Round the Barricade

More on barricades…….

It may seem we are obsessed with barricades and shooting around them (hopefully not through them) but they do form a fairly major part in events such as Bianchi, 1500 and the T&P2 and 3 matches.

On the range (any range) we generally use posts,  mainly for pragmatic reasons in the likes of  1500 and T&P.  In these events any use of the word ‘barricade’ is essentially translated in real life to a post.  In fact it states in the rule book the barricade should be “a wooden post of square or rectangular section and at least 100mm square and 2m in height“.

The point of the barricade is competitors shoot around it. Elsewhere we have already discussed foot fault lines and the fact that these should be perpendicular to the appropriate offside edge of the barricade. Equally the front facing edge of the barricade – the side facing the targets – also represents the ‘foot’ fault line. No part of the competitors body may pass the front face of the barricade.

A mentioned use of a real life post on the range is representative. Imagine shooting to the left hand side of this barricade as illustrated above. In this case the “barricade” actually extends to the right of the shooter like a wall or barrier. Ditto when the competitor is shooting on the right hand side – it extends to the left.

What is the point being made? Well – it has been noticed some competitors are making use of the fact that the barricade is being provisioned as a square post and are wrapping their non shooting arm around the post to be able to grab the barrel or other part of the pistol or revolver when shooting. This breaks the rules anyway as part of their arm will be forward of the fault line which is the leading edge of the post. However it also breaks the spirit of what the post is representing.

I’m afraid this rule will be clarified and enforced next season. Anybody who has got into the habit of  making use of this style of shooting has the winter to readjust.

Comments – as always – welcome.

T&P3 Loading – The Rules

The loading rules for T&P3 state:

Loading:
All ammunition must be carried on the competitor’s person in a pocket (i.e. belt  loops, pouches, etc. cannot be used).

Please note the highlighting above which is mine. The unique point of this particular event is that reloading is done from a standard off the peg jacket or coat pocket. Nothing fancy either required, wanted or necessary. Competitors have five and a half minutes to shoot the course of fire loading appropriate magazines or speedloaders as they go. Five and a half minutes which is plenty of time to do any amount of reloading from loose collections of pocketed ammunition for a 50 round course of fire.

Additionally we have the following loading rule:

Any number of magazines, speedloaders or moon-clips may be used but only one  may be pre-loaded (with 5 rounds).

As discussed elsewhere this was to allow some leeway to competitors on that basis that any magazine or speedloader dropped was deemed lost – therefore spares could be carried.

We’ve been shooting the event for about five years now so its time for the rules to be clarified and tidied up. The following is proposed:

Remove this condition:

Any number of magazines, speedloaders or moon-clips may be used but only one  may be pre-loaded (with 5 rounds).

Replace with

Only two magazines, speedloaders or moon-clips may be used either or both of which  may be pre-loaded (with no more than 5 rounds) at any time.

This rule:

All ammunition must be carried on the competitor’s person in a pocket (i.e. belt  loops, pouches, etc. cannot be used).

to be tightened up.  People are using very loose definitions of “a pocket”. A pocket is something you can get your hand into and move your fingers around inside, clench your fist within, grab a handful of stuff that is in there – in this case rounds of ammunition!

A pocket can be a pouch attached to a belt – as long as its of loose fabric and you can get your hand in there and your ammunition is loose within the pouch this is OK.

There should be no artificial sleeves or  holders or stiffeners or any type of device that holds magazines, moon clips or speed loaders in any particular position or orientation. If you can’t get your hand into your ‘pocket’ and shuffle around whatever is in there – its not a pocket – therefore its not allowed.

In T&P2 and T&P3 anyway….

Rule A3.3.2 in the GR&P Rulebook states:

A3.3.2  During a course of fire a round or magazine may be retrieved from  the ground if dropped, or taken from the competitor’s equipment if on the ground,  only if they have unloaded their firearm, locked it open and it is kept pointing at  the target while retrieving the round or magazine. They may not leave the firing  point for this purpose.

Its a safety rule, nothing more. It appears in some instances this is getting misinterpreted with Course of Fire (CoF) or specific event procedural rules such as the ones which exist in T&P3.

Under the Reloading section of the T&P3 event conditions it states:

After the initial order to load, all further loading must be with rounds taken from  the competitor’s person. It is the competitor’s responsibility to have sufficient  ammunition in their possession to complete the match or event. A dropped round,  magazine, moon clip or speedloader may not be retrieved.

For T&P2, under Reloading, it states:

After the initial order to load, all further loading must be with rounds taken from  the competitor’s pocket, cartridge belt, mechanical loader, special pouch or  elsewhere on the competitor’s person. It is the competitor’s responsibility to have  sufficient ammunition in their possession to complete the match or event.

It is proposed the two events are brought into a closer conceptual alignment by adding the statement:

A dropped round,  magazine, moon clip or speedloader may not be retrieved

as an event condition for T&P2 as well.

Essentially anything ending up on the floor when shooting either of these two events is dead, out of bounds,  irretrievable and considered lost.

Object now or it enters the rule book for next season.

Use of Barricades – Support and Foot Fault lines?

One area of clarification which is often asked of your friendly RO on the line is whether  the barricade can be used for support – to lean on. In some cases it can but a related question usually follows regarding where the foot fault line is as well.  This only applies to LBRs and LBPs so rifle shooters at this point can stand down.

Barricades (posts) are used in the following competitions:

• T&P2
• T&P3
• The 1500

Potential uses are indicated in the sketches below. Essentially if a strict foot fault line is specified an imaginary line projects perpendicular to the firing line backwards.  The competitor’s feet (as indicated below but equally applies to any other part of their lower body)  much not traverse the leading edge of that line.

For the events listed above each  is subtly different so this post is an attempt to clarify or solicit opinion on how to obtain consistency.

The easy one is the 1500 – its mostly defined. Event specific procedural penalties (PP53 current GR&P Booklet)  states:

c.  For LBP and LBR, when using the barricade, allowing any part of
a foot to extend over the foot fault line extending to the rear of the
barricade at 90 degrees to the firing line. In the left hand barricade position, no part of the foot may extend to the left of the foot fault line and vice versa.

This specifically mentions a foot but the intent for cover and support is already there. A simple rewording of the above to “… allowing any part of  the foot, knee or leg to extend over the foot fault line…” will make this clearer. The 1500 also allows the barricade to be used in the kneeling position at 50m.  The fault line will again be clearly defined.

For T&P2 and T&P3 the courses of fire do not mention foot fault lines when using the barricade.  Additionally T&P2 does not mention use of the barricade in the kneeling position at 50m. To strive for consistency the following amendments are proposed:

T&P2:

Add to Procedural Penalties – event specific:

c.  For LBP and LBR, when using the barricade, allowing any part of  a foot, knee or leg to extend over the foot fault line extending to the rear of the barricade at 90 degrees to the firing line. In the left hand barricade position, no part of the foot may extend to the left of the foot fault line and vice versa.

T&P3

Add to Procedural Penalties – event specific:

c.  For LBP and LBR, when using the barricade, allowing any part of  a foot, knee or leg to extend over the foot fault line extending to the rear of the  barricade at 90 degrees to the firing line. In the left hand barricade position, no part of the foot may extend to the left of the foot fault line and vice versa.

As usual comments are welcome……

Standing Unsupported – Rule B6.6.1

Rule B6.6.1 in the Gallery Rifle & Pistol Handbook relates to the standing unsupported position.

B6.6.1    Standing with gun held by one or both hands. All portions of the shooter’s clothing, body and gun must be clear of artificial support.

It is true to say a competitor complies with the intention of  this rule when they stand with both arms free of any external contact. They are truly shooting, with their arms unsupported.

It has been suggested that rule B6.1 be enhanced to explain to competitors that support  configurations of the style outlined below are unacceptable.

Unacceptable support configurations :-

1. Locking their elbows into the body and supporting the barrel with straight fingers or clenched  fist.
2. Locking their elbows into the body and supporting the barrel that they have added a support ‘platform’ to – similar to the facility that three positional shooters utilise.

This three positional shooters platform is about 5 inches high and bridges the  gap between the ‘locked in elbow ,arm’ and the underside of the barrel. It can be argued this ‘platform’ breaches rule A3.2.3 [1]

To some this ‘locking’ the elbow of the non trigger arm into the waist / hip shelf is gaining support and an element of stability that is not in the spirit of the rule. It has been asked if we would consider an amendment to rule B6.6.1 to outlaw this practice.

[1] A3.2.3    All devices or equipment which may facilitate shooting, but which are not mentioned specifically in these rules, or which are contrary to the spirit of these rules, are forbidden. The Meeting Director, Assistant Meeting Director or any range official shall have the right to examine any competitor’s equipment.

Comments, Thoughts?