No "weak" Hand

[CDRODA396]

I work in the headquartes of an Army unit and I'm sitting in my office when my supervisor walks in a says he has an aspiring shooter who wants to talk competition shooting. I turn around, always willing to talk up the sport and its a guy I know that was hit with an IED back in '04.

He is missing one finger on one hand, and with the remaining fingers can "grip" things, but cannot grip, or operate a firearm.

I was selling him on the match this saturday and showing him the classifier stage discription when the question came up...this one requires weak hand only engagements...he holds up his damaged hand and asks, "so what do they do about this?"

I did a search through the rule book and could not find an answer. Since the local match is run on post here, they'll accomodate him, but the question is, if he gets into the sport as some point, this can become a real issue.

Anyone run into this before? How was it handled? I'm sure USPSA welcomes all shooters, just wondering what the "Official Right" thing to do is?

Edited February 8, 2007 by CDRODA396

[ima45dv8]

Here's the official Okey-dokey version:

"10.2.11 Special penalty: A competitor unable to fully execute any part of

a course of fire due to incapacity or injury may, prior to making

his attempt at the course of fire, request that the Range Master

apply a penalty in lieu of the stated course requirement.

10.2.11.1 If the request is approved by the Range Master, a minimum

of one procedural penalty, up to a maximum penalty of 20%

of the competitor’s points “as shot” (rounded up to the

nearest whole number), will be deducted from the competitor’s

score. For example, if 100 points are available in the

course of fire and the competitor actually scores 90 points,

the special penalty is a deduction of 18 points."

All that having been said, if he showed up to a Level I match where I'm at, he'd hear no talk of penalties.

[ihatepickles]

Drop a line to the nroi@uspsa.org about this. In regard to how to officially score a handicapped shooter, they're going to have the answers.

Unofficially he's welcome at my local club to shoot the weak hand string with his strong hand.

[toowide]

dang yall are fast beat me to it . i used the 20% deduct at area 4. if i go prone i cant get up. lol.

Edited February 8, 2007 by toowide

[Loves2Shoot]

We have a guy who has part of his left hand, shoot it and score it. He is gaining no advantage. This is a for fun sport.

[BritinUSA]

Just for info, the 2008 draft rules provide a better mechanism for this. The penalties (if any) are determined by the RM. If I'm running a match he would get no penalty on any stage. This is a good rule, I just wished it came in already.

[Merlin Orr]

The guy can shoot my match with no penalties. And...If he kicks my ass I will not whine about it either.

[GentlemanJim]

Just for info, the 2008 draft rules provide a better mechanism for this. The penalties (if any) are determined by the RM. If I'm running a match he would get no penalty on any stage. This is a good rule, I just wished it came in already.

+1 he gets no penalty from any RM that I know

Jim

[Flatland Shooter]

"Just for info, the 2008 draft rules provide a better mechanism for this. The penalties (if any) are determined by the RM. If I'm running a match he would get no penalty on any stage. This is a good rule, I just wished it came in already."

As a new shooter, he will be welcomed into our sport. I'm not a big fan of changing the rules, but addressing this in a fair manner and allowing the RM to determine on an individual basis if any penalties are incurred will be a welcome change.

Tell your new friend to come on out and let us know if he enjoyed his first match. (I bet he will.)

Bill

[Flexmoney]

Anyone run into this before? How was it handled? I'm sure USPSA welcomes all shooters, just wondering what the "Official Right" thing to do is?

CDRODA396,

The "official right" thing is to apply the rule book...which covers this situation (as mentioned, it may get tweaked if/when the 2008 version of the rule book gets to us).

Where I have seen this applied, the shooter often/likely ends up with a better score by being able to shoot freestyle and take the penalty.

I am guessing your guy wouldn't take special treatment anyway, he'd just want to follow the rules ?

[Jaxshooter]

Unfortunately Flex is correct. The only right way to do it now is with the penalty. The 2008 rule change should be adopted for cases just like this one.

[ihatepickles]

My reason for asking the NROI was to find out what is acceptable for this shooter on weak hand stages. Is he permitted to fire freestyle with a 20% penalty or must he fire strong hand only for 20% penalty.

Basically, if you cannot physically comply with the written briefing, are you then allowed to adapt to the CoF however you can best cope?

[Scooter]

Now the rule states a minimum of one procedural and up to a maximum of 20%. I would go by the book and give him the minimum one procedural.

[CDRODA396]

Thanks to all for the info. Dave is a great guy and Flex you're exactly right, he wouldn't want any special treatment, just wants, as do I, to know what the rule is, as well as what to expect before he runs into it...the worst thing is to have to stopand wait while the RO sends so and so to find so and so cause he'll know, or get so and so because he'll have the rule book and then spend 10 minutes finding it, interpreting it...he'd rather be able to step up, say hey I cant do this, and know before hand so everyone can keep shooting.

He actually lost one leg at the scene...then after 18+ months of fighting, had to have the other taken off....he jokes that the worst part is his personalized license plate reads, "1 LEG" and now becuase its a Disabled Veteran plate "NO LEGS" wont fit and he cant figure out what to get! His new legs are worth more than I make in a year or two! Still on Active Duty, a Great American!

Anyway, thanks again for all the info, this site ROCKS!

Edited February 9, 2007 by CDRODA396

[AlamoShooter]

Drop a line to the nroi@uspsa.org about this. In regard to how to officially score a handicapped shooter, they're going to have the answers.

Unofficially he's welcome at my local club to shoot the weak hand string with his strong hand.

FYI most every one I know with a Disability does not like to be called Handcapped. In this guys case it would be adding an insult to his loss serving our country. I know it seams like a small differenc but no reason to chip away at a person.