Range Lawyers

Every hear people complain about range lawyers? Ever heard people spout off about the rules at a match about the rules and be blatantly wrong? What about the folks who are intentionally trying to bend the rules to their benefit? What about folks who are just trying to make sure we play the game by the rules? Last week I had to take my USPSA Range Officer exam, and in doing so, I noticed I was pretty rusty on the rulebook, so I sat down and read it cover to cover one more time, and… I learned a LOT. So, I’m the guy that brings his rulebook. I intend to use it should their be a question about the rules at a match. I even keep a .pdf of the applicable rulebooks on my phone so I can text search them quicker than looking through the paper copies at a match. Does that make me a “range lawyer?” I don’t think so. I want to win, but I don’t want to win by bending the rules. I want to win on a fair playing field against everyone else, and my conscience wouldn’t allow me to win by bending the rules. So, the next time someone whips out the rulebook, don’t worry about it. Don’t take it personally, because rules change from time to time, and it can be confusing to keep up. Embrace the rulebook.  Gear that Doesn’t Suck At the match on Saturday, I took a frag off a piece of steel to the calf while running a shooter, and it hurt like crazy. After I called the range clear, I found a chunk of lead a little smaller than a pencil eraser under the skin of my leg. After the match I was thinking… “what would have happened had that hit me in the eye?” See, even after writing this post, I still found myself on the range with regular sunglasses. Derp. So, go get some decent safety glasses for shooting. If you’re not the type to go buy expensive whiz-bang shooting glasses, you can get tinted rated safety glasses for just a couple dollars. Head over to triangletactical.net/227 to see the ones I use most. Q&A; I've got a couple awesome Q&A;'s this week from Rick and Danny.  Rick asked about other podcast episodes to listen to for getting started: All you need, nothing you don't Do's and Dont's Disqualifications Loose Ends Danny in Dayton sends in a voicemail asking about dryfire and slide-lock reloads. He's pausing after seating the magazine, and dropping the slide. I had a similar, and opposite problem where I was dropping the slide too soon, and not stripping a round into the chamber. Dryfire - I don't see why you couldn't start a drill with the pistol up, empty mag inserted in it, and the slide locked back. On the buzzer drop the empty mag, seat a mag with a snap cap in it, and drop the slide, and properly insert the new mag chambers the snap cap.  Live fire - Same deal, but with 1 round in the chamber. On the buzzer, draw, fire one alpha, gun goes to slidelock, then insert the next mag, and properly chamber the next round. That'll get you 100reps for 100rds.