IV. General Requirements Regarding Stage Design

IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS REGARDING STAGE DESIGN, SAFE LOCATIONS OF TARGETS AND ORGANIZATION OF SPECIAL ZONES AT THE COMPETITIONS

4.1. General rules

4.1.1. Safe design, construction and requirements for any Stage are the responsibility of the competition Organizers and subject to approval by the Chief Judge. When building Stages, sufficient measures must be taken to prevent injuries to athletes, officials and spectators during competitions. Stage design should, if possible, prevent unintentional dangerous actions of athletes, provide easy access for officials to observe athletes during competitions.

4.1.2. Safety angles. Shooting Stages should always be designed with safe shooting angles in mind. It is necessary to pay attention to the safe arrangement of targets and racks for them, the angles of any possible ricochet. When constructing the Stages, the dimensions and location of the bullet catchers and side bullet shafts must be taken into account. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum safety angle is 90 ° by default in all directions defined in front of the Athlete, located exclusively frontally towards the center of the target setting except individual design for duell type Stages.

The competition organizer may set or approve special safety angles (increased or decreased) for certain Stages or shooting ranges. All details of the use of safety angles and other applicable conditions (such as a reduced vertical safety angle used only if the finger is within the trigger guard) must be published before the start of the competition and included in the written Stage briefings.

4.1.3. When metal targets or metal hard surfaces are used in shooting Stages for handguns, pistol caliber carbine, small-caliber handgun, small-caliber carbine and soft bullet handgun, athletes and competition officials must be at a distance of at least 7 m from them. If possible, this restriction is provided by a mechanical barrier ( wooden or plastic shields, warning tapes, wheels, etc.).

When using penalty lines, athletes and officials are located at a distance of at least 8 m from metal targets or surfaces (for a safe distance - at least 7 m in the case of interception for the penalty line).

When metal targets or metal hard surfaces are used in shooting Stages for carbines, athletes and competition officials are at a distance of at least 50 m from them during shooting. If possible, this restriction is provided by a mechanical barrier. In the case of penalty lines, they are located at a distance of at least 51 m from the targets (to ensure a safe distance in case of interception for the penalty line).

In the case of the use of metal targets or metal hard coatings for shotgun Stages, the minimum distances to them when firing at them are determined. If possible, this restriction is provided by a mechanical barrier. If penalty lines are used to restrict access to metal targets, they must be located at a greater distance, to ensure a safe distance, in case of overlap for the penalty line.

In the case of shooting with a small-shot and a case-shot - the minimum distance is 5 m. Penalty lines are located at a distance of at least 6 m from targets or metal surfaces.

In the case of shooting with a bullet from a shotgun - the minimum distance is 40 m. Penalty lines are located at a distance of at least 41 m from metal targets or metal coatings.

Athletes and competition officials are required to be at least 5 m distance from them when firing on air handgun and air carbine shooting Stages. Depending on capabilities, this limitation preferably to be provided by a mechanical barrier.

If there are metal elements of the shooting range on the line of fire, the safe distance to them is determined as to metal targets or metal hard surfaces, depending on the type of firearm.

4.1.4. If the Stage involves targets not only in front, the organizers and officials must prohibit or block the access of athletes, officials or spectators to the area adjacent to these targets. Every athlete is allowed to solve a shooting task in any way convenient for him, he should not be burdened with coercion to act with a possible violation of safety rules. Targets are placed on the Stage so that shooting at them, the athlete could not violate the permissible safety angles.

4.1.5. The surface of the shooting range shall be prepared and leveled before the start of the competition and maintained in order during the competition to ensure sufficient safety of athletes and officials. It is necessary to monitor changes in the surface of the Stage under the influence of weather conditions and the actions of athletes. Competition officials may sprinkle damaged surface with gravel, sand or other materials at any time, and athletes may not object.

4.1.6. Natural or artificial obstacles to the Stage must fully allow athletes of different heights and builds to perform the Stage, and the design of these obstacles ensures sufficient safety of athletes, match officials and spectators.

4.1.7. Shooting Stages that require simultaneous shooting of several athletes from an adjacent shooting line (for example, duel shooting) must have a distance of at least 3 m between each athlete.

4.1.8. Before the match, all types of targets are marked on the target bases or racks. Requirements for the placement of targets are set out in the technical regulations of the competition.

4.1.9. All bulletproof structures (elements) are prohibited areas for all and at any time, except when access to them is separately allowed by a judge.

4.1.10. Some types of bullet cartridges for shotguns have detachable wads, and card cartridges have detachable containers. As a result, paper targets are reinforced with plywood or other material of appropriate thickness or located at a greater distance. For a shotgun, a distance of 10 m is recommended to prevent piercing of paper targets with such pajamas.

An athlete cannot be required to shoot at a paper target with a shotgun.

Shooting Stages for shotguns require the use of only one type of cartridge within one Stage: small-shot, case-shot or bullet (except for "mixed" and "applied" Stages, as well as multigun dynamic shooting Stages).

4.1.11. For "mixed" Stages are provided reliable in terms of stability and safe in the direction of the barrel places for the starting and finishing location of the firearm.

4.2. Stage building criteria

4.2.1. When building a shooting Stage, various mechanical barriers are used to restrict the movement of athletes and complicate the shooting task.

4.2.2. It is advisable to limit the movement of the athlete on the Stage with the help of mechanical barriers. It is allowed to use for this purpose penalty lines for:

4.2.2.1. preventing dangerous and / or incorrect approach to or distance from the target;

4.2.2.2. simulating the use of barriers and / or shelters;

4.2.2.3. marking the boundaries of the shooting area or part thereof.

4.2.3. Penalty lines are rigidly fixed in place and rise at least 2 cm above the ground, made of wood or other solid materials, painted in rich colors (preferably red) on each shooting Stage of the competition. If the penalty lines are not used along the entire length of the shooting range fence to determine its boundaries, they must be at least 1.5 m long and still be considered infinite.

4.2.4. If the shooting Stage has passes visually marked by penalty lines and / or a clearly defined shooting area, the athlete who uses the shortest path touching the ground outside these passes and / or the shooting area will receive one procedural penalty for each shot taken after the start using such a shortest path.

4.2.5. Barriers are built as follows:

4.2.5.1. they must be high and strong enough to perform their function. Barriers at least 1.8 m high are considered high unless they are supplemented by a firing platform or similar device;

4.2.5.2. have penalty lines placed at ground level back from the side boundaries.

4.2.6. The tunnel that the athlete passes must be constructed of a suitable material and may be of any length. The tunnel has enough ports to allow competition officials to safely monitor the actions of athletes in it. The edges of the entrance and exit of the tunnel must be prepared to avoid possible injuries to athletes and match officials. The entrance and exit of the tunnel, as well as the conditions of firing at any targets from the tunnel, are clearly marked.

4.2.7. Tunnels are structures that consist of side structures that support an unsecured top cover (such as wooden rails) that can fall if accidentally slipped by an athlete. Tunnels can be of any height, but the top cover should be light enough so that it does not injure the athlete when falling.

4.2.8. In the case when the structures on the Stage are designed to assist athletes while moving or as a support for shooting at targets, the priority in their construction should be the safety of athletes and competition officials. The props must be set in such a way that competition officials can safely observe and control the athlete's actions at all times. The props must be strong enough to withstand the influx of all athletes.

4.2.9. Windows and ports are located at a height that can be reached by most athletes, and have an additional sturdy platform for use by other athletes as needed without penalties.

4.3. Alteration of a Stage construction

4.3.1. Competition officials may make changes to the design of the Stage or the procedure for its implementation, if such changes are previously approved by the Chief Judge. Such adjustments or additions to the published Stage should be completed before the start of this Stage.

4.3.2. All athletes are notified of such changes immediately. In any case, athletes are notified of such changes during the pre-Stage briefing.

4.3.3. If the Chief Judge decides to make such changes after the start of the competition, he shall do the following:

4.3.3.1. allows the performance of the already changed shooting Stage only to those athletes who have not yet passed this Stage;

4.3.3.2. when possible, requires to shoot the changed Stage to all athletes who performed it before the change, removing the previous results.

An athlete who refuses to shoot a shooting Stage as instructed by a judge will receive zero points for that Stage, regardless of previous results.

4.3.4. If the Chief Judge (in agreement with the Director of the Match) decides that the physical or procedural changes result in a loss of level playing field for all athletes and that it is not possible for everyone to shoot the modified Stage, and the points accrued on it of all athletes are removed from the results of competitions.

4.3.5. An Athlete disqualified from an Stage subsequently removed from the Competition may be eligible for renewal if the Athlete's appeal is considered at the highest level (ie the Chief Judge or the Arbitration Committee, as the case may be) and the recognition of that disqualification is a direct consequence of the reasons for which the Stage was excluded from the competition.

4.3.6. In case of unfavorable weather conditions (rain, snow, etc.) the Chief Judge may instruct to attach a protective cover and / or cover to the paper targets. This decision cannot be appealed by athletes. Such devices must be installed and remain on all specified targets for the same period of time until the Chief Judge revokes this instruction.

4.3.7. If the Chief Judge (in agreement with the Match Director) considers that climatic or other conditions affect (or are likely to affect) the safety and / or course of the competition, he may decide to suspend any shooting activity as long as he will not issue an order to resume the competition.

4.4. Safety zones

4.4.1. The construction and location of a sufficient number of safety zones at competitions shall be provided by the competition organizers. Safety zones should be conveniently located for participants, have clearly defined boundaries, a safe direction for handling unloaded firearms and non-firearms, and visual signs should be marked.

4.4.2. In the security zones there is a table with a clearly marked safe direction and boundaries. If there are walls and / or shafts in the safety zone, their construction must be made of a material capable of absorbing the shot. During long-barreled competitions near the safety zone, but not in the middle, a sufficient number of racks and pyramids are equipped to safely hold carbines and shotguns with the barrel up.

4.4.3. Athletes are allowed to use unattended safety zones to perform the following actions, provided that the firearm is directed in a safe direction and only within certain limits of the safety zone. Violators can be punished by disqualification:

4.4.3.1. cover, uncover and place unloaded firearms and non-firearms in the holster;

4.4.3.2. aim, snatch from the holster and place unloaded firearms and non-firearms in the holster, perform warm-up with unloaded firearms and non-firearms;

4.4.3.3. train in inserting and removing unsuitable stores and / or pulling the shutter;

4.4.3.4. to inspect, disassemble, clean, repair and maintain firearms and non-firearms with spare parts and other related equipment.

4.4.4. In competitions in the safety zone, training and ammunition (ammunition in bulk, packed or equipped in stores or equipment accelerators) is prohibited to take in hand under any circumstances.

At competitions with an air handgun and air carbine in the safety zone, balls without packaging or equipped in stores or charging accelerators, or containers containing gas, are not allowed to take in hand under any circumstances.

4.5. Shooting / inspection areas of aiming devices

4.5.1. To check the operation of firearms and non-firearms and ammunition of athletes in competitions, the organizers may determine the areas of shooting / inspection of sighting devices. Manipulation of firearms and non-firearms and shooting in the specified area is carried out under the supervision and control of a judge.

4.5.2. Athletes may inspect the operation of their firearms and non-firearms and ammunition in accordance with the general safety requirements for the use of firearms and non-firearms during competitions in practical shooting, time and other restrictions established by these Rules and Regulations of the competition.

4.5.3. Approved paper and metal targets (if possible, self-replicating or with electronic indication) shall be available for use by athletes in competitions in long-barreled firearms and non-firearms to help them shoot their firearms and non-firearms.

4.6. Other zones

4.6.1. If necessary, the organizers arrange and determine other areas at the competition venue (trade areas, firearms and non-firearms discharge, hygiene, etc.)