Pistol Competition Etiquette for a Newcommer

[MrFish]

Hi all,

I've booked onto my first competition (West Midlands Open) in a couple of weeks shooting 10m Air Pistol. I'm just wondering if there's anything I need to be aware of for the competition as it'll be my first competition. Any regular mistakes by newbies at competitions or any specific things to do with etiquette?

For example, do I need a breech flag? Is it normal to bring your form of PCP charging or just turn up with enough cyclinders for the competition?

Thanks!

[RobinC]

Welcome!!!!

First safety, yes you do need a full barrel length breach flag, normal is to use a piece of strimmer cord. Just put a piece of tape on the breach end, just to make it clear.

And yes go prepared with air cylinders, not all have air.

Meetings run to ISSF rules, do not take your pistol out of the case until the command "UNBOX", then make sure it is clear, best on dry fire and with the full length flag. Do not go to your point until the command "ATHLETES TO THE LINE", Then you will have a SET UP PERIOD of 15 minutes, during which you can dry fire, but NOT fire a live shot OR discharge air. Then the SIGHTING PERIOD, 15 minutes, and you can fire as many sighting shots as you wish. (but don't wear your self out!), Then the command STOP, so stop, then the command START, and that is the match.

If you wish to leave the point, you may, but must first ask the Range Officers permission first.

At the end of the comp the command is STOP, and you must not fire at all after that, and must flag your gun.

Before the match, IF they do equipment control, not all do, then they will test your pistol trigger weight, must be 500 gms minimum, and must lift the weight, done in dry fire if your pistol has it. Best to check at home first, saves a panic re set if its light!! The size is checked by putting it in the ISSF box. Unless you've done drastic mods , it will be the correct size!

Not all meetings run strictly to the rules, just be prepared.

But above all smile, have fun, that's what its all about!!

Have Fun
Robin

[thirdwheel]

Only other thing I can add to Robins full reply is find out it they are enforcing the no jeans rule as I've got caught out twice, but when I said ok and offered to shoot in my underpants an exception was made on both occasions. One of our juniors at the schools final was reduced to tears over this one.

If you are a leftie you may have fun getting the pistol to fit in the "box" especially if you have cranked the frame to grip to get the sight line to your liking my wife's little lp2 struggled until I milled 5mm off the cocking lever knob.

Enjoy your first competition!

[nickm marshall]

No jeans!
Crikey. I live in jeans!

Will have to look into that one.

Just looked it up. Well that’s me done for the 2028 Olympics.

7. Prohibited clothing items for competitions and award ceremonies include blue jeans, jeans or similar trousers in non-sporting colors, camouflage clothing, sleeveless T-shirts, shorts that are too short, ragged cut-off shorts, all types of sandals, trousers with patches or holes as well as shirts or trousers with non-sporting or inappropriate messages (See Rule 6.10.1).

[harvey_s]

No jeans!
Crikey. I live in jeans!

Will have to look into that one.

Just looked it up. Well that’s me done for the 2028 Olympics.

7. Prohibited clothing items for competitions and award ceremonies include blue jeans, jeans or similar trousers in non-sporting colors, camouflage clothing, sleeveless T-shirts, shorts that are too short, ragged cut-off shorts, all types of sandals, trousers with patches or holes as well as shirts or trousers with non-sporting or inappropriate messages (See Rule 6.10.1).

So tweed and plus fours should be fine...

[zooma]

So tweed and plus fours should be fine...

Very appropriate

[RobinC]

Oh dear, the UK and its wonderful jobsworths!

We have the worst range's in Europe, and most OTT Equipment Control people, ones that think that's the real sport, and live to stop people shooting! The ones who reduce kids to tears over such stupidity should be drummed out of our sport, there is no place for them.

My wife keeps a 1mm wide by inch long sliver of leather in her handbag, for whenever the EC question arises, Pippa at TenpointNine had to cut it off the top of her jacket pocket to pass, for her to be permitted to shoot in the British Championships, her previous shoot with the same jacket? A European International!!

I have seen one boot pass, and one fail in the UK, I have seen shooters kit failed, when their previous shoot with the same kit, was a major International.

But officialdom has come unstuck, when the ISSF introduced the stupid ten year or less rule on air cylinders, and at EC inspection, they failed any over ten years old, and passed ones under. BUT a lawyer pointed out that by inspecting and passing under ten year ones they were taking responsibility for their integrity!!!!! That silly rule was then removed promptly!! Many in the UK think its still current, Oh no, it lasted a very short time. The ISSF rule book now just states that the integrity of a cylinder is the shooters responsibility, NO reference to age or test!!

But some UK EC inspectors, still try and enforce it, if they do, just ask to see where in their rule book it is, it does not exist!!

You may have trouble with the underpants George, as the rules that cover those would be the shorts rule, and their length must come to at least the middle of the knee, but you could shoot with nothing!!

The UK issue is the rules were written and intended for top level events ONLY, Olympics, Worlds etc, but many UK Jobsworths have just jumped on them.

Under that rule, Jeans are banned from medal ceremonies, must be either shooting kit or national team kit, the cheeky Swedes had the last laugh, they made their national kit in blue denim!!! And in protest the first year of the jeans rule at Intershoot in Holland, all the officials wore jeans!!

Good old UK and its Jobsworths!
Have Fun
Robin

[bootneckbob]

Good question to ask and use of the forum experience.

Great advice already given, I would just add my own personal experience from my first one at Bisley. Don't use the mag if you have a LP50 for a normal comp. I did and even though I was lowering the pistol to rest before coming up on aim again I was quickly pulled up by a RO. I had the single shot mag so swapped to that. I then continued the comp. I finished in 22 minutes I think it was and then started wondering what to do. I flagged my pistol and drew back from the firing line whilst looking at the RO. I basically said that's me done, can I go and get a coffee now? The RO said yes, and they had never seen anyone shoot so quickly and so well, but added it probably wouldn't be enough to win. He wasn't wrong there.
What I noticed on my return was one particular shooter would take a few shots then dress back and read a book. The amount of time you have is huge really so I guess I would say take your time and make sure you are relaxed. It's not etiquette so to speak; just surprised me that it was ok to do that.

Most of all, enjoy it.

[Powderfinger]

I used to see some pistol shooters sitting down and reading a newspaper between shots. They were competitive shooters who got good results and maybe it helped them relax. I think it is better to keep one's mind on the job though.
And I agree that rigorous application of ISSF rules at local comps is off putting, distracting and unnecessary.

[nickm marshall]

How did you do Mr Fish?

It was a good shoot. I was there all day Saturday. Did you enjoy the event?

[nickm marshall]

Well I guess you didn’t do well at all.

No show for the competition.

[Andylaser]

Welcome!!!!

At the end of the comp the command is STOP, and you must not fire at all after that, and must flag your gun.

Robin

"Suppose" you had a pellet in the breach and heard the STOP command. Obviously you can put the gun down. How would you go about making the gun safe without firing it? Or would you be allowed to carry it to the butts for a safe and witnessed discharge?

[RobinC]

"Suppose" you had a pellet in the breach and heard the STOP command. Obviously you can put the gun down. How would you go about making the gun safe without firing it? Or would you be allowed to carry it to the butts for a safe and witnessed discharge?

If you shot after the command it would not go down well! The correct procedure would be to call the RO, and inform them.

At Bisley and serious events, they have a discharge bin, a small tin full of sand, and they would supervise your shot into that. Other events, they may clear the target, and get you to discharge to that, but it must be under the RO's authority.

We've had a similar circumstance at the British Championships at Bisley, my wife's rifle went out of sear adjustment during a shoot, and would not set the trigger or fire, but she had put a pellet in, so technically it was loaded, but could not be fired. She called the RO, and informed him, it was a 2 minute trigger reset, she put the rifle on dry fire, which is full safety, and he then brought the rifle, muzzle down in the tin, to me behind the points. I then wound the sear in, put it on fire, and we discharged it into his discharge bin. Then I reset the trigger back to perfection whilst on dry fire as I would normally do, and she continued the shoot!

Its not uncommon with close set sears on precision rifles, and later in the shoot two others had the same problem, and the RO was then aware of what to do, and he brought those to me to discharge and reset, so I had a busy match!

Have Fun
Robin

[Andylaser]

Thank you for the clarification