Cowboy Action Shooting

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Olympus

Olympus

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I guess this would be the right section to put this in. I've been doing all kinds of searches on here and have yet to find a thread about cowboy action shooting. I don't know anything at all about it, but it sure looks like it would be a lot of fun. It looks like it would be a competition that isn't as cut-throat as some others, kind of like everyone is competiting against each other, but if they don't win they're still having fun. I wonder how expensive it would be to get into? I know you need a SA revolver, lever rifle, and shotgun. To me, that's an awful lot of hardware to buy to get started if you didn't have any of that...like me!

Any cowboy action shooters around here that want to give some suggestions and their opinion?
 
If you show up at a CAS club the worst risk is getting trampled by people rushing to loan you guns so you can try it out without having to sink money into it. Go get acquainted, they will make you welcome.

And when you decide you like it, a couple of Italian revolvers, a Brazilian rifle, and a Communist Chinese shotgun will let you join in to recreate the American West at no huge cost. Lotta people pay more for their clothes than they do their guns.
 
I've really been watching a lot of the MidwayUSA Cowboys show on the Outdoor Channel and even more cowboy action videos on YouTube and it looks like a lot of people are just in it for the fun and aren't trying to break any world records. I had heard that cowboy action shooters were a great group of men and women and I think I'll take your advice and visit with some at some local matches.

Give me some examples of the cheaper guns so that I can look into them a little bit further. If I do decide to try my hand at cowboy action, I'm pretty sure the first few years will just be having fun and working on the fundamentals. I won't need any expensive guns. I'm sure that I'll be spending enough money on ammo!
 
Well you might be able to buy second hand after you get acquainted. Otherwise, I see:

Stoeger Coach Gun
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=31486
Marlin 1894
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,6698.html
Cimarron Model P (Uberti)
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,1975.html

I recommend .357 sixguns and carbine for common, light kicking .38 Special ammo; and 12 ga shotgun for common cheap shells. Or you can pay a bit more for the Winchester Low Noise, Low Recoil 12 ga (commonly called Featherlights from the feather on the box label) and have less kick than the usual 20 gauge.

Somebody will be along to tell you he got his cheaper or that Rugers are stronger than Ubertis. OK.
 
''And when you decide you like it, a couple of Italian revolvers, a Brazilian rifle, and a Communist Chinese shotgun..''
That's EXACTLY what I did!Jim,how'd you get a peek in my gun safe?!check out the ''classifieds'' over on SASS.There's always deals as someone with .45's decides .38 ammo is cheaper,or on .38's as they decide they'd be faster with .32's or with .32's when the kids or wife gets bored and wants .38's.
 
I had a buddy make me a leather 6 rd. holder that I tie onto the butt-stock.For the last few years , I have shot ALOT of SASS {Cowboy Action} matches with a Win. 97 and the rules are MAX. of 2 rds. in the SG at any time. I have got very good at when I rack the SG with my left hand , I take two rds. with my right hand and single feed them, one at a time, into the open port without takeing the SG from my shoulder.
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I read this in the shotgun forum.

Would the OP be allowed to use an 870 or the like, only having 2 shells at a time?
 
WARNING! WARNING!

Cowboy action shooting can be addictive and bad for your health.. Unless your better half gets into it also. Then the fun starts.

Most of us couldn't hit the broadside of a barn but I sure have fun. I started with Uberti pistols, Rossi rifles and Norinco shotgun. Have graduated to USFA and Colt handguns and Marlin rifle but still use the Chinese shotgun.

Great bunch of folks in this sport and most of us are glad to shake the hand of the winner and have a good time


Good luck
 
Former CAS Shooter here. Don't get me wrong, I had fun doing it. I just got sick of driving 2 plus hours one way to shoot for 5 minutes.

Some things you will be slammed with:
Hardware cost: on the cheap side, it will cost you between 1200-1300 for a brace of 2 pistols, a lever rifle, and a shotgun with leather. I shot two Taurus .357 Gauchos for a while, and then upgraded to 2 Single Action Nagant Revolvers shooting .32 S&W Long, with a Marlin 1894 .357 Lever rifle, and a Stoeger SXS Shotgun. The only real cost after that is in matches and ammunition.
I'd choose something you can either reload for, or find anyplace that sells ammo. That's the main reason I went for .357 Magnum revolvers at first. Every gun store I know of sells .38 SPL LRN rounds, or wadcutters. My cartridge selection saved my bacon when I forgot my ammo at home 1.5 hours into the 2 hour drive. Luckily, the gunstore on the way sold cheap .38 SPL reloads that worked out just fine.

Clothing cost: Can be done on the cheap with a pair of Wally World jeans, suspenders, work shirt (button down), and a cowboy hat. Cowboy boots are also nice, but not necessary to have.

Gun cart: I can't stress how important one of these things is. It gets old trying to cart around 4 different guns and all that ammo. Check the Internet out for plans, or use one of those old Golf Bag carts for a frame to make your own.

Just show up to a match and you can either watch, or jump right in. Zespectre and I jumped right in and had tons of folks willing to loan us leather and guns. It was a good thing too as the first problem we had was the lever action I had brought didn't like semi-wadcutter .357 ammo. The only thing dependable that day was my 12 Gauge.
 
Would the OP be allowed to use an 870 or the like, only having 2 shells at a time?
Click to expand...

The pump guns are repros of Winchester 1897's, and they now have a lever action shotgun as well. 870..., nope. I found a cheap SxS in 12 ga, an old goose gun that wasn't good for steel shot, and bobbed the barrel to 20". The SxS guns can have extractors but not ejectors that kick the shells free. I got matching Rugers in .45 Colt, as I have dies for that AND I also have dies and bullets for my .45 ACP...and a .452 diameter, 200 grain LRN will work in either cartridge! A Puma (Rossi) rifle in .45 Colt and that was all that was needed!

Don't get confused...., there are some folks who take this very seriously, but one advantage (imho) is the technology is limited to a specific historic era. So most folks have fun, and there isn't as big a gap between those with the most expensive gear and the folks with common brands. A Colt an Uberti a Ruger will all launch the same cartridge with sufficient accuracy. You can only tweak the tech so much. After that it's just showmanship.

LD
 
The only pump action shot gun apprroved by SASS is the winchester model 97,or clones of same.
To me they just aint' cowboy',so I shoot a double barrel.
that is what I like about the game,a huge variety of weapons and calibers to choose from.
I dress basic..hat,jeans,boots.
basic startup costs,I'd guess at about 1600 minimum buying used guns,higher if ya go new.If I were starting over I'd go .38 caliber for less recoil and cost,but my 45's sure od ring the steel !!! :)
the actual shooting time is abouit 2 1/2 minutes per match :( the upside is the jawboing ya git to do with Pards while waiting to shoot.
It's a hoot !!
shootinsteel.jpg
 
Gunfighter123:

It is early morning, and I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet... :(

May I call your attention to post #11... :what:

I think you may have set Cowboy Action Shooting back for at least a generation... :uhoh:

And the Brady Bunch may turn to strong drink... :D
 
Dear Old Fuff;

If post # 11 DON"T wake ya up -- ya must be DEAD !!!! LOL


And why in the HELL am I the only person in photos dressed like that ??? Maybe it wasn't Halloween !!!! BTW --- on the drive to the match , I surely DID GET a few indecent offers from a couple of Heffers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
on the drive to the match , I surely DID GET a few indecent offers from a couple of Heffers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Oh boy!! What if you had been pulled over by a cop... :eek:

National news here we come. :D

I e-mailed a copy of the picture to a friend, and explaind that I had decided to give up guns and shooting. Haven't heard back yet... :evil:
 
Uh Oh.

Well, boys, I've been shooting for 46 years now, have a bucketful of SA revolvers, a few lever action carbines, and am itching to get another coach gun...

I bought a horse this fall after working with horses for a few years, and am thinking of training my horse to at least not buck or rear when I pop a cap....

I can see an addiction coming.... two of the ladies that I wrangle horses with gave me horse magazines with CAS articles in 'em, telling me it's "just the right thing for you."

And I wouldn't want to disappoint ladies.... :evil:
 
thinking of training my horse to at least not buck or rear when I pop a cap.
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Read up on Cowboy Mounted. You will pop baloons with blanks as you ride within 8 -10 feet. No bullets allowed for safety to the horse and spectators.
 
Cowboy Mounted?

Jim, okay - can you drop me a PM where I'd be looking up the Cowboy Mounted? I know, the cartridges are blank - but I rather doubt my horse could care less whether the 'Bang!' was associated with a bullet or not.... and I guess just to be safe, I'll be doing the 'ground work' before I try it mounted in case he develops a flinch :eek:
 
If you show up at a CAS club the worst risk is getting trampled by people rushing to loan you guns so you can try it out without having to sink money into it. Go get acquainted, they will make you welcome.
Click to expand...
Yep. accidentally showed up at the range right before they were going to shoot Cowboy stuff. I could barely get away. Great folks willing to lend me anything they had to try it out. I was on call and had to go, or I might have. I may try it one of these days.
 
I have mixed emotions about it.

I shot the inaugural event of the Wartrace Regulators way back years ago. It was a hoot. I love the availability of reasonably priced replica arms for the sport. But I haven't shot any since that first shoot, just too many conflicts with other fair-weather pursuits and such.

THEN the other night I caught a show on with "Evil Roy" showing technique and some fast shooting. The technique and speed was impressive--But the total and complete lack of power/recoil from the cartridges was PATHETIC!!! (The only weapon that gave a hint of muzzle rise was the shotgun-and I suppose they're down to 1/2 oz loads.)

Downloading the cartridges to such anemic levels really takes away from the authenticity(what I thought CAS was originally about) of the sport AFIC. I suppose it's the speed-demon norm these days...and I'll bet it really stretches a pound of Bullseye.:rolleyes:

Don't get me wrong-I know it's fun and exciting, but seeing folks with a few thousand in gear and costume popping bunny fart caps just makes it more Hollywood than I really care for.

Just commenting-no need for extended discussion on this minor aspect. It just shook me up a little when I saw it.
 
WadePatton. You are correct as far as there being a segment of cowboy shooters who shoot light loads, some extremely light. The actual top shooters are not normally shooting the extreme light loaded ammo. They also aren't shooting heavy loads either. The rest of the participants shoot everything from light loads to ammo with some real oomph to it. I shoot 44-40 real blackpowder loads, a case full, in my rifle and 44 special bp loads in my revolvers. The best shooters are also very good at controlling recoil. If you watch IDPA or IPSC videos you see the same thing. Beginner shooters may look like there guns are kicking pretty good while the top shooters look like their guns aren't recoiling much at all. Mark
 
I have shot CAS for over 11 years and loaded every one of those rounds. The moderate-low velocity rounds are needed to prevent splatter and ricochet from the steel targets. Lead bullets tend to break up on steel in this velocity range, push then fast and they will bounce back.

Black powder loads of long ago were slow and heavy. Modern smokeless CAS loads are adjusted to match.

streakr
 
I shoot cowboy, and I love it. Started out by supplying my own ammo and borrowing guns & leather. Now I have two full sets of guns and leather, and I've loaned them out to new shooters in need. Its the Cowboy Way. IT really is a lot of fun when you get a good group of folks. But I have been stuck with folks that take 1 or 2 aspects (usually speed or authenticity) too seriously, and it takes a lot of fun for them not to ruin my day.
 
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