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South African Air Rifle Association

(SAARA) RULES and Regulations

Edition 2007

2nd Print Approved by the SAARA Council on 2007-06-09 Approval of Amendments as indicated within. In force as from 1st of July 2007 The ISSF Rules, with amendments based on the Sporter rules of the National Rifle Association of America, forms the basis of these rules. Differences to the ISSF Rules are indicated here. These rules MUST therefore be read in conjunction with the ISSF Rules. The ISSF Rule Book is available for download from: http://www.issf-shooting.org/rules/english/rules.asp This SAARA Rule Book is available for download from: www.saara.org.za.

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SAFETY RULES FOR ALL AIR RIFLE RANGES (Competitions and Practising included) The most important rules to follow in any range or target shooting activity are safety rules. This applies equally for air rifles as well as for all other types of firearms. These air rifle safety rules must be enforced at all shooting ranges by competition officials and coaches and followed by all shooters. All competitors, coaches and competition officials must know and conscientiously enforce these rules. 1. MUZZLE -- Always keep rifle muzzles pointed in a safe direction. Rifle muzzles must never be

pointed at other persons under any circumstances. On a range, the safest direction to point a rifle muzzle is usually up, or downrange towards the targets.

2. CLEAR BARREL INDICATOR (CBI) Clear Barrel Indicators or CBI's are synthetic

monofilament cords (1.6mm 2.5mm dia.) in fluorescent orange or a similar bright colour that are inserted into the bores of air rifles so that the ends of the CBI protrude out of both the muzzle and open breech. CBI's confirm that air rifles are unloaded. CBI's must be inserted in all air rifles when they are brought to a range or removed from a gun case on a range. CBI's may be removed only during preparation periods and firing times. The use of CBI's is mandatory in all Air Rifle competitions.

3. RIFLE ACTION -- Always keep rifle actions open, with a CBI inserted, except when the rifle is

on the firing line between the beginning of the preparation period and the end of the firing period. When firing is finished or the rifle is laid down for any reason, the action must be opened and a CBI inserted in the bore. The only exception to this rule is for spring-air rifles where the cocking lever cannot be left in the open position without damaging the mechanism. Spring-air rifles must be left uncocked and unloaded. The action may be closed when an air rifle is placed in a gun case, but the action must be opened and a CBI inserted when it is removed from the case.

4. TRIGGER -- Keep your finger off of the trigger until after placing the rifle in the shooting position

and you begin to aim at the target. It is especially important to keep the finger outside of the trigger guard when loading the rifle and when placing it in position.

5. RANGE OFFICER -- A Range Officer is in charge of firing on every range. The commands and

instructions of the Range Officer or person in charge of firing must be obeyed. Range Officers must check rifles brought to the range to be sure actions are open and CBI's inserted. When shooting is finished, range officers must check rifles to be sure actions are open and CBI's inserted.

6. GROUNDED RIFLES Whenever a Range Officer authorises you to take your equipment and

air rifles to the firing line, ground or bench your rifle on the firing point, with the CBI inserted. Do not pick up the rifle again until the Range Officer announces the start of the preparation period. Then you may pick up your rifle, remove the CBI, get into a firing position with it and dry fire (if your air rifle can be dry fired, that is not releasing air). When you finish firing, open the action, insert a CBI and ground or bench your rifle on the firing line. Leave the rifle grounded on your firing point until the Range Officer instructs you to remove it or pick it up for the change-over period prior to a new stage of firing.

7. Loading Position While loading the rifle, the muzzle must be pointing downrange in the

direction of the targets. 8. Carry of Rifles All rifles are to be carried in a rifle box / case / bag and empty of any pellet at

all times except when on the range and in accordance with the orders of the Range Officers. Also refer to ISSF 7.2.0.

SAARA RULES and Regulations - Edition 2007 - 2nd Print 3 / 148

Preface Every person involved in Air Rifle must be grateful to Mr Andr Cloete for the compilation of this rule book which is an essential component of every shooters and shooting officials equipment. It is a generally accepted maxim that Ignorance of the Law is no excuse; consequently, Mr Cloetes publication has ensured that not one of us can any longer say that we do not know what is in the rules. Where to find the rule is really the trick. So, read them well, understand the application, and be confident when you shoot. Know your rights as a shooter. Few people have the tenacity, perspicacity, passion and commitment to have tackled the task that Mr Cloete has completed. The Air Rifle Shooting community is grateful to him for a job extraordinarily well done. Me Pepe Morton

NOTE: The SAARA Rules and Regulations are intended to ensure fair competition for all. Anything that may give a competitor an unfair advantage over others and which is not specifically authorised in these SAARA Rules and Regulations, or which is contrary to the intent and spirit of these SAARA Rules and Regulations, is prohibited. All amendments are shown in red italic font on yellow background.

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A GUIDE TO FILLING AIR RIFLE CYLINDERS The most common scuba tanks used for air rifle shooting are the 10 & 12 litre aluminium tanks with a 200 bar rated working pressure. These tanks can either be fitted with a K-valve (US type) or a DIN-valve (threaded - European type). A D-shaped yoke with a DIN fitting is used on the K-valve to enable attaching the DIN filling adaptor of an Air Rifle Cylinder.

K-valve installed on tank Yoke with filling adaptor 200 Bar DIN fitting

As a SAFETY PRECAUTION please avoid the use of 300 bar rated cylinders as most rifle cylinders are designed for a maximum working pressure of 200 Bar. Filling adapters supplied with most air rifles do not fit into a 300 Bar DIN fitting (different designs for 200 Bar and 300 Bar DIN fittings due to safety precautions). A 200 BAR filling is more than sufficient to shoot any airgun match (twice over in most cases). Each airgun comes with its own fill adapter; usually a machined brass fitting that interconnects the DIN fitting on the SCUBA tank with the air gun cylinder. Dive industry recommendations for filling of SCUBA tanks are 20 - 40 bar per minute. This is on tanks that are much larger than our small airgun cylinders. This same guideline should be applied to the filling of airgun cylinders. This means it should take about 4 minutes to refill the air gun cylinder from 60 Bar to about 170 / 180 Bar. The shooter should not screw his cylinder on to the Scuba tank and instantly fully open the valve on the SCUBA tank filling the air gun cylinder in about 2 seconds. The sudden increase in pressure generates a lot of heat, which can be felt by touching the cylinder. This heat will lead to a) premature failure of the rubber O-rings within the air gun cylinder, causing leakage and b) metal fatigue caused by the long term expansion and contraction in the cylinder wall. SAFTEY PARTICULARS Air gun cylinders, when attached to the SCUBA tank, should be pointed in a safe direction (i.e.,

not at people standing nearby) as in the event of thread failure on the tank, cylinder or adapter will result in the cylinder itself suddenly becoming a missile.

Prior to each fill, shooters should inspect the thread of the SCUBA tank, air gun cylinder and adapter for evidence of dirt, foreign objects or signs of cross-threading or other abuse. Threads in either the adapter or cylinder showing ANY sign of wear or abuse should be considered dangerous and discarded.

When filling the cylinders, shooters MAY NOT look directly at the pressure gauge on the end of the air gun cylinders. There have been instances of gauges shearing their threads and the gauge itself becoming a projectile. All safety precautions should be adhered to at all times.

Shooters MUST understand the potential dangers of the individual cylinders. The potential energy of a fully charged cylinder is equal to a stick of dynamite and cylinders should not be dropped or abused in any way.

Follow all of the manufacturers current guidelines for filling, handling, and using their product. Some manufacturers such as Air Arms and Anschtz have a small blow off port that must be

released prior to unscrewing the cylinders from the adapter/tank. Shooters are cautioned not to place their thumb or fingers over this air outlet as embolism can result.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SAARA - THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR RIFLE ASSOCIATION .............10

1.1 VISION ..........................................................................................................................10 1.2 MISSION .......................................................................................................................10 1.