Major:
I looked in the latest SASS handbook & you're correct---NO MENTION OF FLAP-TYPE HOLSTERS. But I reckon it COULD be a sweep/safety issue. Possibly since 2 hands are used to reholster(??).
Maybe they were gettin' info outta an older SASS handbook.
I will need to do some deep research to locate them older ruke books around here.
MG
Gentlemen:
Why does it take two hands to reholster? The flap can easily be held open by the thumb and wrist, or the flap can be tucked behind the belt. I believe there is nothing in the Major's recommendations that
requires the holster flap be fastened when the shooter is on the firing line.
The bigger "problem" is going to be how the butt-forward hang of the "issue" holster will affect the method of the draw. The issue holsters have cant angles of about 22 degrees off vertical. If the belt loops on the holsters are "as issued", they do not allow for the holster to be swung to vertical, so, technically, the shooter might be breaking the 170 if he uses a strong side twist draw. I personally think this is a non-issue as shooters wearing high-ride, high-cut, strong-side, butt rear draw with a 7-1/2" barreled gun almost invariably breaks the 170 as the muzzle clears leather! But, of course, nobody complains about this! Nor should they! In point of fact, I have stated time and time-again that the ONLY way a single action revolver, properly carried with the hammer down on an empty chamber, can discharge is if the shooter purposely touches the hammer spur with his/her thumb...or somebody hits them with a flame-thrower! Keeping the thumb off the hammer until the gun is pointed downrange solves the problem, regardless of the holster hang or the style of carry. Just convinve the RO's! One solution might be a pair of "Forsythe"-style holsters, which were a full-flap, butt-rear (butt-forward versions were also made) holster, with various style belt loops for use with the wide canvas Mills belts or saber belts. These may not have been issued until the 1890's, and then in small quantities for trials with the troops.
One thing I would suggest regarding holster rigs... It is a fact, supported by at least one photo of a 6th Cav trooper, in Arizona in the 1880's, wearing a civilian Mexican loop holster and cartridge belt with his Colt's SAA butt REAR on the right side. Might want to permit that so long as other pieces of uniform, though encouraging the wear of regulation rigs. The other question is what to do about packing the second pistol, since that was definitely NOT regulation, and seldom practiced except perhaps during the "late unpleasantness", and then especially by Confederate troopers.
[Note: Please understand, I am NOT soliciting business for myself, although I do make holsters. The above discussion is merely to bring up some factors that may need to be addressed in massaging the details of this new category.]
Re: The potential use of various rifles. I do see somewhat of a difficulty in requiring the use of any certain repeating rifles, as it would be unreasonable to force someone otherwise interested in this catagory to purchase a different rifle, if, for example, he/she has a M1894 Marlin or M1892 Rossi. I DO think the use of earlier repeating rifles (Henry, Winchester '66 and '73) be ENCOURAGED. As to single shot rifles, I have some older Lyman handloading manuals that show 190 gr. bullets loaded with smokeless powder at around 1100-1300 ft/sec in the .45-70. While most bullets in these lighter weights are for .45 LC and would be small for the .45-70 (.454 vs. .457). It is possible that loads could be developed for, say 250 gr. .45 LC bullets, and the smaller bullets be used effectively for use in Trapdoor Springfields. It MIGHT be necessary to obtain custom moulds or have one commercial bullet makers set up for .458" 250 gr. bullets. If enough shooters went this route, we might be able to convince the "powders" to allow us to use single-shot rifles and carbines.
One thing that might discourage stage designers from allowing the use of single-shot rifles is the elapsed time required to shoot the same targets being used by repeaters. A full "patrol" (posses are for civilians) might take an additional ten or fifteen minutes to shoot a stage versus using repeaters.
These are just some thoughts I've had on this matter. I definitely support the effort to introduce a military shooting classification to SASS matches!