Pistol Pin/Plate Matches

PSC Pinshooting and Plate shooting Rules

SAFETY

All PSC Range rules apply. Keep all guns holstered or in a case or rug until at the firing line. Holstered guns must have magazines removed and hammers down. Unholster or uncase gun at the firing line only under direction and supervision of the Range Officer (R.O.). Do not handle weapons on the range at any other time. If you wish to handle your weapon then go to an adjacent range or the “safe area “ provided. Ammunition may not be handled in the “safe area”. No Exceptions. If guns are to be transferred to or from holsters and cases or rugs this must be done in a safe area or at the firing line. The Range Officer issues loading and firing commands. Both participants and spectators must wear eye and hearing protection.

RANGE COMMANDS Pin Shoots

  • “Shooter to the Line” shooter approaches firing line with gun in holster, case, or rug
  • “Load and Make Ready” shooter loads and chambers a round. Safeties may remain off if shooter chooses. Fingers may be placed on double action triggers, but must remain out of single action trigger guards. At this time the shooter may take a sight picture
  • “Shooter Ready?” shooter acknowledges
  • “Gun On the Rail” shooter places weapon muzzle on the rail
  • “Standby” after a delay, a tone sounds signaling the shooter to commence firing
  • “Show Clear” shooter presents cleared weapon to Range Officer, then Range Officer permits shooter to leave the firing line
  • “Range is Safe” participants reset pins
  • “Range is Hot” participants behind firing line, range officer ready to call for next shooter

RANGE COMMANDS Plate Shoots

  • “Shooters to the Line” shooters approach firing line with guns in holster, case, or rug
  • “Load and Make Ready” shooters load and chamber a round. Safeties may remain off if shooter chooses. Fingers may be placed on double action triggers, but must remain out of single action trigger guards. At this time the shooter may take a sight picture. Competitors choosing to draw from a holster will make guns safe and holster.
  • “Shooter Ready?” shooter acknowledges
  • “Gun On the Rail” shooters place weapon muzzles on the rail. Competitors using holsters raise wrists above shoulders.
  • “Standby” after a delay, a tone sounds signaling shooters to commence firing.
  • “Show Clear” shooters present cleared weapons to Range Officer, then Range Officer permits shooters to leave the firing line
  • “Range is Safe”
  • “Range is Hot” participants behind firing line, range officer ready to call for next shooters

EVENT DESCRIPTION

1.  Bowling Pins

 Five bowling pins are placed on a table twenty-five feet from the firing line and shot to the ground for time. Pins either left on the table or fallen off the front result in a 15 second scratch run. The best three out of four runs are added together for an aggregate time to determine standings. No reshoots for jams. Reshoots allowed for timer failures. Each pin match will normally consist of a Stock Event and a Revolver Event. Time and enthusiasm available a Shoot-Off ensues. Descriptions follow.

  • Stock Event either semi-auto or revolver. Eight round limit, one reload.
  • Revolver Event
  • Shoot-Off Event stock or revolver, shooter’s choice. Unlimited reloads. Revolver shooters may use “New York “ reload (spare gun). Man-On-Man, single elimination. Winner takes all. Shooters seeded according to their aggregate times in the Stock or Revolver Event from that day. Shooters participating in only the Shoot-Off Event accept last seed.

Iron-sighted weapons only. No “external” compensators allowed. External compensators are considered to be those added on to a stock barrel or machined into an extended barrel. Match Director’s decision whether guns so equipped may be shot for record is to be considered final. Match Director’s decisions may be arbitrary. Hybrid barrels or factory porting or Mag-Na-Ports permitted.

Miscellaneous
  • No bullet velocity less than 850 fps allowed. Bounce back bullets threaten at velocities lower than 850 fps. The Range Officer may disallow any ammunition he deems unsafe.
  • A 195 power factor (bullet weight X velocity/1000) or greater is recommended.
  • Pin changes occur at the end of each event or as needed.
  • Participants’ shooting order reverses at the end of each round.

2.  Plate Matches

Two plate racks are normally placed at 15 yards, not less than 11 yards (10 Meters) and usually not further than 25 yards down range from the competitors. Each holds an identical array of metal falling targets, 6 for the stock event and 4 for the revolver shoot. Between the racks are mounted two half scale “pepper poppers” hinged to fall at an angle which ensures that they must cross as they fall.

At the signal shooters engage the targets on their respective racks and, when all are down, shoot the pepper popper on their own side. Winner’s pepper popper is on the bottom.

Shooting one’s own pepper popper while there are still targets on the rack or shooting one’s opponent’s popper before one’s own will result in a forfeit provided the opponent finishes by engaging and hitting (causing to fall ) all of his or her targets still available. In other words, if you screw up and hit the wrong popper or the right one too soon you can’t win but the win doesn’t go automatically to your opponent.

It is considered poor form at best and bad sportsmanship at worst to deliberately engage any of your opponent’s targets. (The RO may not decide to call a forfeit if you engage the other popper after hitting your own but it will be within his or her discretion to do so)

  • Stock Event either semi-auto or revolver. No round limit, one reload.
  • Revolver Event
  • Shoot-Off Event stock or revolver, shooter’s choice. Unlimited reloads. Revolver shooters may use “New York” reload (spare gun). Man-On-Man, single elimination. Each bout is best of three with shooters changing sides after each run. Winner takes all. Shooters seeded according to their aggregate times in the Stock or Revolver Event from that day. Shooters participating in only the Shoot-Off Event accept last seed.

Iron-sighted weapons only. No “external” compensators allowed. External compensators are considered to be those added on to a stock barrel or machined into an extended barrel. Match Director’s decision whether guns so equipped may be shot for record is to be considered final. Match Director’s decisions may be arbitrary. Hybrid barrels or factory porting or Mag-Na-Ports permitted.

Miscellaneous

  • Shooters compete with and shoot against all other shooters in the squad.

Depending on turnout there will be one or more squads.

  • When there are multiple squads shoot off pairings will have shooters facing opponents from different squads where possible. (First in squad A versus last from squad B, etc.)
  • This is a centerfire handgun competition but heavy loads are not required and are generally discouraged

Match fees for PSC members: $10 per Event

Match fees for non-members: $16 per Event

Stock Guns

Stock guns include semi autos with barrels not longer than 6 inches weighing not more than 44 ounces empty and revolvers with barrels of 8 3/8 inches or shorter weighing 56 ounces or less unloaded. Extended muzzle brakes, weighted magazines or weighted gloves are not allowed. Magna-Ports and hybrid barrels are.