Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

My loads and experience are identical to GJ's. The load shoots well but PP is denser than the Extra Lite I was loading. One can easily get concave crimps loading PP. I do not load PP in metallic cartridges. I am glad PP is available as it is designed for light loads.

For those recommending powder for shotguns, remember the OP is requesting load data for 20-gauge. Shotgun powders used for 12-gauge may lack load data for 20-gauge.

HS-6 is unsuitable for your 38 Special loads. Your loads would be too high velocity for SASS. Tightgroup and HP-38/W231 will both work and are available. I am currently shooting 38 Specials loaded with W231. However, HS-6 is suitable for 20-gauge shotgun shells. Hodgdon lists loads using Remington hulls and (inexpensive) Cheddite 209 primers. Midsouth currently stocks 8-lb jugs of both HS-6 and HP-38. You could order both powders on one order (and thus only pay one HAZMAT fee). Don't be hesitant to buy 8-lb jugs. Powder gets used up pretty quickly. Buying primers in lots of 5,000 or 10,000 is wise too. There is large scale military conflict in the world consuming ammunition components. Shortages of components for reloading hobbyists are common. We are the lowest priority customers. Those of us with reloading component stashes keep shooting. Those without beg or leave the shooting sports. Unique would work for both your loading requirements. Don't shop for any as Alliant is not shipping any currently.

Many of us carry spare holsters for new shooters. If you came to one of my matches, I could loan you some you some. However, you would need belts that fit your shooters as I lack belts of needed lengths. My range also has three loaner gun carts for new or visiting shooters. There might be sone available to you to when you visit a club. You don't need shotgun shell belts as shells can be positioned at shooting positions ahead of time. 20 gauge is a legal shotgun caliber for CAS. Load with what you own to start with. Hodgdon lists some reduced recoil loads for 3/4 oz 20 gauge using Universal powder. Unfortunately, this powder is currently unavailable. However, the Wire can recommend light 20-gauge loads with available powders if you ask. My wife and I will shoot the Western Regional (your regional) in Nevada in November. With a few matches under your belt, you would be ready for your regional. Ask to posse with the Hart Family. They may come from Colorado. They travel a bit for CAS.

Doc Barium and I attended the Santa Fe Opera last night. Dress code is relaxed compared to opera venues on the coasts and many men wore western wear including cowboy hats. Some of the opera employees wore cowboy hats too. I chose to dress B-Western and was complimented by many opera staffers on my hat and shirt. Should you attend the Santa Fe Opera feel free to dress in you CAS finest. You will be welcome.

The cold, rainy, snowy weather will be while I am shooting. When my competitors are shooting the sun will shine and quickly dry out any mud. There will be a gentle breeze keeping the shooters comfortable and blowing away black powder smoke making for great stage times. 😉 I will shoot the 5-stand to help prepare me for the Cowboy Sporting Clays side match. My Browning SxS handles nicely on a clays range. Update: I have a confirmed space in the front row just across from the Trap fields. I note that The Clay Target Center added a Bunker Trap field. Since I do not have Bunker Trap available to me locally, I'll give it a try while at EOT.

My waiting is over. The Clay Target Center called me for a clarification at 9:55 AM and confirmed I was booked. I will arrive a few days before Fire and Ice so I can shoot the 5-Stand after dark again on Thursday PM. My local Tractor Supply just got in the 2026 Old Farmer's Almanac. I need to buy one and check the weather for February in Central Arizona. 🤪

HKU, ejectors are allowed in single shot rifles in the Plainsman side match. They are shot in the modern category. Single shot rifles compete in the traditional category. I shoot both categories. My match times in Modern are shorter than my Traditional category times. Regarding the history of ejectors in SxS shotguns, I don't know. I was probably watching Roy Rodgers on a black and white TV with my cousins when those rules were written.

HKU, I shoot a Browning SxS with ejectors in cowboy clays. When I open the action empty hulls coming flying out. I never have to pluck a stuck hull out and never have to jerk the shotgun backwards or tip it downward to clear the chambers. The shotgun clears itself and ejects hulls even more reliably than my '97s. Ejectors have a clear advantage over extractors. If you tried one the advantage would be obvious.

Take it to a cowboy clays match. Per page 4 of the Cowboy Clays Handbook, ejectors are legal in cowboy clays side matches. That vintage 1893 double deserves to be taken to a clays range and shot. Many of your fellow shooters will want to know what you are shooting. After all, CAS is a celebration of 19th century firearms.

If the OP is loading on a progressive reloader, a powder check die can eliminate squibs. Otherwise, one must view each charged case carefully to determine whether the case is properly charged. This is pretty easy with black powder or a fluffy powder like Trail Boss or Unique (both currently unavailable). With a high density, ball powder this is more work. There are usually squib rods on range at CAS matches. Unfortunately, they get frequent use.

I load in 38 Special cases for my wife's 1873 carbine. (It won't hold ten, .357 mag rounds.) I crimp at the very top of the lube groove and not in the crimp groove for an OAL of 1.55 inches. These feed well in her rifle. Many of us load in 38 Special cases. They can be bought inexpensively as once-fired brass on online auction sites. When some of these cases disappear at a match in the props or the weeds, I don't worry much about them as I bought them for the cost of a small pistol primer.

Got mine from Long Hunters Note: use these regularly to check the tightness of the keepers. They tend to back out, just like the screws on your other firearms.

And when cases split in an 1873 they lock up the action. You have to eat all the unfired rounds as misses or all the time it takes to get the split case out of the chamber. This won't necessarily put you in last place in the match. Someone might get a match DQ and finish dead last. Anyway, it doesn't make for a fun day.

Load data is allowed on this Wire. Just check any load offered against published information in reputable loading manuals or powder distributors. Scarlett is a quality East Coast bullet caster. Ask at a local club if there is someone who delivers to local matches. Shipping is a big part of the cost of cast bullets. Go ahead and shoot those SWC bullets in revolvers. 125 grain bullets are versatile for CAS. Loaded in 357 mag cases and crimped into the crimp groove will probably give a round that feeds well in your 1873. Some casters sell sample packs of their bullets, so you don't get stuck with a box of 500 bullets that don't work in your gun. Ask and we can tell you casters who sell sample packs. Also, before you ask, there is no perfect, favorite powder for target loads in your 1873. There is just many that work well and most of those are currently unavailable. Fortunately, there are a few available that meet the needs of CAS reloading. Check your loads for high primers and avoid loading nickel-plated cases.

The arsonist was arrested. He is out on bond! 😒🥶😒 Sorry Chief Prop, I'm not sleeping easier.

I use Practiscore to register for modern action handgun matches. My account is registered in my legal name. However, I edit my match registration to use my nickname. It is not difficult. If I used that account for a SASS match I would edit the name to my SASS alias. Practiscore is a complex application. There are tutorials on YouTube to get started.

Prayers were answered (always good to acknowledge them). See this article. Last night my neighborhood got two inches of rain (a near record amount) thoroughly dousing the remaining fire. God doesn't answer prayers halfway.

Do SASS rules allow for posthumous induction to the Hall of Fame? Hells Comin deserves to be inducted.

7/8 oz of shot is very close to the 24 grams of AA low recoil low noise "featherlites." Your shoulder won't feel the difference, but your wallet will. You can load 7/8 oz loads for about half the cost of featherlites.

The Battle of Adobe Walls annual match in Pampa hosted by Mernickle was better than ever. The range is much improved with berms heightened with cribbed walls. Much gravel has been spread in shooting areas and on roads where mud was once a problem. Side matches included some goofy, retro events like shooting arrows and snakes (garden hose segments). Visit YouTube and search for "Adobe Walls 2025" for several videos of the match. Here is a sample stage: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iaXTXwM1d1s Scores are here.

I arrived home this afternoon from the Adobe Walls SASS Match in Pampa, TX to bad news from my neighbors. Our neighborhood is under "SET" status for evacuation for the arson-cause Cotton Fire. Neighborhoods a quarter mile south of mine are being evacuated. Fortunately, a huge, irrigated field between us and the fire may save us a second time this year. Prayers please for those affected including firefighters. Twelve have already been injured. We left our travel trailer hitched to our pickup. It may be needed soon.

The entire Mimbres Valley is being evacuated due to the Trout Fire. The Valley contains Fowler City - home of the Gila Rangers, Bang and Clang’s bullet foundry, two small towns, small ranches and several campgrounds. KOAT.com has a map of evacuation zones.

Load and shoot coated bullets. You will not be touching bare lead when loading or handling ammo. The bare lead base of bullets will not be exposed to hot gasses. An added benefit is that your loading dies will remain much cleaner.