Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

Krijer, I recommend you start shooting now. Ask a match director for help borrowing guns and leather and shoot anything offered to you. Dress as cowboy as you can, bring a stiff leather belt, 150 rounds of lead (not jacketed) 38 Specials and a box of 12 gauge, target grade (bird shot, less that 1200 fps) shotgun shells. (Only bring factory ammo, not reloads.) That way you be ready matches next year. Start shopping for used reloading equipment too. Reloading equipment is very durable and there are plenty of good deals to be had for those who are patient.

DDD, there is a Cowboy Clays SASS Handbook. An O/U is not allowed. Cowboy trap is just 25 birds shot from 16 yards. The person running the side match usually asks those shooting smokeless powder whether they are willing to shoot with a blackpowder shooter.

Like this one:

Me: Oilskin duster and a 100% beaver hat (some use plastic hat covers) Cart: Rugger Gear Cover, though plastic trash bags and patio furniture covers work too Guns: Leather dust covers though I may get some rain in guns while shooting so I use WD40 on blued guns to displace moisture from the actions of blued guns.

I use the CB1138-12 wad with the cheapest smoky propellant available (currently Alliant MZ), Gun Club hulls and whatever 209 primers I have on hand. For my wife I use Fig 8 wads and less powder.

My wife shoots these. All are shot within six months of loading. I store them in a sealed container with a large desiccant pack. APP sells its powder with desiccant packs with cause. Some cases loaded with APP split but no more so than the same cartridges loaded with smokeless powder.

If you even shoot clays with these loads best to pattern them first. I have a stout load using Triple Seven that patterns just like a Gun Club. I use them when shooting black powder trap but shoot lighter loads at stationary targets.

I shot thousands of these through one of my Marlins. It loved them. I'll send a link for a current supplier. (My former supplier left the business.)

Take a look also a 160 grain bullets cast to provide overall cartridge lengths using a 38 Special case that is closer to a 357 OAL. Some rifles feed better with these rounds. I prefer heavier loads in my rifles as some spotters will call a miss unless they see a big bullet splat and see the rifle target wobble. That's not what the rules call for but its how some spotters spot.

I did an online search for rooms in North Phoenix for the week of WR. Most rent for $200 an night. The Hampton Inn price in Anthem with discount is competitive. I did find a B&B for $109 an night. I would have booked that except I will be camping in a Maricopa County Park for $32 a night. YL, your report on the Comfort Inn in Edgewood is encouraging. I suspect that after-hours in the lobby is as good a social experience as camping on range at FR.

During the recent primer shortage I used WSPs for reloading my non-CAS handgun cartridges, saving my limited supply of Federals for CAS. They loaded well and always fired. I appreciated that their packaging took much less space in my reloading room than Federals. I also had excellent results with Remington primers.

Edit your profile and state where you live. Someone local will probably tell you where to buy cast bullets without paying for shipping. Cast bullets from a store could be hard-cast, semi-wadcutters - not what you need. That's unless your store is owned by Phantom or Jim Bowie who will sell you what you need for CAS.

For bullets I'd start loading bullets with a profile you know works in your rifle with a overall length you know that cycles reliably. I prefer softer, coated bullets. You can buy sample packs for testing. Find a caster who will deliver to matches you shoot. If none, buy from a caster who uses USPS flat rate boxes. There are plenty of casters who produce quality products and also support our sport. Regarding powders, the list of acceptable powders is even longer than the list of good casters. Search the Wire and you may find an old list. Check the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook for load info. Hodgdon and Alliant have CAS loads posted online. Right now I am testing Sport Pistol. I've used real blackpowder, most of the subs, Bullseye, Unique, American Select, Green Dot, N320 and W231 for main match loads. They all did what I expected of them. Locally Clays has a strong following. One commercial reloader stated he used Red Dot. There are so many good choices for a 38 Special target load using cast lead bullets.

USA Today had an article too.

You don't need a brute press with ample leverage to reload 38s. Any lightweight press can handle those cartridges. So how much does the seller of the 450 want?