GAF Expansion Era Match

[Pitspitr]

Below are the Final GAF Era of Expansion Match (EEM) guidelines:


The Era of Expansion Match

The Era of Expansion Match (EEM) is designed to commemorate the era of European expansion such as the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902), Second Boer War (1899-1902), the landing at Vera Cruz (1914), and the Pershing Expedition into Mexico (1916).

•   The EEM is a variation of what is popularly known in Cowboy Action Shooting as a "Wild Bunch" match, but with significant differences in what firearms are used and the encouragement to wear an appropriate uniform of the era. 

The EEM allows, and encourages, the use of MILSPEC firearms issued to the military between 1900 and 1916, with the exceptions noted below.

•   Rifle and pistol only.  Shotguns were not issued to military forces until WWI.  If a shotgun is required, it and the ammunition will be provided by the Muster Director.

•   Post-1900 design firearms may only be used in the Era of Expansion Match.  They may not be used in the long range pistol or rifle side-matches, or in the main match.

•   Post-WWI manufactured and issued MILSPEC firearms will not be used with the following exceptions only:

o   Springfield Model 1903A rifle.  Must have barrel mounted sights. WWII style receiver sights are not allowed.

o   US Enfield Model 1917 rifle: an accepted version of the British Enfield P14 in caliber .30-06. 

o   Colt Model 1917 revolver: a later model of the Model 1909 that permits the .45 ACP to be used.

o   Smith & Wesson 1917 revolver : a later model of the Model 1908 that permits the .45 ACP to be used.

o   Colt 1911A pistol.  Must be a basic model.  Beavertails, skeletonized hammers & triggers, ect.) are not allowed. 

o   Mauser rifles must be of pre-WWI design.  No WWII Mausers will be allowed.

•   The wearing of pre-1916 uniforms is encouraged but WWI specific items are WWI specific are not allowed.  Such items include, but are not limited to, steel helmets, gas masks, and other equipment or uniform items that were introduced and associated with the trench warfare in Europe.

•   The respective Brigade, Department or Division Ordnance Officer will have the final approval of any firearm used in the EEM.  There will be no appeal.

Era of Expansion Categories:

•   Regular:
o   MILSPEC Springfield 1903A1, Mauser 98, SMLE, etc.
o   MILSPEC semi-automatics or revolvers introduced prior to 1916 (see above for post-WWI firearms permitted).
o   Loading aids (3 round "C" clips for revolvers, clips for rifles, and magazines for pistols) are authorized.

•   Volunteer
o   MILSPEC Krags, MLEs, early Mausers, etc.
o   Single or double action revolvers.  No semi-automatic pistols.
o   Loading aids (magazines, stripper clips, etc) are not authorized.

•   Guardsman
•   Rifle or pistol caliber lever-action rifles
•   GAF approved semi-automatic pistol.  [I know SASS specifies the M1911A1 only – but I think as the GAF we can provide a bit more latitude and permit other semi-autos.
•   This category is designed to easily permit Cowboy Action Shooters to participate in the EEM without having to acquire new firearms.

Competitors should be encouraged to wear an appropriate period uniform that compliments the firearms they are shooting in the EEM. 

•   A separate uniform competion for the EEM will be conducted and one or more awards presented for the best uniforms.  First, Second and Third place awards should be provided to encourage competitors to shoot in uniform, and to encourage those who make the effort to match their firearms and uniforms.

[Pitspitr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApYp6_FgLOc&feature=youtube_gdata

[captmack]

For clarification, Moon Clips are allowed for the Colt or S&W M-1917?

Capt Mack

[captmack]

[Drydock]

Yes, all reasonable loading aids are allowed in Expansion era

[1961MJS]

Below are the Final GAF Era of Expansion Match (EEM) guidelines:

...

•   The wearing of pre-1916 uniforms is encouraged but WWI specific items are WWI specific are not allowed.  Such items include, but are not limited to, steel helmets, gas masks, and other equipment or uniform items that were introduced and associated with the trench warfare in Europe.

For the 19, are we allowed to shoot the expansion era mask wearing a gas mask?   

Just curious...

Later

[pony express]

For the 19, are we allowed to shoot the expansion era mask wearing a gas mask?   

Just curious...

Later

If I had one, I'd have got it out and wore it to Wal Mart when they were requiring masks, just to se the reactions. Not for shooting though. For those glasses wearers among us, they made some prescription inserts for the M-17 gas mask, but the lenses were really small, and they weren't positioned in the mask where you could look through them at the rifle's sights, unless you held it out in front of you like a handgun.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Some such items of kit would be cool ... however:

"The wearing of pre-1916 uniforms is encouraged but WWI specific items ... are not allowed.  Such items include, but are not limited to, steel helmets, gas masks, and other equipment or uniform items that were introduced and associated with the trench warfare in Europe."

[Robert Swartz]

Some such items of kit would be cool ... however:

"The wearing of pre-1916 uniforms is encouraged but WWI specific items ... are not allowed.  Such items include, but are not limited to, steel helmets, gas masks, and other equipment or uniform items that were introduced and associated with the trench warfare in Europe."


....well this is stuff I have acquired. I found the earlier canvas holsters if available are expensive. Canvas holsters did exist. This was a Brit holster I got dirt cheap that someone had busted the snap off. The rest are either items I had, WPG or originals. Hoping this works to make both suitable and acceptable items for an EEM?

[RattlesnakeJack]

Hopefully, Colonel Drydock (or another qualified member of the GAF Staff) will be along to comment ... and to point out any errors in my following comments ...

Keep in mind that (as I understand it) the only absolute "legality for competition" factor in any GAF category, including the EEM, is really just the firearm(s) and ammunition used. Although unlikely to be encouraged, you might well be allowed to shoot an EEM match wearing running shoes, blue jeans and a T-shirt, with modern rip-stop ammo pouches, as long as the firearm(s) and ammunition being used fit the era! 

Period correctness of uniform (if any) and accoutrements/equipment is only "required" if you are competing in the uniform competition associated with that event or match.  Competing with appropriate uniform and equipment (preferably "period correct" for the firearms being used) is nevertheless strongly encouraged, as being in keeping with the "spirit" of GAF activities.

So, assuming the firearms you have lined up to use are acceptable under the EEM guidelines, I don't believe anyrthing you have there would disqualify you from shooting in the match. As I say, virtually anything in the way of uniform, equipment and accoutrements is "allowed" in Main and EEM matches, but because the rules/guidelines regarding correctness of uniform and equipment are "requirements" only for judging of uniform categories, the responses you receive to your inquiry will likely be based on that criterion ... and that is the point of view my comments (to be made in a following post) will be directed from ... 

Generally speaking, in addition to the primary necessity of having been in military use within the specified historical timeframe (1900-1916 for EEM) the "correctness" of uniform and equipment items are viewed from the point of view of whether they are appropriate with the firearms and ammunition being used.  In other words, the uniform and equipment of the 1916-17 Mexican Expedition (U.S. Army Punitive Expedition) is ideal for a U.S. impression armed with a M'1903 Springfield rifle but does not "fit" for someone using a Britsh Pattern 1904 Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle or a Canadian Ross rifle (Mk i, 1903; Mk II. 1905 or Mk III, 1910) ... any more than contemporary British/Canadian uniforms and equipment would "fit" with a M'1903 Springfield ...

To put it another way ... going back to the initial wording of your question ... (and depending always on the views of the director of the specific match in question) I don't think any of the equipment you show there would necessarily be "not allowed" for use in an EEM match, provided you are aware it would presumably not qualify as "suitable" for a uniform/equipment impression appropriate with a Krag-Jorgensen rifle ...  (In that regard, inappropriate/incorrect items are generally viewed as "detracting" from an impression ... so for these purposes you are really better off not having a particular item of equipment - a holster, ammunition pouch, or whatever ... which at least could be "explained" as that piece of kit having been lost or destroyed ... than having a piece of kit from another era, or from the military equipment of a different nation, that a soldier of the era being depicted would be unlikely to have ...

[RattlesnakeJack]

This is a follow-up to my previous post regarding the concepts of "acceptabiity" and "suitability" ( and that those concepts are not necessarily the same thing) of items of equipment in the EEM (or other GAF categories) ... unfortunately - as I mentioned elsewhere - the holster you are showing (while admittedly "old" in a general sense) definitely appears to be a Pattern 1937 Web Equipment pistol case - http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1937/1937_pistol_equipment.html .





Admittedly, that pattern is a re-work of the web pistol case introduced in 1935 for use, with Pattern 1908 Web Equipment, for the .38 Cal. No. 2 Enfield revolver.  Its design also does bear striking similarities to another little-used pistol case, introduced with the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment, although those were of a larger size, to fit the .455 Webley Mk VI revolver, and had a wooden nosecap.  At any rate, those earlier (and relatively rare) versions also both come after the EEM cutoff year.

Perhaps more relevant than date, to the issue of "suitability", is the fact that this holster is a piece of British Commonwealth kit, not really appropriate for use with the primary firearm you show ... namely, the U.S.  Krag-Jorgensen rifle.  To strive for such suitability, you'd want a U.S. military design of holster ...

Although perhaps of no interest to you, the balance of my comments will relate to the "period correct" British webbing and holster use in EEM matches  The Pattern 1908 Web Equipment was introduced in the stated year for specific use with the newly adopted "Rifle, Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield" (SMLE).  It has a distinctive appearance noticeably different from the later Pattern 1937 Web Equipment.  Also, there was no web pistol case design for use with the P'08 Web Equipment (at least not until the 1935 case mentioned above) ... rather,  it was used in conjunction with the "Other Ranks Pattern"pistol case which had first been introduced into British service in 1877 ... an open-topped, strap secured leather holster.


At time of original adoption of this type of leather pistol case, the standard-issue British military service revolver was the .450 Adams first introduced in the 1860s, but it was replaced at the end of 1879 with the .455 Enfield (aka .476 Enfield ... this revolver was the "No. 1 Enfield" revolver that resulted in the entirely different .38 revolver adopted much later being called "No. 2".)  Introduced at the end of 1879, it was a large, rather ungainly monstrosity of a handgun never very popular.  (Note that the posted War Department List of Changes entry regarding this design of pistol case mentions that the versions produced starting in 1877 (to fit the smaller, shorter-barreled Adams) allowed the barrel of the new Enfield service revolver adopted in 1879 to protrude out the open bottom, and that the Mk II version was lengthened to completely enclose the barrel.)  The Webley revolver introduced in 1887 to supplant the Enfield had a standard 4" barrel length (which remained standard through subsequent versions up to and including the Mk V introduced in 1913) so the majority of leather pistol cases of this type produced up to and going into WWI were the shorter version shown in the above line drawing.  When the significantly different-looking Mk VI Webley revolver, with standard 6" barrel, was adopted in 1915 the pistol cases again began to be made in a longer version so the barrel would be completely covered. 

Here is a image of Pattern 1908 Web Equipment in "Pistol Order" with this type of Other Ranks pistol case and 
corresponding ammunition pouch ... both in leather -


If you did want such a leather British-pattern holster, moderately-priced reproductions are offered by What Price Glory:
https://onlinemilitaria.net/products/4610-UK-Leather-Webley-Holster/


From what I can see, only the "P'03" and "P'08" versions are currently available.  Mind you, the ones I have (and the only version that I would order) is the P'03 version, which is the pattern of most holsters of this type from 1877 through 1908, having a simple leather loop sewn on the back for sliding onto any belt.  If the wire clips on the back of the WPG P'08 version holster are aligned like they are shown in the WPG photo - i.e. set at differing levels, and not parallel to one another as they should be - I honestly don't see how you'd get the holster to properly fasten to a P'08 web belt ... or any other type of web belt, for that matter ...

[Robert Swartz]

......Rattlesnake Jack, thank you, I appreciate your input. Yes, I know what the holster is. I am not trying to do something wrong simply by not knowing what would be correct. Finding a correct period Mills holster would be prohibitively expensive. At least for a useable and serviceable one. In my own clumsy way I am attempting to replicate one of these.

[Robert Swartz]

...to add a bit more fuel to the fire. One of the below would be the ideal holster. I have found a few on various auction sites or militaria dealer sites. Anything usable is out my price range. The real noted differences are the rivets on the bodies and the nosecaps.

[Niederlander]

I was there for the discussions when we came up with the EEM.  As I understood it, we were looking for a way to use some more really neat old guns, but we didn't want to wander into World War 1, which, as you all know, changed EVERYTHING.  We still highly encourage people to wear uniforms appropriate to the period, matched with what you're shooting, but with maybe somewhat relaxed standards to make sure people could play if they wanted to.  It was also hoped it could be another way to get people interested in what we do with guns and gear they may already have.  Just my thoughts.

[Drydock]

I would be interested in knowing where that illustration of Mills equipment came from.  It appears to be a Mills commercial sales illustration.  Almost none of that was adopted by the Pre war US Military, thought the British showed a great deal of interest in it.

Your portrayal is guided by the rifle you choose to use.  As has been said, we would not turn anyone away, but you would be encouraged to aquire correct gear. 

It there a reason you want to use a Mills pattern holster?  To my knowledge none were ever adopted by the US Military until perhaps the 1930s, though I have heard of sailors making holsters/frogs of sailcloth/canvas in our era.

[Robert Swartz]

.....Chuck, I can't find a date on that catalogue. I'm certain it's pre WW1. My only interest in the canvas holsters were their rarity. I'm not arguing this holster is a later piece of equipment. Was just going to try to make it appear as something it isn't. Obviously it's a much bigger issue than I believed. I'm not buried in it. So, I will shelve the idea and move on. The majority of the information I gathered on these came from the US Militaria forum. Those guys are serious collectors and very anal. To acquire an original would cost me more than I have in the pistol.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Very intersting to see that page of Mills Equipment items!  I think the catalogue it comes from must date no earlier than 1914, perhaps later ...

Canada purchased 5,000 commercial-production .45ACP Colt Government Model pistols in 1914.  Most photographs I have seen of Canadian WWI servicemen with the Colt pistol show them being carried in leather holsters, but Canada also aquired quantities of Mills Equipment sets, consisting of the No. 305 Automatic Pistol Holster and No. 171 Army Model Pistol Belt with double magazine pouch. 

This composite consists of the greyscale images from "Canadian Military Handguns, 1855-1985" of one of these holsters and a magazine pouch, along with the printed warning which accompanied every set of equipment ...



Surviving examples of these items are quite rare (and complete sets are essentiually unheard of.)  A relatively ratty example of this type of holster sold in an online auction here in Canada in December 2020 for CAD$1300 ... and the 15% "buyer's premium" added $195 to that ... bringing the price (before taxes and shipping costs) up to CAD$1500, for all intents and purposes.  (At current exchange rates, that is about US$1200.)

To supplement my very lovely original Canadian-purchase 1914-production Colt Government Model pistol, I am also the proud owner of a very nice example of this Canadian-issue holster -





Based on the Patent dates on this holster, I assume that a catalogue featuring it would have to date to 1914 at the earliest ...

As some GAF members may recall, I have actually used my original 1914 pistol in EEM matches in the past (although common sense has since induced me to acquire a moderately priced clone (a product of TISAS in Turkey.)  Here is a nice photo someone captured of me firing the original some years ago ...

[Robert Swartz]

....please accept this in the spirit of sarcasm I intend......not exactly the best method of carry for a pistol I've seen, lol.....

[Niederlander]

I may or may not have carried a pistol with that method at least once.............

[Major 2]

I have followed this thread and the guidelines with much interest.
  I also enjoy and fascinated with the pistol pouch and holsters discussion, in particular the photos...
I have a modest collection mostly later (WW 1 & WW 2 era) Milsurp leather.

I don't wish to highjack the thread, but in the vein of the guidelines originally posted...

Regarding the firearms
My question is specifically...

... Springfield 03 (not 03A3) with a Scant Stock acceptable?

I've yet to find a replacement straight stock that is affordable.