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Disabled accomodations


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My Fiancé is interested in starting cowboy action shooting and may do her first match in July, but we are having issues with sights.  She is disabled and only has use of one hand and also has depth perception/visual spatial issues as well as color contrast, in addition to being in a wheelchair.

 

Basically if you take two like color things (like front and rear sights) and put one in front of the other she can’t perceive the separation of one from the other, it basically blends together in to a single object.  In other words she has to have contrast to see properly, or at least to see detail.

 

Ad to that issues with depth perception and spatial awareness.

 

The result is that if you give her traditional blacked out iron sights she cannot align them properly.

 

However if given contrasting sights she does fine though spatial awareness is still an issue (a red dot fixes that.

 

So my question is do the rules allow for any exceptions for disabilities?  For example, modern style sights with colored inserts or fiber optics (as an annoying percentage of “modern” style sights seem to be).  Obviously red dots are out but what if the frame is drilled and tapped for an optics rail but the rail is removed?


Also, though she can use one hand she has issues thumb cocking  and I sometimes have to operate the hammer for her, and have to hold rifles and shotguns because she effectively has no support hand.

 

Is any of that allowed?  Can any accommodations be made?

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Contrasting sights is an easy fix, not having the use of a support hand isn’t. Are you planning on levering her rifle for her every time, and supporting it?

 

I don’t think that’s feasible in the long run. Perhaps she could shoot Josey Wales (all pistols).

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I recommend you go to a local club and see if their stages are setup where you can access them in a wheelchair. Then talk to them about accommodations that can be made. As stated contrasting colors can be easily done and stay SASS legal. Local clubs can and most will do whatever they can to help someone shoot. The biggest issue as I see it is safety, can she safely handle a firearm without the use of a support hand? Again I recommend you go and talk to a local club.

 

 Thanks 

Randy 

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This is from the Shooters Handbook.

 

SIGHTS
All Firearms
 - Sights must look like sights available during the cowboy era. Bead, blade, simple post, or otherwise approved front sights (such as the XS Cowboy Express) made of materials such as steel, iron, ivory, faux ivory, brass, gold, pewter, copper, or silver are allowed.
- Colors other than those of the materials referenced above or any “fluorescent” materials may not be applied to either front or rear sights.
- Rear and front sights may be “blacked,” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials. If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.
- All rear sights may have their openings adjusted.
- The front sight may be raised or lowered to bring point-of-aim and point-of-impact
into alignment.
- The back of the front sight may be serrated.
  Rifle Sights
 - Tang mounted rear sights may utilize changeable “peep” apertures and eyecups.
- No bolt or receiver mounted sight is permitted.
- Dovetails may be milled in the barrel for sight replacement.
- Beach style front sights and sight hoods are allowed.

 

Randy

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I don’t think that’s feasible in the long run. Perhaps she could shoot Josey Wales (all pistols).  All pistols could be staged.  We have a shooter that uses pistols for rifle targets.  You can always use revolvers for all targets including shotgun targets. That would require 5 pistols but you can use some 22's.  The knockdowns can be used as "hit" targets.   Can all targets be engaged from one position? There are lots of things that can be done.  Can any accommodations be made? Absolutely!!  Talk to the clubs members.  Have fun and be creative while being safe.  

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