Locking holsters

[EEH]

Don’t remember where but I saw a lot of YouTube videos of them testing holsters, saw one match where shooters had to set in a rope swing and shoot, while moving.

[terrydoc]

Correct IPSC is the same I just meant the rule is still in the book from that era.

[shred]

The USPSA (and IPSC) holster test circa mid-1990s was a 360-degree forward or backward roll along the ground or a 16" standing jump over an obstacle or standing jump over a 16" tall obstacle with a 90 degree turn in the air.

 

While they were in the rules in the early 90s when I started, they were already rare because locking holsters made them less relevant and what seemed cool to a bunch of 20-something shooters was a lot less cool when they were in their 40s...

 

If you find some of the 1980's match videos, you'll often see competitors had to climb over walls or jump off things without touching their pistol.  That was an in-stage holster test and generally it was a procedural or worse for touching the gun (although dropping it loaded was a DQ)

 

Loose bungie-cords or velcro straps wrapped around holsters were allowed and not required to be used after LAMR unless you couldn't pass the holster test without them.

 

I suspect (without proof) that the attached-retention-straps-must-be-used thing is leftover from the founders dislike of them and so they demanded they always be used to either get rid of them or get them developed to a state where they were better.

 

Looks like the holster test fell completely out of the rules between 2001 and 2004.  It's not in the 2004 edition.  The 2001 rules have taken out the 360-degree roll and moved to a metric 16":

 

5.3.8  Holsters shall be able to retain an unloaded handgun during the following test. Failure during any holster test described below will require the holster to be withdrawn until it complies with the requirements.

   5.3.8.1  A jump from a stationary start position over an obstacle 40cm high.

   5.3.8.2 A jump from a stationary start over an obstacle 40cm high and while turning 90 degrees to the left or right in mid-air.

   5.3.8.3 Failure during any holster test described above will require the holster to be withdrawn until it complies with the requirements

   5.3.8.4 Any activity within a course of fire.

   5.3.8.5 Failure during 5.3.8.4.  See Section 10 (basically if it fell on the ground unloaded during a holster test it was not a DQ, otherwise it was).

 

 

[ddc]

54 minutes ago, shred said:

The really old USPSA holster test was a sideways jump or forward somersault.  While they were in the rules in the early 90s when I started, they were already on the way out because locking holsters pretty much made them worthless and what seemed cool to a bunch of 20-something shooters was a lot less cool when they were in their 40s...   If you find some of the 1980's match videos, you'll often see competitors had to climb over walls or jump off things without touching their pistol.  That was an in-stage holster test and generally it was a procedural or worse for touching the gun (although dropping it was a DQ)

 

Loose bungie-cords and unattached velcro-straps wrapped around holsters were allowed and not required to be used after the beep unless you couldn't pass the holster test without them.

 

I suspect the attached-retention-straps-must-be-used thing is leftover from the founders dislike of them and so they demanded they always be used to either get rid of them or get them developed to a state where they were better.

 

Looks like the holster test fell completely out of the rules between 2001 and 2004.  It's not in the 2004 edition, but the 2001 rules have it as:

 

5.3.8  Holsters shall be able to retain an unloaded handgun during the following test. Failure during any holster test described below will require the holster to be withdrawn until it complies with the requirements.

   5.3.8.1  A jump from a stationary start position over an obstacle 40cm high.

   5.3.8.2 A jump from a stationary start over an obstacle 40cm high and while turning 90 degrees to the left or right in mid-air.

   5.3.8.3 Failure during any holster test described above will require the holster to be withdrawn until it complies with the requirements

   5.3.8.4 Any activity within a course of fire.

   5.3.8.5 Failure during 5.3.8.4.  See Section 10 (basically if it fell on the ground unloaded during a holster test it was not a DQ, otherwise it was).

 

 

 

40 cm is roughly 15 inches.

 

Like you say "what seemed cool to a bunch of 20-something shooters was a lot less cool when they were in their 40s... "

 

I can just imagine the look on a super senior's face if the RO said "Jump over this object and make sure you turn at least 90 degrees to the left or right while doing so. Your choice which direction you turn!"

 

At 72 I could probably get away with it once per season. With some down time of unknown length to follow.