[darbo]

I now have a pretty good idea of what it feels like to stare down the barrel of .45. Shooting IDPA match today. We arrived at our next stage just a couple minutes before the squad in front of us finished and moved on. I was sitting "backwards" at the picnic table and watching their last guy shoot.

Another one of my squad members is sitting a few feet to the left of me. I hear him say WHOA! I look and there is a guy with his 1911 out of the holster, obviously had just walked away from the "safe table". By this time he is directly in front of me, he's a lefty (not politically), and has his .45, 1911 pointed directly at me! Now I'm yelling WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! Now the guy has figured out that he is not being well received by the peanut gallery. He mutters something to the effect oh sorry.

By this time my heart is pounding and I'm becoming a bit angry. I did stand up but didn't do anything. And at the same time the match director had just stopped his golf cart in time to see the guy holstering his weapon as he continued to walk on.

MD called the guy over to him and then they walked over to the safe table. They did a safety check on his gun and then the MD went over the rules AGAIN and then sent the guy packing.

Later in the day I did ask the MD to please tell me the guys gun was unloaded when they did the safety check!! He said it was. The whole thing lasted just a couple seconds but was quit unnerving when a total stranger, first timer I found out, is about 10 feet from you with a .45 pointed straight at your chest.

In the years I have shot IDPA, USPSA, etc I have seen a few negligent discharges that were not a big issue, muzzle was pointed downrange. This little ordeal scared the stuffing right of me!

 

[GhostHorse]

Wow, glad it was unloaded! Sounds like the MD handed it well.

 

[taurustoter]

I hate it when clowns don't have any "muzzle discipline". You just want to push them over, and take the gun away from them.

 

[Czechbikr]

Sounds like someone you want to keep a close eye on...IF they ever let him shoot again with the club.

 

[Desperado]

Glad to hear that you are O.K. and that the "imbecile" was removed.

At the range I use, that person would have had first hand knowledge of what a felony arrest entails. He would have been face down, flat on the deck, with several armed people making sure he did not do something stupid. And he then would have been photographed and banned for life, if not longer.

 

[jspdrcrmach5]

It's a common occurrence in competitive shooting, new shooters don't play close enough attention during the new shooters briefing and the shooters meeting and break the 180 or unholster when they are not supposed to,
the offender will get disqualified from the match and it is looked at as a learning experience not a criminal act.

 

[230JHP]

Wow. Even if you had known the gun was clear, it would be unnerving.

New shooters are worth watching out for -- not that any would intentionally be unsafe, but there can be a wide range of firearms expertise that shows up to shoot.

Even experienced shooters can have judgement lapses -- you should see how it feels to be downrange pasting and hear, "Shooter ready . . . . Standby . . . . BEEP!"

Turned out it was just a 'helpful' SO demonstrating to a new shooter how the stage would run.

After the ensuing conversation, I'm pretty sure it won't happen again.

 

[darbo]

Wow. Even if you had known the gun was clear, it would be unnerving.

New shooters are worth watching out for -- not that any would intentionally be unsafe, but there can be a wide range of firearms expertise that shows up to shoot.

Even experienced shooters can have judgement lapses -- you should see how it feels to be downrange pasting and hear, "Shooter ready . . . . Standby . . . . BEEP!"

Turned out it was just a 'helpful' SO demonstrating to a new shooter how the stage would run.

After the ensuing conversation, I'm pretty sure it won't happen again.

I'd be face down in the dirt on that one!

 

[230JHP]

I'd be face down in the dirt on that one!

I wish I could say my cat-like reflexes had me out of danger, but it was over before the, “What the . . . “ wore off.

I know what the snap of a close miss sounds like, and I’m pretty sure that if I’d heard that, I would have proned out.

 

[YOT]

The older I get the less tolerance I have for idiots. He's have likely had a couple missing teeth had I been in your shoes. I'm glad you're alright.

 

[Fishinkeylargo]

Scary stuff, hopefully he learned from this big mistake.

 

[vsjrmckee]

That is the one thing I always preach to my wife. Muzzle disipline. Always know where you are pointing that gun. Only point it at things you intend to destroy.

from Me