(note, the Orientation and Qualification is only a requirement for participation in SFDCC matches. TSSA IDPA matches and 1st Tuesday night drills are open to ALL shooters)

SFDCC Match Rules (RULES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES)

Match Sign-In

Upon arrival all shooters are to sign in and pay the match fees.  If setup is still on-going, it is appreciated if participants head out and help complete the setup.  Once setup is complete, shooters may proceed to the safety area with their gear and holster their pistol and sling their rifle muzzle down.  Please ensure that your safety flag is inserted in the rifle.

The flag is issued at the Orientation and is free for the first one.  Replacements are available for a charge of $5/ea. Shooters may bring this or their own approved flag to subsequent shoots. All flags must be the approved model.

Gun-Handling Rules

1. All firearms must arrive at the range cased. Firearms are only removed from or inserted into cases at the safety table.
2. No firearms are allowed in the sign-in area. Shooters must first sign-in and pay match fees and then proceed to the safety area to “gear up”.
3. No handling of ammunition or loaded magazines is allowed at the safety area(s).
4. All firearm cases are to remain in the safety area. Separate bags for ammunition and/or magazines and other gear may be carried to the firing line(s).
5. Handguns are to remain unloaded and in the holster at all times. They may be loaded when directed to do so by the RSO and should be unloaded when directed to do so.
6. Rifles are to remain unloaded and slung, muzzle down, at all times. The safety must be engaged if possible and an SFDCC approved Safety Flag inserted at all times. They may be loaded when directed to do so by the RSO and should be unloaded when directed to do so.

Equipment Rules

1. You must shoot all stages for the event with the same equipment and configuration of your rifle/carbine. Whatever configuration you choose to shoot Stage One must be present for Stage Three.
2. Only one sighting system may be used unless the primary goes down. This means that if an optic is used then that same optic must be used for the entire match, but that BUIS (back up iron sights) may be used/deployed should the primary optic go down. Mounting of one magnified optic and one non-magnified optic is permitted, but only one may be used for a given match. Primary optics and BUIS must be in the same plane on the rifle.
3. Bipods, Grip-pods, monopods, rests (improvised or otherwise), etc. are not allowed.

Scoring

SFDCC works under the principle of Target Neutralization in order to make scoring easier and faster. A target shall be deemed neutralized when it has two shots in the A (-0) zone, three shots in the B (-1) zone or best combination possible of both zones. Any shot in the C (-3) zone does not count for scoring purposes.

Total score is calculated as the raw time (the total time that the shooter takes to finish the stage) plus 30 seconds for any failures to neutralize a threat target (FTN), plus 30 seconds for any non-threat (NT) targets that have been hit, plus 10 seconds for every Procedural (minor infraction of the rules), plus 100 seconds for every Failure to Do Right (FTDR, major infraction of the rules).  See the International Defensive Pistol Association rule book for definitions of what constitutes a Procedural or FTDR. Total match score is determined by adding together all of the total scores for the stages.

TOTAL SCORE = Raw Time + (FTN x 30) + (NT x 30) + (P x 10) + FTDR x 100)

Required Equipment

Rifle:
• Centerfire rifle or carbine
• Rifle case
• SFDCC approved safety flag
• Rifle sling which hangs the rifle in a muzzle down orientation
• Rifle magazines (3 minimum)
• Rifle ammunition

Handgun:
• Handgun
• Handgun case
• Handgun holster
• Handgun magazines (2 minimum)
• Handgun magazine holder
• Handgun ammunition

Ammunition Requirements
1. Round Count:
Minimum 150 rounds of rifle ammunition and 50 rounds handgun ammunition.

2. Magazines:
While only 3 rifle magazines are required, it is suggested that shooters bring at least 6 rifle magazines. Inexpensive yet functional AR15 magazines can be found at www.bravocompanyusa.com or www.44mag.com as well as numerous other online sources.

3. Special Loadings:
Shooters should load 3 of the 6 recommended rifle magazines completely and leave 3 empty until you get to the range and get specific instructions. Some stages may require one or more downloaded magazines. There is no way to pre-warn shooters as to how many rounds will be in that magazine and sometimes it is random. If the shooter only has 3 rifle magazines, it is suggested that the shooter arrive at the match with all 3 empty.

Procedures for Beginning and Ending of Stage

Load and Make Ready - Some stages may require a loading of either the handgun or the rifle on the clock, but any stage that begins with both the handgun and rifle loaded should be handled as follows.
1. The safety officer will tart by asking the shooter if they understand the course of fire and if they have any questions.
2. If they do not have any questions the RSO will ask them to Load and Make Ready the handgun first.
3. The shooter may then draw the handgun, insert a magazine, charge the handgun, engage any safeties or de-cock as required, and re-holster the handgun.
4. Once the handgun is loaded and holstered, or if no handgun is required for the stage, the RSO will instruct the shooter to Load and Make Ready the rifle.
5. The shooter will draw back the bolt and the RSO will remove the approved Safety Flag and retain it.
6. The shooter will then insert a magazine, charge the rifle, and ensure that the safety is engaged.

Unload and Show Clear – At the end of the stage the shooter must unload all firearms and demonstrate to the RSO that the firearms are empty with no rounds in the chamber. It is imperative that the shooter “Unload and Show Clear” whichever firearm is in their hands first and then the other.

The procedure for rifles is as follows:
1. The RSO will have the shooter remove the magazine, if present.
2. The shooter will then draw back the bolt and the RSO will look inside the chamber to verify that there are no rounds present.
3. The RSO will insert the Safety Flag into the chamber and allow the shooter to close the bolt.
4. Then the RSO will direct the shooter to engage the safety and sling the rifle.

The procedure for handguns is as follows:
1. The RSO will have the shooter remove the magazine, if present.
2. The shooter will then draw back the slide and the RSO will look inside the chamber to verify that there are no rounds present.
3. The shooter will then drop the slide, point the handgun downrange and pull the trigger. 4. The shooter will then re-holster the handgun.

Set-up and Tear-Down

SFDCC in particular, and TSSA as a whole, is built on the sweat and labor of our members. The more people that show up early to help set up, and the more people that stay late to help tear down, means more intricate and involved stages to shoot. If we only have 5 people at the Sea Container (located at the end of the range road as you drive in the range) to load the trailer then course design for that match may suffer. Similarly, if only 5 people stay to help with the tear-down and to replace the props in the Sea Container then the course design for the next match may suffer. As one of our long-standing members is fond of saying, “this is a club, not an amusement park”. We greatly appreciate your help and in truth you are only helping yourself.