PA Holster Accreditation
Who Needs to have PA Holster
Accreditation?
Any person shooting
or training for a PA event requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol (i.e.
PA Service Pistol, International 1920 Match or WA1500) MUST have a current PA Holster Accreditation
The only PA events
requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol are PA Service Pistol,
International 1920 Match, and WA1500.
For all these events the rules under which they are conducted in
Australia mandate every shooter must have a current PA Holster
Accreditation.
1.
Any shooter who holsters a loaded pistol
without the applicable holster accreditation does so totally without any insurance
or liability cover!, and more
specifically
2.
Any shooter who holsters a loaded pistol
without current PA Holster Accreditation for PA Service Pistol, International
1920 Match, or WA1500 does so totally without any insurance
or liability cover!,
and
3.
PA does not accept
holster accreditation from any other organisation.
(Temporary
Holster Accreditation may be granted by the NRC to non-residents of Australia
who are training for and competing in a PA sanctioned competition – this option
is a/ only available to non-residents of Australia and b/ may be granted by the
NRC only ).
The event rules for each of the other PA
events preclude the holstering of a loaded pistol - for ISSF, ISCD, PA Black
Powder, Mayleigh Cup and Metallic Silhouette a loaded pistol must always
be directed downrange towards the
backstop.
For PA Service Pistol
Unrestricted and PA 25 Yards Service Pistol (where the holstering of a pistol
is only
permitted to facilitate loading a semi-automatic pistol) the event rules
specifically state that the pistol must be unloaded (SU/S25/2.6, SU/S25
4.2.6.1).
Acquiring PA Holster Accreditation
PA Holster Accreditation is
available to PA affiliated members following satisfactory completion of a PA
accredited Holster Accreditation Course conducted by a person holding PA
Holster Examiner’s Accreditation. Holders of any other
organisation’s holster card can not ‘transfer’ to a PA Holster Accreditation
without completing the associated paperwork and assessment within the PA
Holster Accreditation programme.
Note: You can not, and there is no
reason to ‘practice’ for a Holster Accreditation course by holstering a
loaded pistol - You do NOT need prior
experience in the holstering of a loaded pistol – the course will take you
through all steps leading to Holster Accreditation.
Hint: Experience in PA Service Pistol
Unrestricted will assist you in the live fire sections of the
course.
Contact your Affiliate Office regarding Holster
Accreditation courses
Application of PA Holster
Accreditation
PA Holster AccreditationONLY applies to affiliated members of
PA:
- Any existing PA Holster Accreditation is
voided if the shooter is no longer affiliated to PA. See also Expiry and Cancellation>>
- Current affiliation to PA is a
pre-requisite for a shooter to undergo a Holster Accreditation course
Due to liability and
insurance issues:
-
PA holster accreditation is only available
to affiliated members of PA.
-
If a holder of a PA Holster accreditation
card ceases to be an affiliated member of PA, the holster accreditation becomes
void
-
The accreditation is only valid for PA
recognised events requiring holster draw: i.e. PA Service Pistol, International
1920 Match, and WA1500
- PA holster accreditation has no
application for other events
- PA holster accreditation has no real or
implied application to any other organisation.
Current PA Holster Accreditation isMANDATORY for a shooter entered in, or
training for any PA sanctioned competition requiring the holstering of a
loaded pistol
Expiry of PA
Holster Accreditation
PA Holster
Accreditation is automatically voided:
- After
four (4) years from the issue of the Holster Accreditation,
or
- if the
shooter becomes unaffiliated to PA,
or
- if the holster
accreditation is cancelled - see 'Cancellation (below).
Renewal of PA Holster Accreditation Cards
Renewal of PA Holster
accreditation is available to holders of a current PA* Holster Accreditation card,
provided:
- They are a
member affiliated to Pistol Australia,
and
- Are continuing to compete without any
safety problems in PA events requiring holster draw.
It is up to the relevant Affiliate to
determine how this is to be determined, but given the liability issues it is
recommended that some form of written ‘recommendation’ from the shooter’s Club
secretary or Club Captain be considered
.
*This renewal only applies to holders of a
PA Holster Accreditation; holders of any other
organisation’s holster card can not ‘transfer’ to a PA Holster Accreditation
without assessment within the PA Holster Accreditation
programme.
Holster
- Explanations
Unsafe Holsters - part 1
Service,
S/ 4.2.6.5 Unsafe Holsters: Match
Officials are required to prohibit the unsafe use of any holster by any
competitor. Therefore, in choosing a holster, and the position and manner in
which it will be worn, a competitor should give due regard to the safety
regulations in order to ensure that his choices are safely consistent with his
personal shooting style and stance.
WA1500,
3.3.1. Holsters must be safe and
serviceable, suited to the firearm, and worn in a position that does not allow
the holstered pistol to be directed at any part of the shooter. 3.3.2.
When selecting a holster, the position and manner in which it will be
worn, a shooter should give due regard to the safety regulations in order to
ensure that his choices are safely consistent with his personal shooting style
and stance.
Although it may not be
specifically in the rules,AT NO TIME MAY A LOADED PISTOL
BE DIRECTED AT ANY PART OF THE SHOOTER OR ANY OTHER PERSON! This should not need a specific rule
– it is
part of the normal range safety expectations expected of all shooters at all
times, irrespective of the discipline being conducted.
ThisINCLUDES when
the firearm is holstered!
This is of particular
concern in relation to shooters who wear the holster well forward of the point
of the hip. While of itself this
may not appear to case a problem when the shooter is standing in a normal
stance, depending on the shooter’s ‘personal shooting style and stance’
the holstered pistol
might be directed at the inside of the leg when the shooter takes up a
shooting stance for the commencement of a series – not
allowed!.
Unsafe Holsters -
part 2
The rules (e.g. ‘…the
position and manner in which it will be worn, a competitor should give due
regard to the safety regulations in order to ensure that his choices are safely
consistent with his personal shooting style and stance…’) apply to the
holster/belt combination; not only to the holster.
If the belt does not adequately control the
holster when the shooter is drawing the firearm, it could produce a safety
problem.
Unsafe Holsters -
part 3
Service, 5.1.10 the Jury has the right to examine the
pistols, equipment, positions, etc., of shooters at any time, even during the
competition. During the
competition, approach should not be made while the shooter is firing a shot or a
series of shots. Immediate action
must be taken when a matter of safety is involved.
This rule is written in
the context of PA National Championships – the responsibility for ‘…immediate action…’
is not limited to the Jury at a Nationals – it is everybody’s
responsibility.
Suitable
clothing
Often overlooked is the
suitability of clothing.
A ‘baggy’ shirt or over-shirt, jumper, or cardiganCAN get in the
way when drawing a firearm from the holster; with potentially disastrous
results!
There is a reason why so many of the top shooters
wear a (reasonably) close fitting polo top when competing and
training.
Cancellation of a PA Holster
Accreditation
PA holster accreditation can be cancelled for
safety breaches - PA GTRs
2.4.2. Any holder of a PA Holster Accreditation
Card who is disqualified for safety relating to holster use must have the PA
Holster Accreditation Card removed subject to re-qualification through a PA
approved course
.
This is not only applicable at opens', it is just
as valid at a club competition and training sessions. Depend on where
the removal was to be applied, the removal would be authorised
by;
- at
a
club, the
Captain or Club Committee,
or
-
at an 'open', the
presiding Judge;
-
at a State or Nationals, the Jury.
Return of the holster card isonly after the
shooter has satisfactorily completed a re-assessment of the practical course
requirements to the satisfaction of a PA approved holster accreditation
examiner. This re-assessment may not be at the
competition at which the disqualification and removal of the holster
accreditation card took place.
Information for PA
Holster Accreditation Examiners
No ifs or buts!!
Paperwork
Process the paperwork promptly!
Shooters who have
satisfactorily completed the course expect their Holster accreditation
card!
Practical Assessment - course of fire
The primary course of fire for the practical assessment is based on
the International 1920 Match procedures and NRA AP-1 target. For PA members who do not shoot the 1920
events, an alternative assessment course of fire may be conducted on the PA
Service Pistol targets. The
Service Pistol based course of fire, etc. is available to accredited examiners
(only!) from the NRC Secretary,
RPL
Holster Examiners may at their option accredit shooters
with known holster 'ability' -however:
- This option is only available from the NRC for
Temporary Holster Accreditation granted to non-residents of Australia who are
training for and competing in a PA sanctioned competition -Australian residents must be affiliated to PA and hold a current PA
Holster Accreditation.
- All candidates must have their holster
equipment examined for approval,
- All candidates must satisfactorily
complete a practical assessment.
Acquiring PA
Holster Examiners Accreditation.
PA Holster Examiners
Accreditation is available to PA affiliated members following satisfactory
completion of a PA accredited Holster Examiners Course conducted by a person
holding NRC approval.
Contact your Affiliate
Office regarding PA Holster Examiners Accreditation courses
PA Holster Examiners Accreditation is subject to
the same conditions for
Expiry>> and
Cancellation>>
as for the PA Holster Accreditation.
If a PA Holster
Examiners is not conducting holster accreditation to the criteria set out in the
PA Holster Accreditation manual, the examiners accreditation can be:
-
Suspended by a SRC,
or
- Suspended or cancelled by the
NRC
Renewal of PA Holster
Examiners Accreditation
Renewal of PA Holster Examiners accreditation is
available to holders of a current PA* Holster Examiners Accreditation,
provided:
- They are a
member affiliated to Pistol Australia,
and
- Are continuing to conduct PA Holster
Accreditation courses to the satisfaction of the NRC.
For PA Judges and Organisers of PA
Sanctioned
Competitions
Any person shooting or training for a PA event
requiring the holstering of a loaded pistol (PA Service Pistol, International
1920 Match or WA1500)MUST have a current PA Holster Accreditation
Entries can not be
accepted for any shooter who does not have a current PA Holster
Accreditation. In those PA
Affiliates where shooters affiliated to another organisation may compete in the
Affiliate’s Open competitions, PA and PA Judges only
have responsibilities for PA sanctioned events and only for PA Affiliated
shooters
(For an open
competition to be recognised as a Pistol Australia (PA) sanctioned competition
and thereby a valid “national team qualifier”, it must comply with the
following standards:
- The competition is
conducted by a PA affiliated Club for PA
members,
- etc.)
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