Holstered At The Loading Table

[Shotgun Franklin]

I've shot with 3 different clubs. At 2 of'm I've loaded my revolvers then holstered them while waiting my turn to shoot. Now I would not step away from the table with loaded gus except to take my turn at shooting. Anyway the third club enforces a rule, claiming that it's a SASS Rule, that you may not holster until you actually are called to the shooting line. I can understand the safety aspect but can't find a SASS Rule requiring that the guns lie on the table until you're called to the firing line?

[Jefro]

Not a SASS rule, a local rule only. This one gets debated at least once a year, only a few clubs do it from what I've heard, I've never seen it in five states. IMHO it would just add more cluter to the loading table, and break my gamer concentration, but when in Rome......... . We often don't use an assigned loading table officer, the shooter behind you is the loading table officer. We sometimes do the same thing at the unloading table, when ya get done you wait for the next shooter to finish, then check them and they wait..etc..etc...... Works great on small posses when you're short of help on the line. There is still a loading and unloading officer, just a different one each time. Another thing I'd never seen is when you come to loading table, the LTO wants you to show clear before you start loading, even though you just did it a few minutes ago at the ULT......again, when in Rome....works for me either way. The first time I was loading my revolver and the feller (LTO) kinda put his hand out and pointed at my revolvers.......I just smiled, nodded my head and said "Smoke Wagons!!"

Jefro

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Not a SASS rule. They're full of hooey if they think it is. Nobody in New England has such a rule, that I've encountered. I did encounter a club in Pennsylvania that does that at the loading table.

Not a rule to show clear at the loading table either.

[LoneRider]

NOT a SASS Rule!

Local option only! One club I shoot at has that rule.

[August]

I kinda get the sense that places with draconian, elaborate, and ridiculous loading table rules don't understand how guns work, what the idea of having a dropped hammer on an empty chamber accomplishes, or any respect for the idea of individual responsibility.

I don't go back, feeling that it is an unsafe environment.