA where the holsters are closer to the body and the sport attracts more raw noobs than USPSA.  I cringe every time I see one of those guys reholster a striker-fired pistol by jamming it in the holster while their t shirt is half in and half out of their pant's waistline.

 

I used to say something to them off to the side but got brushed off enough that now I don't say anything.  If they shoot themselves it's on them.

[elguapo]

12 hours ago, Salsantini said:

  I will say I should have worded the statement to the shooter differently.

 

unload and show clear would have worked

[elguapo]

8 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 I've taken a couple friends to shoot their new guns at my local club - both

were Vets (one badly wounded in Vietnam), and I had ASSumed that they knew

the safety rules - couldn't believe some of the stunts they pulled at the range.

 

Last time I'll make that assumption about army vets.

 

A few years ago I was leaving the club and passed by the static pistol range on the way out.  I saw two NG soldiers who literally had no idea how to load the pistol they were screwing with.

 

I stepped it up out of there.

[gerritm]

 

At a small local country range during a USPSA match as we walk from one stage to the other there are bays on our side and long range on opposite side with the usual shooting benches. We look across and there are 2-guys pointing all their rifles across at us on the benches, not in the provided racks.

 

The RO & MD hurries across and tell them to move the rifles so they are not pointing at us. They get mad and say that they were going down range to check targets and didn't want them pointing at them. 

 

gerritm

[davsco]

3 hours ago, elguapo said:

 

I used to say something to them off to the side but got brushed off enough that now I don't say anything.  If they shoot themselves it's on them.

if there is loose clothing around the holster, i always say something.  most are appreciative, but yeah some aren't.  i'd still rather be the safety nazi than the guy calling 911.

[barry]

At a half assed pin shoot.shooter loads and makes ready with1911 45. Realizes his ear muffs are around neck and puts them on with both hands while still holding gun! Nothing was said to him. That's when I left , don't need someones brains on me.

[DKorn]

1 hour ago, davsco said:

if there is loose clothing around the holster, i always say something.  most are appreciative, but yeah some aren't.  i'd still rather be the safety nazi than the guy calling 911.

 

I see this a lot with newer shooters, especially when it’s a little cold out and people are wearing loose sweatshirts, etc. 

 

I think I see it more with USPSA than I did when I shot IDPA, since the IDPA crowd is used to having to clear a concealment garment from their holster. 

 

When i see someone with something caught in their holster when reholstering during make ready, I always stop them and have them fix it. I’d rather be potentially annoying about it than have to use the first aid kit in my range bag. 

[Lightfoot]

The most unsafe thing I've seen was a older guy passing out while shooting a 45.  He stumbled and fell with his pistol cocked finger on trigger and muzzle touching his temple.  A guy got there an instant before me and gently removed the 1911 from his hand.  At that time his lights came back on and he moved his hands.   If he'd squeezed his hand he'd have blown his brains out.   That was tough to see. All the safety protocols assume one major thing: consciousness.  Without that.......we're screwed.

[elguapo]

2 hours ago, davsco said:

if there is loose clothing around the holster, i always say something.  most are appreciative, but yeah some aren't.  i'd still rather be the safety nazi than the guy calling 911.

 

I no longer get involved when people are doing stupid s#!t with guns.  If it won't affect me I just stay away.  If it will affect me I usually just leave.  I'd rather not get in a confrontation because I know myself.

[elguapo]

42 minutes ago, DKorn said:

 

I see this a lot with newer shooters, especially when it’s a little cold out and people are wearing loose sweatshirts, etc. 

 

I think I see it more with USPSA than I did when I shot IDPA, since the IDPA crowd is used to having to clear a concealment garment from their holster.

 

Most of the noobs I've seen at IDPA matches think concealment is optional and won't cover up their gun unless told even though they see everyone else doing it.  

 

One guy covered up his gun when told he needed to be concealed but left his mags exposed.  "Oh I need to conceal those too?"  I don't know how people can go through life being that stupid.

[CSEMARTIN]

These are the things I've seen:

 

1) A competitor still down range pasting targets when the next shooter was about to start. I'm always the last guy on the range when it's my turn to shoot.  I make sure the range is clear.  I don't rely on anyone else to do this for me.

 

2) ND at the start and round just missed his foot

 

3) IDPA State Match in Michigan.  RM checked all equipment at registration and found two loaded guns.

 

4)I saw a guy at the safe area pull his slide back and a round fell out.  He had no idea it was in there.

 

5)Open gun fell out of the holster.  Round #1 went down range.  The gun spun around and sent round #2 at the spectators.

 

6)A guy walked down range at an indoor range to get his equipment as I was shooting a stage.

 

7)I was asked to work on a gun that had a trigger job done by the previous owner.  Trigger pull was about a pound.  The sear was filed into a point and hammer hooks were way too short.

 

8)Handling guns outside the safe area/ammo in the safe area

 

9)Guns going full auto or doubling/tripling

 

10)Squibs and the shooter didn't know what had just happened

 

11)firing pin hits the round and doesn't go bang, but instead, the slide flew off the frame.  Shooter picks the slide up and looks down the barrel.  I explain to him that a delayed detonation could have resulted in his death.

 

12)A friend of mind covered the ejection port with a hand during unload and show clear.  Ejector hits the primer and detonates the round in his hand.

 

13)And lastly, the guys that like to holster their guns really fast.

[UpYoursPal]

1 minute ago, CSEMARTIN said:

5)Open gun fell out of the holster.  Round #1 went down range.  The gun spun around and sent round #2 at the spectators.

holy CRAP

[GrumpyOne]

One of the most unsafe things I've seen at a match was somebody eating Krystal burgers at 8am, and no porta potty on site.

[DKorn]

54 minutes ago, elguapo said:

 

I no longer get involved when people are doing stupid s#!t with guns.  If it won't affect me I just stay away.  If it will affect me I usually just leave.  I'd rather not get in a confrontation because I know myself.

 

I guess I could clarify what I said earlier about stopping people when I see stuff caught in their holster - I do that if I’m one of the ROs. If I’m not, I'm probably not even paying attention since I’m loading mags, visualizing my plan, etc. 

[Lastcat]

22 minutes ago, CSEMARTIN said:

12)A friend of mind covered the ejection port with a hand during unload and show clear.  Ejector hits the primer and detonates the round in his hand.

 

I have a friend that does the same and I have asked him "what if....?" He says, nah, it's all good. I can't change his mind but I wish he would stop placing his hand over the ejection port while loading/unloading. The same friend also had a squib during a match. Luckily he couldn't get a new round to load and stopped. Same friend loads for friend #2. Well guess what happened to friend #2's new Shadow 2? He had a squib and blew up his gun. 

 

Me personally I would always apply the USPSA Rules, even if I get the "stink eye". Can't get it done by myself, I get backup. CRO, RM or/and another RO. It's about safety and if I see it, no matter the cost to me, I'm going to be polite and state the rules. It's tough, they are going on a hate fest and believe you are the "Range Nazi", but it has to be done and I really don't care. I rather their feelings get hurt and not them or someone else.

[elguapo]

 

[CSEMARTIN]

This is another example for why I am the last one on the range when it’s my turn to shoot.

[elguapo]

19 minutes ago, CSEMARTIN said:

This is another example for why I am the last one on the range when it’s my turn to shoot.

 

I also walk around the stage one last time before I step up to make ready

[IHAVEGAS]

With all of this being said, I suspect that the first time I see something sort of bad (blood or broken bones) will be from lugging steel & walls & etc, particularly in a cluttered and stumbly equipment shed. 

 

The first time I see something real bad will likely be an old fart like me getting heat stroke or something cardio or maybe blowing up a knee. 

 

There was a shooter I know that passed away while sitting down at a match a couple years back. It was a shock as he seemed too young and too healthy, but maybe not the worst way to go. 

[DKorn]

6 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

With all of this being said, I suspect that the first time I see something sort of bad (blood or broken bones) will be from lugging steel & walls & etc, particularly in a cluttered and stumbly equipment shed. 

 

The first time I see something real bad will likely be an old fart like me getting heat stroke or something cardio or maybe blowing up a knee. 

 

There was a shooter I know that passed away while sitting down at a match a couple years back. It was a shock as he seemed too young and too healthy, but maybe not the worst way to go. 

 

It’s interesting that most injuries that happen at matches are unrelated to the shooting. It means our safety rules work. 

 

In fact, well-run matches with good safety practices are probably safer than participating in, say, a softball league. 

[IHAVEGAS]

Holy crap!

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, DKorn said:

probably safer than participating in, say, a softball league. 

 

In Bonita Springs Fla they have a senior softball facility and senior softball it is a big deal that draws a lot of competitors. A player died of a heart attack during a game not long after some of my relatives retired in that area. After the ambulance left they finished the game.