Etiquette

Extracts from the National Rifle Association Tips on Being a Good Competitor

Range Officials are not the only ones who have duties at a match. The success of any match depends as much on competitors as it does on the Competition Officials. Match personnel and competitors must work together during a competition. Here are some general guidelines which, if practiced consistently, will contribute to the smooth operation of any match as well as making you a welcome addition to that competition.

Know the Program

The only way to know both what to expect at a match, as well as what is expected of you, is to get a copy of the rules and read them thoroughly. Saying "I didn't know that" isn't going to make any difference to other competitors or to a jury. The conditions under which the match is going to be fired are generally listed on the Entry form. Once you've paid your entry fee, you've accepted those conditions. Familiarising yourself with the program in advance is the only way to be sure that you'll be free to concentrate on your shooting.

Check Your Equipment

The night before you leave for a match, get all your equipment together in one place and make sure you have everything you'll need. Be sure that your ammo is right for the gun you'll be shooting, and that you have enough for the course of fire planned. Take along a screwdriver, pencil or ballpoint pen and your eye and ear protection. Even if you don't normally wear glasses, many ranges have a mandatory eye and ear protection requirement. Don't forget rain gear - you'd rather have it and not need it than the other way around. Be sure to take your data book, classification card or Silhouette book and your club membership card. Make absolutely certain that the gun or guns you are going to use are clean, in the best of condition, sighted in and legal for the events. Where appropriate, you may want to take along extra magazines. Again, be sure you have enough ammunition to complete the event, including extras for possible malfunctions or shootoffs. You would hate to forfeit a match because you run out of ammo halfway through a shootoff. Make sure to bring the right amount for the gun you will be shooting.

Know the Rules

How well do you know the rules? All competitive shooters, novice or experienced, should have a copy of the current rule book for the competition they're shooting, and should be familiar with it. If a rule is unclear to you, you can ask a tournament official or Official Referee for help. There are two important things to remember about the rules: 1. The rules apply to everyone, from a Master Grade shooter with several National Championships to his credit to a new D Grade shooter attending their second match, and 2. You may not agree with all the rules, but you must follow them, both in spirit and in letter.

Key Technicalities

There are a few details not generally covered by rule books or competition programs, but which are important:

1. Be sure your entry form is filled out completely, correctly and legibly. Include current grades or category, when appropriate.
2. Some competitors feel that protesting is "causing trouble" and they "don't want to make waves." These same competitors will then complain unofficially about the issue and "that person's allowed to get away with." Don't forget, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. If you, as a competitor, see valid rule infractions which are not corrected after notifying a match official, protest and get an official from the Referee or Jury.
3. Be punctual, or better than being punctual, get there early. An hour is sometimes not too long to get gun checked, check your squadding, and get ready to compete. If the program states the match begins at 8:00 am, you can be 99% sure that the first detail will be on the line at 8:00 am ready to shoot. Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the match, especially if the location of the range is unfamiliar to you. Arriving late and rushing about to get yourself and your equipment ready is almost guaranteed to ruin your shooting day, so give yourself plenty of time. If you arrive after the preparation period, you might not be able to shoot at all.
4. Don't be afraid to go to your first match. Everyone has to start somewhere. Provided you follow the rules, other shooters are always happy and willing to answer questions and help you along.
5. Offer to help out. The vast majority of competitions are conducted by just a handful of volunteers. Extra help is always welcome. Granted, you've paid your entry fee and are entitled to devote your attention to your shooting, but you can still offer to help on the range after the match, put away equipment or any number of other tasks. Without the people who give up their shooting time in order to provide it for others, there wouldn't be a competition. So do your part as a competitor.
6. Be sure clothing worn to a competition reflects your concern for comfort and safety as well as recognition on your part that competitive shooting should be represented in as positive a manner as possible. Especially when TV or newspaper coverage will take place, attire should be in good taste in order to enhance the image of this sport being conveyed to the general public. Items containing controversial or offensive slogans or which, in any other way, could detract from the traditional sporting aspect of competition are unnecessary and strongly discouraged. In some cases, inappropriate clothing could be the basis for a match sponsor not allowing a competitor to participate.

Enjoy yourself. Sometimes it's hard to remember to do that, but try to keep in mind that while competitive shooting can be serious, demanding, and nerve-racking, it is still great fun and is populated by the nicest people in the world - other shooters.

Extracts from the National Rifle Association Tips on Being a Good Competitor

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