Pistol Malfunction Rules

[David Levene]

I was quite satisfied that I understood the new rules.......until I read the following on the ISSF site:-

The new 2005 rules are as follows:
“8.8.4.5.1 In the case of a NON-ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION every shot that is not fired will be scored as a miss (zero). No re-fire or completion is permitted….” Thus, if only three shots are fired before the malfunction, scoring say 10, 9, & 10. The five-shot series score will be 29 (ie. the total of the three shots fired). “8.8.4.5.2 In the case of an ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION the following procedures will be followed….” Some ambiguity has been found in the Rules when a second Malfunction occurs during the repetition series of 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, or 25m Standard Pistol: “8.8.4.5.2.1.2 The shooter must fire all five (5) shots at the target(s) in any repeat series, unless a further malfunction occurs. Any shot(s) not fired or not hitting the target in the re-fire must be scored as miss(es) (zero(s)). The shooter may continue to shoot the remainder of the event.” The Spirit of the Rules is that no shooter should be able to gain any advantage after a malfunction (hence the need to fire all five shots within the time allowed in any repetition situation). However, it is not intended that any shooter, having had one ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION (AM) and having to count the lowest value shots, should be further penalised. Accordingly, the scoring procedure must be as follows: IF THERE IS a further malfunction, the shooter may not re-fire again (but unfired shots must NOT be scored as zero(s)); the scoring must be as in 8.8.4.5.2.1.6: “8.8.4.5.2.1.6 If the shooter is unable to complete a full series in the one (1) permitted re-shoot, he must be credited only with as many of the lowest value hit(s) as the highest number of shots he has fired in the series or in the repeat series.” The scoring may be clearer using the following example. If a 25m shooter gets “9, 10, 10, 10, AM”, and then in the repetition gets “9, Malfunction”, he must be given a score of: 25m Rapid Fire Pistol 39 (and not 29 or 9 that are other possibilities depending upon how the Rule might be interpreted); that is the lowest value shot on each of four targets and one zero for the “fifth” shot that was never fired or, scoring only four shots because that was the maximum number fired in either series. 25m Standard Pistol 38 that is the lowest value four shots on the target and one zero for the “fifth” shot that was never fired, or scoring only four shots because that was the maximum number fired in either series. In the latest version (SA 931) of the Sius AG Electronic Scoring Targets (EST), the malfunction scores are computed automatically by the EST after the Jury-supervised input of “Allowable” or “Non-Allowable” at the Printer controls. Therefore, it is very important that all Range Officers and Jury Members follow precisely the algorithm (series of pre-determined steps) that is programmed into the EST. This has been based upon the reasoning above, and applies to all targets (paper or electronic). Hallo

[Steve Swartz]

David:

Not sure I understand the question . . . ?

Steve

[Fred Mannis]

David,
If I were interested in trying to understand this rule (which I am not), then I would lay it out as a decision tree. Maybe you could get Steve Swartz to do this for you :-)

Fred

[David Levene]

It is not a particularly difficult rule to understand but splitting the explanation up into a few paragraphs would have made it a LOT easier to read.

[race1911]

Hi......can someone briefly explain the rule.........something like: The first allowable malfunction will result in : Any subsequent malfunctions will result in: Thankyou, race1911

[David Levene]

Hi......can someone briefly explain the rule.........something like: The first allowable malfunction will result in : Any subsequent malfunctions will result in: Thankyou, race1911

For an NAM you only get the shots fired.

For an AM in Rapid and Standard you repeat the series. The score is the lowest shot on each target in Rapid and the lowest 5 shots on the target in Standard. If there is a further malfunction in the repeat series then:-

In Rapid, decide the highest number of shots fired in each of the 2 series (AM followed by NAM) and score that number of targets. The score on each target is the lowest value shot fired at it (a missed fired shot counts as a zero).

In Standard, decide the highest number of shots in each of the 2 series (AM followed by NAM). The score is that number of the lowest value shots fired (a missed fired shot counts as a zero).

In Centre-Fire and 25m (Sport Pistol) you get the score on the target.

[Spencer C]

As an 'explanation', I agree with David that the bit on the ISSF News is a bit difficult for 'readability'.

For those familiar with 25m malfunction scoring, under the 2005 rules it is probably easiest to deal with the first malfunction reshoot as you would have with the second malfunction reshoot inder the previous rules.

Unfortunately the explanation does not also cover the score example quoted for Standard Pistol (i.e. the lowest value hits to the greatest number of shots...) which would be 10, 10, 9, 9, 0 = 38.

In this world there are two types of people; those that understand scoring of 25m malfunction reshoots, and those that don't.
Explaining the procedures to rifle-background personnel who are pressed into Classification Office duties on a 25m range can be an interesting experience.

Spencer

[David Levene]

The ISSF have issued a more readable version of the malfunction rules clarification.