There is a thread on the SASS Wire that starts out about discarding rifles, but then turns to a discussion about when penalties apply to revolvers going back into the holster cocked and not cocked. You can read the whole thing as it develops here:
https://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?/topic/267871-clarification-of-rule-need-help/&The thread is confusing because so many participants post wrong info and are later corrected, but Pale Wolf Brunelle (the official SASS rules guru) has clarified both of these issues:
On the topic of rifles:- If you put down a rifle with an empty brass on the carrier or in the chamber, you can go back and remove the brass before the next gun is fired with no penalty.
- If you put down a rifle with a live round on the carrier, you can also go back and remove the round with no penalty before the next gun is fired. In both of these situations, if the condition of the gun is not remedied, the penalty is a MSV.
- If you put down a rifle with a live round *in the chamber* there is no remedying the situation and the penalty is a Stage DQ.
On the topic of pistols:Situation A - A shooter of any category attempts to holster a gun that is cocked.
1) If the gun is in the holster and the shooter has removed his hand, it is a Stage DQ. The penalty for "holstering a cocked revolver" is actually the SDQ for a "cocked revolver leaving the shooter's hands."
2) If the gun is in the holster but the shooter has not removed his hand from the gun, the shooter can re-draw the gun and point it downrange and pull the trigger (or with explicit permission from the TO, de-cock the gun pointed downrange) and receive no penalty.
Situation B - A shooter of any category (including Gunfighter) loses count of the rounds fired and *accidentally* holsters a non-cocked revolver with rounds still in it (but not under the hammer).
1) The shooter may redraw the gun and complete the pistol sequence with no penalty before the next type of firearm is used. (Non-Gunfighters must be careful in this situation not to have two *loaded* guns out at one time or they will get a P for shooting out of category)
2) The shooter may chose not to redraw the gun and the only penalty will be Misses for the unfired rounds.
3) If the shooter has cocked/pulled trigger enough times to where he is not sure if a live round is under the hammer or not, the best option is to declare a “gun malfunction” and put the gun down on a table/prop. Holstering a gun with a live round under the hammer - cocked or not - is a Stage DQ.
Situation C - (
Applies to Gunfighters only) A Gunfighter is shooting a split pistol stage (e.g. first five pistol shots from one location and second five from another location, or another gun between the two pistol strings) and *purposely* reholsters loaded gun(s) with the intention of shooting them later. The penalty is a P is for “shooting out of category.” The key to this call is *intent.* Losing count of shots and accidentally reholstering is not a penalty for any shooter, including a gunfighter. A Gunfighter is allowed to correct the situation with NO PENALTY as long as the revolvers are "out of leather" before changing location or firing another firearm.
(<--This last sentence seems to be something new that I do not remember being in effect before. - AM)For the purposes of a gunfighter moving to a new location, the definition of holstered is when "the muzzle enters the mouth of the holster." I think this means that when running to a new location for your second five shots, you can't have the muzzles in the holsters and claim your guns were not "fully" holstered to avoid the penalty. (But, I could be wrong on this bit....)
Did anyone else read this SASS Wire thread? Did you interpret it this way?
AM