Pitspitr, thanks for the clarification. I was interested in the discussion because I'm looking to obtain a "pocket gun" myself for use in SASS side matches, and I've been dancing with the regulations in terms of what might be suitable or not.
We are talking about 5 shot small frame revolvers such as the S&W safety hammerless, which are considered safe to carry with a loaded chamber aligned with the barrel by design.
OK, now I'm dialed in to what you are talking about. Thanks. The following is offered in the context of SASS use, case other SASS members wander through here:
The central issue, as I see it, is that the words "Safety" and "Hammerless" are both marketing terms, rather than absolutely accurate descriptions of the firearms. But "Safer Spurless Internal Hammer" just doesn't have the same ring to it. From what I've read, the early models even came factory equipped with an accessory pin to enable the user to lock down the grip safety (which was basically an early "child-proofing" attempt) and this bypass it. And the inertial firing pin proved not to be 100% reliable against accidental discharge caused by dropping the gun. Darned good, but not 100%, as later lawsuits proved.
No question the S&W DAO design was safer than the SAA, and the overall record shows that the design family was quite safe, relatively speaking. But it still isn't as safe as having the weapon at rest with the hammer (OK, the firing pin) resting on an empty chamber or locked between chambers. And that safe state is easy to verify at the loading table, whereas the internal presence or not (or state of repair) of safety mechanisms is not. To me it's an obvious place to draw the line for SASS matches.
And my disclaimer is that I have absolutely nothing to do with crafting SASS regulations. Those guys don't even call me to see what I think.
But I do think it's a good rule because it IS easy to explain and enforce, and safety has to come first.
Next we'll tackle the issue of short sleeved shirts... heh. Are they legal for GAF shoots?