Loading table etiquette vs. the rules

[Shooting Bull]

Hmmm, which is safer? I would think that putting them on the loading table is safer, then walk the 10 to 20' to your cart and then come back. The rules are the rules, someone with better foresight than I put them in place. I'll follow them regardless if I agree with them or not.

 

I really gotta wonder why you didn't have your glasses on to begin with. They can replace damn near everything on your body.......except your eyesight.

 

CS

 

I'm not at all trying to start anything or be a wise ass but I'm curious, why do you think that's safer?

[Blastmaster]

In my limited decade of shooting, I have 'never' seen a shooter called for leaving the LT/ULT (before being called up to the line or released from ULT) with loaded/unchecked pistols! Not that there wasn't a case where it could've been!! And we are on page 3.

[Henry T Harrison]

Hmmm, which is safer? I would think that putting them on the loading table is safer, then walk the 10 to 20' to your cart and then come back. The rules are the rules, someone with better foresight than I put them in place. I'll follow them regardless if I agree with them or not.

 

I really gotta wonder why you didn't have your glasses on to begin with. They can replace damn near everything on your body.......except your eyesight.

 

CS

The glasses were just an example. In 50 years of shooting and 40 years of carrying a gun for a living one thing I have learned is that guns are safer in the holster than in the hand

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

I holster my pistols after checked. Well, one match, for some reason I left them on the table. Then when I went to holster one of them the barrel caught on the table and it twirled out of my hand and on to the ground, MDQ.

 

After that I seldom leave pistols on the table, and if I do, I'm dang careful when I go to holster them.

Been there, done that too. MDQ . After that pistols no longer sit on the table. One of the contributing factors was the number of people "stacked" up at the loading table.

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

SDQ on walking away with pistol from LT, I've done it, had to give myself a SDQ, no problem, gave me a lesson. But also feel the LTO should keep his eyes and thoughts on the shooter and the firearms, and try to prevent this. To many LTO use their time to socialize. My thoughts are on loading and counting.

But I've also seen, were shooters were not given a penalty several times, or gave themselves one when they were the posse leader, or the MD.

Personally, I feel if a shooter needs to go to his cart for something, I would rather have them walk there with pistols safely in holster, rather then handle them 2 more times, which may be more unsafe.

I see to many loading tables which could easily handle 4 to 5 shooters, but are limited by the loading boxes of several shooters, and pistols spread out along with rifle and shotgun, leaving room for barely 3, if that many, and some shooters are rigid on not moving a step away, or up from their firearms. One reason I like to shoot toward the end. MT

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

 

 

Lets think about this. I go to the loading table load my pistols, holster and put the

hammer thongs on. Then I remember I forgot my shooting glasses. Which is safer?

Unholstering both pistols and returning them to the loading table while I go to

my cart and then reholstering or simply walking back to my cart and retrieving my

glasses. It seems like handling loaded guns more than necessary is not the best option

 

 

 

HTH, at the range where I am a club officer we would have to eject you from the range for doing this. Our insurance policy states we must operate a cold range. Loaded firearms are only permitted at the firing line. For CAS the firing line begins at the loading table and ends at the unloading table. We cannot operate in a way that invalidates our insurance.

[Cypress Sun]

I'm not at all trying to start anything or be a wise ass but I'm curious, why do you think that's safer?

 

Sorry for the delay in answering the question, was busy last night and this am.

 

I think it's safer for the shooter penalty wise. With the guns on the table there is no way to recieve a penalty. If someone else drops the guns off of the table, the penalty is not recieved by the shooter. I'm also of the firm belief that no gun has ever picked itself up and shot someone.

 

One thing that has always bothered me is the situation where the shooter stages his guns and someone notices that the shotgun targets are down. Most often they have the shooter pick up the rifle/shotgun and hold them muzzle up while someone resets the targets. Me personally would rather the guns stay staged with no human interaction.

 

Another thing.......it doesn't bother me if you would like to be a wise ass........a little humor goes a long way in this world.

 

CS

[Griff]

Lets think about this. I go to the loading table load my pistols, holster and put the

hammer thongs on. Then I remember I forgot my shooting glasses. Which is safer?

Unholstering both pistols and returning them to the loading table while I go to

my cart and then reholstering or simply walking back to my cart and retrieving my

glasses. It seems like handling loaded guns more than necessary is not the best option

Safety glasses are required at any time you are within "line of sight" of the firing line. Some clubs state a specific distance. If you don't have your safety glasses on at our club you'll be asked to leave the shooting area... this would entail unloading your guns, packing up and leaving the stage. Safe.

 

In the way back days... there was a local rule that you didn't leave loaded guns unattended. So, loading your revolver(s), then remembering that you forgot shotgun or rifle, or ammo for either, entailed you unloaded your revolver(s), then retrieved whatever it was you forgot. Still not a bad requirement, IMO... I don't like seeing unattended, loaded guns, laying about for others to have to move or otherwise deal with, while their owner goes about some other business.

[Seldom Seen #16162]

I am simply amazed, no absolutely, no, no tremendously awestruck, at the mere thought of millions of legally armed citizens carrying holstered loaded handguns every day. These poor misguided souls must be shown the folly of their dangerous, even reckless, practice by being shown SASS rules and this thread.

[Seldom Seen #16162]

Another reason to keep your pistols on the table till called to the firing line....

 

Kind of taking a chance when the shooter touches them to holster them ain't he?

[Grizzly Dave]

Now folks, lets not blow this out of proportion.

 

Like others have said, I believe the SASS rule is meant to honor the cold range requirement that many (most?) facilities have.

 

From a strictly safety standpoint, I don't think anyone is arguing that a holstered pistol in unsafe. Just that it leaves the shooter open to the possibility of walking away from the table and earning a SDQ.

[Shooting Bull]

Sorry for the delay in answering the question, was busy last night and this am.

 

I think it's safer for the shooter penalty wise. With the guns on the table there is no way to recieve a penalty. If someone else drops the guns off of the table, the penalty is not recieved by the shooter. I'm also of the firm belief that no gun has ever picked itself up and shot someone.

 

One thing that has always bothered me is the situation where the shooter stages his guns and someone notices that the shotgun targets are down. Most often they have the shooter pick up the rifle/shotgun and hold them muzzle up while someone resets the targets. Me personally would rather the guns stay staged with no human interaction.

 

Another thing.......it doesn't bother me if you would like to be a wise ass........a little humor goes a long way in this world.

 

CS

 

Ah, gotcha.

 

(I get enough practice being a wise ass already. I figured I'd try playing this one straight just to see how if felt. I don't like it. )

[Cypress Sun]

I am simply amazed, no absolutely, no, no tremendously awestruck, at the mere thought of millions of legally armed citizens carrying holstered loaded handguns every day. This poor misguided souls must be shown the folly of their dangerous, even reckless, practice by being shown SASS rules and this thread.

 

Just a wild guess here..........Maybe these "misguided souls" aren't playing a game and are not concerned with defending themselves from unarmed steel targets. Of course, I could be wrong.

[Ace_of_Hearts]

Ah, gotcha.

 

(I get enough practice being a wise ass already. I figured I'd try playing this one straight just to see how if felt. I don't like it. )

 

I told ya so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shooting Bull]

I told ya so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yes you did, and I told you I was gonna start this thread here just to have fun..................I was right, this is fun.

 

(A bit surprised it's only up to three pages though. I guess I need to stir faster. )

[Seldom Seen #16162]

 

Just a wild guess here..........Maybe these "misguided souls" aren't playing a game and are not concerned with defending themselves from unarmed steel targets. Of course, I could be wrong.

Unarmed steel targets...HA!

 

Them things have a way of shooting back by bouncing the bullet back at the shooter and T.O. 'Em little buggers smart when they hit also.

[Cypress Sun]

Unarmed steel targets...HA!

 

Them things have a way of shooting back by bouncing the bullet back at the shooter and T.O. 'Em little buggers smart when they hit also.

 

You ain't just kidding either. Over the last 16 years of this I've bled many, many times........even had to dig some out with a knife. Just another reason for good eye protection.

 

CS

[Shaky Molasses, SASS 20549]

1. I cannot find any reference to “one step” away from the Loading Table on page 31 (or any other page) of the Range Operations Basic Safety Course book. I don’t know what version of the RO1 you guys are using – Waco Jim refers to page 33 – there is no page 33 on the pdf version on the Sassnet website (Version M.3)!!

 

2. The Range Operations Basic Safety Course book is NOT the Rules. The Rules are Shooters Handbook. I cannot find anything in the Shooters Handbook about this.

 

Rule 22 is about moving with a COCKED loaded firearm.

 

Rule 36 reads: “Competitors shall not leave the designated loading area with a loaded firearm unless they are proceeding to the stage as the next competitor to begin the stage.” There is no definition as to how many steps one may take back from the table.

 

So, guys, the jerk asserting the Philly was in violation is a jerk. Nothing more!

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

1. ...

 

2. The Range Operations Basic Safety Course book is NOT the Rules. The Rules are Shooters Handbook. I cannot find anything in the Shooters Handbook about this.

 

.

 

...!

 

 

I would suggest a REread of the SHB...starting on page ONE:

 

 

This Handbook includes the specific rules, regulations, and general guidelines adopted by the Single Action Shooting Society. The SASS Range Operations Basic Course and SASS Range Officer Training Course offer an in-depth interpretation and further clarification of these rules along with applicable penalties.