There is no need to go out and purchase equipment to compete in a Tactical Police Competition. You already have the gear you need: a duty handgun, a patrol rifle and shotgun are all you need to be successful. Below are the rules pertaining to your equipment.

FIREARM DIVISIONS

Firearms used in NRA Tactical Police Competitions must be duty type firearms. Firearms designed for competitive shooting, even those based on duty gun models, and firearms that have competitive accessories or modifications are not allowed.

Based on the features of the competitor's firearms, he will compete in either the Patrol or Tactical Division. While there are other restrictions, the basic difference between the Divisions is:

Patrol Division: All firearms used must have mechanical sights (iron). Shotgun must be pump action.

Tactical Division: Handgun and shotgun must have mechanical sights. Shotgun may be pump or semi-automatic action. Rifle may have one optical sight, such as a telescopic, red dot or holographic sight.

General Firearm & Equipment Requirements

Safeties: External and internal safeties must be operational and be as designed by the manufacturer. No safety device may be disconnected, pinned, or otherwise be made inoperable.

Handgun Manual Safeties: If so equipped, the manual external safety on Double/Single Action, Double Action Only, Safe Action and other such systems that have passive internal and external manual safeties do not have to be in the ON position at the beginning of a course or when holstered. External manual safeties on Single Action handguns MUST be in the ON position at the beginning of a course or when loaded and holstered.

Long Gun Manual Safeties: Long gun manual safeties MUST be in the ON position at the beginning of a course and at any time the long gun is loaded except after the course start signal is given and the competitor is actively running the course. Failing to have the safety ON will result in a 10-second procedural penalty.

The competitor may position his finger or thumb on the safety in preparation to move the safety to the OFF positing when the "Stand By" command is given by the Range Officer.

If the course of fire instructions require a competitor to place the long gun in a designated area and leave it, the safety MUST be ON. Failing to place the safety ON will result in two procedural penalties (20 seconds). If the firearm design does not allow the safety to be placed ON if the hammer is down, NO penalty will be assessed IF the long gun is empty and the action is locked open.

Internal Modifications: No internal modifications may be made that would render the firearm less safe than originally designed by the manufacturer.

Trigger Pull: No firearm may have a trigger pull less than 3.5 pounds.

Long Gun Stocks: Long guns must be equipped with a standard factory issue or aftermarket straight or pistol grip stock suitable for patrol duty. Stocks with spare ammunition carriers, cheek pads and aftermarket recoil pads are permitted.

Ammunition: Competitors are financially responsible for any damage to range props or targets damaged by the use of unauthorized ammunition.

Handgun: Factory ammunition, re-manufactured or reloaded ammunition meeting duty ammunition specifications for bullet weight, velocity, etc. No downloaded or reduced loads allowed.

Rifle: No armor-piercing, incendiary, tracer, or steel core ammunition is permitted. Rifle ammunition will be checked with a magnet to protect range steel.

Shotgun: Slugs, buckshot or birdshot as specified by the Match Director. NO steel shot, armor piercing, incendiary, tracer, sabot, or other rounds that may damage steel targets or create a fire hazard.

Firearm Division Requirements/Allowances

Handguns: The requirements and allowances for handguns are the same for the Patrol Division and Tactical Division.

SECTION 5: COMPETITOR EQUIPMENT

Handgun Holsters

Holster must be manufactured and marketed as a law enforcement duty holster for uniformed patrol or plainclothes duty. A tactical thigh holster is permitted as long as it meets all other requirements.

Only primary side holsters are permitted. No specialized carry holsters are permitted, such as cross draw, shoulder rig, small of the back, chest rig, etc.

Holster must have at least one active locking retention mechanism that must be manually disengaged by the primary hand to draw the firearm. Friction-only retention holsters are not permitted.

The holster must cover the trigger guard completely.

When worn, the holster must be positioned so that the barrel is not forward of the centerline of the leg.

Handgun Magazine Pouches & Reloading

Unless allowed by course of fire instructions, all ammunition fired must be carried on the competitor's person.

Competitors must have a Primary Magazine Pouch mounted on the same belt that carries the holster. The pouch may hold up to two magazines or two single magazine pouches may be used.

Primary Magazine Pouches must be manufactured and marketed as a law enforcement duty magazine pouch for uniformed patrol or plain cloths. No competition or spring loaded magazine pouches are allowed.

When a magazine is inserted, the magazine pouch must enclose at least 50 percent of the length of the magazine and all sides of the portion of the magazine that is enclosed.

The magazine must have a retention system such as a flap that secures with a snap or Velcro, or friction retention system. Magazines must be retained by the retention system when the magazine pouch is turned upside down.

At the beginning of a course of fire, all primary magazines must be secured in a magazine pouch. Any retention devices such as flaps or snaps must be secured.

Additional spare magazines may be carried in Secondary Magazine Pouches, carried in pockets, mounted on thigh rigs, etc. Belt-mounted Secondary Magazine Pouches must be located to the rear of the center line of the leg and meet the same requirements as Primary Magazine Pouches. Spare magazines may not be carried in the hand, mouth or other non-secure manner.

Reloading

Magazines Used: When reloading, all magazines carried in the Primary Magazine Pouch (2) must be used first. Magazines carried in secondary locations may only be used after the primary magazines have been used. Failing to use Primary magazines first will result in a ten-second procedural penalty for each magazine used.

Tactical Reloading: Competitors conducting a Tactical Reload must secure the magazine on their person. A Tactical reload is any magazine exchange conducted during the course where the magazine removed still contains live ammunition. Any magazine dropped that contains live rounds will result in a ten-second procedural penalty.

Reloading from Cover: There is no requirement to reload from cover when available. The tactical decision when and where to reload is the competitors. However, if the shooter is firing from a position providing cover, he cannot leave the position unless the handgun is loaded and ready to fire. A round in the chamber is considered loaded. Leaving cover with an unloaded handgun will result is a ten-second procedural penalty. Course instructions may exempt this requirement.

Shotgun Ammunition Carriers & Reloading

Ammunition Carriers: The use of shotgun mounted ammunition carriers, such as a sidesaddle system, is permissible. Spare shotgun ammunition may be carried in pockets, belt-mounted carriers, shotgun ammunition belts, ammunition wrist/arm bands and thigh carriers. Spare ammunition may not be carried in the hand, mouth or other non-secure manner. Due to safety issues, slings with ammunition loops are not permitted.

Stock Ammunition Compartment: Carrying spare ammunition in compartments built inside shotgun stocks, such as a Speed Feed Stock, is permissible.

Shotgun Speed Loaders/Loading Tubes: Not permitted.

Shotgun Reloading: There is no requirement to reload from cover when available. The tactical decision when and where to reload is the competitors. However, if the shooter is firing from a position with cover, he cannot leave the position unless the shotgun is loaded and ready to fire. A round in the chamber is considered loaded. Leaving cover with an unloaded shotgun will result is a ten-second procedural penalty. Course instructions may exempt this requirement.

Rifle Ammunition Carriers & Reloading

Magazine Location: Rifle and pistol caliber carbine spare magazines may be carried in rifle mounted ammunition carriers, in pockets, belt-mounted magazine pouches, thigh carriers, etc. Spare ammunition may not be carried in the hand, mouth or other non-secure manner.

Tactical Reloads: Competitors conducting a Tactical Reload of a rifle or pistol caliber carbine must secure the magazine on their person. A Tactical reload is any magazine exchange conducted during the course where the magazine removed still contains live ammunition. Any magazine dropped that contains live rounds will result in a ten-second procedural penalty.

Reloading From Cover: There is no requirement to reload from cover when available. The tactical decision when and where to reload is the competitors. However, if the shooter is firing from a position providing cover, he cannot leave the position unless the rifle is loaded and ready to fire. A round in the chamber is considered loaded. Leaving cover with an unloaded rifle will result is a ten-second procedural penalty. Course instructions may exempt this requirement.

Bipods: Rifles may be equipped with a bipod, mono-pod or other stabilizing device. However such device may only be used when firing in the Tactical Division. At the beginning of the course the device must be in the stowed position and cannot be deployed until the RO gives the course of fire Start Signal. Rope, cord or other material cannot be attached to the device to speed deployment of the device.

Slings: Long guns should be equipped with a single-point, two-point, three-point or tactical sling. The sling must allow muzzle-down carry.

Tactical slings must be adjusted and used so that the muzzle is down and not angled across the body to prevent muzzling any part of the competitor's body, anyone else or the muzzle to face up range during movement through the course.

Slings may be used for additional support when firing and may be attached to the body or otherwise preset around the shooter's arm, or wrist prior to the Start Signal being given.

When a sling is used to carry the long gun, the long gun must be unloaded with a chamber flag inserted in the chamber or carried with the action open and muzzle down. Specific requirements may be noted in the match announcement.

Laser Sights: Use of laser aiming devices is not permitted. However, while the competitor may not use it, there is no requirement to remove it from the firearm.

Firearm Mounted Lights: Lights may not be activated or used as an aiming aid unless specifically allowed in the course instructions. Competitors do not have to remove a mounted light to compete.