Bowling Pin League Rules & Regulations

Event Safety Rules

• Always keep the guns pointed in a safe direction.
• Always keep fingers off the trigger until pointed at your target and ready to shoot.   
• All firearms must be unloaded, made safe and in a case except while on the firing line. This rule includes holstered guns. You may load magazines in the spectating area, and in fact are encouraged to have 2 magazines/speedloaders loaded and ready for your turn with no more than 14 rounds total.   
• Only safe firearms and ammunition are permitted. Firearms must have a sighting system – iron sights, red dot or laser.  Ammunition cannot be steel core, steel jacketed or steel cased.
• Anyone observing an unsafe condition on the firing line is obliged to give the “Cease Fire” command immediately.
• The firing line will be made safe (unload all firearms, actions open, clips or magazines removed, tubular magazines emptied) before anyone goes past the firing line. It is the formal or informal range officer’s duty to ensure compliance.
• Eye protection and ear protection are required for all shooters and observers.

Bowling Pin Shoot Procedures and Commands

This organized shooting event will be conducted under the supervision of a formally designated Range Master (RM) and 2 Range Safety Officers (RSO).

Starting Position

1. Shooters will report to the starting line with their equipment and place their cased handgun and everything else they need on the shooting bench.
2. The RM will give instructions to make the line “HOT” and the RSOs will prepare the shooters for their stage by having the shooters “LOAD & MAKE READY”. After loading, single-action pistols will have safeties on. Single-action revolvers will have hammers down. Double action revolvers and pistols will have hammers down and safeties on.  Sight pictures may be taken prior to the firearm being loaded. 
3. All shooting will be done from the standing position, at the designated firing line. The start position will be from the low-ready, with the muzzle of the firearm pointed in front of the bench (in a general 45-degree downward angle). Fingers must be off the trigger and out of the trigger guard prior to the start and/or while reloading. Penalty for failure to adhere is disqualification. Magazines/speedloaders may be kept on the shooter’s person and/or on the shooter’s bench, or both. There are NO HOLSTER DRAWS at this match.
4. At no time shall a shooter brace themselves against the bench surface, edge, or gain support from the booth’s walls. Nothing in this rule shall prohibit, or is meant to discriminate against, a shooter with a handicap or disability. Shooters can approach the RM and discuss a safe shooting stance where applicable.

 Range Commands

The range commands will be given by the RM only. The RM shall be responsible for the control of the shooter, scorer and all competitors. The commands will be:

1. “Shooters to the line”
2. “The line is HOT”
3. “Shooters, uncase the firearms”
4. “LOAD & MAKE READY”
5. “Shooters Ready? Standby…..”
6. Timer will beep to indicate the start
7. “If you are finished, UNLOAD & SHOW CLEAR”
8. “Make the firearm safe and re-case”
9. “The line is COLD, go forward and reset pins”

 Course of Fire

• At the start signal the shooter will engage the bowling pins and continue, reloading as/when necessary (one reload is allowed), until all the pins are completely off the target table, or the shooter has used the allotted ammunition.
• All bowling pin targets must be engaged from directly behind the shooter’s booth. Restarts, reshoots, and/or alibies after the start signal has been given may or may not be allowed at the discretion of the RO and/or the Match Director.
• Any ammo, magazine, moon clip, speedloader, or any items that falls to the ground during the stage are “DEAD” and can NOT be retrieved by anyone until after the stage is completed and the range is declared safe. The penalty for non-compliance may be disqualification.
• After the last round of a stage is fired the RSO will determine that the firearm is clear and cased and that the range is safe. The shooter’s score is tabulated and recorded. The RM will declare the range “COLD” and only then, will competitors/RSOs pass the firing line to reset the bowling pins for the next shooter.
• All firearms will be cased/uncased AT and ON the bench under the direction of the RSO. At no time should anyone bend over to retrieve a case or bag from the ground with a firearm in their hand. If necessary, after the firearm is cleared, inform the RSO, lay the firearm on the table muzzle down range, and then retrieve the case.
• Every participant is responsible for range safety and to see to it that the pins are reset as quickly as possible in order to keep the match moving efficiently.

 Match Description

Double-Elimination Matches will start with a brief safety meeting after which everyone will be given a number and randomly placed in a bracket. Shooters will be called by their number to compete against each other in a head-to-head, double elimination bracket. Winners will be determined by who knocks their pins completely off the table before their opponent. The winner of each round will be advanced in the winners’ bracket and loser will be moved to a losers’ bracket. You will compete until you have lost twice. Prizes will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at 50/30/20% of the prize pool. Shooters must knock regulation bowling pins off of a 8’ foot by 4’ foot table located 7 yards downrange. The range safety officer (RSO) begins each string of fire with the “FIRE” command. Each shooter has a RSO who records any missed pins that remain on the table after the shooter has completed shooting a specific string. Firing stops when the last pin clears the table. Shooters are allowed to reload once while firing a string.

Timed Matches will start with a brief safety meeting after which everyone will be given a number to determine the shooting order.  Shooters will be called by their number to compete in a timed event to knock over 5 steel pins. Each shooter will shoot the event 4 times and the lowest 2 times will be added together for their final time.  Winners will be determined by who has the lowest total times.  Prizes will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at 50/30/20% of the prize pool. Shooters must knock steel bowling pins over on a 2’X6″ board located 7 yards downrange. The range safety officer (RSO) begins each string of fire via a shot-timer. Each shooter has a scorer, who records the times or any missed pins that remain on the table after the shooter has completed shooting a specific string. Firing stops when the last pin clears the table. If a shooter leave any pins on the table their time is marked with a DNF (did not finish).  Shooters are allowed to reload once while firing a string.

Magazines, cylinders and speed loaders are limited to maximum capacity of 7 rounds total. Each interval is called a stage. Shooters fire head-to-head in stages.  The shooter who knocks all pins off the table first is determined the winner and will advance in the winner bracket.  The loser will advance in the loser bracket.  It will be a double elimination bracket, therefore you are guaranteed to shoot at least twice but will keep shooting as long as you are winning a string. 

 Pin Set

The placement of bowling pins on the target tables depends on the handicap of the shooter or caliber of the gun.

• The location of the pins for a novice shooter or any .22 caliber matches is the rear edge of the target tables and evenly spaced side-to-side.
• The location of the pins for an intermediate shooter or any .380/9mm matches is the center of the target tables front-to-back spaced evenly side-to-side.
• The location of the pins for advanced shooters or any .40 caliber and higher matches is the front edge of the target tables spread evenly side-to-side.

Tables are approximately 8’ft wide x 4’ft deep and are set on sawhorses about 4 1/2’ft high. The number of bowling pins set up on the target tables depends on the handicap of the shooter which will be established on the first night.  

Firearms

All firearms are to remain in cases or boxed at all times on the range, until brought to the shooting bench, and directed by the range safety officer (RSO). All firearms must be unloaded and made safe except while on the firing line.

 Firearms are categorized as follows:

• Semi-automatic pistol: Any legal pistol in semi-automatic form with centerfire pistol calibers, from .380Auto, .38 Special /.357, and up to .45ACP or .45GAP. (Single or double action). For Iron Sights, pistols should have factory or aftermarket sights, fiber optics are allowed. Any factory or aftermarket optic/laser is allowed.
• Revolver: Any legal revolver with cylinders up to 10 rounds, from .38 Special, and up to .45ACP or LongColt. For Iron Sights, revolvers should have factory or aftermarket sights, fiber optics are allowed. Any factory or aftermarket optic/laser is allowed.

Light loads under 800fps or hot loads over 1400fps are not allowed, as they can cause ricochets and damage.

Magazines and Speedloaders

Each competitor should have at least two magazines/speedloaders per gun. It is recommended to have at least four (4) magazines/speedloaders loaded and ready especially toward the end of the match when you will be shooting more frequently.

A competitor may request for assistance to reload magazines/speedloaders at the spectator’s table at the discretion of the RSO. All magazines/speedloaders should be kept separate from the firearms.

Remember that no firearms can be uncased (meaning to open a case) behind the firing line to remove magazines for loading.

Semi-auto: No more than seven (7) rounds of ammunition at any one time shall be contained in any semi-auto.

Revolver: No more than seven (7) rounds at any one time shall be contained in any revolver, center fire or rimfire.  

Participation

All competitors are welcome to help out in any capacity that they can to make the match run smoothly. It is expected that after their string, competitors pitch in and help by setting pins, and being the RSO for the next shooter. We can always use help setting up the tables before the match.

We ask that ALL competitors break down the game at the end of the match by boxing up the pins, folding the tarps, and policing the range for any brass or other items. A few extra minutes will make the day go faster and enjoyable for all.

Fun bowling pin targets and hanging bottle targets will be available for you to shoot on the pistol side of the range while you are not competing. 

Alibi’s

Alibi strings are re-shot for range failures. Pins falling out of position during the course of fire are NOT an alibi. Reliability of your firearm is part of the game.

There is limited opportunity for re-shoots for guns that jam or fail. The RM may, at their discretion, allow ONLY one (1) re-start alibi during the course of the match. If you have a personal equipment failure, you may step off the line for repair. Inform the RM that you would like to request a re-shoot. You will be removed from rotation and entered at the end of the stage for the re-shoot.

Range Safety

• The decisions of the Range Master (RM) and Range Safety Officers (RSOs) are final. The site specific range rules of Colorado Clays must be followed in all general circumstances.
• Any unsafe handling of firearms will result in disqualification.
• An accidental discharge (AD) is considered the same as a negligent discharge (ND). If a firearm is claimed to have malfunctioned to cause the AD, it shall be immediately removed from competition and should be inspected by a qualified gunsmith before bringing to another match.