DrAndy Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I am an experienced bull’s-eye and shotgun shooter. Wanting to try ipsc or uspsa shooting I have been reading and went to a match recently. From the uspsa website they have an article called “your first uspsa match” that has some terminology which I don’t understand. Perhaps someone could help me out, please. “Load and make ready” “Standby” “Beep” Shoot “Unload and show clear” “If gun is clear, hammer down” “Holster” I know load and make ready, standby and beep (means begin) Please explain “unload and show clear”, “if gun is clear, hammer down”, and “holster” Also, when does the time “officially” end for my shooting string? Thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 "unload and show clear" = drop the magazine and show the RO (range officer) that the cahmber is clear. (hint-take your time) "hammer down" = pull the trigger to drop the hammer on the empty chamber. "holster" = put the gun in theh holster and your done. The time offically ends on your last shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgary Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 (edited) When it is your turn to shoot, the Range Officer will invite you into the shooting area, and then give you some specific commands. "Load and make ready" indicates that you now are under his/her supervision, and have permission to handle your firearm to make it ready for your attempt at the course of fire. It also signifies the beginning of "the course of fire" from a rules perspective... for example, if your gun falls out of your holster and hits the ground while you are behind the line as a spectator, there is a procedure for rectifying it with no problem. If your gun falls out of the holster and hits the ground after the RO has said "Load and make ready", some different course-of-fire rules apply, and it would result in a disqualification. The important thing to know is that "load and make ready" signifies both permission, and changes in which rules apply at a given instant. When you have prepared your gun according to the stage requirements, and you have assumed the start position (standing, seated, whatever), the RO will give you the following commands: "Shooter ready"? (there is no response required. The RO will assume that, since you are in the start position, you *are* ready... but if you aren't, this is your chance to say "no, wait, stop, I forgot something!" ;-) "Stand by" - doesn't require an action, just part of the sequence. "Beep" is the sound of the timer going off. After the "beep", you shoot the course of fire, and in most courses you can shoot as many rounds at each target as you want. When you look like you are done, the RO will say "If you are finished, Unload and Show Clear." At that point, if you realize you have forgotten a target or want to make up a hit, you still can... the command is sort of an "invitation", basically meaning "if you're done, show me by unloading your gun and showing me it is empty." Note that the timer picks up the sound of each shot. So, if you are done shooting, the timer has already stopped. If you decide to shoot some more, the timer will automatically pick up the additional shots, and stop again. If you are done, you "unload and show clear". This means that you drop the magazine out of the gun (for an auto), rack the round out of the chamber, then pull the slide back and hold it towards the RO so that he/she can visually verify that the magwell and chamber are both empty. When the RO has looked, he/she says "if clear, hammer down, holster". This means that if *you* are also sure your gun is empty, close the slide, and drop the hammer by pulling the trigger (with the gun, obviously, pointed safely towards the berm). This is a double-check.... if the gun goes "bang" at this stage, it is a disqualification, so make *sure* it is really empty - it is your responsibility, even though the RO has looked. When it has gone "click", you may holster it. When the gun is safely holstered, the official "course of fire" ends... which means the rules in effect revert back to the same as they were when you were a spectator. Note that there is no need to hurry through the "unload and show clear" stuff. The timer is not running... it stopped with your last shot, and... it is important to go slowly enough to make sure that the gun really is empty and safe to holster. Your *time* officially ends with your last shot, even though your "responsibilities" don't end until the gun is safely cleared and holstered. Hope that helps... Bruce Edited March 28, 2006 by bgary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinab Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 (edited) Edited to remove duplicated info...The only thing to add is: Occasionally there are fixed time stages. Those can also be called par times. If you shoot beyond the par time, you would be assessed a penalty for each shot fired. Often at a local match, you may hear an RO say, "if you are finished, unload and show clear." The official commands are sometimes elaborated on. Also, if you have a decocking lever, don't use it. You must pull the trigger during the "hammer down" command. Your feet do not move until the gun is completely secured in the holster. Like wise, if your last shot is from an ackward position, kneeling or prone etc. get into a position where you can complete the "unload, show clear, slide down, hammer down, and holster" activities without sweeping yourself, the RO, or other competitors. If that means standing up, fine. Just be sure your safety is engaged and that your finger is decidedly outside the trigger guard. The very last thing the RO will say is "Range is safe" to indicate scoring can begin. There are correlating commands for a revolver and certainly "slide down" wouldn't apply. I'll let one of the wheelies give you their rendition. Welcome to the sport and let us know how your first match experience goes! Edited March 28, 2006 by carinab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseywales Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 (edited) Welcome to the forum and to USPSA. Background info first. Most (if not all) of the ranges that conduct USPSA matches are 'cold' ranges - with 'cold' meaning that no one on the range has a loaded firearm until called to the starting line for a particular course of fire (stage). So... "Load and make ready" - when it is your turn to shoot a stage, the range officer (RO) will ask you to step to the starting position for that particular stage and give you this command which means you are authorized to draw & load your pistol, and place it back into your holster (typically). "Are you ready" - after you have loaded your pistol and are ready to begin the stage, the RO will ask if you are ready to begin the course of fire (stage). If you are not ready, you must say so (and it's no big deal if you're not ready, everyone is there to have a safe and fun time time shooting pistols...so just take your time getting ready). "Standby" - after the RO recognizes that you are READY, he/she will issue the "Standby" command to let you know that the start buzzer is about to sound indicating the beginning of the course of fire. "Beep" - beep, buzzer, etc. The timers utilized in USPSA produce a 'start signal' sound that is either a 'beep' or a muffled beep (buzz). It's loud enough that you will hear it through your ear protection. "Unload and show clear" - as you come to the end of this particular course of fire (stage)...i.e., you have shot/engaged all the targets for this stage, the RO will ask if you are finished and then give you the command to "unload" (drop the magazine out of the pistol first), and then to "show clear" (rack the slide to remove the chambered round to show the RO an empty barrel). "If gun is clear, hammer down" - here the RO is asking you if the gun is empty (no magazine in gun, no round in chamber), and is also asking you to PROVE that the barrel is empty by pulling the trigger to drop the hammer onto the empty chamber. So you point the pistol is a safe downrange direction and pull the trigger on the empty chamber. Immediately the RO will issue the next command ("holster") "Holster" - here the RO is giving you the command to holster your pistol. Time officially ends on your last shot fired for that particular stage. The time displayed on the timer 'stops' on each audible shot fired, so as your last shot is fired the timer will display the total duration in time that it took you to complete the course of fire. Geez...I just can't type fast enough... Edited March 28, 2006 by joseywales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgary Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 "slide down, hammer down, holster." Accck. Sorry to be fussy, but... those aren't actually the commands in the rulebook. The *official* command is "If clear, hammer down, holster" Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinab Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 See what I mean by the official commands being elaborated upon??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrAndy Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 thanx for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Bruce Accck. Sorry to be fussy, but... "Shooter Ready" isn't in the rulebook either. Sorry, I couldn't resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 The official range commands (covered pretty well so far) can be found in section 8.3 of the rule book. An online copy of the rul book can be found here: http://www.uspsa.org/rules/Handgun_15th_2004.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaperHater Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Don't sweat every little detail. As long as you can safely handle a gun just show up to the match and watch and learn. It would take pages to explain what you can learn your first time out. Most people are willing to help out a new guy and explain things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Yeah, don't sweat it. An RO worth his overlay will talk you through the entire process anyway. FWIW dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobert1 Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Yeah, don't sweat it. An RO worth his overlay will talk you through the entire process anyway. FWIW dj Would that be the CLEAR or the FROSTED overlay ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 So Dr Andy The RO with an overlay is funny, in that it is the same as "I saw a chip" did you see a chip? Most of us had someone that got us in on the buddy program. The first match can be tough. & Dr Andy If you give your location several "Good Guys" will jump up to find you a host brother. to help you get a good /Safe/fun start The Hand gun shoots are as much fun and more than shotgun. Look for some Steel Challenge shoots too. Jamie Foote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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