What is CASE?
CASE is an acronym for Competency And Safety Exam. This practical exam allows assessors to confirm prospective participants are ready for dynamic shooting sport competitions.
The exam isn’t particularly hard, but requires concerted effort. Assessors will be watching for appropriate muzzle direction and trigger finger discipline while candidates negotiate a course of fire that simulates a typical competition stage. The CASE course of fire will require candidates demonstrate knowledge of the FOUR RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY (hotlink) and practical safe handling of their firearm. The course of fire dictates the candidate shoot from their support side, shoot through ports, shoot while moving, reload safely, and fire from several different positions; possibly including prone, urban prone, kneeling and sitting.
Candidates will be issued a CASE Qualification Card upon successful completion. This card must be produced at all DSSBCA affiliated matches in addition to a valid PAL.
As per DSSBCA rules, CASE assessors are not allowed to be paid to run the qualifiers. Fees may only be charged to cover any cost of facilities where the qualifiers are held.
Four Rules of Firearms Safety
The Four Rules of firearms safety were coined by Jeff Cooper, a USMC Colonel who saw action in WWII and The Korean War. He was the founder of the American Pistol Institute (Gunsite Academy).
His four rules:
- All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
- Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule. Its violation is directly responsible for about 60 percent of inadvertent discharges.
- Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.
Others teach ACTS, but it is essentially the same idea. We at DSSBCA subscribe to Cooper’s Four Rules because he was a Marine, and Marines are fucking cool.
