Wearing a gun while being an RO

[Slavex]

so an interesting question was raised on another forum about ROs wearing guns while they RO squads, mostly when they are part of a self ROing squad. Recently at a match on the dark continent an RO dropped their gun while running a competitor through the stage, grabbed the gun as it fell and then placed it on the ground, caught up to the shooter while another RO picked up the gun and safed while they were downrange. No obviously there were a bunch of problems with this situation. The gun coming out of the holster being the first one, the RO grabbing it in the air number 2, not screaming STOP and unloading the competitor, placing the gun on the ground, another person coming along and handling while they were down range. All of that is BAD. But given the number of such incidents that have occurred in IPSC (this was an IPSC event) and I'm told that this isn't the first time, the proposal to deal with the entire problem is to create a new rule. Namely, Whilst acting as an RO and running a competitor the RO shall not have a gun on. What do you gun crazed 'Mericans think of this? Can you come up with a better solution or do you think current rules in both USPSA and IPSC cover the incident well enough. Do you think that small self ROing squads will need to bag and unbag multiple times per stage just so an RO isn't wearing a gun?

Please discuss.

[Chuck Haggard]

Why wasn't the RO in that case DQed and thrown out of the match?

Seriously, and perhaps suspended from the club?


The issue is one guy with a crappy holster.

[Odin Bravo One]

The issue is one guy with a crappy holster.

Isn't that most IPSC holsters?

They are designed for speed, not retention. The concept of blazing and running and blazing and running in IPSC doesn't consider that the participants will doing said activities with a holstered pistol, thereby having rules (such as the 180, RO's on top of the shooter, etc) to keep the potential hazards mitigated. With the loose rules regarding holsters and level and effectiveness of retention, it seems prudent that one would disarm him/herself prior to running & not gunning.

Seems to me the issue is one guy with some shitty gunhandling/gun safety skills.

[Chuck Haggard]

Yeah, that too.

I guess I was thinking maybe a guy shouldn't be wearing a holster that crappy, but now I realize that's just crazy thinking.

[JAD]

Why yes, I would be happy to put away my unloaded, light-ball running match pistol for the day.

Why no, I would not prefer to go through that metal detector.

[BLR]

It's the stupid people that prevent us from having nice things.

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[ToddG]

I'm convinced that eventually, IPSC is going to outlaw guns entirely.

[jetfire]

I'm convinced that eventually, IPSC is going to outlaw guns entirely.

They did just pass rules to sanction airsoft competition...

I've shot loads of club matches, and I've never seen an RO/SO dump their gun while chasing a shooter.

[PPGMD]

Why yes, I would be happy to put away my unloaded, light-ball running match pistol for the day.

Why no, I would not prefer to go through that metal detector.

I've routinely seen match officals with hot guns (though rarely their competition guns) on the days they aren't shooting.

And those are just the visible guns. There are probably more 380s and 38s at matches then people want to acknowledge. And as an RO as long as they don't become visible I personally have no issue.

[shane45]

Its been over 15 years since I shot IPSC but I remember some sort of test (jump test?) you had to do to show your holster would retain the pistol. Is that long gone?