The Wild Bunch side match which is a staple at a lot of clubs has become a standard at the World Championship in Moriarty, NM. The side match has evolved from casual rules to specific requirements to make all shooters equipment equal.
The following is a set of rules:
Requirements for shooting in the Wild Bunch category:
GUNS
PISTOLS:
· Full size single stack steel frame 1911-style semi-auto pistol in .45 ACP caliber, single stack magazines only.
· Barrel length must be at least 5 inches. No barrel porting or compensators or other recoil reducing devices allowed.
· Barrel must have a standard barrel bushing. Bull barrels are not allowed.
· Magazine wells may be beveled, but may not be oversized, extended or flared.
· Adjustable or non-adjustable dovetail rear sights and blade type dovetail front sights are allowed.
· No sight inserts or colored sights allowed. Sights must be black or blued.
· Stainless steel is permitted.
· Grips must be GI-style wood or plastic grips. Other natural materials are OK but no rubber grips. No target grips or thumb rests.
· Only rear slide checkering or serrations allowed. No front slide checkering or serrations.
· Only standard grip safeties, no extended beavertail grip safeties.
· Standard length magazines cannot hold more than 8 rounds. No extended base pads on magazines.
· The magazine release must be standard length, it may not be extended or oversized.
· Standard thumb safeties only, may not be extended.
· Standard slide release only, may not be extended.
· Standard recoil spring and guide only, may not be extended.
· Short or long trigger allowed, may not be a match trigger.
· Standard spur hammer only.
· Checkered front strap and trigger guard not allowed.
· Flat or arched mainspring housing permitted.
· Internal accurizing and action tuning are allowed.
· Lanyard loop is optional.
Notes:
Standard in all cases means Standard Military Specs.
Questionable firearms will be subject to approval by the Match Director.
RIFLES:
Any SASS-legal, main match rifle may be used with all the usual SASS rules applying.
SHOTGUNS:
Any SASS-legal 1897-type shotgun may be used with all the usual SASS rules applying. Only an 1897-type shotgun may be used in the Wild Bunch category.
CLOTHING:
Dress is standard Cowboy or Period Military. All SASS-legal clothing is permitted with the exception of B-Western.
Period military clothing would be WWI or pre-WWI uniforms including (but not limited to) campaign hats, khaki shirts, Jodhpur riding pants,
puttees over combat boots or brogans.
GUN BELTS AND HOLSTERS:
A WWI–era military khaki web belt with 1 or more ammo pouches.
Holsters may be a pre-1919 military holster or a western-styled leather holster made for a 1911. Holsters may be tied down. Holsters and
magazine pouches must be of traditional or military design and made from traditional materials, (e.g., canvas or leather, no black nylon). No open front
speed holsters allowed. If a holster has a flap or strap they need not be closed during competition.
· No shoulder or cross-draw holsters may be used during competition.
· No metal or plastic "competition" type equipment allowed.
· Magazine pouches must be worn on the opposite side of the body from the handgun.
· Magazine pouches must be worn vertical.
· Magazine pouches can hold either 1 or 2 magazines.
· More than 1 magazine pouch may be used.
SHOOTING RULES:
THE 1911 MUST NEVER BE HOLSTERED WITH A MAGAZINE INSERTED UNLESS THE SHOOTER IS ON THE FIRING LINE.
LOADING:
Shooters may carry any number of magazines on their body at any time but all magazines must remain empty until they are at the loading table. The shooter must
show the loading table RO that the 1911 is empty. The slide will then be closed and the hammer lowered.
Each magazine can then be loaded with five (5) rounds only. When the shooter is ready to go to the firing line, he may holster the pistol with NO magazine
inserted.
STAGING:
On the firing line, under the supervision of the RO, the shooter shall insert a loaded magazine in the pistol but NOT operate the slide and either holster the pistol
or stage it according to the stage directions.
FIRING:
The pistol is charged on the clock at the firing line. Dropped loaded or unloaded magazines will be picked up by posse workers, not by the shooter. When moving with the 1911 in your hand, the slide must be locked open and the trigger finger must be outside of the trigger guard. (Trigger finger in the trigger guard while moving is a MSV, moving with the slide closed is a SDQ)
AFTER FIRING:
If the pistol is NOT the last gun of the stage, the Wild Bunch shooter will place the pistol on the designated prop with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
CLEARING:
After the stage is completed, the shooter will make the 1911 safe under the direction of the RO.
The shooter will remove the magazine and show the RO that the chamber is empty. The shooter will close the slide, point the pistol down range and dry-fire the gun
to prove it is safe. If the gun will not dry-fire without the magazine in place, insert the magazine, dry-fire the gun and remove the magazine.
The pistol must then be safely and appropriately holstered observing the 170 rule. The shooter may then proceed to the unloading table where the unloading table
RO will clear the pistol again as well as all magazines and the rifle and shotgun.
