Module 5: Additional Considerations
EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION: Eye and hearing must be worn at all times while competing or on the range. If during the course of fire, your protective gear inadvertently falls off, stop yourself and inform the range officer.
LISTEN TO THE RANGE OFFICERS AND OBEY THEIR COMMANDS: Their job is to keep it safe for all involved. Don’t anticipate commands, especially at the end of a course of fire. Wait for the RO to give you commands this prevents you from needing to perform the safety checks again. The RO will make sure the gun is clear and holstered before clearing the range.
EVERYONE MUST HELP OUT: This is a volunteer sport and without volunteers there is no sport. The match goes much smoother when everyone helps tape targets, set steel, set activators, pick up brass, score, etc.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: We are all here because we want to be surrounded by people with similar interests. Competitors can be disqualified from a match for conduct which a Range Officer deems to be unsportsmanlike such as cheating, dishonesty, or behavior likely to bring the sport into disrepute.
INDOOR vs. OUTDOOR RANGES: If this safety session is conducted at a range with only indoor shooting, the course setup will have very limited shooting angles. Be extra aware when you go to your first outdoor match that the shooting angles can approach 180 degrees. Always be cognizant of where the 90 degree violation would be. Likewise, if this is conducted outdoors-only, be extra aware at your first indoor match as any muzzle angle outside the confines of the finite backstop, is likely unsafe.
PISTOL CALIBER CARBINE (PCC): All references to “handgun” in the current edition of the rulebook are deemed to apply to PCC as well, except where PCC is noted in the rules. Note: NO UPRANGE STARTS WHILE HOLDING THE CARBINE. Additionally, “If Clear, Hammer Down, Holster” is replaced by PCC 8.3.7.1 as:
“ If clear, hammer down, flag”. While continuing to point the carbine safely downrange, the competitor must perform a final safety check of the carbine by closing the bolt on an empty chamber, pulling the trigger, and then inserting the chamber flag. The carbine must then be transported with the muzzle reasonably vertically up or down, while scoring is done, and then off the stage to a rack or case. Flagged carbines may also be cased at this time and transported off the stage in the case. When casing PCC’s, the muzzle must point at a side berm or backstop. Failure to point the muzzle at a side berm or back stop during casing will result in a DQ per PCC 10.5.2.1