I DQ'd the Nationals Today.

[Jman]

Well when I do it, I really do it. Had a AD into the berm after my third stage. No doubt about it. An obvious violation of the rules. Having finished I racked the slide before I dropped the mag (what???) and chambered a round. Hammer. Bang. I go home. I'm not sure I'll ever ever get over this. I will try.

Jim

Edited June 21, 2007 by JimmyM

[ima45dv8]

Sorry to hear that.

You can get over it.

[JThompson]

Well when I do it, I really do it. Had a AD into the berm on after my third stage. No doubt about it. An obvious violation of the rules. Having finished I racked the slide before I dropped the mag (what???) and chambered a round. Hammer. Bang. I go home. I'm not sure I'll ever ever get over this. I will try.

Jim

I did that very thing in practice once. I'm sorry to hear that you DQed at the nats... after the trip and all related cost, it's a real shame.

Look at it this way... you will never let it happen again. Nobody was hurt and the round didn't go over the berm.

Best,

Jim

Edited June 21, 2007 by JThompson

[Alan Meek]

Jimmy,

Man what a bummer.

Just a brain fade, reflect on it today and tomorrow move on. I have seen people DQ on the first stage. Continue to hang out with your squad and support them.

Alan

[Sam]

Jimmy, you have now faced one of the things that any serious competitor dreads. A DQ at the Nationals!

You also admitted the mistake and took the hit like a man. That tells people that you have a lot of class. You'll be back.

And somehow, a crazy kick in the Ba!!$ like this can instill one with a certain calm resolve that people with less experience often lack.

(And if it helps with the pain, I was still #8 on the waiting list when the match started.)

[RePete]

I took a DQ at our Provincials a couple of years ago. I broke 90 by over running the muzzle.

It happens, you get over it.

I was asked how things were going (afterwards) and I said I got DQ'd, to which the reply was sorry and have a safe trip home. I replied I'm going to be the squad bitch and work.

[betterment]

Jimmy, you have now faced one of the things that any serious competitor dreads. A DQ at the Nationals!

You also admitted the mistake and took the hit like a man. That tells people that you have a lot of class. You'll be back.

And somehow, a crazy kick in the Ba!!$ like this can instill one with a certain calm resolve that people with less experience often lack.

(And if it helps with the pain, I was still #8 on the waiting list when the match started.)

+1 couldn't say it any better, time to move on.

Phil

[Jman]

These responses are very much appreciated. I thank all of you. The pit in my gut doesn't feel as big as it did just a couple hours ago.

Tomorrow, I'm putting on my Nationals Polo shirt, sun screen, bug spray and dominate the pasting requirements for

Squad 16.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Slowhand]

Also try to look at it this way. You have gotten your DQ out of the way.

I still wonder when I will have mine. No doubt it will not be a club match.

[Flexmoney]

These responses are very much appreciated. I thank all of you. The pit in my gut doesn't feel as big as it did just a couple hours ago.

Tomorrow, I'm putting on my Nationals Polo shirt, sun screen, bug spray and dominate the pasting requirements for

Squad 16.

Thanks again,

Jim

Almost always I would say that is the way to go. But, after traveling to the Nationals...and now having some down time...don't feel guilty about using that time to check out some of the top shooters on the various squads. If you have a camera...get some pics/video too.

[Guest 38superman]

Tough break Jim.

Just remember there's always another match on the horizon.

Learn from it and move on.

There's plenty of ways to make a mistake, just dont' make the same one twice.

Enjoy the show.

Tls

[Jman]

Almost always I would say that is the way to go. But, after traveling to the Nationals...and now having some down time...don't feel guilty about using that time to check out some of the top shooters on the various squads. If you have a camera...get some pics/video too.

A great suggestion Flex, thanks.

[Catfish]

These responses are very much appreciated. I thank all of you. The pit in my gut doesn't feel as big as it did just a couple hours ago.

Tomorrow, I'm putting on my Nationals Polo shirt, sun screen, bug spray and dominate the pasting requirements for

Squad 16.

Thanks again,

Jim

That says more about the man you are than anything else.

[G-ManBart]

Jim,

Sorry to hear about that...nothing will make you feel happy about it, but you're obviously a class act from how you've handled it.

There are a handful of positive things I see. You took responsibility and it won't happen to you again. The system worked the way it's supposed to. Dropping the hammer before holstering made sure you weren't walking around with a loaded gun that you didn't know about. Nobody got hurt and the round went in a safe direction. That's a true testament to the safety in our sport and your training....one part had a glitch and all the other parts prevented it from being anything more than embarrasing.

In some ways you're now safer than people who've never had an AD/DQ....you know how quickly it can happen and are more on guard for it.

[shooterbenedetto]

Sorry to hear about DQ..put it this way, everybody DQ'S it is bound to happen to all of us even the best...

if it make you feel better, our president Mike V. Dqed last year at the nationals? it happens and be thankful that it did. why? because it is always a LESSON LEARNED.

[Keith]

Well when I do it, I really do it. Had a AD into the berm after my third stage. No doubt about it. An obvious violation of the rules. Having finished I racked the slide before I dropped the mag (what???) and chambered a round. Hammer. Bang. I go home. I'm not sure I'll ever ever get over this. I will try.

Jim

Sorry to hear that Jim. You stuck around and helped and that says a lot about you.

You will get over it. Ask me how I know this.

I broke the 180 on my third stage of nationals last year down at PASA. I was so disgusted with myself I just had to walk away for about 30 minutes. One of the RO's, who I knew, tried to come over to talk to me but I just waved him away as I tried to keep my composure. I still kick my own ass when I think back about it but I do use it as a learning moment, too. I was able to make it back and help tape the last couple of shooters on that stage and the rest of the match. But by beer thirty that afternoon my squadmates and I were laughing about it at the bar. (as they bought me drinks of course)

Like Flex's suggestion I even made time to watch some of the supersquads shoot.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Keith

[Xcaliber]

Stewart used to tell me that it's not a question of if you will DQ, but when...it happens to everyone sooner or later. Remember what you did wrong and don't do that again. It's not thing to be taken lightly, but it's not something to beat yourself up over forever as that won't help. The most important thing is that your mistake did not result in injury.

I DQed at a local match once; it was my first and so far my only. The RO started talking to me in a low voice, so as not to embarrass me in front of the other shooters. I said very loudly, "no need to whisper...they all know!". Everyone cracked up. I stayed for the rest of the day watching and learning. I made sure to shoot the very next match; I thought it was important to get back on the horse ASAP and it helped a lot.

[VeryBadshot]

Wow Jimmy,

What a bummer! And yes like has been stated you stood up and admitted it. Still has to hurt, I know you put a lot of work in to getting there.

On a happier note. I will be shooting first match on the 24th. The XD and I have become really great friends. Thanks again for the great deal. Now cross your fingers that I don't DQ my first match!

[BritinUSA]

I had to step away after my DQ. I just walked back a few yards from the shooting area to collect my thoughts. I immediately tried to figure out what I had done and work backwards from the AD to determine the root cause of the DQ. In my case it was not angling the gun correctly to pick it off the table. That was my mistake.

Once I had determined all that I could take a moment to accept the fact that my match was over and get over the anti-climactic feeling. All this took about 1 minute. After that I walked back to my range bag and sat on the floor (no doubt looking rather sad and dejected) and started unloading magazines. By this time the RO has done all his paperwork and wandered over with my score sheet for me to sign (it's kind of like signing your own death warrant), he also took my remaining stage stickers, so the stats crew could account for the missing score sheets.

All in all I'm rather proud of how I handled it, I didn't swear, curse, throw things, beat up the RO's or commit ritual suicide. I just slowly walked away to get control and analyse what/how/when it all happened so I can know how to avoid this situation in the future. Sitting in the Boulder BookEnd cafe typing this I feel stronger as a shooter and as a person, I know that I will do better next year and I know that this is going to help to improve my shooting.

Getting DQ'ed from Nationals is not the end of the world, God won't let anything happen to me that I can't handle.

I feel good. I had a great vacation, spent a week with my friends (old and new) and got to see Missoula in the summer time.... Life is good, shooting is good...

[Mr Glack]

Sorry to hear this. You were not alone of course. Class act to help the squad and stay with it. The best thing about the nationals was all the great people there. There were a lot of people just enjoying the company and the spectacle. Hope you find some satisfaction in your experience.

[xdrocker]

WTH was the RO doing? I know, we are responsible for our own actions, but ONE firer at a time is to easy to control. Makes me wonder how hard the RO actually looked at the chamber ( lets go safeties, quit just going though the motions). Would figure he/she would see a magazine there. Sorry for the DQ but at least it was only a berm. I work at a range and this is just a reminder, no matter how much or how often you shot, there are only two types of shooters, those that have AD'ed and those that will. Good Luck, take care and remember that clearing the weapon is not a timed event.

[Jman]

WTH was the RO doing? I know, we are responsible for our own actions, but ONE firer at a time is to easy to control. Makes me wonder how hard the RO actually looked at the chamber ( lets go safeties, quit just going though the motions). Would figure he/she would see a magazine there. Sorry for the DQ but at least it was only a berm. I work at a range and this is just a reminder, no matter how much or how often you shot, there are only two types of shooters, those that have AD'ed and those that will. Good Luck, take care and remember that clearing the weapon is not a timed event.

...my chamber, my bullet, my bad.

[wide45]

...my chamber, my bullet, my bad.

Good attitude.

Let the RO have a good look in the chamber. He will help you, if you give him the chance.

[jasmap]

Jim was on my squad. He came back the next day, taped, painted and set steel, and hung out and he didn't have to. Of course I'm sure it didn't hurt that Miculek was in our squad. Actually 4 of the top 25 in L10 were in our squad. We all appreciated Jim coming back.

Edited June 25, 2007 by jasmap

[JThompson]

Jim was on my squad. He came back the next day, taped, painted and set steel, and hung out and he didn't have to. Of course I'm sure it didn't hurt that Miculek was in our squad. Actually 4 of the top 25 were in our squad. We all appreciated Jim coming back.

Class act for sure....