Barricade Shooting – with Pistols

On the basis of Feedback (or lack of) the following rule will be inserted into the rulebook for 2015. Affects T&P2, T&P3 and 1500

Procedural penalties

c. Touching any part of the barrel with either the firing hand or supporting hand of an LPB and LBR when using the barricade.

A pistol shooter recently said to me:

While we’re at it can we outlaw people holding the barrel for the barricade stages, this wasn’t allowed for 1500 pistol so why is it allowed now?

They were referring to the style of shooting which has evolved since we have been shooting our long barrel variants. So what does this mean?

Well – if you refer to the graphic on the left and imagine that revolver shooting one of the barricade matches – 1500, T&P2 etc. It is possible with that sighting system to wrap your whole hand around the barrel in front of the scope and press that firmly into the edge of the barricade or post.

The resulting shooting position is very stable and comfortable. The shooter could actually release their firing hand from the revolver or pistol’s grip completely and hold with the weak hand.

But its fairly obvious this is only possible because there is enough barrel to grab hold of and the sight line with a scope attached is high enough to allow a bunch of fingers to be over the top of the barrel. Take a look at the graphic on the right and picture yourself trying that with iron sights or a 4″ or 6″ barrel. (OK we know the latter is not possible any more).

However the former is and with the sights rules ofr pistols being split into irons and any next year should we look at outlawing the barrel grip method for barricade shooting?

T&P2 Pistol Matches – Timing Changes

A suggestion that stage one of the T&P2 match for pistols – which is 6 shots in 5 seconds – from the holster, is a little unrealistic to be able to get well aimed shots off. Its at 10m but , even so, to acquire the target, (release the safety catch), get a decent sight picture and then get 6 shots off is still more of a spray and pray issue rather than any sort of target shooting at a closer range.

T&P2 for LBR and LBP is not a very popular event. A count of only 9 shooters at the 2014 Phoenix meeting for LBP and 4 for LBR means that any timing changes are not going to impact anything too onerously.

On that basis the 10m timings for T&P2 pistol matches will change for the 2015 season to 6 shots in 8 seconds – shot twice. All other timings will remain the same.