Range rules and procedures - SSAA comps

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Range rules and procedures - SSAA comps

Post by bladeracer » 05 Jan 2018, 6:20 pm

With practising offhand lever action I've had some stoppages.
So I'm wondering what the procedure is when you have a stoppage during a competition - specifically in a SSAA comp.
Twice the round has fallen off the side of the ramp during feeding so I've rattled it out and cycled the next round in. And occasionally I've dropped the empty back into the action during ejection, again I just rattle them out into my right hand.

Is it simply a matter of clearing the stoppage with the rifle pointed down range or are you supposed to notify the RO?

What if I need to use my knife to extract a case/round from the chamber/action - can that be done on the line?

In a comp with a fixed number of rounds in the mag, if you do have to cycle a live round out can you load it into the tube when you're empty to complete the course of fire?

With the .44 I can drop the round in the action and it'll chamber okay but the .22 I have to point the rifle at the ground and try to get the nose into the chamber - is that okay on the line?
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Re: Range rules

Post by No1Mk3 » 06 Jan 2018, 4:39 am

G'day bladeracer,
Some sub-clubs may have specific rules for actions during comp, but in general, and in the MRC, you are entitled to shoot the allocated rounds in the allocated time, so if you can safely clear a fouled cartridge and reload in time, do it. For stuck cases, only fired cases may be extracted, a stuck live cartridge must be notified to the RO, and the rifle made as safe as possible and removed from SSAA property. Your 3rd point is answered the same as your 1st, if it is 10 rounds in 2 minutes, how you go about cycling them is your business. As for the last, as long as the muzzle is pointing forward of the concrete edge, and no part of your body passes the red line, you can drop the round in, but pointing straight down at the concrete is not permitted, Cheers.
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Re: Range rules

Post by AusTac » 06 Jan 2018, 7:21 am

No1Mk3 wrote:a stuck live cartridge must be notified to the RO, and the rifle made as safe as possible and removed from SSAA property


What! :lol:
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Re: Range rules

Post by No1Mk3 » 06 Jan 2018, 8:30 am

Exactly as it says AusTac, no attempt must be made to remove a stuck live round on SSAA property. Action opened, detachable mags removed, bolt removed if applicable, muzzle kept in as safe a position as possible, firearm to be removed from the range and taken to a gunsmith. Any RO that allows anything else may have their accreditation removed, and the owner may be dismissed from the SSAA. This is part of the Standing Orders for all SSAA Ranges, Cheers.
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Re: Range rules

Post by Gamerancher » 06 Jan 2018, 12:26 pm

During CLAS competition you can, if you have time and can do it safely, clear any empty case or eject a live round and reload it. If it looks like you may run out of time, you can notify the range officer who is running the detail and claim an "alibi". You will be given an allocated amount of time to then shoot your remaining unfired rounds.
Please be aware that an "alibi" is only given due to mechanical malfunction of your firearm or if the firing pin has struck the primer, ( or rim in a rimfire ) and the round has not fired. You can only claim an alibi once per match. If the problem persists it is a case of "too bad, so sad".
Alibi's do not cover ammo not cycling due to a problem with C.O.L or incorrect reloading, i.e, not sized correctly for your rifle, OR, your own personal clumsiness. :lol:
ALSO, during CLAS competition, all rounds must be loaded through the magazine port, they are not allowed to be simply dropped into the chamber.
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Re: Range rules

Post by bladeracer » 06 Jan 2018, 4:59 pm

Thanks Guys :-)
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Re: Range rules

Post by bladeracer » 06 Jan 2018, 5:06 pm

Gamerancher wrote:ALSO, during CLAS competition, all rounds must be loaded through the magazine port, they are not allowed to be simply dropped into the chamber.


I'm glad you mentioned that!
With the .44 it's no problem due to the loading gate.
But the Norinco is fed from the noisy end.
I cycle the lever a few times to ensure I'm empty, close the action and drop the hammer with my thumb. Then crouch down with the rifle upside down and the barrel rested across my left knee pointing down range. Undo the tube follower and pull it most of the way out but leave it in the end of the tube. Then feed the rounds in the port. Then push the follower back down and lock it in. Is that an acceptable way of loading from the noisy end when on the line?
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Re: Range rules

Post by pomemax » 06 Jan 2018, 11:06 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:Exactly as it says AusTac, no attempt must be made to remove a stuck live round on SSAA property. Action opened, detachable mags removed, bolt removed if applicable, muzzle kept in as safe a position as possible, firearm to be removed from the range and taken to a gunsmith. Any RO that allows anything else may have their accreditation removed, and the owner may be dismissed from the SSAA. This is part of the Standing Orders for all SSAA Ranges, Cheers.

You may wish to check on that, any stuck live round in any firearm .
Firearm must go in the Hot storage and a gunsmith must attend the range at owners expense they cant let you leave with a live round in the chamber, think
about it you get pulled up on way home your in a world of hurt driving round with a loaded gun and saying RO told me too
The problem comes in the interpretation removed by who .
How can you make a loaded gun safe ok if its a bolt gun remove the bolt ,but a leaver or pump action a lot of people may struggle with a total bolt strip most ranges have a hot box you don,t hear about them till you get a round stuck.
pulling a round out of a bolt type gun is easy with a bullet puller if you have them in your kit problem comes when you cant get to the end of them because of the breach block.
Just thinking that may be my next project make a 90 degree puller for the leavers
2.5 STUCK LIVE ROUND: MANDATORY RULE
In the event of a malfunction which results in a stuck live round which
cannot be simply removed from the breech end of the barrel, the
firearm is to be made safe and removed from the range to a competent
person for repairs.
Under no circumstance is an attempt to be made to
remove the round by insertion of a cleaning rod or similar object from
the muzzle end of the firearm.
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Re: Range rules

Post by No1Mk3 » 07 Jan 2018, 12:57 am

G'day pomemax,
I was referring to Victoria, sorry I didn't make that clear. Even so, our rules are based upon the adoption of Policy in 1995 at the National Conference, the Policy specifies "Under NO circumstances is the removal of the case to be attempted or undertaken on Range Property". Explanation of this during our RO course qualified the Policy at all Victorian SSAA ranges was to mean on the Property anywhere, not just the firing line, even by qualified Gunsmiths. This was during the RO Training Course in 2015 and I have not been given any update on this Policy since. Anyone with an RO Training Manual after V.1, 17/2/14, I would like to hear from you? The Policy is in Module 4, page 19, Cheers.

Edit: I have just checked SSAA Vic Range Rules, latest Version 9/3/2017, and Policy remains the same. Firearm to be made safe and removed from the Property to the nearest available Gunsmith, NO ATTEMPT is to be made to remove the cartridge on SSAA Property. The last time I saw this issue, a very well known gunsmith was advised by the RO to go out the gate in Gifkins Rd and do what he had to off the property, he did so without any fuss. (2 years ago). Looks like NSW may have a different policy to that adopted at the National Conference.
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Re: Range rules

Post by Gamerancher » 07 Jan 2018, 8:49 am

Bladeracer, when on the line during competition, you will be given a "ready" call. Only after the ready call can you load your rifle. Most lever .22's load through the top end of the magazine by sliding the follower tube out. Common practice is to slide the tube up or out, hold your rifle in one hand at an angle, muzzle pointing somewhat down-range, and load your five rounds. You can then assume your firing stance and when given the "fire" command, commence firing at your targets. I generally recommend to new shooters not to cycle the action until the fire call. Any A.D's before then are counted as misses and they usually occur when cycling the action.
I would also recommend that you develop a standing technique for loading, a shooter squatting down on the line after the ready call would be hard for the R.O to see and might cause some concern. We usually have some form of bench at the firing position so you can rest the butt on there while loading if that helps.
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