There's been a ND.... now what?

[Stonebridge]

I was at an IDPA shoot last night. Great time, great group of guys.

The second stage started with the shooter sitting at a card table. The handgun was placed on the table. From the seated position the shooter was to pick up his gun and neutralize two targets seated across from him, followed by another which was several yards further down the range.

One of the gentlemen there absolutely smoked the first stage, exhibiting some of the best shooting on the move I've seen. He obviously operates on a much higher level than I do and looked like he had the edge on pretty much everyone else there.

When it was his turn for the 2nd stage, the timer goes off, he grabs for the gun and BAM! The bullet rips lengthwise through the top of the card table, splitting the top surface neatly in half. DQ'd. Of course he had the gun pointed in a safe direction so everyone was fine.

It's not the first ND I've been present for; thankfully I've still to experience one myself and work hard to push that experience down the road as far as possible. I've seen enough that when I'm in such a setting, my cargo pants carry either QuikClot, an Israeli bandage or both. I know everybody has a med-kit nearby but having them makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

My question is, once there's been an ND (and granted, there are a myriad of ways and environments that an ND can happen so please, let's explore them) and it's been determined that nobody has been injured.... what do you do? How do you get things back on track? If you're in charge, how do you handle the guy who pulled the trigger? What are some reactions you've seen, those who've been around NDs before?

Since it was IDPA which has rules governing such things and this guy was clearly a regular competitor, there was a lot of good-natured ribbing once the excitement wore off. I did hear him say that he'd had the trigger taken down to 2.5 pounds. It's not an excuse -he'd certainly put thousands of rounds downrange with that setup- but it might've been a factor That's one setting. There are plenty of others and I'd like to hear your opinions and experiences and how they were or should be handled.

Regards,

-'bridge

[Zhurdan]

First thing you do... call your mom! ;)

Had someone put a round right next to their foot at a SASS shoot years ago. He was embarrassed, scared and pissed. We asked that he pack up his guns but he was more than welcome to hang out and help with the stages.

Between his embarrassment and fear, he found the ability to understand why we asked him to pack up his guns for the day.

Personally, I've never had an ND either (knock knock) but that's because I have a pretty good checklist that applies to any activity that I do. Think I got it from a pilot buddy of mine.

Basically, if three things go wrong, no matter how small, on the way to go do something... skip it and don't do it. Even small things. You forgot your water in the fridge, you stub your toe on the way out the door and you forgot you safety glasses... that's three, pack it up. Why? Because your mind isn't in the right place. It's probably a little overkill at times, but we can't afford screw ups with guns in our hands.

[gringop]

. I did hear him say that he'd had the trigger taken down to 2.5 pounds. It's not an excuse -he'd certainly put thousands of rounds downrange with that setup- but it might've been a factor

It's a hell of a factor. That nice light trigger may give him a a sweet draw time and <.20 second splits but if he's too stupid to keep his finger off the trigger on a table top pickup then he needs to rethink his light trigger.

As far as handling ND's on the range, anyone that has one does not get to shoot anymore that day. That goes for my NRA classes, TX CHL classes and practice sessions. People need to learn that NDs are serious life threatening MISTAKES (not accidents) and won't be tolerated.

I've had a few myself and I took serious steps to ensure that I won't have them again.

Gringop

[C4IGrant]

When I am teaching a class and it happens and assuming that the weapon was pointed in a safe place, I send the guy home for they day to relax and think about what has happened. They are welcome to return the next day.

If the weapon was not pointed in a safe position and it happened, the guy is going to get an ear full and told NEVER to return.




C4

[Stonebridge]

I think it was -what is likely almost always the case- a momentary lapse in his standard procedure. I'm not going to vilify the guy for having a game-gun at a game (although IDPA should be more about sound defensive tactics with real-world gear IMHO) but yeah, trigger finger discipline is paramount whether the trigger is 15 pounds or 15 ounces. Mine is just under 5 lb. and that's the lightest I'll carry.

He didn't pack up and go home. I saw him in the dry-fire area practicing picking the gun up from the table over and over and over. I think it was a good lesson for everyone there which is what happens when everyone handles a mistake appropriately. I think the response to such incidents is incredibly important; that's why I want to hear about more peoples' encounters with NDs or what they'd do in a similar situation.

-'b

[glocktogo]

If the bullet strikes the ground or an intervening object within 6 feet of the shooter, the Safety Officer should: 1. Yell STOP!!! 2. Have the competitor either place the gun on the table/prop, or simply take the firearm from the competitor. 3. Unload the firearm and have the competitor reholster once it's safe. 4. Reassure the competitor if necessary that they're welcome to come back next time, but they're done shooting today. 5. Have the competitor secure their firearm in their vehicle. 6. Resume shoooting.

It's really that simple. I've had to DQ several shooters, but making it a big drama doesn't help anyone.

[Wildcat]

It's a hell of a factor. That nice light trigger may give him a a sweet draw time and <.20 second splits but if he's too stupid to keep his finger off the trigger on a table top pickup then he needs to rethink his light trigger.



It's a software problem, not a hardware problem.

[Javelin]

Get the rope... :nono:

[60buckscash]

If one has had a ND there are rules for the games we play. When shooting informally I think we need to follow them as well. Or at the very least take some time away from the trigger and clear your mind. After the incident below I ran the timer for a while and didn't shoot a little at the end of the day (hours later).

My sort of ND. I was out with friends doing some informal IDPA drills, draws, and such. I was looking to introduce gloves into my shooting equipment. With an cocked but empty gun I had done several dozen draw and fires with no problems. I decided to introduce ammo to the equation. I was fine for several attempts but on my 3rd try as I had drawn and was starting to push out and insert my finger in the trigger guard the gun went off with the round sailing below the target. On closer examination the seam at the end of the finger was tearing and had caught on the bottom of the trigger. I have since decied to move to a warmer climate and shoot gloveless.

[MegademiC]

Ive had an AD, but not(thankfully) an ND (let the bolt slam home on a friends maus and the firing pin must have been stuck, on a range, pointed downrange). Even then, I put the gun down and thought long and hard to make sure I didnt hit the trigger or do something else stupid before I started shooting again.

However, my brother has had one, while very tired. Now he doesnt handle guns when tired. Point is, all kinds of people have them. Smart people learn, stupid people act like its no big deal.

Dont make a big deal/scene out of it, as the shooter will be well aware(granted he is half-smart) that he ****ed up. Honestly, If/when I have one, Id pack up anyway, at LEAST for the day. I have a feeling I'd be very distracted, you need to calm down and evaluate before you start sheding lead again.

In a social scene, as already stated, Id make sure the shooter knew he was more than welcome to stay, just not shoot if he acted like he wanted to.