Thought someone on THF might be interested in this.

 link  Texas_Tactical_Matches

Texas Tactical Carbine Match Rules

•To create a level playing field for all competitors to apply their skill and equipment to self defense scenarios, not special competitive equipment or gamesmanship.

•To promote safe and proficient use of rifles and equipment

•To provide shooters with practical and realistic courses of fire that simulate a potentially life-threatening encounter or that tests skills that would be required to survive a life-threatening encounter.

•Any and all disputes will be handled by the Match Director, the MDs decision is final, even in the cases where it deviated from the rules established within.

As the ballistic characteristics of a rifle cartridge exceed that of many common handgun calibers, safety must be the overriding concern in all decisions made on the range. The match director has full discretion in the employment of rules to ensure the safety of all competitors.

Part of the application of a carbine in self defense is the transition to a sidearm, this technique will be common in the course of fire and it is recommended that all competitors bring a sidearm to the competition. Sidearms may be loaded and "hot" during the competition. There will be NO handling of sidearms, loaded or unloaded, unless under the direct supervision of a Safety Officer.

The rifles will be kept "cold" magazine out, hammer down on an empty chamber, unless under the direct supervision of a Safety Officer during the course of fire.

Any contestant moving, reloading, or clearing a malfunction with a loaded firearm in his hand but not actually firing will keep his finger out of the trigger guard unless engaging targets. If a S.O. observes a contestant moving with his finger in the trigger guard, he will sound off with the command "Finger". Failure to immediately comply will result in a 3-second procedural penalty.

The shooter may be disqualified from the match for any of the following:

-note firearm applies to rifles and sidearms.

All reloads must be either made from bolt-lock or be of the tactical-load/Reload with Retention type. There is NO provision for a bolt closed (speed reload) reload unless specifically authorized in the individual COF. A shooter is deemed "loaded" and may move from a position of cover ONLY when the magazine is fully seated and the bolt is closed.

If a tactical-load/Reload with retention has been performed, the partially loaded magazine must be properly stowed before the next shot may be fired. The magazine must be securely stowed somewhere on the body, I.E., pocket, pouch or beltline.

Magazines must be carried in a pouch or pocket "on the body" no use of weapon mounted pouches, the teeth, or gripping the magazine in the spare hand is allowed.

The official target is an 18"x30" buff color cardboard silhouette with an 8" round "A-Zone". The values of the scoring zones are 5, 4 and 2 points, respectively. However, since the Vickers Count operates with a "point down" system, the target is set up to directly reflect this scoring method. Hence, the target is scored -0, -1 and -3

Vickers Count scoring is based on assessing the shooter a "Time" penalty for every point the shooter drops from the total "Possible" point score (points down). To score Vickers Count simply take the time it took to complete the string of fire (raw time) and ADD five tenths (.50) of a second for each point down from the possible score. Add any applicable penalties and total to get the Final Score. As many shots as desired may be fired but only the best hits as specified by the course description will be scored (Example: if 2 hits per target are specified in the course description and you fire 3 shots, ONLY the 2 highest scoring hits will count for score).

Same as Vickers Count described above except the number of shots you can fire on any string is limited to the number specified in the course description; any pick-up shots will incur a procedural penalty of three (3) seconds per extra shot fired and one of your highest scoring hits will be deducted from your point score for each extra shot fired. Limited Vickers scoring is used to allow multiple strings to be fired without having to score the targets after each string of fire, thus making the stage run quicker. Limited Vickers should ONLY be used to score Standard Exercises courses and is not suitable for Scenario stages.

Procedural Error: Add three (3) seconds per infraction.

Hits on a Non-Threat Target: A single five (5) second penalty will be assessed per non-threat target hit. If you have more than one hit on a non-threat target, you will still ONLY be assessed a single five (5) second penalty for that target.

Failure to Neutralize: Add five (5) seconds per infraction (this penalty applies to any target that does not have at least one hit in the -1 area or better). Failure to neutralize penalties ONLY apply when standard Vickers Count scoring is used and the target(s) do not completely disappear. FTN does NOT apply to Limited Vickers scoring, or to disappearing targets.

Failure to Do Right: Add twenty (20) seconds to total score.

After the "shooter ready" command is given, if the shooter does not confirm within a reasonable amount of time that he/she is ready for the standby command , the SO at his/her discretion may ask the shooter to unload and show clear and move to the end of the squad in order to expedite match flow.

Any movement of the body towards the firearm, movement of the firearm itself, or movement towards or away from the targets between the standby command and the start signal will result in a procedural penalty

Any attempt to circumvent or compromise the spirit or rationale of any stage either by the use of inappropriate devices, equipment, or technique, will incur a twenty (20) second F.T.D.R. penalty

Unsportsmanlike conduct, unfair actions, or the use of illegal equipment which, in the opinion of the match director, tends to make a travesty of the defensive shooting sport shall result in disqualification from the stage or the entire match at the discretion of the match director

PROPER USE OF COVER: If cover is available, the shooter must use it. More than 50% of the shooter’s upper torso must be behind cover while engaging threat targets and/or reloading. If the shooter is shooting from low cover, one knee must be on the ground while shooting. When using vertical cover such as a wall/barricade, 100% of the shooter’s legs/feet must be behind cover while engaging threat targets and/or reloading. If in the opinion of the SO adequate cover is not being used (if the shooter does not have to move between target engagements, this is a strong indicator that adequate cover is NOT being used), a three (3) second procedural penalty will be assessed. An attempt to notify the shooter by saying "COVER" will be attempted as a courtesy, and if the shooter immediately uses adequate cover, it is at the SO’s discretion to forgo a penalty. All reloads must be executed behind cover, if cover is available, and must be completed before leaving cover (Shooters may not move from one position of cover to another with an empty weapon). The firearm will be considered LOADED when the fresh magazine is seated and the bolt is closed. Failure to reload behind cover or moving from cover with an empty weapon will result in a three (3) second procedural penalty per infraction.

When a tactical re-load has been performed, it is a procedural penalty to commence firing before the retained magazine has been stowed.

Safety Issue Commands:

If the shooter doesn’t immediately correct a "muzzle downrange" problem, you may have to physically push the shooter’s arms to get the muzzle downrange. This will almost always accompany a disqualification.

1.7. Junior:

"A country boy will survive"