Cowboy Action Shooting - When to put your finger on the trigger?

[Tudenom]

Hey folks

After reading the S.A.S.S. rules book and practicing at the range a bit I noticed there doesn't seem to be any real description on when or when not to put your finger on the trigger when shooting.

The only action shooting sport I've tried is IPSC which is super duper focussed on trigger control so maybe I just have to change my frame of mind for Cowboy Action Shooting.

I realize that there's way more fire and movement in IPSC than cowboy and that a single action revolver is pretty safe compared to an auto loader, but I'm having a hard time finding any rules at all in the SASS manual about it.

As far as I can tell, as soon as the buzzer goes off you can have your finger in the trigger guard at any time. Is this true or am I missing something here?

 

[Cariboo Lefty]

Tudenom
There is no rule against having your finger in the trigger guard, however it is a stage DQ to move more than one of your feet if the hammer on a shotgun, rifle or revolver is cocked. Because SASS rules do not allow movement with a cocked loaded firearm, SASS does not feel that a finger in the trigger guard is a safety issue. However, I understand that the rules in the new Wild Bunch Matches are different.

 

[Tuco Pike]

Finger out of the trigger guard until your gun is pointed directly at the target. That's what the SASS RO's are told to watch for, I am one, and that's the way it is. Granted I rarely shoot Cowboy or anything else for that matter very much anymore. If clubs are not enforcing that, then they are going to prevent their shooters from having fun at other matches as they will get shown the door. No fanning or any of that other TV nonsense. Wild Bunch is the same, finger out of the trigger guard until pointed on target. You'll find SASS rules to be very common sense, but they expect you to be an adult and they don't treat you like a child. Shoot safe, and have fun, those are the important things to remember.

 

[Cariboo Lefty]

Tuco
Please quote for me the SASS rule about finger in the trigger guard. I am a SASS RO instructor and I can not remember ever seeing it. Now if it is a club rule, that is different, Clubs are allowed to have more stringent saftey rules, however all shooters should be made aware that the extra club rules, different than SASS, are being enforced.

 

[gambit]

Tuco
Please quote for me the SASS rule about finger in the trigger guard. I am a SASS RO instructor and I can not remember ever seeing it. Now if it is a club rule, that is different, Clubs are allowed to have more stringent saftey rules, however all shooters should be made aware that the extra club rules, different than SASS, are being enforced.

Im no Cowboy shooter but for me rule #1 keep finger of the trigger until you are certain of your target and ready to fire cowboy shooter or what ever safety first

 

[Cariboo Lefty]

Gambit
I agree completely, finger off the trigger until you want the bang noise. However the question was about SASS rules. As far as I know there is no SASS rule requireing the shooter to keep their finger off the trigger. There is a rule about movement with a cocked firearm and there is a rule that the revolver can not be cocked until it is pointed at 45 degrees from the ground.