Well, I don't know how cheating gets in this but I agree that switching mags to get an advantage is cheating. Yep, the competitor does earn his penalties but they're some judgment calls in IDPA that the SO has to make.

What I wanted to discuss without being too specific is the issue of an SO giving someone a penalty without telling them. I can see your side on the ftn but what about a cover call? Or any procedural really, doesn't the competitor have the right to know what the SO was calling it for? I just wanted to know if it is a widely used practice not to say anything to the competitor.

Ross