When you start thinking that you are too good to make mistakes, that is when you are going to start endangering people.
And I always find it funny when hobbyists consider themselves "professionals".
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PRS Talk Negligent Discharges Need To Stop!
- Thread starter Cjwise5
- Start date
When you start thinking that you are too good to make mistakes, that is when you are going to start endangering people.
And I always find it funny when hobbyists consider themselves "professionals".
Kthomas makes a good point. Whenever anyone begins to think they are too good to make mistakes, they become complacent, and that attitude is a recipe for disaster. But firearms are no different than scuba diving, parachuting, race car driving, or so many other things in that regard. Arrogance and thinking they are too proficient to cause an issue is frightening.
I was a "professional" firearms instructor for many years, but I still believe I have lots to learn, and enjoy learning from other shooters...even those young enough to be my children. Many people who have studied martial arts for decades begin to realize how little they really do know, and how much they have left to learn.
A healthy respect for firearms (not quite being afraid of them) helps many people be aware of the danger inherent in tools that can be that deadly.
An old quotation that I have on my wall: "After ten thousand victories, yet a beginner."
I was a "professional" firearms instructor for many years, but I still believe I have lots to learn, and enjoy learning from other shooters...even those young enough to be my children. Many people who have studied martial arts for decades begin to realize how little they really do know, and how much they have left to learn.
A healthy respect for firearms (not quite being afraid of them) helps many people be aware of the danger inherent in tools that can be that deadly.
An old quotation that I have on my wall: "After ten thousand victories, yet a beginner."
I recently participated in my first prs match (as a non shooter) to see how things ran I volunteered as a timer.
The RO spends time looking at impacts,shooters on and off the line and answering questions a lot going on for one person for sure.
As a timer I did watch very close to safety issues we had no ND but I did notice mags not release but bolt were open I did call it out before for gun was out of safety zone or I new shooter forgot.
All in all it was safe time I know our group kept a close eye out.
Think about this a police officer with hours and hours of training knows what to do but when the adrenaline is pumping and a bad thing does happens not intended does it make them a bad cop no. Is he/she responsible yes just as we are. lucky for us at a shooting match everyone is there to watch and referee to help make sure when the adrenaline is pumping things don’t go bad. Be safe and thank a police officer they have a tough job
The RO spends time looking at impacts,shooters on and off the line and answering questions a lot going on for one person for sure.
As a timer I did watch very close to safety issues we had no ND but I did notice mags not release but bolt were open I did call it out before for gun was out of safety zone or I new shooter forgot.
All in all it was safe time I know our group kept a close eye out.
Think about this a police officer with hours and hours of training knows what to do but when the adrenaline is pumping and a bad thing does happens not intended does it make them a bad cop no. Is he/she responsible yes just as we are. lucky for us at a shooting match everyone is there to watch and referee to help make sure when the adrenaline is pumping things don’t go bad. Be safe and thank a police officer they have a tough job
I'm pretty positive you and I were shooting in the exact same squad. Southington OH PRS shoot back in March?
Nope not me. I’ve only shot a a headhunter at TVP, a bunch of long range matches at Rayners and a few Sniper matches there. I’ve never been to Southington. I need to get up there someday. When the kids are a bit older I plan to make the matches all over.
Edit; just seen your from Pa. I shot with a guy from Pa using a 223 a few years ago at Rayners Sniper it it may have been a long range match I think. We were laughing a bunch about about us using mills But nearly every single persons besides us was calling in moa?
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That's crazy. The same exact thing happened to a guys rifle. As soon as his bolt hit the full forward position, and just barely engaged the locking lugs, the gun went off. His hand wasn't even remotely near the trigger. I'm glad I was helping him collect his brass, because I was in full view of his hand. He found out his trigger was malfunctioning.
Rifle going off when bolt closing isn't an issue of the trigger pull weight being too light, it's a function of sear engagement. A lot of the new actions are being made slightly out of tolerance to accept all the new triggers out there, and you need to ensure the trigger is adjusted correctly.
His problem was it’s a style of trigger that needs shimmed depending on what rifle you put it in, and it wasn’t shimmed correctly. It caused the sear to only be partially engaged. There was 3 guns that went down due to trigger issues that day. Smh
I had a slam fire a couple weeks ago during a match. Pierced primer on the second shot and the 8th it slam fired. Trigger was way light, lighter than I set it. So I tightened it and dry fired the hell out of it... no problem... went to 100 yard range fired 10 rounds.... so issue. shot 3 more stages and did it again. Changed trigger. dry fired a ton then went to 100 range shot 20 rounds... then went through the remaining stages. On the last stage, Pierced another primer and the next shot slam fired.
Found out I had a terrible bad batch of primers. Bought 15k of primers and this box at 4k isn't working. running BRA at 29.8gr H4895 at 2875fps. Not even close to any kind of crazy pressure.
Sux. Will never use those primers again.
Found out I had a terrible bad batch of primers. Bought 15k of primers and this box at 4k isn't working. running BRA at 29.8gr H4895 at 2875fps. Not even close to any kind of crazy pressure.
Sux. Will never use those primers again.
Damn how many ND's do you need to have before you realize the gun is malfunctioning and stop. I count 3 ND's in one match and no one sees that as a problem?
The high end triggers I use do not take kindly to pierced primers (didn't know that). You counted correctly there were three issues. All stages I received a Zero. Rules state that if ND happens and you know where the bullet went, its a zero. One of my issues I impacted. I close bolt only when in the rifle. Each time I tested the rifle.
My story is to show that even the best equipment made can have a problem the best shooter could have had these primers and it just so happened he/she loaded them for a big match. I'm sure the situation would have been similar.
Unfortunate things happen, the smallest things can fail and we adapt and overcome. If I thought for a second that a new trigger would fail I would have never used it.
Life is an adventure and a learning experience. But I stay on target.
My story is to show that even the best equipment made can have a problem the best shooter could have had these primers and it just so happened he/she loaded them for a big match. I'm sure the situation would have been similar.
Unfortunate things happen, the smallest things can fail and we adapt and overcome. If I thought for a second that a new trigger would fail I would have never used it.
Life is an adventure and a learning experience. But I stay on target.
@Citius7
you just reopened this whole can of worms. that's exactly the discussion.
so if you ND and you know the bullet went into your buddies leg, it's just a stage zero?
we had a guy last weekend ND and miss just 10ft off left of the target. he packed up and went home. he knew exactly where it impacted. still a match DQ.
you are proving the point of this whole discussion. just be prepared for the responses coming your way.
you just reopened this whole can of worms. that's exactly the discussion.
so if you ND and you know the bullet went into your buddies leg, it's just a stage zero?
we had a guy last weekend ND and miss just 10ft off left of the target. he packed up and went home. he knew exactly where it impacted. still a match DQ.
you are proving the point of this whole discussion. just be prepared for the responses coming your way.
I believe under either NRL or PRS rules (club match or national match) any ND is a match DQ regardless of whether you know where the bullet went or whether it was caused by equipment. No second or third chances.
https://www.precisionrifleseries.com/static/media/uploads/prs_rules.pdf
Rule 1.3.7 is written as follows:
If the rifle was inspected and the negligent discharge was found to be a result of defective equipment, then the appropriate penalty is a zero score for the stage it occurred on.
That said, there is something to be said about continuing to compete with a weapon that is known to have defective equipment. It seems like this is a point not addressed anywhere in the PRS rulebook, but I think it should probably be modified to require that the defective part be replaced (or the entire firearm replaced, either or would be sufficient) before the shooter is allowed to continue shooting further stages in the match.
If it was me, if the guy had an ND and coped to it, and it was not an equipment malfunction, DQ for the match, if it can be proven to be equipment you get a chance to fix it, 0 for the stage, happens again your match is done. However, because not only did he have an ND and not cope to it, but he took a point knowingly cheating, I'd ban him for at least a year, and if I could prove anyone on his squad saw it and didn't say anything, they'd get the hammer too.
Beyond that, it's time for min. trigger weights, these 2-8oz triggers on PRS guns/courses is ridiculous. 2lbs at a minimum, drop test and trigger weight test them before the match starts. if people can't SAFELY complete a stage in the time limit, the time limit should be increased. I get wanting people to expediently shoot their target, this isn't golf, but it's gotten to the point where newer shooters are too rushed to complete a stage safety. If you need another way to seperate the pack by performance simply but an A and B zone with different point values on the targets. Add in more challenge targets where you can gain significant points or LOSE them if you miss. That will fix the issue of 1 point dropping anyone 3-4 places. After all it's PRECISION Rifle Shooting, not SPEED Rifle Shooting, accuracy over speed.
Having shot many types of shooting competition over the decades, some at a national level, trap, skeet, field archery, USPSA etc. over the years you get 2 options. Either you have enough range officers to monitor scoring AND safety (and they cannot be squad members/competitors or buddies lie for each other, seen it for years), and the hammer comes down at every infraction, or you get cheating/safety problems like PRS has now. It's rampant in 3D archery and has been for years, because there is no oversight.
The ONLY way to help ensure this doesn't happen, is to have safety officers at each stage that can monitor the shooter while shooting and bring the hammer down on infractions, and they can't be their buddies on the same or next squad. You will still have accidents, but people will be much more careful and safe.
Beyond that, it's time for min. trigger weights, these 2-8oz triggers on PRS guns/courses is ridiculous. 2lbs at a minimum, drop test and trigger weight test them before the match starts. if people can't SAFELY complete a stage in the time limit, the time limit should be increased. I get wanting people to expediently shoot their target, this isn't golf, but it's gotten to the point where newer shooters are too rushed to complete a stage safety. If you need another way to seperate the pack by performance simply but an A and B zone with different point values on the targets. Add in more challenge targets where you can gain significant points or LOSE them if you miss. That will fix the issue of 1 point dropping anyone 3-4 places. After all it's PRECISION Rifle Shooting, not SPEED Rifle Shooting, accuracy over speed.
Having shot many types of shooting competition over the decades, some at a national level, trap, skeet, field archery, USPSA etc. over the years you get 2 options. Either you have enough range officers to monitor scoring AND safety (and they cannot be squad members/competitors or buddies lie for each other, seen it for years), and the hammer comes down at every infraction, or you get cheating/safety problems like PRS has now. It's rampant in 3D archery and has been for years, because there is no oversight.
The ONLY way to help ensure this doesn't happen, is to have safety officers at each stage that can monitor the shooter while shooting and bring the hammer down on infractions, and they can't be their buddies on the same or next squad. You will still have accidents, but people will be much more careful and safe.
No one is penalized if everyone has to play by the same rule, if everyone has to shoot a 2lb+ trigger, there's no penalty. That's like saying the 3200fps limit is a penalty because you want to shoot something faster, as long as everyone has to follow the rule, it's not a penalty.
Hair triggers are a safety issue, period. It only takes a tiny movement to send a round very far off target at these distances, it doesn't have to be someone loading a round before they are getting into position, or shoving a finger in a trigger before they are in position. I've seen guys follow all the rules, not load a round or get their finger in the trigger before on target, and something happens (dust in the eyes, wasp sting, etc.) and takes them off target and their hair trigger sends a round off target. It happens, it just hasn't happened to you yet, can it happen with a 3lb trigger, sure but way less likely. We should not be using benchrest weight triggers in such an uncontrolled environment.
I can't count the weekend warriors that I've seen with light single action handgun triggers that swear they are trained and ultrasafe and the first round out of their holster in a shoot house with a little stress goes into the floor or ceiling. Sooner or later something happens that gets everyone out of the comfort zone, when it does, a hair trigger makes the odds of an ND much higher.
Safety is EVERYONE's responsibility, if you see someone being unsafe, and don't say anything YOU are the problem and should be penalized. Again I said if anyone in the squad saw it and didn't say anything penalize them as well, I did not say penalize the whole squad just because they were there.
Hair triggers are a safety issue, period. It only takes a tiny movement to send a round very far off target at these distances, it doesn't have to be someone loading a round before they are getting into position, or shoving a finger in a trigger before they are in position. I've seen guys follow all the rules, not load a round or get their finger in the trigger before on target, and something happens (dust in the eyes, wasp sting, etc.) and takes them off target and their hair trigger sends a round off target. It happens, it just hasn't happened to you yet, can it happen with a 3lb trigger, sure but way less likely. We should not be using benchrest weight triggers in such an uncontrolled environment.
I can't count the weekend warriors that I've seen with light single action handgun triggers that swear they are trained and ultrasafe and the first round out of their holster in a shoot house with a little stress goes into the floor or ceiling. Sooner or later something happens that gets everyone out of the comfort zone, when it does, a hair trigger makes the odds of an ND much higher.
Safety is EVERYONE's responsibility, if you see someone being unsafe, and don't say anything YOU are the problem and should be penalized. Again I said if anyone in the squad saw it and didn't say anything penalize them as well, I did not say penalize the whole squad just because they were there.
Obviously you don’t shoot PRS because you don’t know what your talking about. It’s not an uncontrolled environment when you follow the procedures properly. Just because some weekend warriors are coming in and don’t know what the hell they are doing doesn’t mean we need a bunch of new rules should be added. It would be rediculous testing everyone’s trigger pull anyway and the same thing could happen in benchrest. It won’t happen to us because are rifles and triggers are safe and scopes are on the target before the bolt is closed. Impossible to get a ND that way.
I think it's worth pointing out that any sort of absolutist statement is usually false.
You stated that it's impossible to have an ND if you wait to close the bolt until you're on scope and on target.
That suggests one of two things:
- You feel that an accidentally fired shot isn't an ND if the rifle is pointed at the target.
- You feel that it's impossible to ND if you wait until you're on scope to close the bolt (as you've said) because you haven't personally seen it happen.
This sort of ND does happen, but it's easy to miss if you're not closely watching a shooter.
For example, a shooter was DQ'd for an ND at club match at Peacemaker in WV a year or two ago. He built a position (kneeling behind prop, rifle on a game changer bag), got on scope, closed the bolt, and when he went to grip the rifle with his firing hand he gripped too high, inserting his middle finger into the trigger guard, and accidentally fired. A best-case ND for sure, but still an ND.
Stress/time pressure and muscle memory can do some funny things.
You can test triggers just as fast as you can chrono guns, and that's done at matches. Benchrest is a completely different environment, people take tons of time to set up the exact same rock solid position, there's no moving, no requiring shooters to build a position on multiple unstable ground/rests under significant time pressure and the gun is basically locked into two super heavy rests on a concrete table.
If you think those two shooting environments have the same level of control, it's not me that doesn't know what I'm talking about.
If you think those two shooting environments have the same level of control, it's not me that doesn't know what I'm talking about.
I’m done with this thread you guys keep on talking and keep on voting for Hillary I’ll be out shooting.
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setting trigger weight limits is akin to gun control (take away guns and crime will go away) or speed limiters on cars (limit to 55mph and accidents will go away). it's up to the shooter to not set their trigger lighter than they can handle. and it's up to us to dq shooters that prove they can't handle their light triggers.
But a 55mph speed limit does REDUCE accidents, it won't eliminate them, just like a trigger weight rule would. Just imagine how many car accidents we'd have if you let big ego distracted "I'm too skilled to have an accident" drivers whatever speed they "felt" they were competent to.
You guys can argue this for centuries, but until you come to terms, understand, identify, and accept the core causes to these problems, nothing will be fixed.
For example, light trigger weights are something that is opinionated, and we might as well have a rule that everyone has to run a single stage trigger set at 5.5-lbs to fix the problem.
For those unfamiliar with Safe Start, it's a training program started by a consulting firm out of Canada. It has become a safety standard in industry, manufacturing, utilities, etc. The fundamentals apply to everything that humans do, from driving down the road, to mowing the lawn. Using it to see the problems in PRS, NRL type of matches is easy to do.
Rushing = 90-sec time limits to move, and engage four targets, from three positions, shooting 12-rounds.
Frustration = I'm frustrated because I'm timing out, or I'm missing targets because of this stupid wobbly barricade.
Fatigue = We had to show up to the match at 0630, I didn't get much sleep last night, there are 15-stages, and it's 95-deg outside.
Complacency = I didn't clear/check my chamber, and have a live round in it, now it's cased and I'm sweeping everyone on the range because a cased weapon is totally safe.
Until safety is truly addressed, unsafe things will continue to occure.
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This makes me happy. I’ve been hearing about a lot of positive changes taking place, which of course was my intent in showing the ND video in the first place. ??
Was at a match this past Saturday where an ND took place. Wasn't my squad, but none the less, happen the next stage beside of us. I don't know the circumstances surrounding the ND or how it happen. However, as soon as it happen, the first words I heard from the RO and match directors was, "your done", as meaning the shooters day was over. Alpine 338's comment about a standardized weight trigger is an interesting one, but what weight would be acceptable? Personally, I don't think it needs to be 5.5 lbs, but that is just my thoughts on it.
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I was being sarcastic about the 5.5-lbs. I personally believe, as long as the rifle passes a drop test, than any trigger is acceptable. If it goes off as an AD/ND, then it's on the shooter.
Agreed.
People need to be held accountable for any round that leaves their rifle. What their trigger weight is should be up to the shooter. If it results in a ND/AD, then hold them accountable (whether it's the trigger or poor discipline) and DQ their ass.
People won't change their habits until they are forced to through accountability. But I don't believe minimum trigger weights is the answer. More accountability definitely is.
It would add more time to a day, but what is your guys thoughts on somewhat of a tech time? With that I mean, just like in drag racing, your car is inspected by a tech to see if it is safe to go down the track. If there was a set of steps taken to check trigger stability, that may be an option. Maybe have the following performed by match directors. Again, I know it would add time to a match, but I'd be fine with that extra time to know someone isn't walking around with a trigger that could be set off accidentally because it's too light.
* Open and close the bolt forcefully to check for slam fires
* Hit the side of the stock or chassis with the palm of a hand or a non marring object to check it that way
* Tap the butt stock against a hard surface
Those are the three things I have heard people do and I've done myself to check trigger weight safety. Some people may say, "your not doing my pretty rifle like that". To that I say, if you don't want that done to your rifle to check safety for not only you, but other shooters around you, why are you shooting it in a match because chances are, if your match shooting it, the beats and bangs it takes during the match are more than what a trigger check would be.
Again, I'm just throwing ideas out there. I mean boxing gloves are checked, most every race car is checked before a race. Hell, even a basketball is checked for air pressure before it's allowed in a game. So why couldn't trigger weights be checked before matches with similar things like bumps, bangs and forceful bolt closing like they experience during a match? How much time would it take to perform the three checks or something similar above? Not very long. And even then, let the rifle owner carry out the required checks in front a match associate if they are one of those who don't like others handling their rifles. Again, just some ideas.
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I don't think it's feasible.
There's barely even enough people to run the matches as they are now, let alone with adding a new technical requirement to test every competitors rifles.
It's a nice thought, but since it's just a weekend warrior hobby, the resources just aren't there to run it like an actual sport that generates revenue (boxing, racing, etc).
Just enforce the existing rules before you start worrying about adding new rules or policies. You guys sound like liberals trying to make new gun laws when the issue is the lack of enforcement of the current laws on the books. After reading this thread I feel like a new shooter would think coming to a PRS match is like showing up in the Wild West. The picture painted is not reality. Accidents happen, but in my experience shooting around the south and south east, these matches are very safe. Again, just enforce the current rules and you’ll see behavior and equipment changes in time.
The problem is once the ND happens, it's too late, and any PRS penalty might be a drop in the bucket to the consequences of that round getting away. I guarantee you if you track ND's to trigger weight there's a direct correlation between lighter triggers and rate of ND's.
As someone who has worked around things that glow, it doesn't matter HOW high the penalty (including your own slow death by radiation poisoning) some people will not be proactive about even their own safety much less someone else's. You will ALWAYS get better results promoting safety through limiting/eliminating unsafe practices/equipment AND stiff penalties than you will just in penalties. At best consequences stay in other shooters mind for a stage or two, maybe an event and something to chat about during the week with their buddies laughing about how stupid someone was and how it would never happen to their overtrained operator sevles.
Ego is huge in competition and most think they are too skilled and trained to ever have an ND, we've seen that attitude all over this thread. I can't count the number of times I've seen a shooter at a range or shoot imitate that scene from Black Hawk Down "Well, this is my safety sir" while flexing their trigger finger. Unfortunately those are the idiots you have to set the rules for.
I've seen this in various shooting sports for decades, it doesn't matter how much you talk about it, it doesn't even matter if it's a match DQ penalty, the reality is even a careless shooter might still never have a ND, and as a result it breeds complacency by its very nature. Trap shooting is a great example, shooters that develop a flinch gravitate toward "release" triggers (pull to set, fires on release) the problem is these triggers by their very nature beg for ND's, and they happen at almost every major tournament at a MUCH higher rate than pull triggers. Thankfully birdshot doesn't go very far so there's no danger to neighbors, no clubs getting shut down for it, and the nature of trap shooting means few people are ever in the lethal line of fire. I've seen no less than a 100 of these incidents first hand in many years, and that's just as a competitor, while I've seen less than 5 with a normal trigger. You can get banned for too many ND's in trap, but the reality is no one ever has that many, usually it's shoved under the carpet, happens at a small shoot, no one is tracking them to find out, so the rule has no teeth and there is deterrent, and the problem continues.
Not to mention that if an "important" shooter does this, and we've all seen it, they are treated different.
The only way I've seen this successfully mitigated is with rules that address not only mandate equipment safety, but enough officials to monitor and enforce them.
As someone who has worked around things that glow, it doesn't matter HOW high the penalty (including your own slow death by radiation poisoning) some people will not be proactive about even their own safety much less someone else's. You will ALWAYS get better results promoting safety through limiting/eliminating unsafe practices/equipment AND stiff penalties than you will just in penalties. At best consequences stay in other shooters mind for a stage or two, maybe an event and something to chat about during the week with their buddies laughing about how stupid someone was and how it would never happen to their overtrained operator sevles.
Ego is huge in competition and most think they are too skilled and trained to ever have an ND, we've seen that attitude all over this thread. I can't count the number of times I've seen a shooter at a range or shoot imitate that scene from Black Hawk Down "Well, this is my safety sir" while flexing their trigger finger. Unfortunately those are the idiots you have to set the rules for.
I've seen this in various shooting sports for decades, it doesn't matter how much you talk about it, it doesn't even matter if it's a match DQ penalty, the reality is even a careless shooter might still never have a ND, and as a result it breeds complacency by its very nature. Trap shooting is a great example, shooters that develop a flinch gravitate toward "release" triggers (pull to set, fires on release) the problem is these triggers by their very nature beg for ND's, and they happen at almost every major tournament at a MUCH higher rate than pull triggers. Thankfully birdshot doesn't go very far so there's no danger to neighbors, no clubs getting shut down for it, and the nature of trap shooting means few people are ever in the lethal line of fire. I've seen no less than a 100 of these incidents first hand in many years, and that's just as a competitor, while I've seen less than 5 with a normal trigger. You can get banned for too many ND's in trap, but the reality is no one ever has that many, usually it's shoved under the carpet, happens at a small shoot, no one is tracking them to find out, so the rule has no teeth and there is deterrent, and the problem continues.
Not to mention that if an "important" shooter does this, and we've all seen it, they are treated different.
The only way I've seen this successfully mitigated is with rules that address not only mandate equipment safety, but enough officials to monitor and enforce them.
PRS may not generate revenue for a venue like boxing, racing, etc. But it's generating revenue for a lot of companies who offer rifles, optics, shooting accessories and the like. Plenty of revenue.
Having said that, I work in a field that I'm pretty much lied to many times a day. Not saying PRS competitors are a bunch of gun toting liers, but in this day and time, not everyone is honest. I know, it's unbelievable isn't it? LOL.
So even if a trigger tech time was set, what's to keep a shooter from setting their trigger heavy before it is checked at a tech station, then after passing such a check, walk back over to their sitting area and back the trigger back down to where it was at originally if it's externally adjustable. So really, even if what I talked about was feasible, there is a way around it, just like in about any other rule or regulation.
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They way they address that issue in racing is simply to randomize the check, it takes 10 seconds to check a trigger weight, let RO's pick someone out once and awhile and check them mid match, or as someone finishes the match. If someone has an ND, the policy simply becomes the competitor steps away from the rifle and it's checked for safety and trigger weight. A rifle that mechanically malfunctions results in a 0 on the stage, if it's shooter induced it's a minimum of a shoot DQ.
The reality is if you want more safety in PRS, you need to find a way to get a safety officer watching shooters at each stage.
The reality is if you want more safety in PRS, you need to find a way to get a safety officer watching shooters at each stage.
At Compition Dynamics matches, they have a safety period during match check in, where the weapon is checked for safe operation and properly functioning safety, but as said above, the trigger can be "set" back after the inspection.
The easiest, and quickest way to address this, have one stage in the middle of day one. As you approach the firing line, you hand your rifle to an RO, they do the bump/drop test, check for safe operation, etc. If it fails, you're out of the match. Also, at the firing line, you have a chronograph set up as part of the stage, shooting though a hole, etc., and if you're over the speed limit, you're out.
The easiest, and quickest way to address this, have one stage in the middle of day one. As you approach the firing line, you hand your rifle to an RO, they do the bump/drop test, check for safe operation, etc. If it fails, you're out of the match. Also, at the firing line, you have a chronograph set up as part of the stage, shooting though a hole, etc., and if you're over the speed limit, you're out.
As for chronograph, same with ASA. When I shot events, it wasn't uncommon for staff to pull shooters out of the line and chrono them on the spot to make sure their setup with within the allowed speed. As for your thoughts of selecting a shooter on a stage or after a stage, doing spot checks on rifles, that is a great idea. That way, people would not know if it's coming and would be able to game a known check by weighting their triggers down for the check, then backing them off after they are checked.
As for what generalzip mentioned, I'm in agreement that a sport doesn't need to be weighed down by rules and regulations and enforcing what is already on the books should be done. But I mean, come on. How much trouble would it be for spot checks, which take no more than 15 or 20 seconds to be done if it can potentially keep other shooters out of harms way? Oh, and by the way, the ND that happen this past weekend was at an event in the SE region, so it can happen anywhere.
The phrase that’s always uttered before a new rule is made or an extra example is added to a safety brief.
I've done high risk work my whole life, ignorance and complacency are the two things that scare me the most, Ignorance with the new guys and complacency with the old salts (myself included). I know on the day there is a tragedy, everyone is going to want the 5 minutes that could have prevented it back as a do over.
"Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" wont mean shit then.
"Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" wont mean shit then.
