Match & Stage Conventions

ACSA Local Club Categories

• Shootist: There are no limits to age, shooting style, costume, or guns. Standard SASS rules to costumes and firearms apply. There will be an open and ladies category and will not be separated into age-based categories.
• All Around Cowboy/Cowgirl: Shooter must shoot two stages as duelist, 2 stages as gunfighter, and 2 stages traditional (2-handed). Shooter can pick which stages to shoot each style. Other category requirements such as age, costume, or guns do not apply. Standard SASS rules to costumes and firearms apply. There will be an open and ladies category and will not be separated into age-based categories.
• Red Ryder: Shooter must shoot a 22 caliber rimfire pistol and/or rifle. Standard SASS rules to costumes and firearms apply. There will be an open and ladies category and will not be separated into age-based categories. This category will not be eligible for the overall winner.

ACSA Stage Conventions & Match Conduct

1. All SASS Rules apply unless otherwise indicated in the stage description. Basic ACSA philosophy in stage descriptions – “If the stage description doesn’t say to do things in a certain way, then you can do as you wish, within the current SASS Rules.” SASS Stage Conventions apply.
2. Order of Engagement: Targets may be engaged in any order, unless stage descriptions indicate a specific order.
3. Buckaroos and Buckarettes: need only HIT a knock down target, including plate racks – they do not have to go down.
4. Bonus targets: Bonus targets MUST be engaged, unless specified otherwise in the stage instructions.
5. Make long guns safe: On downrange movement stages, long guns MUST be made safe vertically or horizontally facing into a side berm per stage instructions. Failure to make long guns safe as indicated will incur a 10 second procedural penalty for not following stage instructions. If a safety issue occurs, such as a shooter or TO being swept by a long gun that was not staged safely, then the appropriate DQ penalty will apply:
6. Long guns may be carried per SASS conventions, to the next shooting position unless stage description indicates otherwise.
7. Unloading Officer: All unloading tables will have an unloading officer designated to clear all firearms before each shooter leaves the unloading table. This may be the previous shooter or a posse member as designated by the Posse Marshal.
8. Saying lines: Shooters must make a good faith effort to say the initiating line correctly, but no penalty will be incurred for incorrect lines.
9. Starting position, such as where feet/body is to be positioned, is per stage instructions.
10. “Down Range” procedures: are necessary only in shooting bays with more than one stage. If movement down range is required, ‘Down Range’ will be called by the RO. When the shooter has finished the stage and moved to the unloading table, and shooters at the unloading and loading tables have stepped back from the tables, the RO on that posse will raise the Orange Flag. When all posses have raised their flags, down range movement may commence. No gun handling or activity at the tables shall be conducted while Orange flags are up. When all movement down range has ceased, Orange flags may be lowered and shooting continued. Down Ranges on single stage bays shall be conducted by the RO for that posse, flags are not required.
11. Cease Fire: If a cease fire is called, all engaging shooters must cease fire immediately and make firearms safe, move to the unloading table, and ground all firearms.
12. Spotting: Spotters are reminded that spotting is an extremely important job in the operation of a posse, and that some targets do not “ring” when hit, such as in a covered building. Therefore, the absence of sound does not necessarily indicate the target has been missed. Spotters must SEE A MISS; anything less than that, or if the spotter has any doubt in their mind, they must call a HIT.
13. Spotters must position themselves so as to clearly see the targets being engaged, and move if necessary. Spotters MUST SEE A MISS, and any doubt will be given to the shooter. To remind all shooters once again:
    If you THINK IT’S A HIT, you must score a HIT
    If you THINK IT’S A MISS, you MUST score a HIT
    If you see it HIT, then you score a HIT
    ONLY IF you clearly SEE IT MISS, then you call a MISS
14. Scoring and Awards: Scoring will be in accordance with SASS Rules. However, a shooter must complete all scored main match stages to be eligible for a main match award. In the unlikely event of severe, inclement weather or any other conditions which may adversely affect the safety of the match, the ACSA Board will determine the appropriate course of action. Errors in scoring must be brought to the attention of the scoring coordinators as soon as possible. The deadline for addressing these errors is prior to the next ACSA Match.
15. Disputes or appeals shall, whenever possible, be handled on the posse by the Posse Marshal. The chain of authority for further disputes or protests shall be the Match Director (Range Master is the term used by Ben Avery). The MD/RM, may at his discretion, form a committee of 3 “judges” (RO Instructors, TGs, and/or ACSA Board members) and proceed per SASS rules. Disputes or appeals must be registered with the Posse Marshal before the posse leaves the stage where the issue or incident occurred. The dispute shall be heard and processed as soon as practically possible by match officials. Any disputes or protests brought to the Posse Marshal or any match officials after this time will NOT be entertained.
16. Show courtesy to the posse ahead: Posse members should not crowd the posse ahead, and should not move into the stage area until vacated by the previous posse.
17. Malfunctioning/Jammed Firearms: Firearms that cannot be cleared and made safe MUST remain on the bay/unloading table. Loaded firearms are NOT to be transported away from the stage without direct, match official supervision.
18. Interpersonal conflicts / rude or inappropriate behavior: Any other behavior than that of a true cowboy/cowgirl will not, under any circumstances, be tolerated. In the unlikely event that any shooter demonstrates such behavior they will be ejected from the match immediately and without question.

Safety First……BUT please do have fun!