Last stage DQ

[stick]

On 6/24/2020 at 7:18 AM, Stafford said:

Just like at the end of the first string, I didn’t eject the mag and let it drop free. So, when I racked the slide and ejected, I simply chambered another round which went off at hammer down. Should the RO have asked to see clear, yes. Should I have dropped my mag as usual, yes. Lesson learned.

...And that's why accidents happen.  People deviate from their norm.  If you're used to dropping the mag, drop the mag.  Glad no one got hurt!  Painful lesson.

[Sarge]

4 hours ago, stick said:

...And that's why accidents happen.  People deviate from their norm.  If you're used to dropping the mag, drop the mag.  Glad no one got hurt!  Painful lesson.

Yep, had a guy admit to shooting a hole into his closet floor by not dropping a mag before racking to clear.

[DKorn]

1 hour ago, Sarge said:

Yep, had a guy admit to shooting a hole into his closet floor by not dropping a mag before racking to clear.

I’ve read and heard multiple accounts of people doing this, plus know multiple people who have done this. 
 

I think it has less to do with deviating from a routine and more to do with treating something as routine rather than giving it your full attention. If you actually pay attention and check whether the gun is clear, you would know whether or not there was a magazine and a round present, even if something unusual happens.

 

What if you routinely drop the magazine, rack the slide, and for some reason the round in the chamber fails to extract? Are you paying enough attention to catch this? What if, on the last round, you have some kind of strange malfunction involving a weird double feed, and dropping the mag and racking the slide causes one round to eject and the other to end up chambered? Would you notice or would you assume that since you dropped the mag and a round ejected, your gun is clear? 

 

If your method of unloading and showing clear wouldn’t catch these kinds of weird scenarios, I would suggest reevaluating how you unload and show clear. 

[stick]

10 hours ago, DKorn said:

If your method of unloading and showing clear wouldn’t catch these kinds of weird scenarios, I would suggest reevaluating how you unload and show clear. 

I couldn't agree more.  I can't count how many times at local matches I've given the unload and show clear command and watch them rack out a bullet.  Only to stop them and say " Drop the mag."  Some people are in such a hurry.  Slow down and wait for the commands.

[Zincwarrior]

On 6/24/2020 at 6:18 AM, Stafford said:

Last stage of the night. Stage required a stop and re-holster after the first string. I normally let the mag drop free, and insert another. But since this was a short stage, I had enough rounds left to keep shooting. So, I reholstered and shot the second string. When it came time to show clear I racked back and caught the bullet. RO saw the round eject and didn’t ask to see the barrel. At hammer down, boom. 

 

Just like at the end of the first string, I didn’t eject the mag and let it drop free. So, when I racked the slide and ejected, I simply chambered another round which went off at hammer down. Should the RO have asked to see clear, yes. Should I have dropped my mag as usual, yes. Lesson learned.

 

At a recent match, on a similar string, an RO told me I could just take the mag out by hand and put in my pouch instead of letting it hit the ground. I told him that I let it drop free every time so that I don’t screw up. 

I have almost done this.  You learn quickly. No one was hurt and you still got to shoot so all good.

[slowhands]

On 6/24/2020 at 11:15 AM, Stafford said:

I shoot a DA/SA pistol and start hammer down. He told me that I tended to put my finger on the trigger prior to pinching the hammer for a manual adjustment to DA. He told me he had to DQ a GM recently who touched off his sub 2lb trigger because his finger went to the trigger first and set off a round. 

 

In matches, I always pinch the hammer with my left hand and pull it back before I put my finger in the trigger guard. But in practice I used to be less deliberate, and one time my right hand won the race and I popped off a round just as my fingers were about the grab the hammer. Scared myself a bit and my fingers got smacked pretty good by the recoiling slide, but the gun was in a safe direction so no serious harm. Learned a good lesson there.

[Hdiamond]

I just had to DQ a shooter on the unload show clear of our last stage at a fairly big local match.  Newer shooter but was doing fine on safety, just some poor stage plans or execution throughout the day. 
 

If you are finished unload show clear, I said, trying not to give away the target just around the wall corner next to us he’d forgotten to shoot. 
 

He drops the mag. Racks the slide, shows me the empty chamber. 
If clear Hammer Down Holster. Halfway to the holster he flat out spin-drops his gun. I must have seen straight down the barrel 3 times before it hit the ground. 
 

I am actually pretty happy with how I reacted. Didn’t lose my cool, followed the rules on what happens next, gave the shooter some advice, and got him with a buddy who will show him his scores in PS Competitor so he can learn from his other stages. But I am a little surprised that I didn’t lose bowel control. I’m guessing if I hadn’t seen a clear chamber I would have. 

[Bigdeal929]

On 6/24/2020 at 1:25 PM, Bhayden said:

This has been mentioned before. Every I RO a match, I get some guys that apparently think that their time to unload and show clear counts for score. As the RO, I back them up and insist on seeing a clear chamber. I’ve irritated many but saved several from your fate.

 

The verbal confirmation you should be hearing is: If clear, hammer down, holster.

And trust me, Troy would not approve otherwise!