Minutes of the Rule Revision Committee
Western Action Shootist Association/Coyote Valley Sharpshooters
Held at the Not-So Secret Laboratory
1009B Schiele Dr. San Jose CA 95126
April 12, 2004

Present:  Capt. James West, Chattan (chair), Kid Raven, Professor Cubby Bear

Pursuant to the authorizations of the Coyote Valley Sharpshooters (CVS) and the Western Action Shootist Association (WASA), the Rules Revision Committed conducted its initial meeting.

It was decided that the Rules Revision Committee would first consider "clean-up legislation", meaning the correction/revision of current WASA/CVA Rules that were inconsistent or impractical before proceeding to other suggestions for revised or new rules. 

It was noted that the WASA Rules were enumerated slightly differently between the 2002 printed handbook and the WASA Ranch web-site.  The primary difference consists of the designation of sub-sections by letters in the handbook and by numbers on the web-site. Except as otherwise stated, these Minutes employ the designations found in the 2002 WASA Handbook.

1. Proposed Revision to Rule Two (G)

Present rule: "All revolvers shall be loaded with the hammer resting on an empty chamber, and autoloaders shall be loaded with the chamber empty."

Proposed revised rule: "After being loaded, all firearms shall have the hammer down on an empty chamber or cylinder.

Comments:  Some firearms cannot be loaded with the hammer down on an empty chamber, such at the Colt Peacemaker and its clones, which must be set at half-cock to rotate the cylinder.   Some self-loaders, such at the Mauser Broomhandle, are loaded from a stripper clip.  This process passes cartridges through the chamber to the internal magazine beneath.  This loading process is expressly authorized by Rule Three (II)(E)(3).  The proposed revised rule eliminates this inconsistency and impracticality while retaining the requirement that all firearms have the hammer down on an empty chamber or cylinder prior to use.

Action:  Revised rule to be proposed to WASA/CVS.

2. Proposed Revision to Rule Three(II)(E)(3):

Present Rule:  "Participants employing a single autoloader may reload during the stage by inserting a loaded magazine into the pistol or employing a stripper clip.  Magazines and clips shall be generally of the type and appearance of pre-1916 magazines.  Reloading must conform to the requirement of empty chambers except during use.  (Example: A Self-loading shooter is participating in a stage where the two sets of pistol targets are separated by movement and/or the use of another weapon.  At the conclusion of the first set of pistol targers, the shooter should extract the expended magazine and then release the slide to close the action on an empty chamber before holstering the pistol and proceeding with movement or the next weapon.   Only when the shooter is ready to begin the second set of pistol targets is a loaded magazine or clip employed and the chamber filled with a live round.   However, if the shooter is participating in a stage where both sets of pistol targets are to be fired in direct sequence, the Shooter may extract the expended magazine, insert a fresh magazine, close the action, and engage the second set of targets.)"

Proposed Revised Rule: "Participants employing a single autoloader may reload during the stage by inserting a loaded magazine into the pistol or employing a stripper clip.  Magazines and clips shall be generally of the type and apperance of pre-1916 magazines and clips."

Comments:  The example was felt to add more confusion than it resolved.  It was also felt that allowing the shooter to holster a self-loader empty with the action locked back, so long as secure in the holster, was appropriate.  It was also felt that the requirement that the shooter wait until the first bank of pistol targets was completely engaged before extracting the first magazine was inappropriate.   Extraction of a still-loaded magazine (and the contained ammunition) as part of the process of clearing a jam was considered an appropriate safety practice under many circumstances and ought to be allowed, with the shooter permitted to re-insert the same magazine or a substitute once the dysfunction was resolved.

Action: Revised Rule to be proposed to WASA/CVS

3. Proposed Revision to Rule Two(L) and Rule Three (II)(E)(4) :

Current Rules:  Two(L) "Any ammunition dropped during competition is considered "dead" and shall not be retrieved by the participant during competition"  

Three(II)(E)(4): "A magazine or clip dropped to the ground may not be recovered by the shooter or used any further during the stage."

Proposed Revised Rule:  Two(L): "Any ammunition, including any clip or magazine, which is dropped during competition is considered "dead" and shall not be retrieved by the participant during competition on that stage.  Exception: staged ammunition, clips, or magazines that are dropped back to the location at which they were staged may be retrieved and employed during the stage."

Three(II)(E)(4):  DELETE

Comments:  It was felt that Section Two "Safety Guidelines" should generally contain the safety rules that apply regardless of shooting classification.  Thus, the prohibition on recovering lost ammunition, regardless of whether loose or loaded on a stripper clip or magazine, should be subject to a single rule in Section Two.  It was also felt that the current rule seemed to bar a shooter from recovering his ammunition after completing the stage and safely storing his firearms.   It was also felt that allowing the shooter to use ammunition dropped back to a staging position was necessary, since the "dead" ammunition (in a bucket, for example) might not be easily distinguished from "live" ammunition at the same location.  Furthermore, the second attempt to grab and employ such ammunition did not appear to impose any more threat of unsafe muzzle direction than the unsuccessful first attempt.

Action: Recommend Proposed Revision to WASA/CVS

4. Proposed Revision to Rule Two(Q):

Present Rule: "Cap and ball revolvers may be charged away from the loading table, but shall be capped only at the loading table"

Proposed Revised Rule:  None

Comment:  Concern was expressed regarding stages requiring a pistol reload would require the shootist to cap "on-the-clock" and away from the loading table in violation of the current rule.  Allowing hammers to rest on slots in the cylinder rather than an empty chamber was also discussed.  Concern was expressed regarding a charged but uncapped cylinder as a potential safety hazard. The committee felt that its members had insufficient personal experience with cap-and-ball weapons to resolve these matters.

Action: Committee members to consult with cap-and-ball shooters regarding these issues, potentially including postings on CAS-related web-sites and discussion groups.

5. Proposed Revision to Rule Four(I)(A):

Current(?) Rule in 2002 WASA Handbook: "Main-match rifles, shotguns, and single-action revolvers should be originals or reproductions of pre-1900 firearms found in the Western USA, Mexico, Canada, or Australia at the time. Double-action revolvers and semi-automatic pistols should be originals or reproductions of pre-1914 firearms."

Current(?) rule in WASA Ranch web-site:  "Except for some of the rifles used in Long Range matches, double-action revolvers, and semi-automatic pistols, firearms should be originals or reproductions of pre-1900 firearms found in the Western USA, Mexico, or Canada at that time…."

Proposed Revised rule: Amend WASA Handbook to state "pre-1916" firearms."

Comments:  The Committee noted the above inconsistency between the rules as stated in the 2002 WASA Handbook and the WASA Ranch web-site.   If the Handbook rule is correct, it should be amended to conform to Rules Three (II)(4)(1) and Three(II)(5)(1) which permit Classic Double Action and self-loading pistols of pre-1916 design.   The Committee was unable to identify any WASA legal pistol which is pre-1916 but not pre-1914.   

Action:  Alert WASA Board of Directors to the inconsistency noted above.  Request clarification of current rule before proposing revision (if needed).

6. Other Discussion:

The Committee began discussion of Rule Three(II){C}(2)(d) concerning reloading during the stage by a WASA Gunfighter.  The present rule was considered to irrationally require a Gunfighter to unholster both pistols, only to re-holster one of them to reload the other.   The Committee felt that consultation of CAS participants regularly entered in Gunfighter was needed before proceeding with proposed rule revisions.

The Committee began discussion of Rule Three(II)(D)(3) which prohibits the use of the Gunfighter Style with Classic Double Action Pistols.   It was generally felt that Classic Double Action pistols were sufficiently safe for Gunfighting, but might confer an unfair competitive advantage.   The question of whether CDA Gunfighters should compete in the Gunfighter or CDA classifications was also considered.  These issues were deferred for further discussion.

The Committee also considered Rule Three(II)(E)(6) which prohibits the use of the Gunfighter Style with Self-loading Pistols.  The Committee felt that the current prohibition on Self-loader Gunfighting was appropriate.  No revised rules were proposed.

The meeting was thereafter adjourned, with a further meeting to be set at the discretion of the chair.