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Update: Thanks for playing along. The answer is below the question.
You are a range officer assigned to a stage at your Area Championship. As you walk by a safety area with a table, you see a competitor un-bag their gun, drop an empty magazine from the magwell, and rack the slide. Upon this action, a snap cap flies out of the chamber, hits the table, and tumbles to the ground in plain view. The competitor ignores the snap cap, does a few draw and dry-fire drills, then holsters his gun. He grabs his magazine and bag and walks off to the next stage, leaving the snap cap lying on the ground.
Your response and the reason for it?
Answer: The NROI Instructor Corps was unanimous in calling this a DQ for handling ammo in a safety area, under rules 2.4.2 and 10.5.12. This particular issue is clarified in the 2008 rule book.
If the match was taking place prior to the adoption of the proposed 2008 rules, I wouldn't do anything. 10.5.12 does not apply because the competitor did not handle the snap cap or a loaded magazine. Under these facts the snap cap was in the chamber of the pistol when it was unbagged which is not a situation specifically adressed by 10.5.12 or 2.4.1. The gun was not "loaded" under the definition in 10.5.13 so that rule would not apply either. In the 2008 proposed rules the definition of "loaded firearm" is broadened to include a dummy round in the chamber which would bring this situation into the ambit of 10.5.13.
Posted by: Mike Brown April 12, 2007 08:32 AM
What: I would pick up the snap cap and call the shooter over. I would give it back to the shooter with the advice to be sure his/her gun was empty before stepping up to the safe table in the future for the reasons listed by Mr. Brown above.
Why: Cause I'm a heckuva nice guy, I wouldn't want another inattentive shooter to spot it and find themselves standing at the safe area with a dummy round in their hand, and the owner of the snap cap needs a word to help them avoid trouble in the future.
Posted by: Ken S. April 12, 2007 08:49 AM
Strict interpretation of 10.5.12 would result in the competitor's disqualification.
The fact that he racked the slide could be considered handling a dummy round. ROs are charged with the safety of all competitors and this competitor needs to be informed of the possible consequences of his actions. I certainly wouldn't want this incident to be interpreted by others to be acceptable behavior. A definite warning at least is in order.
Posted by: Tom Flett April 12, 2007 09:21 AM
No infractions committed of the current rule book.
How-ever...
Whom ever picks up the discarded sanp cap could be in for a big surprize, as "handling" such in a safe area with the current rules, would cause remedial action to be taken.
Posted by: Peter Oliver May 2, 2007 12:58 PM
It is a DQ. As per 2.4.2, and 10.5.12
Snap Caps are the same as loaded ammo in the rule book, in the safety areas.
Cold range, cold safety area.
Posted by: Rob Martin May 2, 2007 02:24 PM
My opinion is that since this is a "SNAP CAP" and the shooter did not actually "touch" it, I would have a really serious talk with him. If it were live ammo, no quarter, a DQ. If the shooter carefully removed said Snap cap and actually handled it, the rules explicitly state that a DQ is in order. As presented though we have the judgment call to make, does racking out and not touching a Snap Cap constitute handling? Or does it get a pass with a serious talk?
This question opens up a whole series of questions:
Supposing that you didn't see the shooter rack out the Snap Cap but the following happened.
Shooter racks out a "Snap-Cap" at the safety table. OK, not handled, he never touches it. It is now lying on the table. The questions are now: How did it get there? Does the shooter that racked it out, leave it? Call for an RO to get rid of it? Brush it off on to the ground?
If the shooter has not actually touched the Snap-Cap, has he "Handled" it? If it is simply lying there and no one sees how it got there, is it a foul? Do we just have an RO remove it? If the shooter "Brushes it off onto the ground, whether or not he recovers it, does that constitute handling?
What if you approach a Safe Table at a match and place your bag upon it, open your bag, remove your gun and holster it, then as you are leaving, you spot a live round lying on the table? This round having been left there in the weeks since the last match by a casual shooter? What action do you take? Call an RO and risk him DQ'ing you for having live ammo on the table? Walk away and let someone else deal with it? Brush it off onto the ground?
We have to err always on the side of safety, but we don't need to become Range Nazis in carrying out our duties.
As to the gun having a mag inserted, so far as I can find, this is not against the rules. In fact you are allowed to practice dry-fires and reloads with empty mags in the safe area.
Posted by: Jim Norman May 3, 2007 05:51 AM
Based on the wording of 2.4.2 and 10.5.12, I believe the intent, for safety purposes, is to treat a dummy round (snap cap) the same as a live round. With 10.5.13 explicity prohibiting a loaded firearm except under RO orders, I believe the correct interpretation would be a DQ. The lack of rule clarity in this situation is likely the cause for the 2008 "clarification".
The competitor's apparant unawareness of the snap cap further questions the person's safe gun handling in the given situation.
Posted by: Curt vM May 7, 2007 06:00 AM
