Loading the 1897 during CAS matches and one more question.

[Bugscuffle]

Is it legal to load all four rounds into the 1897 shotgun at the beginning of the shotgun position of a SASS match, or do you have to load them one at a time or two and then two or what?

At our club we, at least most of us, don't cycle the revolver six times while shooting the revolver portion of a stage. This came up in a casual discussion. In the strictest meaning, is this a safty violation? The rules say that the gun must be hammer down on an EMPTY chamberto be "safe". One side of the argument said that a fired case IS an "empty chamber" The other side said that, no it must be completely empty and thus the revolver must be cycled six times to put the hammer down on the empty chamber that it started on.

[Camille Eonich]

A spent case is the same thing as an empty.

Revolvers are returned to leather (re-holstered) with hammer down on a spent case or empty
chamber at the conclusion of the shooting string, unless the stage description specifically
directs otherwise; e.g., "move to next position and set gun on table or prop." A shooting
string is defined as shots from one type of firearm prior to the next type of firearm engaged.

Pump and lever action shotguns are allowed to load no more than two live rounds at a time
in the main match stages unless specified in the stage description. In team events, shotguns
may be loaded to their maximum magazine capacity.

http://sassnet.com/Downloads/2011ROMaterials/SASSHandbook-17-2011.pdf

[rbertalotto]

The model 97 is much faster if it is loaded from the top, one shell at a time.

If you needed to start with an empty gun, and then load the magazine with two shots, bring the gun to target, shoot twice and then reload..........this would take way longer than simply dropping them in from the top.

[Bugscuffle]

Thanks all y'all . I read through the rules twice and missed both of those both times. I know that I'm an old fart, but i didn't think that I was THAT old. Oh my! maybe my wife is right!!!

[Pettifogger]

In virtually all SASS stages you start with an open EMPTY shotgun.  When you do load it, the rules limit loading to two rounds.

[Lumpy Grits]

In virtually all SASS stages you start with an open EMPTY shotgun.  When you do load it, the rules limit loading to two rounds.

Not at all uncommon for club level shoots to allow you to "stoke" s/g's for the needed round count.
You sane NOTH'N in time........Sure is fun to let 4-6 rounds "rip".
LG

[Lumpy Grits]

Is it legal to load all four rounds into the 1897 shotgun at the beginning of the shotgun position of a SASS match, or do you have to load them one at a time or two and then two or what?

At our club we, at least most of us, don't cycle the revolver six times while shooting the revolver portion of a stage. This came up in a casual discussion. In the strictest meaning, is this a safty violation? The rules say that the gun must be hammer down on an EMPTY chamberto be "safe". One side of the argument said that a fired case IS an "empty chamber" The other side said that, no it must be completely empty and thus the revolver must be cycled six times to put the hammer down on the empty chamber that it started on.

BS on hav'n to cycle the revolver 6 times......NO SUCH RULE!
The hammer must be on an emtpy chamber or a fired(empty)case when you are done shooting handguns.
Long gun must be open and empty of ALL ammo or fired cases when done with'em.
Respectfully,
LG(RO2)

[Pettifogger]

Not at all uncommon for club level shoots to allow you to "stoke" s/g's for the needed round count.
You sane NOTH'N in time........Sure is fun to let 4-6 rounds "rip".
LG

Like I said in most "SASS stages."  Any match fired according to SASS rules isn't going to allow a stoked 97 as that would put doubles at a severe disadvantage.  A local club might do it for fun and giggles, but you will never see it at anything above a club level match.  In fact, in fifteen years of SASS shooting all over the country I have never seen a stage where the 97 started fully loaded.  And as Lumpy notes, there is no such rule about cycling a revolver six times.  Hammer down on an empty fired case is safe for all purposes.

[Lumpy Grits]

Never said you started with a pre-loaded S/G. You load you '97 on '87 on the clock.
FWIW: I shoot at 2 clubs that let you stoke if you want.
It would be fun me thinks to just pick up your S/G and "go-to-work" like they do in Wild Bunch
Cheers,
LG

[Bugscuffle]

Thanks for all of the information pards. My 1897 doesn't see the light of day very often. Regularly I shoot a Stevens 311 SXS at SASS. I bought and refurbished my 1897 with the intention of doing some Wild Bunch shooting. Unfortunately car repairs and Christmas has wiped out the savings acount to buy a 1911. So Wild Bunch is on hold for a while, so I thought that I could get some use out of it at the SASS matches. I did get one of the few 1897 shooters from our local club to show me the reloading process, but we never discussed the details of how many to load and when. He just showed me how to load single rounds in through the ejection port. I've been practicing, but I still load the SXS faster than the pump. My total time for four rounds from the SXS are about three seconds faster than the 1897.For now it will just have to stay locked away waiting forthat 1911 to come home.

[Camille Eonich]

Thanks all y'all . I read through the rules twice and missed both of those both times. I know that I'm an old fart, but i didn't think that I was THAT old. Oh my! maybe my wife is right!!!