Steve Koski wrote:
Garry,

The FTDR isn't for having a malfunction. Malfunctions happen on the clock all the time and the shooter pays the price with a poor time. The FTDR is for:

3. Not reloading to fire one more round because your
score will be better even with the miss.


Here are the three cases:

FTDR 1: Shooter simply ran empty but didn't reload and fire the final required shot.
FTDR 2: Shooter had a malfunction, cleared it, but didn't reload and fire the final required shot.
Case 3: Shooter had a dud round (revolver) but didn't reload and fire the final required shot.

Nobody's gun was broken.

What is the correct call?

Koski
Dead on right! A dud revolver round is just that... a dud round. Some might consider that a malfunction, but the gun did just what it was supposed to do -- it hit the primer. The primer was bad and didn't go off. The gun was not broken... the round just sucked. You could dump the fired cases and dud round out... put some live rounds in... and go back to whacking targets (which is what I did when confronted with that situation). I've had misfired rounds when shooting a semi-auto. I racked the slide, popped a fresh one in, and kept going. Is a revolver so different?

The gun's fine... ain't broke or nothin'... just a bum round. Ya got more bullets? OK, stick 'em in and go back ta shootin'. 

If it is truly considered a malfunction... as opposed to a broken gun... isn't the shooter supposed to clear it and continue... in accordance with the current Rule Book?  To claim a COF ending 'malfunction' and stop there to take the score as it stands... when all that occured was a bad round... and when other rounds were available in the belt pouch, but the shooter chose not to take the time to reload and continue... is, as the Rule Book clearly notes... a FTDR.

Ya shoulda called that one Steve. And, that shooter at leasts owes you a nice Christmas card, or maybe a few beers. 

Chris Christian A23489   former SO 
Arguing with a fool is like rolling around in the mud with a pig. You both get filthy dirty, but the pig enjoys it.