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Do You Know Where Your Muzzle Is?

From the instant you hear the buzzer and draw your pistol, to the moment the Safety Officer instructs you to reholster, your muzzle must be pointed at the dirt berm and nowhere else. It's easy to do while you are actually firing on a target, because our stages are designed to place all the targets between you and the berm.

It's harder to maintain that safe muzzle direction while you are moving near barriers and reloading. Our SOs are especially watchful for muzzle discipline at these points in a stage. We have compiled the following tips on how to avoid muzzle violations, along with video clips of shooters illustrating the techniques that we like to see. Before your next match at AAFG, please read the text and click on the thumbnails to view the clips.
Moving Around a Barrier
Don't crowd the barrier. If you are standing arms length plus gun length back from the barrier, then you can sweep across it with arms extended and muzzle pointed towards the berm. If you are close to the barrier, then bring the pistol to low ready, close to your chest, and turn your body while keeping the muzzle pointed at the berm.
Moving Along A Barrier
Again, don't crowd the barrier! Either bring the gun to low ready or extend it in front of you while moving. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, preferably above the trigger to make it easy for the SOs to see that you are doing it right.
Reloading
Pay careful attention to muzzle direction while reloading. There is a natural tendency to bring your pistol close to your face while reloading, with the risk of raising the muzzle. Practice reloading while keeping the muzzle horizontal. It's OK to rotate the magazine well towards your weak hand, so long as the muzzle remains horizontal.
Reloading Near a Barrier
Once again, don't crowd the barrier! Stay arms length plus gun length away, or even step back at the start of a reload. That way it's easy to remain behind proper cover during your reload, and you won't be constrained by the barrier to raise your muzzle in order to reload.