Cowboy action shooting question

fightinghamster

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I only started getting handguns in June (I know I know I should have started sooner my wife said the same thing) and I’ve got a few already with more on the way, I know I will probably never be able to get all the guns I want but I want to get a wide variety so in the future I can participate in various shooting competitions, I’m sorta interested in cowboy action and was wondering what the common calibres used in that style competition are ? I’ve got a couple SAA revolvers in 22lr ordered and I’ve seen some others for sale in 44-40 and I’m wondering what calibres are allowed? Is there a specific competition for black powder?(the wife wants a pair of colt navy’s) Any information is appreciated as I’m completely new to this part of shooting sports
 
Take a look at sassnet dot com and download a copy of the shooters handbook to get the rules of the game and figure out what gear you need.

Find out if there's a group near you doing Cowboy competition and start talking to them. Best source for where/when you can shoot and any local quirks.

Most popular would be .38 Special, .45 Colt, or .44-40.

Definitely get a good set of revolvers right away.
 
That may be too late! Good like finding 2 SAA's in the same calibre right now.

I suspect CASS will have to start focusing on shotgun and rifle only competitors if they want to survive. No new handgun shooters are coming... Unless c21 gets ammended to recognize more than Olympians as firearms athletes.
 
I'd have bought a 44-40 if there was any brass for it and if bullets were more available... Starline all sold out of brass, one place has a wait-list...

I opted for a .45 colt and a 357
 
44-40 is black powder mostly, but as late to the game try for 38s or 45 colt but that can be a lot more costly. Yes all pistol cal above 32 are ok for main match guns, including 44 mag, Down Loaded to less then 1000 feet per second for handguns and less then 1400 for rifles. About 700 FPS in revolver and 900 in rifle is normal.
 
OP, I think you’ll find 38spl / 357 to be the most popular caliber and you might be a little late in the revolver procurement because of the latest fiasco. The upper level of revolvers would be the Ruger SASS Vaqueros but many use the Italian SAA’s with great success. I don’t think you’d find any Rugers in today’s Canada but you never know until you search.
 
Blackhawk ruger with adjustable sight are good in age based categories. I use them for all kinds of other type of shooting. If they are going to be for LIFE ownership as the government want may be something to think about.
 
Originally Posted by Northern Shooter

I'm also interested in cowboy action shooting but only have a lever rifle. Are there any classes that only require rifle?



nope. min required is 2 cowboy pistols, lever and shotgun. hope for a new gov't to overturn this lunacy...


Interesting question and answer!

I'm sure for the preservation of Cowboy style shooting in Canada and other competative style sport shooting that includes handguns, this will all have to be revised in the near future, as the way it stands, there will not be a future of NEW shooters to the game.

Just saying!

And if in case anyone's wondering, I shoot SASS, IPSC, PPC
 
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Interesting question and answer!

I'm sure for the preservation of Cowboy style shooting in Canada and other competative style sport shooting that includes handguns, this will all have to be revised in the near future, as the way it stands, there will not be a future of NEW shooters to the game.

Just saying!

And if in case anyone's wondering, I shoot SASS, IPSC, PPC

I’ve heard of IPSC but what’s PPC ? I’m also interested in the possibility of doing IPSC
And 3 gun but I don’t have any where to start
 
Interesting question and answer!

I'm sure for the preservation of Cowboy style shooting in Canada and other competative style sport shooting that includes handguns, this will all have to be revised in the near future, as the way it stands, there will not be a future of NEW shooters to the game.

Just saying!

And if in case anyone's wondering, I shoot SASS, IPSC, PPC

I agree. Much like IPSC Canada had to modify rules to cap our mags at 10, SASS will need to adapt. If they don't want to disappear altogether in the coming years (assuming the CPC doesn't reverse the stupidity), they will need to have categories for rifle and shotgun only, and likely "1 pistol" categories for guys that bought a SAA and can't acquire a second any longer.
 
I’ve heard of IPSC but what’s PPC?
Police Pistol Combat. Originally shot mainly with revolvers but now a lot of people use semis. Kind of like IPSC or IDPA without the movement (why I call it "old man's IPSC"). You shoot at various distances within given time limits and from different shooting positions. For example one of the stages is 24 shots with 4 reloads - 6 shots kneeling, 6 shots prone, 6 shots standing left handed and 6 shots standing right handed in 2:45 or less at 50 yards. There are other stages with variations on distances and times but this gives you an idea.

3 gun requires a handgun (most use semis but I guess revolvers are OK), a shotgun (semi) and rifle. A lot of guys used AR-15s but with those now taboo there has been a switch to things like pistol calibre carbines (Ruger PCC, etc.). Some are even allowing .22 semis for the rifle stage.
 
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Police Pistol Combat. Originally shot mainly with revolvers but now a lot of people use semis. Kind of like IPSC or IDPA without the movement (why I call it "old man's IPSC". You shoot at various distances within given time limits and from different shooting positions. For example one of the stages is 24 shots with 4 reloads - 6 shots kneeling, 6 shots prone, 6 shots left handed and 6 shots right handed in 2:45 or less at 50 yards. There are other stages with variations on distances and times but this gives you an idea.

3 gun requires a handgun (most use semis but I guess revolvers are OK), a shotgun (semi) and rifle. A lot of guys used AR-15s but with those now taboo there has been a switch to things like pistol calibre carbines (Ruger PCC, etc.). Some are even allowing .22 semis for the rifle stage.

Damn I’ve got a lot of reading to do, I may never actually compete but my hope is I’ll have enough variety of handguns I can compete wherever
 
Police Pistol Combat. Originally shot mainly with revolvers but now a lot of people use semis. Kind of like IPSC or IDPA without the movement (why I call it "old man's IPSC". You shoot at various distances within given time limits and from different shooting positions. For example one of the stages is 24 shots with 4 reloads - 6 shots kneeling, 6 shots prone, 6 shots left handed and 6 shots right handed in 2:45 or less at 50 yards. There are other stages with variations on distances and times but this gives you an idea.

3 gun requires a handgun (most use semis but I guess revolvers are OK), a shotgun (semi) and rifle. A lot of guys used AR-15s but with those now taboo there has been a switch to things like pistol calibre carbines (Ruger PCC, etc.). Some are even allowing .22 semis for the rifle stage.

Used to have a league here years back. I participated in a few shoots, and used some sweet, sweet revolvers. Smoothest DA actions I ever tried. - dan
 
Claven2: Not yet an official category in SASS competition, but.... seen occasionally at club level matches: "Working Cowboy". One revolver. Rifle and shotgun. The revolver is reloaded on the clock. No blazing fast stage times, as a result. But, still a fun way to participate. This may become more accepted, in future. At least folks will still have some chance to compete. At least....hopefully...until this gun ban nonsense is repealed.
 
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