IDPA Rule Question

[Unforgiven]

How much time can elapse between standby and the start signal? I don't want your best guess, I want a written rule. I have looked everywhere and can't find anything.

Thanks.

[SuperSet]

Not aware of one. Why do you ask?
Gryff will be along shortly to school us all on everything IDPA.

[Unforgiven]

It came up last week. I was on standby for 5 seconds, it seemed like a very long time. I always thought it was 1 to 3 seconds.

[stretch64]

There is nothing in the rule book about the amount of delay between the "Standby" command and the start signal. Shot a sanctioned match a while back and on one stage the timer was set with about a 4-5 second delay. The SO would hit the button at the "Standby" command.

[Unforgiven]

There has to be some limit. I am an SO, I can hold the shooter for five minutes? Doesn't seem right.

[tsname]

There has to be some limit. I am an SO, I can hold the shooter for five minutes? Doesn't seem right.

I'm sure it would have to be something reasonable. Somewhere within the range of 1 to 5 seconds. Even 10 seconds feels like forever; take 8 seconds for a bull rider for example.

Does it seem reasonable to hold a shooter for five minutes?

[stretch64]

I am an SO, I can hold the shooter for five minutes?

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it!

[SuperSet]

I agree. Let's not get all crazed out with 5 minute timer start. You got 80-100 shooters to go through.

[Bob Hostetter]

The referrence to 1-3 seconds is from the IPSC/USPSA rulebook.

[galekowitz]

I have a bad habit of getting a predictable cadence. Not even sure it's a problem. The random function on the timer can feel like forever.

[Gryff]

There is no rule about it. The point of the command is to freeze the shooter and prepare them for the buzzer. I personally think anything over 3-4 seconds is excessive, but that's a subjective thing.

Generally, I vary between one and three seconds. Sometimes a hair longer if the shooter is twitchy and I'm feeling evil. But like Stretch said, we shot a sanctioned match where the SO was running the buzzer at 4-5 seconds consistently. Five seconds is a LONG time when you are waiting for that beep to go off (and I felt it was too long, but I wasn't in charge).

[Scotty]

USPSA rulebook is 1 to 4 seconds. Section 8.3.3.

IDPA doesn't have a lot written rules that should be there, like calibration of pepper poppers.

[tenpercentfirearms]

Along those lines, if a SO does not give the standby command and suddenly the buzzer goes off, what is the procedure?

I would think the shooter should not start shooting and ask to re-start. What if the shooter shoots a clearly frustrated stage and asks for a re-shoot?

[Gryff]

Along those lines, if a SO does not give the standby command and suddenly the buzzer goes off, what is the procedure?

I would think the shooter should not start shooting and ask to re-start. What if the shooter shoots a clearly frustrated stage and asks for a re-shoot?

I would argue that it's SO interference. The procedure is dictated by the rulebook (even if the timing is not specified). If the RO does not follow the official procedure, the shooter has a right to argue over it.

The procedure is pretty standardized across the action pistol sports, barring minor verbiage differences. An SO skipping a step is a pretty significant error.

USPSA rulebook is 1 to 4 seconds. Section 8.3.3.

IDPA doesn't have a lot written rules that should be there, like calibration of pepper poppers.

And the USPSA rulebook has its interesting quirks, like how a shooter can receive the "Standby" signal, but then yank their gun out and take a whole new sight picture without penalty (8.7.1). Or how a shooter must be allowed to see their hits before they are taped (9.6.1 and 9.6.2), unless they are taped before the shooter sees them (9.1.3 - that's my favorite since it also loses you your right to appeal the score call).