What’s the call

[Rye Miles #13621]

A guy posted that he’s always shot 49er but he decided to try duelist. His first stage he drew his first pistol and shot it two handed. OOPS, He corrected himself with the next pistol and the rest of the shoot. I know it’s a P for shooting out of category blah blah blah. I said I’d be inclined to let it go and remind him of the P for shooting out of category. Everyone wanted to give him a P and disagrees with me. Aren’t we supposed to be shooter friendly? He didn’t break any safety rules and it’s understandable when that timer went off his muscle memory kicked in and he shot two-handed as he always did. Again this was his first attempt at duelist.

What do ya think?

Edited July 21 by Rye Miles #13621

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

It is a P, but if this was just a local monthly match I would be inclined to suggest what you suggested if the posse agreed BUT if this was a bigger match he should get the P period.

[Rye Miles #13621]

6 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

It is a P, but if this was just a local monthly match I would be inclined to suggest what you suggested if the posse agreed BUT if this was a bigger match he should get the P period.

Sure for a big match like a state or regional I agree. This was a local match.

[Cypress Sun]

No one is going to win a Cadillac even at a local match.

 

Consider it a learning experience, call it by the rules....it's a P. 

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Ten seconds is a very cheap lesson.
Plus a reminder that the next time (in the same match) would be a SDQ...3rd time = MDQ.

 

...and the posse's opinion is irrelevant.

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

22 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

Ten seconds is a very cheap lesson.
Plus a reminder that the next time (in the same match) would be a SDQ...3rd time = MDQ.

 

...and the posse's opinion is irrelevant.

 

 

I also think that a warning would be a very friendly way of reminding him of the rules at least for the first time. He only went out of category on his first pistol and he caught his mistake himself. He knew what he did wrong.

Edited July 21 by Rye Miles #13621

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Just now, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I also think that a warning would be a very friendly way of reminding him of the rules at least for the first time. He only went out of category on his first pistol the. He causing his mistake himself. He knew what he did wrong.

 

...and the 10-second "P" will probably help him remember.

 

As per your OP:
"Everyone wanted to give him a P and disagrees with me."

[Stump Water]

"It's just a monthly."

 

41 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

call it by the rules....it's a P

 

If you don't you're doing a disservice to everyone shooting the match.  What are you going to let the next shooter on the next stage get away with because, "It's just a monthly" ?

[Rye Miles #13621]

18 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

...and the 10-second "P" will probably help him remember.

 

As per your OP:
"Everyone wanted to give him a P and disagrees with me."

He didn’t forget, he was fine the rest of the match. He knew what he did, he didn’t need a reminder!

 

Just to clarify, I wasn’t there. This was a shooter that posted on SASS Facebook. I still say I’d vote to give him a break. Just MHO 

Edited July 22 by Rye Miles #13621

[Eyesa Horg]

1 hour ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

It is a P, but if this was just a local monthly match I would be inclined to suggest what you suggested if the posse agreed BUT if this was a bigger match he should get the P period.

+1

[Blackwater 53393]

When I started shooting SASS, it was at one of the top clubs in the area and probably the country!

 

My first match, I was mentored by the owner of the club and property. He was thorough with his instructions, (he was also a Territorial Governor, a Regulator, and a TO2) and he explained that at that club, the rules were enforced strictly because many members travelled and shot in major matches all over the country. “If you always play by the rules, you can go anywhere in the world and you’ll be able to compete and avoid any unusual penalties,” he explained.  “When you go to End of Trail, they don’t want to hear, ‘That’s not the way we do it at my home club’, or any kind of similar excuse!”

 

HE WAS RIGHT!!
 

 

[Rattlesnake Slim]

There's nothing more "shooter friendly" than applying the rules equally to everyone.

[Equanimous Phil]

On 7/22/2026 at 12:51 AM, Rye Miles #13621 said:

He didn’t break any safety rules

 

An action that causes a P is AFAIK never a safety issue.

 

If a shooter realizes after the first shot that he startet on the wrong target, but then shoots the rest of the sequence correctly also gets the P, doesn't he?

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

2 hours ago, Equanimous Phil said:

 

An action that causes a P is AFAIK never a safety issue.

 

If a shooter realizes after the first shot that he startet on the wrong target, but then shoots the rest of the sequence correctly also gets the P, doesn't he?

 

YES.

[John Kloehr]

Could he have been given a break? Sure.

 

Had it been me making the error, I would not have complained about this P which I clearly earned. As described, it was a brain fade, the exact reason describing the penalty.

 

P (maybe with a "sorry to see you do that"), next shooter.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

In my opinion, NOT giving an earned penalty is not a.'good favor'  anymore than giving an earned penalty being a detriment.

 

The 'P' was earned and the 'P' should have been awarded.

 

..........Widder