TAPSS is inspired by the many forms of Real Steel pistol shooting competition such as IDPA, IPSC and USPCA. It is not intended to be as in depth or detailed as those real steel systems, but rather, a more simplified system of rules and regulations, that are easy to learn by new competitors, and easier to implement and govern by event coordinators. SOME of the following information may be "borrowed" from other rules systems, I take no credit for the design or origin of the borrowed information,, and only compile these ideas here for the entertainment of those who choose to take part in TAPSS Events.

***EDIT***01/31/2007 Rules have been streamlined based on the experiences of the past 3 events held by Airsoft Specialists.

There are a few pieces of required equipment for both the competitors and the event venue/organizer. These required items are listed below

A Safe Venue: With enough room for both the course and a staging area.

At least 3 target traps/target holders: If the event is held indoors, target traps must be capable of stopping at least a 1.5 joule bb, with a minimum of ricochet. If held outdoors, upright target holders may be used, made with PVC conduit or similar construction. Go to:
http://airsoftspecialists.com/articles/targettrap/targettraps.htm
for one option for indoor target traps.

A Safe Shoot Box: A box designed for safe pistol cycle testing. One which has a small put the pistol barrel through, with a backing desingned to safely stop a close range bb without ricochet. A modified version ot the bb traps shown above will do.

1/2 scale silouhette type paper targets: (1/2 scale is used to compensate for the ease of recoil recovery compared to real steel pistols) You can find such targets at http://www.pistoleer.com/targets/competition/ The specific target that has been used for Airsoft Specialists hosted events is target B24 (RC)

Timing Device: (See Timing Methods below)

Scoring sheets or computer scoring spreadsheet.

Gas pistol (see below for pistol classes)

Combat style holster. I.E. Paddle holster, belt holster, under arm holster, drop leg holster. IPSC style quick release holsters are NOT allowed.

Eye Protection consisting of impact rated safety or shooting glasses with peripheral protection (wrap around). Full seal goggles are not required but feel free to wear them if you wish.

BBs and Gas

Shoes or boots with good tread remaining. (We don't want you slipping on any loose bbs at indoor events)

Airsoft Specialists hosted events have a dress code consisting of several choices:

1.) Combat Casual: A BDU pant with matching solid color Tshirt or Team Tshirt tucked into pants.
2.) Dress Casual: Slacks or Khakis with a Solid Color Tshirt or Polo, OR team Tshirt or Polo.
3.) Bussiness Casual: Slacks with Button Down shirt or Polo, optional Concealment Garment (sport coat or similar)

Why the dress code? Because When you dress professional, you act professional. I don't want TAPSS events to look like a bunch of frat boys in holey jeans and dirty t shirts.

A course should have at least 3 targets/ LOF and at least 2 shooting stations. Optimal courses would have 5 targets and at least 3 shooting stations. Larger courses are of course possible as long as you follow the rules listed below.

1.) Range to targets should be no less than 10 feet and no more than 40 feet.

2.) There must be at least one shooting station that requires shooting from behind cover (Anything can be used to designate a cover object, but solid cover objects such as furniture, barrels or even cubicle/real walls are preferred.

3.) There must be at least one "move and shoot" shooting station.

4.) No shooting corridor should have a LOF within 30 degrees of the scoring and/or spectating area.

5.) All LOF must be directed away from the scoring and/or spectating area.

6.) You must list a default number of shots to take at all targets. If the number is 3, then the shooter must take 3 shots at each target. Any number of shots taken over the maximum shots per target will result in throwing out the highest scoring shot on that target, per extra shot fired.

Optional design considerations:

1.) Dual target/LOF shooting station: A station where you must fire on 2 separate targets before proceeding. At different ranges or shooting angles.

2.) Targets arranged at varying heights

3.) When possible, arrange targets and LOF in a real world layout.

4.) Have one shooting station which requires kneeling to fire.

5.) Have a reload station halfway through a course. This can be either a reload with retention (Where you place the empty in a pouch before continuing the course) or a Drop and click reload (Where you simply drop the empty/used mag out the gun and slap the new mag in) The drop and click reloads can be done without damage to mags, by making the reload done from a kneeling position, with a foam pad or pillow in a strategic location at the reload station.

6.) Target Enhancements: Using blank paper to signify targets behing partial cover or targets behind hostages. If using the Hostage target enhancement, make cut blank paper to a silouhette shape. Any shots that hit a hostage enhancement are a 3 second penalty. Be sure , when calculating maximum course score, that you account for any point ring blockages on enhanced targets.

7.) Shooting stations with cover objects. Shooting from a station with a cover object, you must have at least 50 percent of your body behind the cover object while firing. Violations of this rule will result in a 3 second penalty.

Once you have a course designed, you must make a schematic of the course, which shows the targets and shooting stations, and outlines the proper lines of fire. List the ranges from stations to targets. Also Provide a course outline telling how a shooter should proceed through the course, including any requirements such as kneeling, shooting from cover etc. Here is an example of a course schematic

There should be 5 event staff positions filled. At larger events these positions should be filled by dedicated personnel. At smaller events these positions can be traded off to allow everyone a chance to compete.

Course Judge: This person starts the timer before each run, makes sure that the shooter properly navigates the course, fires the correct number of shots per target, and is responsible for calling "Clear" at the end of each shooter's run (when the pistol is holstered)

Safety Judge: This person makes sure that all people in the course area wears eye protection, shooters handle their pistols safely, and that at no time are any rounds fired in an unsafe manner or direction.

Target Judge: This person is responsible for placing new targets up before each round, retrieving targets after each round, marking them with the shooters:
Name
Time (given by the Timing Judge)
Penaties
Judges Initials

Scoring Judge: This person marks all hits to the scoring areas of each shooters targets, adds up target score, and calculates final round scores using the marked time.

Each competitor's run is timed. This time is ultimately used to calculate the competitor's final score. This in mind, an accurate timing method is required. There are many different forms of acceptable timing tools, both Low Tech and High Tech. Experience has shown the following to be the best method for TAPSS events.

Self timing with chronograph watch: Often competitors feel a "Timing Judge" with a stop watch cannot accurately stop their time, especially when the event is as close as a 10th of second. The Self Timing method was developed to put the time stop in the hands of the shooter. At any Department store's watch department, or at any sports equipment retailer you can find Chronograph watches. The best kind to use will be one with a velcro arm band and large start and stop buttons. Something like this:

You have the shooter put the watch on the wrist opposite his shooting arm. IE, right haded shooters put the watch on their left wrist. The course judge verifies that the watch is in chronograph mode and is at 0.00. When the shooter is ready, his arms are up. The course judge askes if the shooter is ready, shooter replies "shooter ready" then the course judge reaches up and pushes the start button while saying 'Begin". (If the watch has a loud enough start tone, judge does not need to say anything.)

The shooter then draws his pistol and starts the course. When the shooter finishes the last target on the course, the weapon is holstered, freeing the right hand to stop the chronograph.

It is best to let first time shooters practice stopping the chronograph before they start their run.

There are 3 pistol classes in TAPSS. Classes may or may not be used in all events, depending on the number of competitors and the apparent advantage shown during practice runs or past events. These classes are:

Modified GBB - This class consists of Gas Blow Back autoloading pistols that have modification that improve slide/loading cycle time. Such as: Upgraded recoil spring/spring guides, High Flow valves, Ball bearing hammers. After market metal Slides are not considered a modification for these purposes.

Stock GBB - This class consists of Gas Blow Back autoloading pistols that are in stock configuration (As built by their original manufacturer) It is the shooters choice to use HFC 134A or Green Gas to improve cycle time.

Gas Revolvers - This class is for those airsofters that are loyal to revolvers. This class may require modifications to the course design or number of shots to allow for those models that do not have enough rounds to complete a GBB course. When advertising ANY TAPSS event, if it is not stated that there will be a revolver class, there may not be a revolver competition.

1.) ALL persons in the course area, Competitors, Judges or Spectators, MUST wear eye protection at all times.

2.) Only one competitor is to have thier pistol loaded and on thier person in the course, during any practice or competition round. Loaded refers to having a magazine in the magwell, whether it has bbs or not, whether it has gas or not.

3.) No bb shall be loaded into the breech before starting a shooting round. You must not rack your slide until you are at the starting line of the course.

4.) Pistols must be in a "Safe Mode" while shooter is standing ready to begin a round. This is any method by which you can make your pistol so that the trigger cannot be engaged until you are ready to shoot. Whether it is a thumb safety, a hammer at half cock or whatever your pistol has. Pistols that do not HAVE any method for doing this BY DESIGN are exempt from this rule. (Example, KWA glocks which do not have the patented trigger safety installed from the factory)

5.) All competitors NOT currently in a practice or competition round must either have their pistol unloaded on the "secure pistol" table, or unloaded and secured by safety clip or strap in their holster. "Unloaded" meaning no magazine in the magwell. This means that if you are not currently taking a practice or competition run, ALL your available magazines must be secured on the "secure gun" table. The only exception to this is if the competitor NEEDS to test his weapon. See below.

6.) Weapon testing and troubleshooting. It is STRONGLY suggested that all competitors make sure their pistol is in proper working order BEFORE coming to the event. If however, the shooter has reason to believe their pistol is NOT in proper working order after taking a practice or competition run. They can use the "Safe Shoot Box" to test their pistol's operation. ONLY ONE competitor is allowed to have a pistol loaded for the purpose of troubleshooting at any given time.

7.) Unsafe gun handling or other unsafe behavior will result in immediate disqualification.

8.) "Finger in trigger gaurd" The only time anyone should have thier finger inside a trigger gaurd is when firing the weapon, on the course, during thier specified round.

9.) No pistol shall be loaded until being readied for a round. "Loaded" refers to having a magazine in the magwell, regardless of whether or not it has bbs or gas in it...

10.) Any bb fired outside of the specified course corridor, or in the "safe shoot box" be it accidentally or intentionally, will result in immediate disqualification.

Safety Briefing: First things first. At the start of the event, either the event coordinator or the safety judge will give a mandatory safety briefing. They should cover all the points listed above and any other points mandated by the venue owner.

Course Briefing: The course judge will explain the course from start to finish. If a course map is available the judge can use that as an aid, but the course judge should also give a walk through, showing each shooting station, each approach and each shot angle or required element to the course. The course judge should also specify what parts of the course are most likely to result in a course penalty if taken incorrectly by a shooter.

Practice Rounds: IF time permits practice rounds for ALL shooters, the event coordinator can propose a single practice round. This practice round will allow all shooters to run through the course, timed and scored just as if it were a competition round. Scores from this practice round are NOT used in the final winners tally, regardless of whether or not a score in this practice round is better than any competition round. This practice round will give the competitors experience to mold and modify their tactics and techniques to improve future competition runs. See the Pre through post round sequence listed below.

Competition Rounds: The event coordinator should determine, based on the number of participants in the event, how many competition rounds they have time for, and whether or not they will use a "Finals Round" See below for a description of a "Finals Round". The event coordinator should allow enough time for EVERY competitor to have at LEAST 2 competition rounds. The scoring goes on a "best round" system. Each successive round by each competitor is a chance to improve their score, with their lowest score across all rounds being their final score.

Finals Rounds: If time permits, and the competitors agree BEFORE the competition starts, you can hold a finals round in which the top 5 competitors after the competiton rounds, will have a single Finals Round giving them ONE MORE chance to lower their score.

Pre through post round sequence: (Whether a Competition or Practice round)

1.) The Safety Judge clears the course path of any loose bbs or other obstructing materials. All targets for each shooter must have the shooter's name written on them before their run. The target judge puts up the shooter's targets and any target enhancements.

2.) The current shooter gets into position at the start station, racks his slide, places his weapon in a "Safe Mode" (See safety rules above) then holsters his weapon. Any holster retaining strips or clasps can remain open if possible. The shooter states he is ready loud enough for all judges to hear.

3.) The Course Judge asks "Shooter Ready?", the shooter verfies by saying " ready". The Timing judge then starts the timing device and says "Begin" loudy and clearly.

4.) On "Begin" the shooter begins his/her run, following the course as described by the course outline and event coordinator. The course judge follows the shooter through the course close enough behind to see any course penalties. Once finishing the course, the shooter must holster his/her pistol and stop the timer.

5.) When the timer has been stopped, the course judge calls "Course is clear". At this time the Target judge collects all targets from the course. If time is short the target judge may place new targets up as he/she takes the shot targets down.

6.) The Shooter secures his pistol at the gear table.

7.) The Target Judge marks the targets with the shooters course time, any penalties incurred and his own initials.

8.) The scoring judge counts up the total target score of all the shooter's targets, then using that score, calculates the final score, either manually or by use of a scoring spreadsheet. (See Scoring rules below)

We will be using a slightly modified "Limited Vickers Count" Scoring.

The score is based off of the RAW time it takes to complete the course, and any penalties incurred. Possible penalties are:

Points down: Each course has a maximum possible point score. For every point UNDER that maximum score, you add .5 seconds to the shooters time.

Extra Shots: For each extra shot fired over the number of shots specified in the course description, you receive a 5 second penalty AND if the extra shot hits the target, (resulting in 4 hits) the highest scoring hit is not counted)

Missed Shots: For every shot that misses the target, 2 points down are applied to your target score (or 1 second is added to your time). This penalty will also apply to shots not fired at a particular target. (Less than what the course outline specifies)

Course penalties: For each course penalty, 3 seconds will be added to your time. Possible course penalties are: Firing out of position, not being appropriately covered when firing from cover objets, hitting a hostage target enhancement (other course penalties may be added at a later date)

Automatic Scoring Spreadsheets: The following files are spreadsheets, one in Microsoft Excel format, the other in Macintosh Appleworks format. These spreadsheets are set up with formulas so that all you have to do is enter the participants time, total target score, and penalties incurred, and it will automatically calculate the final score.

Right Click/Save Target As

TAPSSscore.xls

TAPSSscore.cwk

Easy way to score TAPSS Vickers Count manually:

1. Write down the raw time from the timer.
2. Count the total number of misses.
3. Add up the target score and calculate points down.
4. Write down the total points down and multiply by half (.5) second.
6. Write down applicable penalties, for instance; add three (3) seconds for any course penalty, and (5) seconds for any extra shots fired.
7. Add the raw time, the number of misses, and the converted points down and applicable penalties for a final score.
8. In this way, everything has been converted to time so that the lowest (fastest) time wins.