How To Mess Up A Flashlight Stage

[MichiganShootist]

One of my favorite clubs operates an indoor range. When weather is bad---- we set up 4 IDPA stages and we run them as normal.... Then they either turn the lights on VERY LOW or turn them totally off and we run the stages again using flashlights.

The rule at the start is....gun in holster and light in weak hand--- but turned off. Just before the "stand by" command the lights are turned off.... or dimmed to a very low light level (far too dim to read ---- something like one 40 watt bulb in a 50' X 100' room)

This week I apparently managed to twist the end of my Sure Fire Defender model flashlight some time while I was taking it out for a stage. Turning the end cap a quarter turn locks off the light.....So when the buzzer went off I drew my pistol and pushed the button on the light... only to have the range stay REALLY dark.

I probably punched the button 4 or 5 times before it dawned on me the clock was still running... So I charged ahead and shot the 16 round 5 position stage with only the dim light coming from behind one of the targets.

The good news is that I was only "down one" in spite of the screw up....and actually turned in a pretty good time for a Single Stack gun.

The funny thing that the Safety Officer pointed out to me when he was clearing me---- was that I carried the useless flashlight with me for the entire stage and pointed it at every target I engaged.

I guess it's the flashlight version of shooting blanks

Edited October 23, 2006 by MichiganShootist