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Current rules |
The current rulebook for PA
Black Powder events is the Jan 2005 Edition, with corrections and
interpretations as per the information on this webpage |
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On this page |
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Black Powder (all matches) – use of converted ‘modern’
pistols: |
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The 2008 revision paper for PA Black Powder Range Officers is available for download>> from the PA website
This revision
paper is to be completed by all PA Black Powder ROs, and forwarded for
‘marking’
The NRC is undertaking a series of RO revision papers, starting with our PA Black Powder Range Officers. This revision paper is to ensure that our Range Officers are using the current rules and interpretations, and to enable the NRC to maintain the database of Range Officers (address, club, etc.).
The RO revision papers will be available for download from the internet, as:
· Previous revision papers have been mailed out, but this is expensive – particularly when a number of our ROs have changed their address since their qualification (lots of returned mail), some have left the sport, etc.
· Every body has either direct or indirect access to a printer and internet access (whether home, work, family, neighbour, club acquaintances, etc.)
Given that there is a small (but steady) demand for Black Powder rule books, the NRC is (extremely) unlikely to scrap the existing stock and print an updated version.
The 2005 edition of the PA Black Powder Rules are available from your PA Affiliate office, or your PA State Referee Council.
The compiled amendments are available as a PDF file>>
Following considerable consultation among those NSWAPA 13-shot BP shooters who cared to contribute, an NSWAPA version has been prepared and adopted.
As background, the general format for this match was written back in the early days of PA adopting the Black Powder events to provide our shooters with an event similar to the MLAIC 13-shot event, but enabling the use of non-‘original’ black powder pistols. At the time most PA Black Powder shooters were using .44 Rugers, and these do not meet the MLAIC regulations.
The NRC provided a basic set of rules that each Affiliate could use; these rules covered targets, distances, series time and safety; the Affiliates could divide up equipment categories to meet their needs.
The PA 13-shot Match is most popular in NSWAPA, with long standing (and hotly contested) categories for:
· adjustable sight revolver
· fixed sight revolver
· adjustable sight single-shot
· fixed sight single shot
Available as a download click
here>>
Modern revolvers fitted with inserts for the percussion caps technically fall outside the rules requirements for breech-loading BP pistols to be held in a safe direction for 15 seconds after a misfire before opening the pistol. The potential of a hangfire igniting a chamber of a ‘modern’ revolver with cylinder swung out is not one that we can risk.
Current Printing:
2.5.1 at least 5 (five) seconds for revolvers.
2.5.2 at least 15 (fifteen) seconds for single shot pistols.
A single shot breech loading pistol must be held in a safe direction for at least 15 seconds before opening the breech.
In the event of a misfire for breech loading pistols, the barrel should be brought to a safe direction before opening the breech so that the breech plug could not cause injury in the event of a hangfire.
Amendment:
2.5.1 at least 5 (five) seconds for revolvers without swing-out cylinders.
2.5.2 at least 15 (fifteen) seconds for single shot pistols, and revolvers with swing-out cylinders.
A single shot breech loading pistol, and revolvers with swing-out cylinders must be held in a safe direction for at least 15 seconds before opening the breech.
In the event of a misfire for breech loading pistols, and revolvers with swing-out cylinders, the barrel should be brought to a safe direction before opening the breech or cylinder so that the breech plug could not cause injury in the event of a hangfire.
The recapping procedure as per the Black Powder appendix A.1 is only to be allowed to clear a chamber after all else has failed. In a Precision series (rule 8.3.1) recapping after a misfire and similarly recapping for 25 M Rapid Fire Stage (rule 8.4.2) was, and is only intended to refer to recapping after a percussion cap has ignited but failed to ignite the powder charge; it is definitely not the first option if a cap has failed to ignite – Appendix A.1.2 clearly refers to “If a chamber has failed to ignite after repeated attempts…”,
Removing a live percussion cap over a charge of Black Powder is not to be undertaken casually! The procedures set put in Appendix A.1:
· Are only to be attempted if repeated attempts to discharge the chamber by cocking and releasing the trigger fail to ignite the cap, and
· Are under the direct supervision of a Range Officer.
In particular, for 25 M Rapid Fire Stage,
recapping (i.e. replacing) an unfired percussion cap is not allowed
prior to a re-shoot for a misfire.
The previous 15 seconds between “ASSUME THE READY” and ”ATTENTION” has been changed to 30 seconds, effective immediately.
This applies to both procedures; loading from a bench behind, and loading at the firing point
When all shooters have loaded
capped, placed their pistol in a safe condition on the bench, and stood back
from the firing line,
“ASSUME THE READY”
After 30
seconds,
“ATTENTION” and activate the targets
Guides currently available for download as .pdf files (Yep! But the pdf should allow you to get the desired guide on one page, irrespective of your operating system and printer).
To download, right click on a link and take the ‘save target as…’
option, then merrily print out the file/s:
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Cover Page |
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25m Black Powder -
Precision |
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25m Black Powder –
RF Stage |
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50m Black Powder |
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It is mandatory that at all times on the firing range, all personnel near the firing line wear safety glasses or other approved eye protection. (See also Appendix C – Approved Eye Protection).
· The wording has
been changed to “…at all times on the firing range, all personnel near the
firing line…”,
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This includes Preparation time.
·
When a shooter wishes to change from shooting glasses to other glasses
or v/v, he/she should do so in a manner that minimises the exposure of
unprotected eyes.
Misfires – see below
Disposal of unused
Black Powder
All spilt black
powder must be safely and properly disposed of.
Safe triggers
All
triggers must be safe.
Note:
To test if a trigger is to be considered safe, place the hammer in the full
cock position over an uncapped nipple, and lightly bump the base of the grip
with the heel of the other hand. If the
hammer falls, the trigger is unsafe.
Safety barriers between
nipples of revolvers
Where
the rear of cylinders of revolvers are modified to facilitate the easy use of
cappers, only the wings restricting the capper may be removed. It is not permitted to remove the safety
barrier between nipples.
50m Black Powder
Single shot break-action pistols using inserts
– the insert must not be capped while it is in the breech.
In all cases the shooter must
wait five seconds with the pistol in a safe direction before re-cocking. First occurrence, warning; second occurrence,
disqualification.
Single shot break-action pistols,
the shooter must wait fifteen seconds with the pistol in a safe
direction before opening the action. First occurrence, disqualification.
Shooters may clean pistol parts
while personnel are forward ONLY if:
· Permission
is granted by the range officer to the individual shooter/s
concerned and the pistol is disassembled before the personnel go
forward, AND
·
The pistol is (AND REMAINS) in an obviously
disassembled state until the Range Officer has checked that all
personnel have returned and gives the next command “LOAD and START”.
Projectiles must be made of soft lead.
25m Black Powder –
Precision Stage
In all cases the shooter must
wait five seconds with the pistol in a safe direction before re-cocking. First occurrence, warning; second occurrence,
disqualification.
Shooters may clean pistol parts
while personnel are forward ONLY if:
· Permission
is granted by the range officer to the individual shooter/s
concerned and the pistol is disassembled before the personnel go
forward, AND
· The pistol is (AND
REMAINS) in an obviously disassembled state until the
Range Officer has checked that all personnel have returned and gives the next
command “LOAD and START
Projectiles must be made of soft lead.
25m Black Powder – Rapid
Fire Stage
In all cases the shooter must
wait five seconds with the pistol in a safe direction before re-cocking. First occurrence, warning; second occurrence,
disqualification.
Note: If this procedure is adopted, it must be in
total.
1.
“LOAD BUT DO NOT CAP” (to be called before any
personnel go forward for target scoring/patching, and all pistols
are to be taken to the rear loading tables before any personnel go forward for
target scoring/patching)
2.
After all personnel have returned, AND all shooters have
completed loading at the rear loading tables,
”RANGE CLEAR”. The shooters
may now bring the pistols to the firing line and
3.
After all shooters have placed their pistol in a safe condition on the
bench, and stood back from the firing line,
”CAP PISTOLS”.
4.
When all shooters have loaded capped, placed their pistol in a safe
condition on the bench, and stood back from the firing line,
“ASSUME THE READY”
5.
After 30 seconds,
“ATTENTION” and activate the targets
Note: If this procedure is adopted, it must be in
total.
1.
“LOAD BUT DO NOT CAP” (to be called after all
personnel come back from target scoring/patching)
2 (not applicable)
3.
When all shooters have loaded (but not capped), placed their pistol in a
safe condition on the bench, and stood back from the firing line,
“CAP PISTOLS”
4.
When all shooters have loaded capped, placed their pistol in a safe
condition on the bench, and stood back from the firing line,
“ASSUME THE READY”
5.
After 30
seconds,
“ATTENTION” and activate the targets.
010109 © 2008-2009 Pistol Australia Inc.