Where Is Downrange?

[BrazilianShooter]

This is my question, in our Club we have this range with 4 backstops, where is the DownRange?

Can i assume corner A, B or C as a DownRange????

Bye

[ima45dv8]

Luis,

Wouldn't that be determined by the Course of Fire? I think the course of fire determines the 180 degree line, and downrange would be anywhere forward of the line. For example, you could have a CoF perfectly parallel to backstop 2, and then corners A and B would be downrange. Turn the CoF 45 degrees to the right, so the 180 degree line runs from backstop 2 to backstop 3, and then only corner B would be downrange.

Both would be safe setups.

HTH,

...Mark

[cking]

backstop 1 & 4 would be a problem, swing close to the 180 and your shooting out the entrance. 2 & 3 would be Ok.

[BrazilianShooter]

Ok,

In a COF like this

In the position s1, the blue targets are in safe directions, but the yelow if i assume the backstop1 or the A corner as a downrange, i can shoot with no problem, the same situation in s2.

I my mind, if we have multiples backstops, i can´t difine only one downdrange. i will declare the downrange according to the target, wright?

Bye

[cking]

Most places only have three walls in a Inverted U shape. Many ranges won't let you fire into the side berms. So the bottom of the U defines down range.

Let say they say it is OK to fire into the berms. Which happens on my range our club uses.

For targets like the yellow ones I would drop them. But lets say you don't have walls with ports and no restricted shooting boxes.

We string some yellow rope up from shooting line to berm, and hang some strips of that red contractors tape from it. The rule is explained before hand, point your guns past the rope or fire a round outside of the rope and your DQ'ed.

we setup the rope so that a small infraction does leave you point the gun where there is no berm. We usually leave a 15/20 degree safety margin. So far it has worked OK. No DQ's.

[ima45dv8]

From what I can see, you're proposing the use of a "floating" 180. It changes with the shooting position. We've done the same thing in one of our irregularly shaped bays but we never let that line point "out the door" so to speak. That line always contacts a wall with some safety margin built in.

The problem I see is at positions S1 and S4. You aren't allowing a full 180 access through the door/window/port. That's fine as long as the walls you have (indicated in green) are made of a material sufficient to stop rounds from penetrating and going out of the bay through the entry point behind SL. If they aren't steel, I wouldn't even consider it. Just having vision barriers is too risky.

DQ discussion aside, you cannot risk having rounds get out of there on a flat plane that might intersect people attending the match.

YMMV,

...Mark

One other thing.... Where do you see the RO positioning himself during all of this? It looks like the Mother of all RO traps.

Use caution.

[scooterj]

From what I can see, you're proposing the use of a "floating" 180. It changes with the shooting position.

One other thing.... Where do you see the RO positioning himself during all of this? It looks like the Mother of all RO traps.

Use caution.

+1

[bulm540]

Ditto!!

[itento]

For IPSC purposes I would say that Rule

10.5.2 If at any time during the course of fire, a competitor allows the

muzzle of his handgun to point rearwards, that is further than 90

degrees from the median intercept of the backstop, or in the case

of no backstop, allows the muzzle to point up range, whether the

firearm is loaded or not.

allows for either 1 downrange backstop (normal conditions) or 1 designated uprange locations described in the COF. IMHO, there are no provisions for dynamic or multiple "downrange" directions. In the case of BrazilianShooter's diagram, I would say that down range is determined from the SL line at the entrance and that any stage design that forces the shooter to swing the muzzle beyond 90 degrees either way of this line would be poor course design.

From my perspective, only the 2 blue S1 targets, the two blue S2 targets and the 1 blue S3 target closest to Corner B are legal. The other targets ( the other S3 blue target, the S4 blue and yellow targets and the S1 yellow target ) could be include and engaged from the vic of the SL if the 2 entrance walls and the S3/S4 seperation walls were eliminated.

I know that IDPA allows shooters to shoot in directions past the 180 degree, however as a MD and an RO, I for one am happy that IPSC does not.