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Any person shooting or training for a PA event requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol (PA Service Pistol, International 1920 Match or WA1500) MUST have a current PA Holster Accreditation
The only PA events requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol are PA Service Pistol, International 1920 Match, and WA1500. For all these events the rules under which they are conducted in Australia mandate every shooter must have a current PA Holster Accreditation.
Any shooter who holsters a loaded pistol without the applicable holster accreditation does so totally without any insurance or liability cover!
The event rules for each of the other PA events preclude the holstering of a loaded pistol:
· For ISSF, ISCD, PA Black Powder and Metallic Silhouette a loaded pistol must always be directed downrange towards the backstop.
· For PA Service Pistol Unrestricted and PA 25 Yards Service Pistol (where the holstering of a pistol is permitted to facilitate loading a semi-automatic pistol) the event rules specifically state that the pistol must be unloaded (SU/S25/2.6, SU/S25 4.2.6.1).
(Temporary Holster Accreditation may be granted by the NRC to non-residents of Australia who are training for and competing in a PA sanctioned competition – this option is only available to non-residents of Australia).
PA Holster Accreditation is available to PA affiliated members following satisfactory completion of a PA accredited Holster Accreditation Course conducted by a person holding PA Holster Examiner’s Accreditation.
Note:
· You can not ‘practice’ for a Holster Accreditation course by holstering a loaded pistol.
· You do NOT need prior experience in competitions requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol – the course will take you through all steps leading to Holster Accreditation.
Hint:
· Experience in PA Service Pistol Unrestricted will assist you in the live fire sections of the course.
Contact your Affiliate Office regarding Holster Accreditation courses
Holders of any other organisation’s holster card can not ‘transfer’ to a PA Holster Accreditation without completing the associated paperwork and assessment within the PA Holster Accreditation programme.
PA Holster Accreditation ONLY applies to affiliated members of PA:
· Any existing PA Holster Accreditation is voided if the shooter is no longer affiliated to PA. See also Expiry>> and Cancellation>>
· Current affiliation to PA is a pre-requisite for a shooter to undergo a Holster Accreditation course
Due to liability and insurance issues:
· PA holster accreditation is only available to affiliated members of PA.
· If a holder of a PA Holster accreditation card ceases to be an affiliated member of PA, the holster accreditation becomes void
· The accreditation is only valid for PA recognised events requiring holster draw: i.e. PA Service Pistol, International 1920 Match, and WA1500
· PA holster accreditation has no application for other events
· PA holster accreditation has no real or implied application to any other organisation.
Current PA Holster Accreditation is MANDATORY for a shooter entered in, or training for any PA sanctioned competition requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol
Renewal of PA Holster accreditation is available to holders of a current PA* Holster Accreditation card, provided:
· They are a member affiliated to Pistol Australia, and
· Are continuing to compete without any safety problems in PA events requiring holster draw.
It is up to the relevant Affiliate to determine how this is to be determined, but given the liability issues it is recommended that some form of ‘recommendation’ from the shooter’s Club secretary or Club Captain be considered.
*This renewal only applies to holders of a PA Holster Accreditation; holders of any other organisation’s holster card can not ‘transfer’ to a PA Holster Accreditation without assessment within the PA Holster Accreditation programme.
Service, S/ 4.2.6.5 Unsafe Holsters: Match Officials are
required to prohibit the unsafe use of any holster by any competitor.
Therefore, in choosing a holster, and the position and manner in which it will
be worn, a competitor should give due regard to the safety regulations in order
to ensure that his choices are safely consistent with his personal shooting
style and stance.
WA1500, 3.3.1. Holsters must be safe and serviceable, suited to the firearm, and worn in a position that does not allow the holstered pistol to be directed at any part of the shooter. 3.3.2. When selecting a holster, the position and manner in which it will be worn, a shooter should give due regard to the safety regulations in order to ensure that his choices are safely consistent with his personal shooting style and stance.
Although it may not be specifically in the rules, AT NO TIME MAY A LOADED PISTOL BE DIRECTED AT ANY PART OF THE SHOOTER OR ANY OTHER PERSON! This should not need a specific rule – it is part of the normal range safety expectations expected of all shooters at all times, irrespective of the discipline being conducted.
This INCLUDES when the firearm is holstered!
This is of particular concern in relation to shooters who wear the holster well forward of the point of the hip. While of itself this may not appear to case a problem when the shooter is standing in a normal stance, depending on the shooter’s ‘personal shooting style and stance’ the holstered pistol might be directed at the inside of the leg when the shooter takes up a shooting stance for the commencement of a series – not allowed!.
The rules (e.g. ‘…the position and manner in which it will be worn, a competitor should give due regard to the safety regulations in order to ensure that his choices are safely consistent with his personal shooting style and stance…’) apply to the holster/belt combination; not only to the holster.
If the belt does not adequately control the holster when the shooter is drawing the firearm, it could produce a safety problem.
Service, 5.1.10 the Jury has the right to examine the pistols,
equipment, positions, etc., of shooters at any time, even during the
competition. During the competition,
approach should not be made while the shooter is firing a shot or a series of
shots. Immediate action must be taken
when a matter of safety is involved.
This rule is written in the context of PA National Championships – the responsibility for ‘…immediate action…’ is not limited to the Jury at a Nationals – it is everybody’s responsibility.
Often overlooked is the suitability of clothing.
A ‘baggy’ shirt or over-shirt, jumper, or cardigan CAN get in the way when drawing a firearm from the holster; with potentially disastrous results!
There is a reason why so many of the top shooters wear a (reasonably) close fitting polo top when competing and training.
PA Holster Accreditation is automatically voided:
· After four (4) years from the issue of the Holster Accreditation, or
· if the shooter becomes unaffiliated to PA, or
· if the holster accreditation is cancelled – see Cancellation of a PA Holster Accreditation>>
PA holster accreditation can be cancelled for safety breaches – PA GTRs 2.4.2. Any holder of a PA Holster Accreditation Card who is disqualified for safety relating to holster use must have the PA Holster Accreditation Card removed subject to re-qualification through a PA approved course.
This is not only applicable at ‘opens’, it is just as valid at a club competition and training sessions. Depend on where the removal was to be applied, the removal would be authorised by;
· at a club, the Captain or Club Committee;
· at an ‘open’, the presiding Judge;
· at a State or Nationals, the Jury.
Return of the holster card is only after the shooter has satisfactorily completed a re-assessment of the practical course requirements to the satisfaction of a PA approved holster accreditation examiner. This re-assessment may not be at the competition at which the disqualification and removal of the holster accreditation card took place.
No ifs or buts!!
Process the paperwork promptly! Shooters who have satisfactorily completed the course expect their Holster accreditation card!
The primary course of fire for the practical assessment is based on the International 1920 Match procedures and NRA AP-1 target. For PA members who do not shoot the 1920 events, an alternative assessment course of fire may be conducted on the PA Service Pistol targets. The Service Pistol based course of fire, etc. is available to accredited examiners (only!) from the NRC Secretary,
Holster Examiners may at their option accredit shooters with known holster ‘ability’ – however:
· This option is only available from he NRC for Temporary Holster Accreditation granted to non-residents of Australia who are training for and competing in a PA sanctioned competition
Australian residents must be affiliated to PA and hold a current PA Holster Accreditation.
· All candidates must have their holster equipment examined for approval,
· All candidates must satisfactorily complete a practical assessment.
PA Holster Examiners Accreditation is available to PA affiliated members following satisfactory completion of a PA accredited Holster Examiners Course conducted by a person holding NRC approval.
Contact your Affiliate Office regarding PA Holster Examiners Accreditation courses
PA Holster Examiners Accreditation is subject to the same conditions for Expiry>> and Cancellation>> as for the PA Holster Accreditation.
If a PA Holster Examiners is not conducting holster accreditation to the criteria set out in the PA Holster Accreditation manual, the examiners accreditation can be:
· Suspended by a SRC, or
· suspended or cancelled by the NRC
Renewal of PA Holster Examiners Accreditation
Renewal of PA Holster Examiners accreditation is available to holders of a current PA* Holster Examiners Accreditation, provided:
· They are a member affiliated to Pistol Australia, and
· Are continuing to conduct PA Holster Accreditation courses to the satisfaction of the NRC.
Any person shooting or training for a PA event requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol (PA Service Pistol, International 1920 Match or WA1500) MUST have a current PA Holster Accreditation
Entries can not be accepted for any shooter who does not have a current PA Holster Accreditation. In those PA Affiliates where shooters affiliated to another organisation may compete in the Affiliate’s Open competitions,
PA and PA Judges only have responsibilities for PA sanctioned events and only for PA Affiliated shooters
(For an open competition to be recognised as a Pistol Australia (PA)
sanctioned competition and thereby a valid “national team qualifier”, it must
comply with the following standards:
· The competition is conducted by a PA affiliated Club for PA members,
· etc.)
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© 2008,
Pistol Australia Inc.