SECTION 8 -- RANGE SAFETY

8.1 LOCAL RANGE RULES

All competitors and range officials shall abide by the local range rules.

8.2 ARMS LOADING RESTRICTIONS

Arms shall not be primed, capped, loaded, or fired except when the competitor is on his assigned firing position and has been given direction to do so by the appropriate skirmish authority.

8.3 LOADING MANUAL

The loading of muzzle-loading arms shall be done in accordance with the prescribed movements of the military drill regulations of the Civil War. The following precautions shall be observed:

a.	Loading shall commence with the butt on the ground or on the foot of the skirmisher and the hammer down on the last cap fired. (January 1998)
b.	Powder charges shall be placed in the muzzle so that the hand does not remain in the line of fire.
c.	Projectiles shall be held between forefinger and thumb and placed in the muzzle so that the hand does not enter the line of fire. Neither the palm of the hand nor the thumb shall be used to start the bullet into the bore. The palm of the hand shall not be placed over the end of the rammer while ramming.
d.	If the rammer is returned to the piece, it should be pulled down by the little finger, keeping the hand out of the line of fire.
e.	The ramrod shall not be placed flat on the ground between shots and at no time shall it be placed in a location that would necessitate or permit the firer to place his body or head in front of the muzzle while loading. The ramrod may be held in the hand, leaned against the body, leaned against a bayonet or edged weapon of the period, or may be stuck in the ground rather than being returned to the piece between shots. No other ramrod holders are permitted.
f.	Pointing the muzzle behind the firing line is prohibited.

8.4 CEASE FIRING

All competitors shall cease firing immediately upon the command "CEASE FIRING!" Line Judges shall repeat this command to the firing line. Competitors who violate this command shall be penalized in accordance with rule 15.8. The line judge shall record the number of rounds fired after this command in the appropriate box of the company match score book.

8.5 LOADED ARMS

Prior to completion of maximum time limits during company match events, those companies which complete their targets and still have loaded arms on the line shall discharge them under the direction of the line judge. He shall instruct each man individually to fire into the backstop and observe that this is done.

8.5.1 LOADED ARMS

15.8

8.6 DISABLED ARMS

Arms which cannot be discharged shall be bought to the attention of the safety officer. If the competitor cannot clear the firearm during the company event in accordance with rule 6.6., no other method shall be used while the company is firing to clear the firearm and it shall be grounded and cleared upon completion of the event. Upon the event's completion the arm shall be taken by the competitor and a safety officer to the safety zone and cleared upon authorization by the Skirmish Ordnance Officer and Range Officer. A muzzle-loading arm must be flooded before a ball-puller may be used to withdraw the ball. An arm which has been disabled may not be used in competition until it has been declared safe by the safety officer. If the arm cannot be cleared before the next relay is ready, the event may be temporarily delayed to allow the disabled arm to be moved to a designated safe area. Continued endeavor may be made between events to clear the firearm. Such attempts shall be made only in designated safe areas. If a firearm has been disabled and cleared three times in one skirmish, it shall be declared unfit for competition, and may not be used again in that skirmish. (October 1997)

8.7 INSPECTION OF MUZZLE-LOADING FIREARMS

Arms that have been discharged during a company event shall be inspected immediately by the safety officer after the command "SAFETY OFFICERS INSPECT ARMS!" The Safety Officer shall observe each man fire one cap while the firearm is pointed from the shoulder at the backstop, and a second cap while the firearm is pointed at a safety flag or at the ground in advance of the line. The safety officer shall observe that the second cap causes movement of the flag, or of grass or dirt on the ground. Snapping caps shall be done in numerical sequence from one end of the company to the other under the supervision of the safety officer. When he is satisfied that all arms are unloaded, he shall notify the Range Officer. This inspection is compulsory and the safety officer shall not signify that the company is unloaded unless he has performed the required inspection of the arms of all members of the company. Inspection of arms during individual matches shall use the same procedure as that employed during company events. The safety officer shall observe the competitor firing the first cap down range with the arm on the shoulder and the second at the safety flag or in front of the line at some weed or blade of grass to assure that the arm is not loaded. When the competitor has been inspected thus, the competitor shall be released from the firing line. (October 1993)

8.7.1 INSPECTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIREARMS

8.7.2 INSPECTION OF REVOLVERS

8.7.3 INSPECTION OF ARMS - FLINTLOCK

8.7.4 FLINTLOCK ARMS - SAFETY FEATURES

8.7.5 INSPECTION OF HENRY AND SPENCER RIFLES

For Henry rifles, empty the arm of all cartridges, leaving the action open. Check the magazine by observing that the follower is fully seated and can be seen moving inside the action. Rotate the arm so that the empty magazine tube may be observed through the slot. Check the bore by inserting a cleaning rod from the muzzle until the tip is observed in the breech, thereby assuring that the barrel is clear. (October 1997)

For Spencer carbines and rifles, empty the arm of all cartridges and remove the magazine feeder tube. Check the magazine by cycling the action twice and looking through the magazine tube from the butt plate. Check the bore, either by looking through the barrel from the breech, or by inserting a cleaning rod from the muzzle until its tip is observed in the breech. (October 1995)

8.8 SMOKING

Smoking is prohibited in front of the safety line.

8.9 DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Disorderly conduct or intoxication is prohibited. Offenders shall be expelled from the range area.

8.10 USE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DRUGS AND NARCOTICS

a.	Other than in the camping area, no drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted on the range side of the creek at Fort Shenandoah during official shooting activities.
b.	The consumption of alcoholic beverages by any individual participating in an officially scheduled competitive event at any official skirmish, at Fort Shenandoah or wherever a Regional Skirmish is conducted, is prohibited during the day on which the event occurs until the individual completes his participation in all such events for that day. Violation of this rule shall result in the exclusion of the offending individual from participation in any such events for that day.
c.	Use of controlled substances by any person at Fort Shenandoah or at any official skirmish, which violates the laws of the state concerned, is forbidden. Violators are subject to disciplinary action and/or expulsion. (April 1990)
d.	Activities involving the consumption of alcohol shall not be included in the announced program of any N-SSA function; and N-SSA host organizations shall not serve, sell, or otherwise dispense alcoholic beverages at N-SSA Board-sanctioned functions. (April 1991)

8.11 OPEN FLAME

There shall be no open flame of any kind in front of the safety line of the range. Skirmishers who use open flame to black the sights of their firearms must be behind the safety line while doing so. (October 1998)