All entrants in the Cowboy Single Action Division will compete in Open Class and for extra awards. Those entered shall be governed by SASS rules and regulations for allowable firearms and holsters. Single action shooters may use two (2) revolvers, with all chambers loaded (6). Upon emptying the first revolver and if still needing to complete the course, the competitor may draw their second revolver to complete the course of fire. However, the second revolver may not be drawn until the first revolver has been fully re-holstered. On either draw, the hammer may not be cocked until the barrel is pointed down range. Firearms must be of Single Action design. Adjustable sights are allowed. Western attire is encouraged.

"SINGLE ACTION WOMEN'S CATEGORY"

All female entrants in this category will compete for cash and also compete in Open Class, Single Action Overall and Top Overall Woman. See Single Action Division for applicable rules

"LAW ENFORCEMENT CATEGORY"

Those qualifying will compete for additional Law Enforcement awards. To qualify, one must be one of the following: a sworn peace officer (current or retired), police reserve, corrections, parole, custody, or a licensed security officer. Please submit a copy of appropriate identification.

"JUNIOR CATEGORY"

All competitors 10-17 years old at the time of the match will qualify for extra cash awards. Please state birth date on the application. All Junior or Pre-Teen competitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their parent or guardian throughout the competition. If the parent/guardian of the Junior or Pre-Teen is competing in the tournament, they must be squaded together. All Junior or Pre-teen competitors must be experienced shooters and have participated in formal competition. The liability waiver must be signed by both the competitor and their parent or legal guardian.

“PRE-TEEN CATEGORY”

All competitors 10-12 years old at the time of the match will compete for a custom plaque, in addition to the overall Junior Category. Please state birth date on the application. See Junior Division for additional rules and guidelines.

The three shooters who finish 100th, 125th and 150th overall, will each win $200.00. (Ties decided by Match tie breaker rules.) These awards are in honor of the memory of Wes Thompson, who played a very major role in our sport for so many years.

"SHOOTER BADGES"

"SINGLE ACTION SHOOT OFF"

The top four overall Single Action shooters will be paired into two teams and will compete for separate cash awards. This event will immediately precede the VIHTAVOURI-LAPUA Team vs. Team Shoot Off.

"TIMING EQUIPMENT"

BLACKWATER TARGET SYSTEMS

"OFFICIAL STEEL CHALLENGE TARGETS"

"SHOOTER PINS"

Custom Souvenir Shooter Hat Pins for all tournament participants.

"STEEL CHALLENGE WEB SITE MASTERS"

"TOP SENIOR"

All competitors who are 55-64 years of age at the time of the match will compete for a custom plaque. Please state birth date on the application.

"TOP SUPER SENIOR"

All competitors 65 years of age and older will also compete for a custom plaque. Please state birth date on the application.

THE STEEL CHALLENGE WORLD CHAMPIONS OF SPEED SHOOTING.

Thursday, August 21ST. The MARVEL PRECISION "RIMFIRE EVENT" and the BAR-STO PRECISION / VANG COMP SYSTEMS “SHOTGUN EVENT”. Those Rimfire competitors missing sign ups on Wednesday, must check in at the range for score cards. Shooters will be placed in either an 8:30 A.M. to 12 Noon squad or a 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. squad for the Rimfire Event or a morning shoot from 0900-1200 and an afternoon shoot from 1300-1600.

Thursday, August 21st. Sign ups will continue at the Steel Challenge range. Competitors will receive shooter packets and squading information.

Competitors for the Open match who are only competing on Friday or Saturday shall report to the range Friday morning at 8 A.M. and check in with Match Officials in the Sponsor Area.

Friday, August 22nd. Paul Erhardt and Scott Moore of the N.S.S.F. (National Shooting Sports Foundation) ask that you stop by and join them in the conference room at the Hilton Garden Inn from 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. for soft drinks and snacks.

As soon as possible after the completion of the Steel Challenge, the top 32 overall shooters will be announced and posted at the range and at the Match Hotel.

Sunday, August 24th. The VIHTAVUORI - LAPUA "Team vs. Team" shoot off will begin at 9:30 A.M. sharp.

Approximately one hour after the completion of the Vihtavuori-Lapua “Team vs. Team” event, award distribution of all cash, prizes and trophies will begin at the Match Hotel. All cash and prizes will be awarded by a “Pick of the Table” format, so do not arrive late. Competitors shall gather in the conference room and will be brought into the prize room in groups of five at a time. The results of each group's prize choices will continually be announced so everyone can be aware of prize availability. All competitors will receive a full list of numbered prizes to keep track. All award winners will have 30 seconds to make their selection. Failing to do so will allow the next place finisher to make their selection whether you are ready or not.

Center fire handguns must be the minimum caliber of 9mm/.38 special. Center fire firearms shall be suitable for holster use. Rimfire shall be .22 Long Rifle caliber only.

Holsters shall be mounted in the general vicinity of the waist and must retain the gun. IDPA categories must abide by the IDPA criteria, to include IDPA approved holsters and holster position. Triggers may not be fully exposed with the exception of the Single Action western holsters.

There will be no multiple projectile or magnum loads allowed. All rounds must travel a minimum of 750 FPS.

Note: Stop plates will be calibrated for a 120 power factor and will be tested on a daily basis. An ultra light load or edger may not stop the timer. However, each stage will have a backup sound timer, which will be used each time there is not an impact stoppage. The back up timer is gang wired and begins on the same initial start signal. A set "factor" for bullet travel time to the stop plate, will be added to the sound timer to approximate the same time, which is based on a 800 FPS bullet speed.

SCORING

Your time is your score. Each of four targets must be hit during each string of fire and a designated impact stop plate will be hit last to stop the time. Total score for Matches 1 through 7 will determine the Overall Champion. The best four out of five runs will be counted as the total score for each stage, except for WINCHESTER Outer Limits, which will be the best three out of four runs. Any hits made after the maximum time allowance will not be counted. All primary targets hit after the stop plate has been struck, will be scored with a 3 second penalty each. The maximum time allowed for each individual run is 30 seconds. The competitor will be stopped and asked to reload if they reach the 30 second limit. Three (3) second procedural penalties will be given for: Creeping, movement or jumping before the start signal, foot faults, shooting at the wrong targets from the designated boxes, and incorrect or non movement.

It is the shooter's responsibility to properly declare any extra categories in which they wish to be entered. If you are not sure, then you must ask BEFORE the match begins. A shooter may qualify for more than one category (i.e. IDPA Custom & Law Enforcement), however, a contestant may NOT compete for both IDPA and LIMITED. You must choose between one category or the other in this regard. Check your score card labels before the match to insure that you have been given the correct category status.

It is the responsibility of the competitors to check their scores as written on their score cards and to sign their score cards when finished shooting. Any questions concerning the score card should then be asked of the Range Officials. If still needed, a Match Director will then be summoned.

All shooting boxes will be 3’ x 3’ except for the WINCHESTER AMMUNITION Outer Limits, which are 4’ x 4’. A foot fault will be described as when shots are fired while any part of the body (foot) is touching down outside of the shooting boxes. Clarification: A competitor may not support any weight down “outside” (on the ground) of the shooting box while shooting, but foot pressure on the raised shooting box will not be penalized.

All courses of fire will be fired from a single shooting box with the exceptions of WINCHESTER Outer Limits, PMC AMMUNITION Showdown and the PRO-EARS by RIDGELINE Flying M 2000, which will each have more than one shooting box.

PMC AMMUNITION Showdown will have two 3’x 3’ shooting boxes and two runs will be shot from one shooting box and two from the other. The competitor may choose from either box to shoot their fifth and final run. There is NO movement between boxes during this course of fire.

The PRO-EARS by RIDGELINE Flying M 2000 will have the competitor begin in Box A and engage the "A" targets, move forward to Box B and engage the "B" targets and Stop Plate in one continuous course of fire.

The WINCHESTER AMMUNITION Outer Limits will have three 4’ x 4’ shooting boxes. The shooter will start on their weak side shooting box and will engage the 20 and 35 yard plates on the weak side of the center line, move to the middle shooting box and engage the remaining two plates and stop plate. The distance between each of the three boxes will be 6’. Note: Only two of the three boxes will be used by each shooter. Depending on whether you are right or left handed, you will begin in the appropriate outside box and finish in the middle box.

USPSA rules will apply for shots fired while moving into the second shooting box in WINCHESTER’S Outer Limits and the PRO-EARS by RIDGELINE Flying M 2000. If the contestant fires and leaves Box A and then realizes they missed and/or hit the targets out of sequence and returns to Box A and continues to shoot, there will be no procedural penalty (Keep the muzzle down range while returning to Box A). Any target(s) struck in the incorrect order (A vs. B) WILL be judged as a miss. If any shots are fired after having begun to move forward out of the box, there WILL be a procedural penalty. (For ease of judging, both feet must be touching down while firing in Box A in the PRO-EARS by RIDGELINE Flying M 2000 and the Weak Side Box in WINCHESTER Outer Limits.) Upon reaching Box B, the contestant may begin to fire when one foot is in the box and the trailing foot is either in the box or in the air. Remember, if targets are engaged out of order without corrective shots being taken, there will be a procedural penalty, plus a miss scored on each target struck out of turn.

The WINCHESTER Outer Limits has the same movement conditions as the PRO-EARS by RIDGELINE Flying M 2000. The shooter may not leave the initial box until AFTER the first two targets are engaged. Upon entering the second box, the competitor may begin to engage the targets when the trailing foot is off the runway. It is the shooter's choice as to whether they should have the trailing foot down or in the air before firing.

The audible COMPETITION ELECTRONICS timer start will be proceeded by the commands “Load and make ready.” After a short time is taken, the shooter shall indicate that he or she is ready. The commands will be “Shooter ready? - Stand by.” There will then be a hesitation of one half to one and one half seconds before the start signal will sound. Creeping or jumping is expressly prohibited! Hands must remain motionless after the “Stand by” command. A 3 second penalty WILL BE ASSESSED for creeping, premature start, hand movement or bouncing of any kind. Please do not test the officials.

Hands are to be held in the “Surrender Position”, which is shoulder high, with the wrists and full hands visible from behind. The Range Officer will stop the count down and give one warning and one warning ONLY if they see that the competitor is setting up too low or starting to creep or “bounce”. Failure to comply will result in a three second penalty for each occurrence.

The range is cold! Handguns will not be loaded except as directed by Match Officials. Semi-autos will have an empty chamber and magazine well, and all chambers and revolver cylinders will be kept empty.

During loading or unloading, engaging the course of fire and during remedial action in the event of a malfunction, the muzzle of the handgun must ALWAYS be kept pointed down range. If the limit line (180 degrees of the shooter box) is violated with a loaded gun, the contestant will be asked to unload and will be disqualified from the entire match.

After a string of fire, no contestant may leave their position until the firearm has been unloaded, inspected and cleared by the Range Officer. The firearm will then be holstered or placed in a protective sheath or bag.

In the event a firearm cannot be unloaded due to a broken or failed mechanism, the shooter will notify the Range Officer. In no case, will a contestant leave the line with a loaded weapon.

During the contest, contestants will refrain from handling their firearms, except when instructed by a match official or in designated areas.

Should a firearm be dropped during a course of fire, the contestant will not pick up the firearm, but allow the match official to do so. The match official will then unload and inspect the firearm.

The following violations, any one of which may, and any two of which shall, result in disqualification.

Pointing an UNloaded pistol up range (break the 180 degree line).

Dropping of an UNloaded firearm.

Leaving the line with a loaded pistol.

Any grossly uncontrolled shot or accidental discharge.

Picking up a dropped firearm without the direction of a match official.

The following violations shall result in automatic disqualification from the tournament.

Pointing a loaded firearm up range.

Dropping a loaded firearm.

Any shot fired into the holster or into the ground within six feet of the contestant.

Unsafe handling of a loaded firearm.

Contestants under the influence of a controlled substance. (Alcohol or drugs)

Any behavior or action in violation of sportsmanship codes, or that which directly and/or adversely affects the performance of another competitor.

Any disrespectful words and/or gestures to or towards a match official.

All targets are painted white and will be re-painted prior to each contestant’s first run on each course of fire. All round targets are 5' high to the top of the target and all rectangles are 5'6" to the top of the target (as set by a transom from the shooter's box).

Eye and ear protection for all shooters and spectators are required. Individuals observed without eye or ear wear will be required to leave the shooting area.

Should a tie for 1st place of any stage occur, the fastest single run of that particular stage, will be used as the tie breaker. If still needed, the second and third run will be used as the tie breaker.

Should a tie for Overall placing occur, the PARA-ORDNANCE Speed Option stage score will be used as the tie breaker.

There will be designated areas for function firing and firearms handling.

The shaded holding area at each stage is for competitors only! No friends or family members are allowed in this area.

The same gun, holster and holster position must be used throughout the match. IF there is a mechanical problem, equipment of similar make or model may be used as a replacement. These conditions apply to the shoot-off as well, except under no conditions will a competitor be allowed to "upgrade" their equipment from what was used during the match. If said guns or holsters are entered in a Division or Category event, the same guidelines, conditions or restrictions must apply. If these guidelines cannot be met with the replacement gun or holster, the contestant will not be eligible for awards in their Category, but will still remain eligible for Overall Awards. Should a malfunction occur, the string of fire will be scored and competitor given the chance to retire for repairs or replacement of the equipment before resuming the course of fire. The squad will not wait, but proceed with the next competitor due to shoot.

Due to the unique needs and nature of the Steel Challenge, drawing from concealment is not allowed.

If someone wishes to file a protest for an arbitration hearing, there will be a $100 cash fee. The Arbitration Board will consist of the Executive Directors. If the protest is upheld, the $100 fee will be refunded. The protest must be prepared in writing and submitted within one hour of the "violation" and before the close of competition on the day of the occurrence.

When a Range Officer scores a miss, it is the shooter’s responsibility to appeal the decision at the end of that particular string of fire. The Range Officer will then go down range and check the target. Once the next string of fire begins, there will be NO further opportunity to appeal the call.

All final decisions will be made by the Executive Directors.

The shooting schedule will be adhered to. If a contestant arrives after their designated squad has concluded shooting, they will either fire the stage with the last squad of the day or be put with a later squad. This will up to the discretion of the Match Officials. The shooter may NOT reassign themselves to other squads of their choice.

Contestants are to go to the line prepared with the appropriate number of magazines, or speed loaders and needed ammunition, so as to not cause unnecessary delay. (Single Action shooters will understandably require more time to reload.) A contestant may have an assistant to help them in reloading if needed.

When a contestant has finished, the Range Officer will call the next contestant to the line. That competitor must then go immediately to the line. If the tournament has all competitor slots filled, the match will be on a tight time-table and shooters will be required to make ready within forty five (45) seconds of being given the command to load and make ready. Practice drawing or sighting must be held to a minimum and will not be allowed after the first string of fire. Thirty (30) seconds will be the standard for making ready for each additional string of fire. If the contestant is not prepared to begin at the 45 second mark prior to the first run, the Range Officer will announce “Time Expired, Make Ready Now”. The contestant then has ten (10) seconds to make ready and notify the Range Officer upon having done so. If the contestant has not notified the Range Officer of their readiness at the 10 second mark, the Range Officer will begin the verbal Start Commands. If the contestant does not engage the course of fire when the audible start signal sounds, they will be given a maximum time for that string of fire.

Please understand that we need to establish a balance between the competitor’s need to ready themselves and the amount of time available in each day. Your cooperation will be appreciated by the Match Staff and the other competitors.

Competitors may fire as many rounds as they deem necessary for each string of fire. There are a minimum of 170 shots fired for the seven stages.

Camouflage or para-military clothing, or shirts with controversial slogans or sayings WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. Anyone wearing these items will be asked to leave the range facility.

Three second penalties will be given for procedural violations, premature starts, creeping, missed targets and foot faults where applicable.

Prize distribution will be held at the Hilton Match Hotel on Sunday approximately one and a half hours after the completion of the Vihtavuori/Lapua Team vs. Team event. Cash, prizes and trophies will be awarded by order of finish. Prizes shall be awarded by “pick of the table”. Awards and a prize list will be on display to assist competitors in keeping track of the choices still available. Each competitor will have 30 seconds to choose their prize package after checking in with the prize table. Another competitor will then be called in another 30 seconds. They will have the opportunity to choose in front of a competitor who has not yet chosen within the 30 seconds cycle. The longer a competitor takes to choose, the more prizes will be chosen before them.

All competitors will be given name badges provided by The Outdoor Channel at the time of registration and that name badge must be visible to Match Officials at all times during the tournament. NOTE: Late entries may receive a shooter badge with no name, but one that will have a competitor number only.

Prizes must be claimed on Sunday by the individuals that have won them. Exceptions will be if another shooter presents the Competitor Shooter Badge AND a hand written note from the person they are receiving the awards for, giving the Steel Challenge authorization to give this individual their award(s). Monetary awards will be mailed if the checks are unclaimed at the award site. Identification may be needed to claim awards, if unknown by the awards officials. If a competitor fails to choose and collect their prize(s) by ceremonies end, they give up their right for any awards. Special arrangements will be considered if discussed prior to the award ceremony.