All guns are always loaded.

Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
While all of above is important, we will concentrate on the bold for this exercise.

I DQ'ed a very knowledgeable and capable shooter who happens to be a personal friend this past Saturday.

Long story short, he took 3 unsafe shots (without breaking 180°) that struck a wall beyond the target in an attempt to save 1/2 a second.

Luckily, the stars were aligned. The wall (railroad ties with gaps) stopped the projectiles and no one was down range on the bay beyond the wall.

Ultimately the responsibility is 100% on the shooter but a couple things come to mind that should have played out differently;

Shooter:

Got a case of "Cardboard Tunnel Vision" and failed to look beyond the target. His desire to shave transition time clouded his thinking.


Squad Leader/Timer/RSO (Myself):

As the Timer, I locked my vision on the HG. I rely on my RSO to watch down range impacts. Not seeing impacts is no excuse though. I should've noted the angle of the HG and the shooters position on the stage. Had I made the connection, I could have had him stopped before projectiles 2 & 3 were fired. Shots 2 & 3 were possible due to my failure.

I did not have my regular RSO this match. I had a couple guys who stepped up to fill in. Moving forward, I will better convey the responsibility of an acting RSO and not assume we're on the same wave length.

Complacency on my part. I know the shooter. I know his skill level & abilities. Regardless of who the shooter is, I shouldn't have relaxed.


Other Competitors:

At no point during the run did anyone yell "Stop". The wall hits were on the first target engaged. A competitor did inform me of the wall impacts before scoring began. As a competitor, a person should not be afraid to speak up when observing a safety issue. Who cares if you hurt some power tripping RSO's feelings. Speak up.


Stage Design:

I spoke with the Match Director after the match regarding the stage. He was afraid that someone may attempt the shot and he placed a couple barrels in attempt to block view of the target from an unsafe angle. He made it clear in the safety briefing to not take any unsafe shots. The stage description even stated "Do Not Shoot A Wall".

If speed is the name of the game (USPSA style scoring), stages should be set up with consideration of shooters taking "Gambler" shots.


This is my take away anyways. Stay alert and stay safe. Know what's beyond your target.