Fix it. Finish it. Argue later.

You’re standing there like a tax-paying citizen. “With bolts closed on empty chambers…LOAD.” Drop to position, squeeze off one shot—and your mag chokes. Or worse, it jams before the first round even gets out.

This isn’t a moment for thinking. This is a moment for reloading.

What You Do

Don’t pause. Don’t save rounds. Don’t look around hoping for sympathy.

Fix the malfunction. Reload. Fire all 10.

You don’t get points for hesitation. You get zeros. This is service rifle, not story hour.

Why It’s Legal (And You Better Know It)

CMP Rule 7.5.2: If a competitor experiences a malfunction during rapid-fire that requires reloading, they may reload with another magazine or clip to complete firing. The only restriction is that no more than 10 rounds may be fired in the rapid-fire string.

That rule doesn’t care whether the malfunction happened before your first shot or after your eighth. If it happened after the command to fire, it’s a mid-string malfunction, and you’re allowed to reload and finish the job.

You’re not breaking anything. You’re literally following the rule as written.

What Might Happen After

Sometimes the Range Officer gets it—they’ve been there. They’ll nod and move on.

But sometimes you’ll get the other kind. The self-appointed match lawyer. The competitor next to you who saw you slam in a new mag and thinks they’ve just caught you cheating. They’ll go tattle. Maybe a RO comes over with questions.

That’s fine.

You calmly say:

“I had a malfunction during the string. I reloaded and fired 10 rounds total. CMP Rule 7.5.2 covers it.”

Then stop. If they want to keep talking, refer them to the rulebook. If they’re still unsure, ask (politely) for the Chief RO or Match Director. You’re not being difficult—you’re just defending a legal action, done by the book.

Final Word

If your mag dies after the command to fire—whether or not you got a round out—you reload and finish. No hesitation. No panic. No drama.

Fire 10. Argue later. Be calm. Be right. Keep the points.