Burro Canyon Gunslinger's Range Officers Guide
Note:This guide addresses issues specific to Burro Canyon Gunslingers matches
and The Prado Olympic Shooting Park Range Rules. This is not the official SASS Range Officer 2 Course material.
Click the following link to view the SASS Range Officer I & II course material http://www.sassnet.com/Shooters-Handbook-001A.php
For this discussion, the Match Director is the senior person that oversees all posses.
The Range Officer, or RO, is the person heading up the posse, sometimes referred to as the Posse Leader.
The RO task will be passed to another experienced shooter(s) so every one on the posse has a chance to shoot. Each posse will
have Loading & Unloading Officers, Spotters, to count misses and bonuses and a Scorekeeper. The Posse members will rotate through the shooting sequence, pick up
brass, monitor the loading/unloading tables and scoring. A good posse is pleasant
to be on and works as a team.
RO purpose statement:
The purpose of the Range Officer is to SAFELY Assist
and Coach the shooter through the course of fire. You will notice that the word "penalize" doesn't appear anywhere, but the
word "assist and coach" does. This is not to say you won't be called upon to assess penalties when they are appropriate, but
it is NOT a first priority.
Range Safety Rules
Each RO shall be aware of all local range safety procedures that may differ from the rules printed in the
SASS Shooters Handbook. Any question(s) pertaining to the local or SASS Rules shall be clarified by the Match Director.
Stage Inspection
The posse RO’s shall brief the posse regarding the operation of each course of fire. Each stage description shall be read and explained for clarity. All stages shall be visually inspected
for safety. Potential problem areas should be discussed and any safety issues resolved before the match begins. Also, things to watch for should be pointed out so
RO’s/shooters can avoid safety problems. Any changes
necessary to make the stage safe shall be completed prior to the match getting underway.
All questions concerning the operation of each Stage shall be addressed to the Match Director.
Stage design plays a major part in the match safety. A
poor stage design can lead to shooters’ confusion and safety problems. Unsafe stage design can lead to injury. RO’s
must understand stage design so safety issues are avoided prior to the match start.
Stage Safety Hazards- Unsafe stage Design Elements
The shooter shall never be allowed to move with a cocked, loaded firearm in hand. Once the Pistol is cocked,
a Rife is levered or Shotgun action is closed, have the shooter expend the round and then move on to the next position. Movement is defined the same as traveling in basketball. Once the firearm is
cocked, one foot must remain in place on the ground until the round under the hammer is expended. Moving parallel to the firing line can create a safety pitfall for the shooter. It is very easy for a shooter to break the 170-safety rule moving parallel to the firing line or possible
tipping over a gun or prop. RO’s should pay special attention to stages
with parallel movement that may create potential hazards. It is recommended that
stages flow from an up range to a down range direction.
Shooters shall never be allowed to stand directly over a vertically staged gun.
Safety concerns can arise from requiring the shooter to engage from a prone or other unaccustomed shooting
position. The shooter’s physical ability must be taken into consideration when the stage presents unusual or strenuous
shooting positions. Be prepared for possible hazards when encountering these
situations.
Poor Stage Design Elements
Safety concerns can arise from moving up down or over/under props like stairs or obstacles. All folks are not able to negotiate props in the same manner. It
is a good idea to watch the shooters hand and movement and be prepared to help with corrections or assistance if necessary.
Stages should never be designed to slow down or stump the Top Shooters. This design will only confuse and/or
discourage the average and new shooter.
Stages should never be designed that have the potential to penalize a shooter for anything that is a perfectly
safe situation. Examples are moving with an empty or un-cocked firearm, drawing or holstering an the move, single verses double
loading a shotgun, loading a rifle round into the magazine verses the chamber are just a few that have been identified as
unnecessary penalty traps.
Sequences that require memorization or a road map to complete should be avoided, right to left - left to
right, top bottom-bottom top will overly complicate a stage discourage new shooters and add no value.
Excessive pistol/rifle reloading is ok once in a while, but add extra time to a stage and will slow the
posse down. Each stage should be shot in the same time as the rest of the match
to keep thing running smooth.
Target order can create controversy on the range. Double tapping a shotgun target allows for the opportunity
to fire both barrels simultaneously and there for should be avoided.
Targets should never be placed behind a prop, which could cause the shooter to break the 170-degree safety
angle to see or engage. Make targets visible.
Targets that are activated by another targets or prop especially aerial shotgun targets can be the source
of varied interpretation. And there for require special instructions with the stage description to avoid problems.
Props
Props come in all shapes, sizes and designs. Not all are conceived with safety in mind. It is important to insure guns are appropriately staged especially when movement is required. Note when brass is likely to fall, be sure appointed assistance is in place to clear brass or shells that
might impede shooter.
Bottom Line
Remember there are points of bad stage design and setup that cause the shooter or non-shooter to be at
risk.
If a stage is found to have severe or hazardous safety flaws the RO shall
review the potential for problem with the Match Director, along with suggested alternatives.
Shooters Evaluation-during Sign-In
As each shooter signs up for the match, the Match Director or assigned assistant shall conduct
a visual inspection including:
Impairments
Does the shooter appear to be physically and mentally capable of safely navigating the requirements of
the stage? Will the shooter need any special assistance to safely navigate the requirement of the range?
Firearms
Without physical inspection, do the shooters firearms conform to SASS standards?
Leather
Does the shooter’s leather gun belt, holster, pouch, bandoleer
or shotgun belt conform to SASS Rules?
Clothes
Do the shooters clothes conform to SASS Rules?
Any problems or concerns should be addressed prior to the start of the
match.
Shooters Evaluation-at the Loading Table
Ammunition
The Loading Officer will confirm that the shooter has all necessary and correct ammunition on their
person. The RO confirms the correct ammunition is staged properly to complete
the course of fire. If the shooter fails to come to the stage without enough ammo, then shooter will receive a “failure
to engage” or missed target penalty
Eye and Ear Protection
The Loading Officer will confirm the shooter has the necessary eye and ear protection.
In the event the shooter is found to have SASS illegal equipment, cloths or leather, the Match Director
should review the condition and take the appropriate actions. If the shooter is not prepared to begin the course of fire,
the Loading Officer or RO shall direct them to the loading or unloading table where the necessary correction can be
made prior to reentering the firing line
Range Officers Duties
The Course of Fire
Once the RO has completed the evaluation of the shooting line, prepare to supervise the shooters and stages
as follows:
Make sure the correct number of Spotters is in position
Determine the readiness state of the shooter by asking: Is
the shooter ready?
The RO shall answer any last minute question or clear any confusion the shooter ash as this point
without extreme elaboration. It is inappropriate for the RO to re-explain the
stage for each and every shooter. The loading table officer is available for
that duty if needed.
Prepare to shooter to begin by declaring, "The shooter is ready, Stand By" or indicate ready
to say your line. The RO shall give a short pause and then Start The Timer
as not to surprise the shooter. Hold the timer as close to the shooters ear so the beep is heard, with out interfering in
the shooter’s action after the beep.
Once the shooter has engaged the stage, the RO shall watch the gun muzzles for correct target engagement,
potential squib and breaking the 170-degree safety rule. The RO shall make every effort to safely assist the shooter
through the course of fire by coaching and giving the appropriate range commands, if required.
After the shooter has completed the course of fire, the RO shall declare stage raw time to the shooter
and make sure the pistols are holstered, long guns retrieved and shooter moves to the unloading table-nuzzles in a safe direction.
The raw time then will be announced to the Scorekeeper.
If the shooting bays are in close proximity of an other live bay, it is important for the RO to cover the
timer immediately after the shooter is finished, preventing recording adjacent bay shots.
The RO shall determine misses by polling the Spotters and communicating the misses, procedurals
or safety penalties to the Scorekeeper
Incidents
As each shooter engages a course of fire the RO shall prepare for any or all of the following incidents
to occur and be expeditious on necessary corrective action. The RO shall never
be tentative with a safety call. If a command given by the RO is determined to
be in error the shooter will automatically receive a re-shoot.
Squibs
In the event a RO suspects a squib load, an immediate command shall be given to the shooter to make the
gun safe and continue with the next procedure. The RO shall assist the shooter in making the gun safe by handing off the gun
safely if necessary.
Target Failure
In the event a target falls, the RO shall instruct the shooter to shoot where it was. This call will never result in any penalty to the shooter.
This process has been found to be far less confusing and thereby safer to the shooter than requiring an
alternate target to be engaged, although it is perfectly acceptable for the shooter to engage an alternate target and be scored
for hits and misses in the normal manner. Do not allow the shooter to engage
a downed target.
Prop Failure
In the event off a prop failure, the RO shall be prepared to make a determination of weather or not the
shooter shall continue the course of fire or cease-fire immediately. In any event the shooter shall not be penalized as the
result of a prop failure.
Breaking the 170-degree Rule.
A range officer shall make an immediate cease-fire call if the shooter breaks the 170-degree safety rule.
This call will result in a stage D.Q. to the shooter. The RO shall make a good faith effort to prevent the shooter from breaking the safety rule by verbal
cautioning if necessary. It is also necessary to note the shooter understand
how to draw and holster from straight hang, cross draw, shoulder holsters and the ability or retrieve and return vertically
staged rifles and shot guns with out penalty.
Tripping or Falling
In the event a shooter accidentally trips or falls during a course of fire the RO shall make an assessment
to the shooter’s condition and give a cease-fire command only if a safety infraction has occurred. Otherwise this shooter
will be allowed to regroup and continue with the course of fire.
Frontiersman Category
The range officer shall be prepared for the idiosyncrasies of cap and ball revolvers to include potential
hang fires, cap only ignition & complete failure to fire. The range officer
shall attempt not to confuse the occurrences as a potential squib load. Misfire
on the firing line by frontiersman will require the RO to accommodate clearing the gun before the stage is complete. The RO shall always require these clearances be accomplished at the firing line. It is acceptable to recap and discharge the still loaded chamber or simply uncap the
charged cylinders. The Frontiersman Shooter is responsible for having functional equipment and not to slow down the posse’s
progress with repeated equipment problems.
Gunfighter
Since the Gunfighter uses both pistols drawn at the same time, shooting right and left handed, the best
position for the RO is directly behind the shooter. The gunfighter is obliged to shoot the targets in exactly the same target
sequence as the other shooters but using gunfighter procedures.
Shooters appeal
The RO shall discuss with the shooter any discrepancies or questions regarding safety or procedural penalties. These discussions shall not cause backups for the entire shooting posse and shall
be done away from the firing line. If a shooter feels unfairly judged, the RO
shall be contact the Match Director for appeal process.
