LAKE GEORGE TACTICAL 3-GUN MATCH RULES - revised

M Lazy C Ranch 

Safety Rules

      - Participants are subject to match disqualification for violation of any rule or regulation by the match director.

     - This is a COLD range. Firearms will remain unloaded until it is time for the shooter to prepare for the next stage at the designated loading table. Each stage will have a designated loading area. All gun handling is to be done at the loading tables ONLY

.     - Rifles and Shotguns:  May be carried between stages in cases or may be carried slung, muzzle up, with actions open/empty and magazines removed. You may also transport your long guns in a gun cart that allows your guns to be muzzle up/down with actions open/empty and magazines removed.

     - Handguns:  Must be cased or carried in a holster with the magazine ( if auto ) removed. Handguns must be carried with the hammer/striker down.

      - Eye and ear protection must be worn at all times by participants, match personnel, and all spectators while on the range. 

Loading Table procedures

      - All guns will remain unloaded until the shooter is called up to the loading table. There will be someone ( another shooter ) to monitor each competitor at the loading table to ensure proper safety and procedures are followed while at the table.

     - Rifles and Shotguns:  Long guns may be loaded to their full magazine capacity, but no round is to be in the chamber. Action may be closed or left open at the shooters discretion, as long as there is no round in the chamber. Long guns are to be charged “on the clock” which is after the timer buzzer goes off unless otherwise stated by the stage description or starting in the shooter‘s hands.

     - Handguns:  Handguns are to be charged on the line after the “load and make ready” command is given.  Magazines may be loaded at the table but the handgun is to remain empty until the command is given on the firing line. 

Course of Fire Procedures

      - At the start of a course of fire, the RO will ask if the shooter is ready. Once the shooter replies yes, the RO will say “stand by” and then it will be followed by the buzzing of the timer.     - The 180 Rule shall always be followed.  Violation of the 180 Rule with any loaded firearm will result in a match disqualification. Pay special attention when performing reloads and clearing malfunctions.

     - Pay special attention to your muzzle direction while moving with your guns during a course of fire, as to not break the 180 Rule.

     - Rifle and Shotgun:  At any time during the course of fire in which it becomes necessary to put down one of your long guns, the shooter must  put the gun on safe, or make sure the gun is empty with no round in the chamber. The long guns must be placed in the designated rack on the stage when it is set down.  A long gun must never leave the shooter’s hand while it has a round in the chamber, or is not on safe.(unless made safe or empty)

     - Handguns:  At anytime during the course of fire when a shooter is done with the handgun portion of the scenario, a “downed gun“ box will be available to put the handgun in before continuing on to another weapon. Place the handgun on safe ( if applicable ) and place it in the box.     * It is no longer allowed to “hot holster” a handgun for safety reasons     - At the conclusion of the stage, the RO will instruct you to unload and show clear. Do this with the muzzle pointed safely down range. Any remaining guns that are still staged will also need to be unloaded and shown to be clear to the RO.  At this point, the shooter will be told to exit the stage and move to the unloading table if it is necessary and the “clear“ command will be given by the RO. 

Penalties/Disqualifications

      - Match disqualifications will result in complete disqualification from the entire match and the shooter will not be allowed to continue. The final decision will be with the match director.     - A negligent discharge:  The discharge of any firearm in an unsafe or unintentional manner  in which the projectile strikes the ground within 5 feet of the competitor or RO, or strikes outside the confines of the berm.( over the berm ) will result in a match DQ.

     - A dropped loaded firearm will result in a match DQ.

     - A dropped unloaded firearm will result in a stage DQ.

     - Any participant who with a loaded chamber  allows their muzzle to break the “180” safety plane  at any time during the course of fire will receive a match DQ.  Unloaded or empty firearms will result in a stage DQ.

     - A participant may be disqualified for unsportsman like conduct by the match director.    - Failure to shoot the stage as described at the stage briefing will result in a procedural penalty of 5 seconds that will be added to the completed time of that stage.

     - Purposely choosing to not engage a particular target during the course of fire to attempt to gain an advantage in overall time will result in a 10 second penalty being added to the completed time for that stage.

     - Failure to engage the safety or to ensure the firearm is empty ( either or ) before the gun leaves the shooter’s hands will result in a 10 second safety penalty added to the shooters time.  The second violation will result in a stage DQ

.     - A shooter may challenge any penalty call to the match director, but once the match director has made the call, it will become final. 

Scoring

      - Scoring is done by time plus misses and penalties. Each miss is 5 seconds added to the completed time for the stage. Any penalties accrued during the stage are also added to the completed time. The lower the time, the higher a shooter will be placed for the competition.

     - There will be three counters assigned to each stage to watch and count the steel plates. In the event that the 3 counters do not have the same number of misses for a stage, the lower number will be the final call. The benefit will go to the shooter.

     - A counter must call out a miss if they feel a target was missed. It is up to the shooter to re-engage the target or to move on. If the shooter moves on and it is determined at the completion of the course of fire that the target was missed, then it is a miss. The shooter can re-engage any target at anytime he/she feels that it was missed.

                                                           * A shooter cannot be assessed with a miss penalty if it was not called out during the stage by the counters. ( applies to steel plates only )

      - If using an IDPA style cardboard target, any hit in the A or B( 0 or -1 )zone is considered a “hit”. ( the first two main scoring rings and a head shot count as a hit ) 

Ammunition

      - No tracer, incendiary, armor piercing, steel core, soft point ( rifle ) hollow point or steel jacketed ammunition is allowed.

     - Pistol:  Lead bullets and ball ammo only, and 38 caliber or larger.(includes .380 )

     - Rifle:  Full metal jacket / ball or lead bullets only, and .223 or larger.

     - Shotgun:  Lead shot only, no slugs unless the stage calls for them.

     - Targets are a combination of steel plates, paper, and steel knockdowns or reactive. Rifle steel plates are armor plate. All knock down targets must fall to be counted as a hit.     - All spare ammunition, magazines, speed loaders, etc. , must be carried on the competitor or firearm during the course of fire. 

Firearms 

     - All firearms must be in safe, serviceable, and working order. 

Holsters and Equipment

      - The handgun holster must be capable of retaining the handgun during the vigorous movement that may be required or encountered during the course of fire.

     - The handgun holster must allow the handgun to be drawn and re-holstered safely without causing the muzzle to point in an unsafe direction at any time.

     -  Chest rig holsters , shoulder holsters and cross draw style holsters are Not permitted.     -  Belt or waist mounted holsters and drop thigh rigs are permitted.

     - The handgun holster must completely cover and protect the handgun’s trigger guard.     - The use of slings to carry a long gun during a course of fire is not permitted unless otherwise stated in the stage description. 

Sportsmanship and Conduct 

     - Participants and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous, sportsman like manner at all times. Disputes will be handled by the match director

.     - Clothing with any obscene logos, sayings, or pictures will not be allowed.            

Divisions   

Limited: 

              Pistol-  No compensators or ports, no optics, maximum length on mags  140 mm/                             5 ½“(double stack)  170 mm / 6 ¾“(single stack)

              Rifle-  No optics, compensators are ok but not larger than 1” diameter and more than 3”long . No beta mags or drums, no bipods

              Shotgun- No optics, no compensators or ports, no speed loaders, may not be loaded with more than 9 rounds at the start of a stage. No detachable magazines 

Tactical:

             Pistol- Same as limited pistol

             Rifle-  Same as limited rifle, but one optic is allowed

             Shotgun-  Same as limited shotgun 

Open:

             Pistol-  unlimited options, maximum mag length is 170 mm

             Rifle- unlimited options

             Shotgun-  unlimited options 

* 55 and older divisions are:  L-55    T-55   O-55