COSSA Practical Shooters Shotgun
Rules (
1. CPS
SAFE GUN HANDLING: Rules and match DQ penalties apply.
2. UNLOADED
CONDITION: Action open; safety engaged; magazine empty or not attached; no
ammunition attached to exterior of shotgun (i.e. Side Saddle™).
3. Shotguns
carried anywhere on the range and/or placed in the staging area must be
unloaded and:
a) Action open;
b) Safety engaged;
OR
c) Visible chamber flag inserted, bolt
closed, safety engaged;
OR
d) Cased with
action open and safety engaged.
4. STAGING
AREA: Each stage will provide a Staging Area for the competitors to place their
shotguns. The Staging Area can be a rack or a table facing into and oriented to
the side berm so that no person can walk in front of the muzzles.
5. SAFETY
AREA: The same rules apply as handgun. No ammo or dummy round possession or
handling. Dry fire and manipulation is OK.
6. PRE-LOADING
AREA: A Pre-Loading area may be designated on the stage. The Pre-Loading area
shall be supervised by a designated Range Officer. The
Pre-Loading Area will be sited facing into the berm and outside the active
stage boundaries. Except for the competitor and range officials, all other
persons must remain up-range of the Pre-Loading Area.
The on-deck competitor will bring his or her shotgun
from the staging area to the pre-loading area. Upon the command “MAKE READY”
from the Range Officer, the competitor will prepare the shotgun for the stage
by engaging the safety and loading the magazine (and external ammunition
carriers like the Side Saddle if so equipped).
The chamber will remain unloaded until the competitor
moves to the line and receives the final Make Ready command. All safe gun handling
rules will apply in the Pre-Loading area, and violation will result in Match
DQ.
7. SHOTGUN
READY CONDITION: Generally, the Shotgun Ready Condition to begin the course of
fire will be round chambered, safety engaged and magazine loaded as prescribed
by the stage description.
8. COMPETITOR
READY POSITION: Unless otherwise required by the stage description, the
competitor’s posture prior to the beginning of the stage will be standing erect
and relaxed, with the shotgun in ready condition held in both hands, stock
touching the competitor at hip level, muzzle pointing down-range, and with the fingers
outside the trigger guard.
9. CARRYING
THE SHOTGUN TO OR FROM THE LINE: When carrying the shotgun to or from the
pre-loading area or the line, the competitor must carry the shotgun action
open, safety engaged and muzzle up, OR in a case. If the competitor wants to
case the shotgun at the end of the stage, then the Assistant RO (scorekeeper)
follows with the case.
10. IF YOU
ARE FINISHED, UNLOAD AND SHOW CLEAR: If the competitor has finished shooting the
course of fire, he/she must unload the shotgun and then present it for
inspection by the Range Officer with the muzzle pointed down-range, fixed
magazine empty or detachable magazine removed and chamber(s) empty, action
open.
11. IF
CLEAR, HAMMER DOWN, OPEN ACTION: Upon receiving this command the competitor
must not resume shooting. Pointing the shotgun down-range the competitor must
close the action, pull the trigger to release the hammer and then open the
action again. The safety must then be engaged (if the action type allows).
12. SHOTGUN
REQUIREMENTS:
a) Minimum gauge is 20. Only lead or
bismuth birdshot or slugs (buckshot may be designated as the ammo required on a
stage). No steel shot or other metal. Birdshot must be #4 or smaller.
b) Minimum distance for birdshot on metal
targets is 16 feet with fault lines set at 20 feet. Minimum distance for slugs
on metal targets is 131 feet with fault lines set at 148 feet.
c) All shotguns must have a stock. No
pistol-grip s only.
d) Ready condition for shotguns with an
exposed hammer and no safety (M1897 or M1887 and similar) is hammer down.
e) Limited/Tactical Division is for
factory guns, any action type with conventional, non-optical or electronic
sights, and a maximum ammunition load of 9 rounds.
f) Open Division is any action type, any
sights, maximum ammunition load of 10 rounds.