How to hold a SASS-like match at a club...

[Carolina Gunslinger]

...Where people are highly ignorant about single action revolvers? 

To give you an idea of the obstacles I'm up against: 

•Holsters must fully cover the trigger. How do I talk around this? Most if not all of my single action holsters have some if not all of the trigger exposed. I have tried to emphasize tension on the cylinder as a safety feature in the holster. 

 

•Lack of firearms knowledge:

When I said I shot a competition firing a gun in each hand (gun fighter)...a gentleman while looking at me dead serious and asked, "How do you cock them?" I was floored. I did the motions in the air and he got the picture. The details of his background would shock you in light of this question. I am beginning to believe that the term "firearms instructor" is not the mantle of expertise so many see it as. It would appear even more true when "law enforcement" is paired up with this deceptive term. They recently opposed the idea to allow fully automatic fire, yet okayed bump stocks and binary triggers at fully cyclic rate. 

 

At a bare minimum I am trying to get a waiver from the board of directors to draw from western style holsters so I can at least practice somewhat and which can open the door to development of interest in SASS-like shooting at the club. Steel shooting is a sensitive topic due to the many "experts" that are quite certain that rounds get out of the range due to pepper poppers being double and triple tapped...because everyone can and does this all the time. 

 

Please help me figure a way to sell this. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. 

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Many tears ago one of the OR gun clubs had board members that were very hesitant regarding allowing CAS shooting on their range.
Particularly the use of loading tables oriented into side berms.

 

I provided copies of the SHB and RO1 course materials to them and attended a board meeting to answer questions emphasizing the many safety protocols that SASS has in place.

 

SASS/CAS has been one of that club's most popular disciplines for many years since.

(a number of the original Wild Bunch members have attended annual matches there in the past, including the OR State match at one time).

 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

One local club had some club officers who wanted all shooting disciplines to follow USPSA safety rules exclusively.  However, this was quashed when it was pointed out that these rules would encumber clays, bench rest and CAS matches.  The solution was to follow the range basic rules and nationally-recognized match protocols for these activities as these activities had a fine safety record.

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

I would think SASS HQ would have resources (or a POC) tailored exactly to this... or they should. There are many "firearms experts", instructors in their field that know little to nothing of single action revolvers and lever action rifles other than what they've seen on TV or what Ol' Uncle Bubba told them. Usually an education is in order, to include actual demonstrations. It absolutely blows peoples' minds that some of our top shooters can out shoot someone with a semiauto. The terms cold range, loading table officer and ULT officer should be emphasized in order to get them to understand that even though our processes are different, they are no less safe.

Education in a manner they can understand is key.

[Sarge]

See if you can get them to schedule an exhibition match.  Set up one or two stages.  Invite the people who you need to convince to participate.  Supply firearms and ammo (We do this periodically during the year to entice new shooters using .22s.  Ammo is cheaper and they are firing factory ammo.) Conduct a safety briefing, and and exhibition.  Bring in some experienced shooters that will help you run them through the stages.  You may even end up with some new Cowboys.  

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

SASS has safety rules that are more conservative than those of most other action shooting sports.  We don’t shoot on the move or move with a cocked gun.  We start the stage with an empty chamber.  We don’t decock on the line.  We typically shoot the guns dry and leaving an empty case or hull in a long gun earns a safety penalty.  The game is designed to be accessible to shooters of all ages and levels of skill.

 

The safety record under SASS rules is excellent, even though we so some things a little differently.  “SASS rules apply” will encourage experienced shooters to support your match.  A hodgepodge of special club rules will cause shooters to avoid your matches.