how did ya'll get into cowboy shooting

oldbear1950 · July 26, 2022, 11:35 AM

We have no active group in this area, so how do you get into cowboy shooting?

Hawg · July 26, 2022, 04:15 PM

You will have to find a club. Go to a match and talk to people. They will be glad to help you out. After the match there will most likely be a few that will let you shoot their guns. It gets expensive especially if you have to travel very far to get to a match.

Crunchy Frog · July 26, 2022, 04:37 PM

Your profile says you are in Alabama. I will paste a link to Alabama clubs from the SASS Affiliated Clubs listing. If you get an error message click through it.

https://sassnet.com/clubs/Clubs_list.php?state=Alabama

Check the listings in neighboring states as well.

There are some clubs that are not currently SASS affiliated. If there is no affiliated club near you, reach out to a club contact and ask. They may know of other clubs.

The gun club I belong to has a SASS chapter. I reached out to the match director to ask about the sport and he encouraged me to attend a local match. “Don’t buy anything” was his advice. I brought ammo and shot the match with borrowed gear. I was hooked. That was 12 years ago.

MarkCO · July 27, 2022, 07:48 AM

Great advice from Crunchy Frog.

The local club here does an open house type of thing once a year. They all take their guns, props, clothes, etc. and display them. They have shooting clinics and they are a wealth of knowledge. Finding something like that would definitely be worth a half days drive to a club who did that. I took advantage of that, borrowed some stuff and shot a match. Was not for me, but it was an inviting group of folks. I might take up Wild Bunch at some point down the road.

Jbar4Ranch · August 2, 2022, 11:20 PM

With the number of clubs in Alabama, it can't be more than a hundred miles to at least ONE of them. I regularly drive 95 miles to one and about 120 to another, both of which shoot two CAS matches and a Wild Bunch/CAS match once a month, shooter's choice - the CAS guys and Wild Bunch guys don't shoot against each other. A third one shoots once a month at a range about 65 miles away. The closest one to me was about 40 miles away, but shut down this year due to lack of attendance - they were down to shooting only two to four matches a year, and only 4 stages per match at small targets set farther out than normal, with one stage set up as "Cowboy Combat" - kind of a cross between 3 Gun and CAS with barriers, shooting ports, downrange and lateral movement, no stage fronts, and a lot of political infighting between the shooting disciplines that shared the range. Not many of us old farts who can get down on our knees and back up again trying to shoot through a port three feet off the ground.

TFJ

Driftwood Johnson · August 24, 2022, 09:51 AM

Once you find a club, attend a few matches and ask questions.

Do not buy any equipment until you have a feel for how the game works.

Cowboy Action shooters are very outgoing and many will gladly let you fire a few rounds out of their guns. Be sure to take this opportunity if presented, so you have a little bit of actual experience with the firearms before plunking down any money on the counter.

Deja vu · November 2, 2022, 10:54 PM

I was going to start a similar thread but found this one. I have reached out to the local club over email but I haven’t heard any thing. Granted it was just a few days ago but it seems like fun and I’m getting antsy waiting for a response.

I did mention that I dont have the guns yet but I’d be happy to bring some factory ammo (or reloads). I’m not specifically looking to shoot but I wanted to bring the ammo if the opportunity presents it’s self.

Basically I don’t want to annoy them, would it be better to just show up to a match?

Would you recommend registering with SASS and getting a name first?

Jbar4Ranch · November 2, 2022, 11:29 PM

Show up, tell 'em you're interested, walk along, watch, ask questions - I'll be surprised if they don't offer you the opportunity to shoot a stage or two.

Hawg · November 3, 2022, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deja vu

Basically I don’t want to annoy them, would it be better to just show up to a match?

Would you recommend registering with SASS and getting a name first?

Just show up. I wouldn't join SASS until you find out if it's something you're going to want to do. I don't know what the fee is now but it was 50.00 about 15 years ago and you have to pick a name nobody else has.

Deja vu · November 3, 2022, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

Just show up. I wouldn't join SASS until you find out if it's something you're going to want to do. I don't know what the fee is now but it was 50.00 about 15 years ago and you have to pick a name nobody else has.

It’s $80 now

Oliver Sudden · November 3, 2022, 01:08 PM

Picking a name is fun and I didn’t pick one till after my first match, I now use three different names depending on where I’m at. None are registered and I didn’t join any organization. It’s just for fun and I like to play cowboy

Hawg · November 4, 2022, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deja vu

It’s $80 now

How high are the badge numbers now?

Deja vu · November 22, 2022, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

How high are the badge numbers now?

That I don’t know.

sawdustdad · December 14, 2022, 05:51 PM

I'm 101497 and I joined Nov 2014. I've seen shooters at matches with numbers over 110,000.

bladesmith 1 · December 19, 2022, 09:03 AM

The OP didn't post where he lives, so it would be hard to help him. And he never came back for a second post.

July 26, 2022, 11:35 AM	#1
oldbear1950 Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2022 Posts: 205	how did ya'll get into cowboy shooting We have no active group in this area, so how do you get into cowboy shooting?

July 27, 2022, 07:48 AM	#4
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,307	Great advice from Crunchy Frog. The local club here does an open house type of thing once a year. They all take their guns, props, clothes, etc. and display them. They have shooting clinics and they are a wealth of knowledge. Finding something like that would definitely be worth a half days drive to a club who did that. I took advantage of that, borrowed some stuff and shot a match. Was not for me, but it was an inviting group of folks. I might take up Wild Bunch at some point down the road. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

August 2, 2022, 11:20 PM	#5
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	With the number of clubs in Alabama, it can't be more than a hundred miles to at least ONE of them. I regularly drive 95 miles to one and about 120 to another, both of which shoot two CAS matches and a Wild Bunch/CAS match once a month, shooter's choice - the CAS guys and Wild Bunch guys don't shoot against each other. A third one shoots once a month at a range about 65 miles away. The closest one to me was about 40 miles away, but shut down this year due to lack of attendance - they were down to shooting only two to four matches a year, and only 4 stages per match at small targets set farther out than normal, with one stage set up as "Cowboy Combat" - kind of a cross between 3 Gun and CAS with barriers, shooting ports, downrange and lateral movement, no stage fronts, and a lot of political infighting between the shooting disciplines that shared the range. Not many of us old farts who can get down on our knees and back up again trying to shoot through a port three feet off the ground. TFJ __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

November 2, 2022, 10:54 PM	#7
Deja vu Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Border of Idaho & Montana Posts: 2,584	I was going to start a similar thread but found this one. I have reached out to the local club over email but I haven’t heard any thing. Granted it was just a few days ago but it seems like fun and I’m getting antsy waiting for a response. I did mention that I dont have the guns yet but I’d be happy to bring some factory ammo (or reloads). I’m not specifically looking to shoot but I wanted to bring the ammo if the opportunity presents it’s self. Basically I don’t want to annoy them, would it be better to just show up to a match? Would you recommend registering with SASS and getting a name first? __________________ Shot placement is everything! I would rather take a round of 50BMG to the foot than a 22short to the base of the skull. all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...

November 2, 2022, 11:29 PM	#8
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	Show up, tell 'em you're interested, walk along, watch, ask questions - I'll be surprised if they don't offer you the opportunity to shoot a stage or two. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

July 26, 2022, 04:15 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	You will have to find a club. Go to a match and talk to people. They will be glad to help you out. After the match there will most likely be a few that will let you shoot their guns. It gets expensive especially if you have to travel very far to get to a match.

July 26, 2022, 04:37 PM	#3
Crunchy Frog Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 591	Your profile says you are in Alabama. I will paste a link to Alabama clubs from the SASS Affiliated Clubs listing. If you get an error message click through it. https://sassnet.com/clubs/Clubs_list.php?state=Alabama Check the listings in neighboring states as well. There are some clubs that are not currently SASS affiliated. If there is no affiliated club near you, reach out to a club contact and ask. They may know of other clubs. The gun club I belong to has a SASS chapter. I reached out to the match director to ask about the sport and he encouraged me to attend a local match. “Don’t buy anything” was his advice. I brought ammo and shot the match with borrowed gear. I was hooked. That was 12 years ago.

August 24, 2022, 09:51 AM	#6
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Once you find a club, attend a few matches and ask questions. Do not buy any equipment until you have a feel for how the game works. Cowboy Action shooters are very outgoing and many will gladly let you fire a few rounds out of their guns. Be sure to take this opportunity if presented, so you have a little bit of actual experience with the firearms before plunking down any money on the counter.

November 3, 2022, 01:08 PM	#11
Oliver Sudden Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 272	Picking a name is fun and I didn’t pick one till after my first match, I now use three different names depending on where I’m at. None are registered and I didn’t join any organization. It’s just for fun and I like to play cowboy

December 14, 2022, 05:51 PM	#14
sawdustdad Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2014 Location: Virginia Posts: 484	I'm 101497 and I joined Nov 2014. I've seen shooters at matches with numbers over 110,000.

December 19, 2022, 09:03 AM	#15
bladesmith 1 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2018 Posts: 240	The OP didn't post where he lives, so it would be hard to help him. And he never came back for a second post.

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