Sawmill FTX Rules
Draft rules for the FTX
Below are the rules for the Sawmill FTX. You may notice that they are shorter and simpler than the rules for many dynamic shooting competitions. The Sawmill FTX scenarios and courses of fire vary more than other competitions. Much of what is contained in other competitions rule sets is specified in each course of fire at the FTX.
At this point, these rules are still in draft form but they are close to final.
Sawmill FTX Rules (Draft)
It is the competitor’s responsibility to read and understand the rules set forth by Sawmill FTX and agree to be subject to these rules while participating in a Sawmill FTX event.
It is the competitor’s responsibility to know, understand and adhere to all Federal, State and Local Regulations regarding the use and transportation of firearms, including all applicable National Firearms Act (NFA) regulations related to the construction, transportation and use of any firearm regulated by NFA rules.
All gear (weapons, ammunition, personal equipment – all gear) moves with the competitor for the duration of the competition. Ditching or abandoning any item of equipment or gear during the competition may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ. Replacement of a non-functioning item is generally not permitted but may be done in exceptional circumstances with PRIOR approval of the match director.
Required Equipment
Competitors must wear a plate carrier, a gear belt with a retention holster for their pistol, and a sling for their rifle. The required plate carrier weights are: Men – 15 lbs, Women – 12 lbs, Training – No weight requirement. Weapons requirements are listed below. Each competitor must carry a rucksack containing the ammunition and equipment they will use for the competition. No resupply is permitted during the competition. Water will be resupplied by the Sawmill. Accessory gear is competitor’s choice.
Sawmill FTX Fundamental Weapon Safety Requirements
Know the status of your weapon(s).
Weapons must always point in a safe direction.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
Know your target, its surroundings and beyond.
Know the Course of Fire safety requirements.
Know how to safely operate your weapon.
Control your weapon at all times.
Range Commands & Shooting Positions
Courses of fire begin with the "Make Ready" command and end after the command “Range Is Clear.” Course of Fire commands are:
Make Ready
Go or start signal from timing device.
Are you finished?
Unload and show clear.
Secure the weapon.
Range is clear.
Safety Directive Commands During a Course of Fire
STOP – Immediately stop and wait for direction from the safety officer.
FINGER – Remove your finger from the trigger and place it outside the trigger guard.
MUZZLE – Ensure that your muzzle is not breaking the 180 degree safety plane.
Safety Requirements
A negligent discharge that occurs while loading, reloading, unloading, while transitioning a long gun off or back to the shoulder, during malfunction and remedial action, clearing a firearm, transferring a firearm between hands, or during movement (except while shooting at legitimate targets) will result in a match DQ. In the case of a negligent discharge, the RO will stop the competitor as soon as safely possible.
Allowing the muzzle of a firearm to break the 180-Degree Safety Plane may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ. The 180-Degree safety plane is defined by an arc both horizontal and vertical from the current axis of fire in the COF.
Allowing the muzzle of a firearm to sweep over or past oneself including but not limited to one’s self hands, fingers, legs, and feet while moving, shooting or reloading a firearm may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ. Sweeping is defined as, allowing the muzzle of the firearm (loaded or unloaded) to cross or cover any portion of a person or an object a person might reasonably be assumed to occupy, such as a car, portable toilet, or structure that is not a prop within the current stage.
The competitor’s fingers must be visibly outside the trigger guard when moving, loading, reloading, or unloading during a COF and while clearing a malfunction. Failure to comply with any Verbal Warnings may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ.
An abandoned weapon is any weapon not under direct control of the competitor. Abandoned firearms may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ. Firearms stored temporarily in designated safe areas are not abandoned.
Dropping or losing control of a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, at any time may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ.
Reholstering a hot pistol may be permitted or required by a Course of Fire. If a hot pistol is reholstered during the course of fire, it MUST be cleared at the end of the COF. Holstered pistols must be in a safe status.
Securing a hot rifle may be permitted or required by the COF. If a hot rifle is secured during a COF, it must be in a safe status and it must be cleared at the end of the COF. All weapons safety rules apply to a secured and hot rifle. Hot rifles must be secured in front of the competitor. Sweeping and or breaking the 180 with a hot but secured rifle is grounds for disqualification.
Targets
The FTX uses steel and paper targets. Shooting targets in any manner other than as specified in the COF may, at the discretion of the safety officer and the match director, be grounds for a stage or match DQ.
Scoring
The Sawmill FTX uses time plus scoring. Courses of Fire may have bonuses and/or penalties. Bonuses and/or penalties will be published in the COF description. Scoring is specified in the COF description.
Holsters & Slings
Holsters must retain the pistol during vigorous movement. Loss of a pistol from a holster is an “out of control” weapon. Slings must secure the rifle during vigorous movement. Loss of a rifle from a sling is an “out of control” weapon.
Ammunition
Tracer, incendiary, armor piercing or steel/tungsten/composite core projectiles are NOT allowed and are prohibited from use on all targets. If a target is damaged or destroyed because of use of non-allowed ammunition then the competitor will be required to pay and/or replace the damaged target.
Pistol ammunition must be 9 mm Luger or .45 ACP. Rifle ammunition must be .223 Remington, 5.56 NATO, or 7.62x39 (AK-47).
Triggers
Any trigger or mechanism that can discharge multiple rounds with a single pull and release of the trigger is not allowed in the Sawmill FTX. Violation of this rule is a MATCH DQ.
Weapons Requirements
Weapons (pistols and rifles) must function as designed and manufactured. Modifications and enhancements are permitted provided they do not substantially alter the function of the weapon as designed and manufactured.
Compensators, muzzle brakes, and similar are permitted on pistols and rifles.
Optical and sighting systems are competitors choice.
There are no magazine restrictions.
Bipods, tripods, and other shooting aids are permitted and may be attached or removed at any time, provided that the bipod, tripod, and/or shooting aid moves with the competitor throughout the entire competition.
Shooting bags are permitted. Use of a shooting bag is up to the competitor. Shooting bags must move with the competitor throughout the entire competition.
Weapon configurations may be changed during the competition as long as the change meets the “designed and manufactured” criteria above.
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excellent info, hope I can attend to support the event.