Starting with empty chamber

[99mpower]

be careful as a 10rd division shooter who loads 11rd mags for starting, with stages that require unloaded starts, that you remove that 11th round.

[Glockster1]

On 9/22/2019 at 10:49 AM, perttime said:

During this weekend's IPSC match, one of the Stages required a start with pistol in holster, magazine inserted, but with empty chamber.

 

I hear I wasn't the only one who instinctively racked the slide and engaged safety before holstering. I don't even remember doing it. The next thing I heard was: "Unload and show clear....If clear, hammer down, holster... Let's do it again.

 

You do what you train to do (read: what you usually do).

You didn't say whether the hammer was down or whether the safety was engaged while in the holster.

[perttime]

11 hours ago, Glockster1 said:

You didn't say whether the hammer was down or whether the safety was engaged while in the holster.

I racked the slide and engaged safety before holstering: cocked and locked in the holster.

 

WSB required magazine inserted but empty chamber.

[Sarge]

12 minutes ago, perttime said:

I racked the slide and engaged safety before holstering: cocked and locked in the holster.

 

WSB required magazine inserted but empty chamber.

Why did you cock and place safety on if you didn't have to? Seems like it would be a time waster when you draw and rack. Are IPSC rules different in that regard? USPSA seems to allow holstering with hammer down, safety off on a single action even with loaded mag inserted. At least that's how I read it.

[99mpower]

15 hours ago, Sarge said:

Why did you cock and place safety on if you didn't have to? Seems like it would be a time waster when you draw and rack. Are IPSC rules different in that regard? USPSA seems to allow holstering with hammer down, safety off on a single action even with loaded mag inserted. At least that's how I read it.

 

USPSA rules for a single action pistol, loaded, are hammer back, safety on

USPSA rules for an unloaded start, are hammer down, safety off

 

I've never seen a stage where you start in condition 3 (mag inserted, no round in chamber)

[99mpower]

IF the stage designer wanted you to start in a different ready condition, it must be clearly stated in the WSB

 

8.1.3

 

Courses of fire may require ready conditions which are different to

those

stated above.

In such cases, the required ready condition must be clearly

stated in the written stage briefing.

When a firearm Ready Condition

requires a firearm be prepared with a

n empty chamber (or cylinder), the

slide/bolt of the firearm must be fully forward (or the cylin

der must be fully

closed) and the hammer or striker must be fully down or fully forward, as the

case may be, unless otherwise specified in the stage briefing.

[Sarge]

3 hours ago, 99mpower said:

 

USPSA rules for a single action pistol, loaded, are hammer back, safety on

 

We had this debate a few years ago. I forget what the actual result was. I personally feel the rule stating shooter is always responsible allows me as an RO to start a guy who forgets to rack a round into the chamber.

[perttime]

On 5/22/2020 at 8:37 AM, Sarge said:

Why did you cock and place safety on if you didn't have to? Seems like it would be a time waster when you draw and rack. Are IPSC rules different in that regard? USPSA seems to allow holstering with hammer down, safety off on a single action even with loaded mag inserted. At least that's how I read it.

Because I was doing what I "always" do, instead of what the written stage briefing specified: inserted magazine, racked the slide, engaged safety, and holstered; instead of just inserting the magazine and holstering. A brain fade.

 

Fortunately, the RO paid attention and didn't allow me to start in an incorrect Ready Condition: round in chamber, instead of empty chamber.

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by perttime

[shred]

Empty chamber in-holster starts are much more common in IPSC than USPSA.  They will trip you up if you aren't planning for it.