ace007 Posted July 16, 2002 Share Posted July 16, 2002 This one is pretty embarrasing and I was very upset with myself afterwards. I'm still a beginning USPSA competitor and I was attending my 5th match when this happened. The first stage of the day started in a box with a barrel right in front of it. All steel had to be engaged from the box before moving forward to engage the rest of the targets. Since I'm shooting production I went through two mags before leaving the box. As I started moving around the barrel I also started my third reload. As I finished the reload and made it past the barrel I heard the RO yell stop. I had no idea why but after safeing and holster the gun he told me I broke the 180 while reloading. I ran though the stage in my mind over and over again trying to see where I went wrong. I tucked my elbow in to my gut during the reload and I went around the right side of the barrel which should have pointed the gun further down range. When I strightened back up I must have turned back to the left. That angle plus the angle of the gun passed the 180. The only funny part was that I had just finshed Brian's book the night before and as I started the stage I ran all my technique items I wanted to concentrate on and my safety items though my mind including watching the 180. I guess I need to remember to count up the angles when reloading while turning. Ace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 16, 2002 Share Posted July 16, 2002 Ace, Great first post. Thanks for sharing. Don't feel too bad. I have a few years under my belt now...and I nearly (likely) broke the 180 at a match a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure (or I would have DQ'ed myself) and the RO wasn't sure...so I was able to continue the match. In my case, I left the start box (center of the stage) and moved right to engage an array of targets...then reloaded as I moved left, to engage an array of targets in the center (the fault line for the center array was the most "downrange" a shooter could get on this stage). I let myself get sucked in toward that fault line more than I had planned...as I left there, moving left, to engage the left-side array of taregets, I likely broke the 180 while reloading. Safety first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 16, 2002 Share Posted July 16, 2002 (I hope my high-school Englich teacher doesn't read the above post.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 I move like there's a bungee cord attached to my muzzle and the back berm. I take measures to avoid reloading while moving laterally to my weak side. A couple weeks ago we had to run backwards on a stage, twice! I spent some effort just walking through how I'd handle the gun running back left then running back right. If you are breaking the 180 while reloading while moving right (and you're a right-hander) you need to work on your reload technique anyway. Check out those pictures in the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 I practice the same techniques as Eric. Ingrain them early and it will be second nature. In fact if you watch a good shooter handle a gun at the gun show or vendors tent. He or she cannot point it at anyone. That's a version of Second Nature. There are 2 kinds of people in this sport. Those who have been DQ'd and those who WILL be. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now