Coyote Creek Chronicle

Newsletter of the Bayou Bounty Hunters — September/October 2009 Edition
Text Box:

23255 La Palma Avenue

Yorba Linda, California   92887

Phone (714) 694-1800

 Fax (714) 694-1815

www.sassnet.com

Soiled Dove

Print Editor / Publisher

 

Bayou Blessings

Web Editor / Publisher

Scroll Down to read about….

 

Welcome New Shooters

Top Shooters Sept/Oct

Clean Stages Sept/Oct

Circle of Safety Explanation

Circle of Safety Illustration

Hangin’ At Coyote Creek
Text Box: Clean Stages – September CLEAN MATCH! CRAZY EMMITT Four Clean Stages Cap’n Dan Cherokee Strip Doc Copperhead Charlie Gringo Ben Three Clean Stages Cooper York Duke City Deadeye Galvez Goofus Macooter Louisiana Cuz Tobin Kid Clean Stages – October CLEAN MATCH ! CRAZY EMMITT Four Clean Stages Louisiana Cuz Rattlesnake Blake Three Clean Stages Foard County News Goofus Macooter Tobin Kid

Top Shooters—Sept. Match

 

49’er Class:  Copperhead Charlie

                    Duke City Deadeye

 

Classic Cowboy:  Cole Trigger

 

Cowboy:  Macon A. Longshot

               Cooper York

 

Duelist:  Tobin Kid

              Chipola Kid

 

Elder Statesman:  Louisiana Cuz

                            Old Paul

 

Frontier Cartridge Duelist:  Kentucky Tom

 

Gunfighter:  Crazy Emmitt

 

Lady Frontier Cartridge:  Cameo Rose

          

Lady Wrangler:  Concho Pearl

                        Apache Belle

 

Senior:  Galvez

             Gringo Ben

          

Senior Duelist:  Doc Spudley

                        Cubbie

 

Silver Senior:  Cap’n Dan

                      Cherokee Strip Doc

          

B-Western:  Leatherneck

 

Wrangler:  Goofus Macootter

                 Diamondback Mac

                 Devil Dawg

 

 

 

TOP MALE SHOOTER:

           Galvez

 

TOP FEMALE SHOOTER:

           Cameo Rose

Top Shooters — Oct. Match

 

49’er Class:  Golden Dragon Tong

                   

Cowboy:  Jed Cooper

 

Duelist:   James Henry Parker

               Foard County News

 

Elder Statesman:  Louisiana Cuz

 

Frontier Cartridge Duelist:  Kentucky Tom

 

Lady 49’er:  Mountain Laurel

 

Lady Senior:  Soiled Dove

 

Senior:  Big John Blackhawk 

 

Senior Duelist:  Rattlesnake Blake

                     

Silver Senior:  El Zopilote Mojado

                     Ruffin Ruger

 

Wrangler:  Goofus Maccotter

                 Parson Delacroix

                 Diamondback Mac

 

WILD BUNCH:  Crazy Emmitt

                       Tobin Kid

                       Cubbie

                       Camoe Rose

                       Malone LaVeigh

                

 

TOP MALE SHOOTER

           Golden Dragon Tong

 

TOP FEMALE SHOOTER:

           Soiled Dove

Welcome New Shooter!

 

“Jed Cooper” aka Darren Bounds
Text Box: SASS RO Committee Proposal For “The Circle of Safety” A New Technique for Drawing / Holstering Revolvers Background This proposal is the result of the need to address specific problems currently existing in the SASS shooting community at large, namely that rules regarding the drawing and holstering of revolvers are not being applied consistently and in some cases, correctly. Issues regarding safe muzzle direction while drawing and holstering revolvers are not exclusive to the “cross-draw” or “shoulder” holsters. Shooters who use straight-hang holsters sometimes break safe muzzle direction while drawing their revolvers in a rushed, “forward” motion, allowing the muzzle to point behind the shooter. They also break safe muzzle direction while holstering their revolvers, when on occasion they “miss” their holster on their first attempt while moving, causing a loss of muzzle control. Even when allowing the straight-hang holster exception for drawing and holstering, when safe muzzle directions are violated, penalties are seldom awarded. (Note that the “straight-hang” holster exception applies to ALL holsters worn with “zero cant,” including those worn in the manner of a cross-draw, either on the belt or as a shoulder rig. Shooters who use canted holsters, whether using a cross-draw plus strong side configuration, or a double canted “forward” configuration sometimes break safe muzzle direction when they draw and holster without turning their bodies in order to align their muzzles in a safe direction. These safety violations are also sometimes ignored, as are the straight-hang issues described above. However, shooters who wear canted holsters toward the center of their bodies, and stand with that strong foot forward, are NOT required to “twist” their bodies, as their muzzles are already aligned in a safe direction by virtue of the way they stand and how they wear their holsters. Safety issues involving muzzle direction while drawing and holstering are NOT the exclusive territory of the canted or “cross-draw” holsters. It is clear that techniques need to be defined for all types of holsters, with “safety and simplicity of technique” being preserved. The Concept The concept being proposed is centered around the idea of a “circle of safety,” or safety cone. SASS currently employs the concept of the 170 degree cone in a horizontal plane for safe muzzle direction while engaging targets on the firing line. A similar concept in the vertical plane for holstering and drawing revolvers is a natural follow on to this already employed technique. The basic concept is rooted in two very important caveats: 1.) Canted holsters must be limited to 30 degrees, as per the current rules 2.)Shooters must maintain the muzzle of their revolvers in the “circle of safety” while drawing and holstering. The circle of safety is described as a 4 foot circle on the ground, drawn around the shooter, centered on the holster and revolver being used at that moment. A canted holster at 30 degrees from the vertical, being worn at waist level (reference height of waist 3’4”) will have the center line of the holstered muzzle point at a position on the ground approx. 1’ 10 ¾ ” away from the shooter. Considering some room for error, and those taller folks wearing holsters slightly higher, a “circle of safety” with a 2’ radius (4’ diameter) was conceived. Text Box: The Premise If the muzzle of a revolver is maintained within the circle of safety (muzzle points down at a position not more than approx 2’ or 24” away from the shooter), then all movement while drawing and holstering is acceptable. This would allow all shooters to draw and holster on the move, while facing any direction PROVIDED the muzzle of the revolver is pointed within thecircle of safety. Drawing and holstering from a canted holster (holster is 30 degrees orless) would also be acceptable, again provided the muzzle is maintained in the circle of safety. This would afford shooters wearing canted holsters the SAME exception as currently exists for straight-hang holsters. (A common misconception is that shooters may NOT draw or holster “up-range” revolvers – THIS NOT TRUE – nothing in the current rules prevents shooters from drawing their “up-range” revolver, PROVIDED current muzzle rules (170 degree cone, with exception for straight-hang holsters) are not broken. Essentially this concept defines safe muzzle direction and a cone of safety in the vertical for revolvers drawn from and holstered to all types of holsters. Shooters wearing canted holsters would no longer have to twist their bodies, provided their holsters are maintained during the course of fire at NO MORE than 30 degrees from the vertical, and the muzzle of the revolver is maintained within the circle of safety. This concept has clear advantages. Currently shooters wearing canted holsters need to ensure legal holsters, control muzzle direction (as do all shooters), but also twist their bodies if required. Under this new proposed concept, the procedure would be simplified, only requiring a legal canted holster and the shooter to maintain safe muzzle direction. The procedure has been simplified for the shooter. For shooters wearing straight-hang holsters, they would be afforded some latitude when drawing their revolvers in a slightly less than pure vertical direction (as is more often the case), leaving the muzzle pointing slightly behind the shooter. Provided the muzzle was maintained in the circle of safety, no safety violation would occur. For the chief range officer (RO) / timer operator (TO), the situation is simplified as well. Under the new concept the RO/TO would only have to ensure, or pay attention to, two things: the shooter wearing a 30 degree or less canted holster, and muzzle direction maintained within the circle of safety while drawing and holstering. RO/TOs are required to give their full attention to these issues currently; however they would no longer need to ensure the shooter “twists” if required. RO/TOs can maintain safe control of the shooter by staying at arm’s length, and still remain “outside” of the circle of safety around the shooter. Enforcement is clearly the important issue under this new proposal. The shooting community at large MUST take on a more serious and committed role in the enforcement of the “30 degree from the vertical canted holster rule.” The bottom line in this proposal: We have defined a circle of safety that will work for shooters wearing all types of holsters. T here is a requirement to enforce the 30 degree maximum canted from the vertical rule, and be vigilant about muzzle control. This proposal reduces the complexity for the shooter and the RO/TO by eliminating some of the currently misunderstood and misdirected procedures, and focusing on only TWO important requirements.