New shooter didn't safely rack the slide........

[Spray_N_Prey]

I don't buy it that a persons too weak to physically manipulate the slide..UNLESS they have a physical disability. When my oldest son was about 8 I wanted to see if he could manipulate the slide on my 1911. Guess what..he did. Poorly, unsafely, but he did. What's called for here is some remedial education to show the shooter the correct, safe way to manipulate the slide. Ignorance is not a sin, allowing a person to ignorantly continue is. It reflects on us as shooters, RO's and SO's.

well buy it. My sister cannot rack a slide on a normal auto loading pistol. I have coached her, trained her and shown her 1000 times and she doesn't have the arm strength to bring it all the way back. She gets 80% and then her hands start shaking and she just cannot do it. Men and women ARE NOT equal in regards to upper body strength. this is not a put down on women by no means, it's just a fact. What seems like nothing to use might not be the same to another man OR women.

I had a hard time believing that my sister couldn't rack the slide, because I could rack it and hold it back forever, but she couldn't.

[DWPatriot]

My daughter also could not rack the slide on an auto when she first started shooting. She started shooting IPSC using a revolver, and eventually graduated to a 1911. I am a big advocate for starting new shooters on revolvers. I believe it will make them better shooters in the long run.

[Jim Watson]

if she needs to rack the silde while holding the gun in her weak hand she should be able to do this safely.

This sounds like the best approach to me, assuming it really is lack of left hand strength that cannot be remedied by any of the several recommended techniques. She may have to be taught to just DNF a stage in case of a malfunction, though.

[Shootingirons45]

I don't buy it that a persons too weak to physically manipulate the slide..UNLESS they have a physical disability. When my oldest son was about 8 I wanted to see if he could manipulate the slide on my 1911. Guess what..he did. Poorly, unsafely, but he did. What's called for here is some remedial education to show the shooter the correct, safe way to manipulate the slide. Ignorance is not a sin, allowing a person to ignorantly continue is. It reflects on us as shooters, RO's and SO's.

well buy it. My sister cannot rack a slide on a normal auto loading pistol. I have coached her, trained her and shown her 1000 times and she doesn't have the arm strength to bring it all the way back. She gets 80% and then her hands start shaking and she just cannot do it. Men and women ARE NOT equal in regards to upper body strength. this is not a put down on women by no means, it's just a fact. What seems like nothing to use might not be the same to another man OR women.

I had a hard time believing that my sister couldn't rack the slide, because I could rack it and hold it back forever, but she couldn't.

I'm not buying it and I didn't realize it was for sale. Of course we all have different body strengths, structures, but having said that I still maintain that if taught the proper technique that 99% can manipulate the slide unless of course they have a physical disability.

[Spray_N_Prey]

i've seen more than just a few people at a local gun shop that are looking for their first handgun and cannot lock the slide back with an empty magazine in the gun. Not everyone is John Wayne

[Shootingirons45]

i've seen more than just a few people at a local gun shop that are looking for their first handgun and cannot lock the slide back with an empty magazine in the gun. Not everyone is John Wayne

True, I acknowledge that. Nor am I, though he was my boyhood hero. And on that note I'll end this.

[PEC-Memphis]

In retrospect, he should have given her the match DQ. By that time she was pretty shaken up anyway. She finished the last stage, but with a lot of unnecessary nervousness. Speaking as the husband, it would have been embarrassing, but OK to tell us she was disqualified.

WM

As you know, this is a match DQ. And I think you have discovered the reasoning for the rule on your own.

It's is always unsettling even to have an unintended discharge, particularly when the projectile strikes close to yourself (or anyone for that matter). This coupled with having made such a mistake in front of others – with someone pointing out such a mistake (which you know you made) – only adds to the “trama”.

People react in different ways - the emotions can be anger, fear, anxiety – a combination of these, and others – and there is the adrenaline “rush” and the adrenaline “fall”. These factors have a negative effect to “keeping you mind on things” – and this is where (additional) mistakes can happen.

Some people view the DQ as “punishment” – but it is really a safety issue. It gives the person time to relax and get into a “normal” state of mind before handing loaded firearms again.

[CocoBolo]

Safety is the biggest concern. I have seen an expierenced (B Class) shooter with proper equipement torch a round thru their own leg. With newbies in a local match my opinion is there is some flexibilty you have to have, but if in fact the gun is pointed in such a way if it went off the round would go out of the park or other wise create danger to anyone then you must DQ. As SteveJ pointed out if an AD happens it is a DQ.

It is no fun to DQ a shooter, but its better than holding up the match waiting on Air Life to fly them out or someone else that suffered the consequences of their unsafe gun handling. I would certainly point out what they need to work on and how to be safe and how you would like to have them back once they are a safe shooter.

[Estimator]

I just read all of your replies. I can only add that safety must always come first. Always.