Competition Bad Habits? Do any exist? Competing Anonymously possible?

[Kirk]

So like a lot of shooters I'm also a degenerate MMA fan; and interestingly you hear people say this all the time. Usually it's the people who proponents of like...WW2 style combatives or "reality based self defense" which usually involves a lot of eye gouges or groin strikes. They'll say dumb shit like "oh well MMA/BJJ/MT only works in the ring, in the real world I'd just fish-hook that guy and gouge his eyeball out."

Which of course is a completely idiotic notion, since a trained fighter who understands range management isn't going to let you get close enough to use your fishgouge or whatever

Oh, I didn't realize this stuff was still a thing. I remember when I first started training in MMA years ago that was something people would say online but I thought it had largely gone away over time with the growth in popularity of the sport. I think I've also insulated myself from seeing it by being a member here and on TPI.

I always love the "I'd just (headbutt/groin strike/fish hook/eye gouge)" thing, as if that is something that will be an easy thing to do against a high-level, well-conditioned fighter.

[jeep45238]

If that was the case, I'd think we'd have heard about it happening far more often.

It's the building of complacency and not actually verifying if shit is clear, finger off trigger, looking in the holster, etc.. that I'm thinking of. There's plenty of reported, and probably more un-reported, ND's out there.

[olstyn]

It's the building of complacency and not actually verifying if shit is clear, finger off trigger, looking in the holster, etc.. that I'm thinking of. There's plenty of reported, and probably more un-reported, ND's out there.

Anybody who goes too quickly or doesn't pay attention to what they're doing like that should be getting an earful from the RO, and I could rant for years on the not looking the gun into the holster thing.

When it's me shooting, I lock the slide back on unload/show clear and tilt the ejection port toward the RO to make it easier for them to see that it's empty. It's not hard to do, it only takes a second, and it ensures that everybody knows the gun is empty before the trigger gets pulled. I figure that even though I'm not always the fastest shooter on any given squad, I can probably afford to "waste" a second or two that way in the name of safety, and I wish more people would do the same.

[CraigS]

Anybody who goes too quickly or doesn't pay attention to what they're doing like that should be getting an earful from the RO, and I could rant for years on the not looking the gun into the holster thing.

When it's me shooting, I lock the slide back on unload/show clear and tilt the ejection port toward the RO to make it easier for them to see that it's empty. It's not hard to do, it only takes a second, and it ensures that everybody knows the gun is empty before the trigger gets pulled. I figure that even though I'm not always the fastest shooter on any given squad, I can probably afford to "waste" a second or two that way in the name of safety, and I wish more people would do the same.

I agree. At least where I have been shooting, the 'show clear' can sometimes get a little quick and maybe not carefully checked. But I, as the shooter, always make sure I show it long enough and at an angle where it can be seen.

[revchuck38]

I agree. At least where I have been shooting, the 'show clear' can sometimes get a little quick and maybe not carefully checked. But I, as the shooter, always make sure I show it long enough and at an angle where it can be seen.

I was heavily involved in IDPA at the beginning and worked as an SO at a couple of Nationals. I was comfortable telling a shooter, "Whoa, man, I didn't see that, can you show clear again a little more slowly?" As a shooter, I hold the slide back until the RO/SO tells me slide forward. Showing clear with a revolver is easier.

[JCN]

Worst habit I see is more on the administrative handling side of things. Unload and show clear, followed by a trigger press - I can see that building a negative habit where someone becomes complacent outside of a match and has an ND.

Generally this happens when folks are working to go through the motions quickly at small local matches, same thing as loading the gun and then getting a sight picture through their optic to play with brightness settings, or ramming quickly into a holster.

Agreed. The Unload and show clear, followed by a trigger press -for me, is done with a sight picture on one of the targets. Takes maybe a tenth of a second extra. Some SO's seem to think it's unnecessary and whine like terriers. I just give them a scratch behind the ear.

It's the building of complacency and not actually verifying if shit is clear, finger off trigger, looking in the holster, etc.. that I'm thinking of. There's plenty of reported, and probably more un-reported, ND's out there.

Anybody who goes too quickly or doesn't pay attention to what they're doing like that should be getting an earful from the RO, and I could rant for years on the not looking the gun into the holster thing.

When it's me shooting, I lock the slide back on unload/show clear and tilt the ejection port toward the RO to make it easier for them to see that it's empty. It's not hard to do, it only takes a second, and it ensures that everybody knows the gun is empty before the trigger gets pulled. I figure that even though I'm not always the fastest shooter on any given squad, I can probably afford to "waste" a second or two that way in the name of safety, and I wish more people would do the same.

I try and separate the round flip from the chamber check so that the check clear is not distracted.

[rob_s]

It's the building of complacency and not actually verifying if shit is clear, finger off trigger, looking in the holster, etc.. that I'm thinking of. There's plenty of reported, and probably more un-reported, ND's out there.

(A) that’s why there are three rules and (2) not every ND is a “unload and show clear”. In fact, I’d bet very, very, few fall into that category, which was the original point here. Is the unload and show clear building habits that are going to cause a catastrophic event? IMO not even remotely worth worrying about. Even if we WANT a to go looking for scary things and scary reasons not to shoot matches or why we think other people are doing it wrong, a catastrophic ND due to bad habits from “unload & show clear” just doesn’t even register on the radar.

I used to get worked up about the “round flip” during unloading, but then I (1) stopped “working” at matches and (c) realized that it was a good choad indicator and told me who I didn’t want to spend time with between stages.

[Moylan]

I eject the chambered round onto the ground. This, I think, is compelling evidence that I am very old.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I was heavily involved in IDPA at the beginning and worked as an SO at a couple of Nationals. I was comfortable telling a shooter, "Whoa, man, I didn't see that, can you show clear again a little more slowly?" As a shooter, I hold the slide back until the RO/SO tells me slide forward. Showing clear with a revolver is easier.

That's what we did. Since I am left handed, it sometimes confuses the SO to see the cleared gun. Also, since I am old, some nice young one will pick up the round for me. . They even pick up dropped mags.

[Mark D]

Scott is a buddy.

I suggest people watch this:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EkDq_SJpHo&amp;t=3352s" target="_blank">


Two legit US SOF Shooters talk about how competition has helped their community.

Excellent podcast with a guy who is a both a USPSA GM and an experienced gunfighter. Scott has a follow up video with Pranka that's also good.