Laser pistol for modern pentathlon

[seamaster]

Modern pentathlon world cup is using laser pistol officially now in their Butapest competition.

http://usapentathlon.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/1028

Has anyone use those official laser pistol? How do they feel? Which company make those pistol/ electronic target?

Might be an excellent setup for in the house training for children and adult.

[miacdc]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/modern_ ... 617880.stm

[Bob-Riegl]

While this may a "new" way to shoot a formerly "military" style event, it nonetheless smacks of the "ANTI-GUN" movement. Sounds cute and benign, but we in the States are always suspicious of these types of "changes"as a part of the overall UN campaign against guns. I cannot quite begin to believe the attempts to remove firearms from the hands of the civilian population and leave the peace keeping to an organization that cannot control an attack of ants. This is a ludicrous, Casper Milquetoast European move that could ultimately turn all of our target guns into useless toys---I wonder if the fencing events will start to use Star Wars Laser Swords????" Bah Humbug---Scrooge"-----"Doc"

[Gwhite]

I can't believe they are serious about this. What about dealing with recoil? If the pistol doesn't disturb the sight alignment when firing, it removes a large part of the traditional challenge. As long as they are going to force everyone to buy fancy new pistols, they least they could do is put in a solenoid and a weight system.

I'm appalled.

[peterz]

What a foolish idea this is. Will they next include an Advanced PowerPoint Presentation event to go along with the introduction of laser pointers screwed to a wood block? Should it be based on time to present 15 slides, ability to read 6 point type at 10 meters, or will they include a creativity score for amusing animation?

Shooting is shooting. This sounds like something only the United Kingdom's anti-gun bureaucrats could have dreamed up.

[Guest]

Modern pentathlon world cup is using laser pistol officially now in their Butapest competition.

http://usapentathlon.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/1028

Has anyone use those official laser pistol? How do they feel? Which company make those pistol/ electronic target?

Might be an excellent setup for in the house training for children and adult.

I wouldn't get all excited as they are also looking at forcing all the shooting sports to go to laser guns.

[Shooting Kiwi]

Since quite a lot of people get beaten up or killed by assailants wielding baseball bats, etc., will baseball bats, cricket bats, hockey sticks, etc., etc., also be under threat? And what about the danger of bare hands? In fact, since most sports are a form of ritual combat, let's ban them all! Alternatively, we could give these idiot politicians what they deserve.

[Richard H]

More people are killed by tobacco and cars yet they're still around.

[Mike M.]

Modern pentathlon world cup is using laser pistol officially now in their Butapest competition.

http://usapentathlon.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/1028

Has anyone use those official laser pistol? How do they feel? Which company make those pistol/ electronic target?

Might be an excellent setup for in the house training for children and adult.

It's apparently one business, with an expensive product. One wonders who got paid off.

[Andre]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/modern_ ... 617880.stm

""There will be no dangerous situations and spectators cannot influence the results. The shooting can be in front of the spectators' seats, it's so safe.""

This man is a bloody disgrace.

Maybe he should be dragged to an ISSF World Cup, he can count all the ambulances as spectators bodies pile up in the stands from all the "dangerous situations". How do we vote this clown out of his office?

[vin]

No...
Wii Pentathlon!

[Mike M.]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/modern_ ... 617880.stm

""There will be no dangerous situations and spectators cannot influence the results. The shooting can be in front of the spectators' seats, it's so safe.""

This man is a bloody disgrace.

Maybe he should be dragged to an ISSF World Cup, he can count all the ambulances as spectators bodies pile up in the stands from all the "dangerous situations". How do we vote this clown out of his office?

Amen to that. Pierre de Courbetin would be sick if he could see what's happened.

[Dr. Jim]

I count 12 inspection stickers on the pistol shown - were there that many competitions in which the "laser" was used?
Where are the rules for this type posted?
Dr Jim

[David Levene]

I count 12 inspection stickers on the pistol shown - were there that many competitions in which the "laser" was used?

If you look on the bench you will see the original air barrel that has been replaced by the laser system. Presumably most of the EC stickers are from "air" matches.

Where are the rules for this type posted?

Not exactly detailed but see rule B.5.21 at http://www.pentathlon.org/images/Rules/ ... 010rev.pdf

More details are at http://www.pentathlon.org/Downloads/Tec ... r_2009.pdf starting at the bottom of page 10.

[Philadelphia]

I can't believe they are serious about this. What about dealing with recoil? If the pistol doesn't disturb the sight alignment when firing, it removes a large part of the traditional challenge. As long as they are going to force everyone to buy fancy new pistols, they least they could do is put in a solenoid and a weight system.

I'm appalled.

I've always looked at it the same way. Without recoil, the skillset of actually shooting gets cut off after the sear releases. Actually shooting has become an increasingly vestigal skill in the world arena soon to fade into the oblivion of laser pointing -- olympic level laser pointing no less. A skill with little to no practical value other than as a form of dryfire warmup to real shooting. I'll stick with the NRA here at home.

[peterz]

Over the years I bet more pentatheletes (and spectators?) have been injured by horses jumping obstacles than have been shot with air gun pellets. As if safety were a consideration.

[Scotty]

Could this be happening at that event as they are shooting outdoors?

[Bill32]

Over the years I bet more pentatheletes (and spectators?) have been injured by horses jumping obstacles than have been shot with air gun pellets. As if safety were a consideration.

Surely for the sake of avoiding to have to put down horses who are badly injured in the riding section, shouldn't the live horse be replaced with say an electrromechanical bucking bronco type device? Don't tell me that wouldn't improve the ratings. Plus with the very safe laser pistol one can have the combine event of equine/pistol shooting, the firing line replaced with the mechanical Bull, that should up the difficulty.

I can't think of a single fatality related to target shooting at the ISSF level.

You are certainly infinitely more likely to be killed/injured in an auto crash on the way to an event.

Think of the horses.

[David Levene]

I can't think of a single fatality related to target shooting at the ISSF level.

Please remember that this has got absolutely nothing to do with the ISSF.

[Dr. Jim]

Thanks David for the direction to the changed rules. I do note that the committee voted 41 to 0 in favour of the change. Seems to me that it means a substantial increase in costs for MP local committees, and a major step in the "dumbing down" of the sport. When I started shooting, these kids were using 22short rapidfire pistols and the old full RF silhouette, and we thought that the game was not up to the challenges of the centrefire pistol and 3 mile cross-country ride. Sigh ........ more transformations designed to get rid of the guns.

Dr Jim
Bullseye and ISSF competitor
Canadian National Official