Joined SASS in 1995 or so. (Can't really remember.)

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

With some of these discussions about "the good ol' days of SASS", I got to thinking about when I joined up about fifteen years ago. Fun shooting with fun shooters is what drew me to the sport, and fun shooting with fun shooters is what I'll always enjoy. The evolution of SASS has done nothing to reduce the amount of fun that I have at shooting old-style guns, nor the amount of fun I have with people along the way.

 

But it got me to thinking about way back when... There were four categories of shooters, but I can't remember the details.

 

I know there was Modern, for those who used Blackhawks.

I'm pretty sure there was Duelist, for the single handed types.

Traditional was for two handed shooters.

I think the last was Black Powder with no differentiation for cap-n-ball or cartridge.

 

Can anyone help refresh my memory?

 

I know there weren't age based or costuming categories. For clothes we wore whatever jeans and flannel shirts we could find.

[Guest Hardly Dangerous Updated]

Good comment Charley. I wish that I had kept the original handbook I got when I joined about the same time. Of course my wife accuses me of keeping everything anyway.

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

Yep, you got them right. Not many categories. Not many awards given out. I had no hope for one back then. Nowdays I pick one up ocasionally.

[Assassin]

I think the categories were Traditional, Duelist, Modern, and Senior. I don't recall any BP class. Seems like we had more fun then. One little rule book that use to come in the CC. And, the Chronicle came out quarterly, it was better reading then.

 

 

LL'

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Yep, you got them right. Not many categories. Not many awards given out. I had no hope for one back then. Nowdays I pick one up ocasionally.

 

Yup, those were the four.

 

I remember us all waiting for the Chronicle to come out !

[Rance - SASS # 54090]

Yup, those were the four.

 

I remember us all waiting for the Chronicle to come out !

 

 

Sure don't mean to rob a thread but.. Marauder.. how's your wife.. Alice doin'..

Rance

Just thinkin' and wonderin'

[Rye Miles #13621]

My first shoot was in 1996, there was Traditional, Modern, Ladies, Juniors and Black Powder. Duelist came about a year or two later. The first shoot I went to we only used one handgun. The next year 97, we used 2.

[Rowdy Yates, SASS #141]

SASS recognized 2 black powder categories in '95.

Frontiersman and Black Powder.

[Sol T. Waters, SASA #4096]

Griff, a few years ago, kindly posted extracts from his copy of the 1989 SASS Shooters Handbook.

 

Here's a portion:

 

Equipment & Shooter Classifications

 

Cowboy shooters are divided into three categories: blackpowder, traditional and modern. A shooter's classification is determined by the type of "six gun" he or she uses. Originals and reproductions of firearms manufactured during the early to late 1800's by Colt, Winchester, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Marlin, Sharps, Henry, etcetera are allowed in SASS competitions so long as they are in safe shooting condition.

 

REVOLVERS

Frontier Blackpowder Percussion or cartridge, single action revolvers of original manufacture prior to 1896 and reproductions thereof.

 

0 Must be .36 caliber or larger.

0 Adjustable sights are not allowed.

0 Blackpowder, pyrodex or golden powder propellants must be used in all loads. NOTE: Blackpowder competitors must also use blackpowder, pyrodex or golden powder propellants in their rifle and shotgun loads in all main matches.

 

The Ruger Old Army Blackpowder, because of its design and target sights must compete in the modern category.

 

Traditional Single action cartridge revolver, manufactured prior to 1896, or reproduction thereof.

 

0 Must be .32 caliber or larger.

0 Must have non adjustable, traditional sights.

0 Must use smokeless propellant.

 

Examples: Colt SAA, Smith & Wesson American or Russian, Remington Models 75 or 90, Bisleys, and their reproductions.

 

Modern Any single action cartridge revolver of at least .32 caliber with adjustable sights.

 

General Restrictions:

 

0 Contemporary rubber grips and modern target grips are not allowed. Replacement grips of wood, ivory, pearl, stag horn, bone and the like are perfectly acceptable so long as they are not severely customized so as to constitute a "target" grip. That is, they must be of original shape and scale.

 

0 Colored sights and sight inserts are not allowed. Existing sight outlines or inserts must be blackened.

 

0 Trigger shoes, compensating ports, counter weights, bull barrels and all other such exterior modifications are prohibited.

 

0 All handguns other than derringers and small pocket pistols must be carried in a safe holster capable of retaining the firearm throughout a normal range of motion. Revolver ammunition may not be loaded above a muzzle velocity of 1,000 FPS.

 

0 Revolver ammunition may not be jacketed. It must be all lead. Revolver ammunition must be of single projectile design. Duplex, triplex or any such fragmenting bullet is illegal.

 

RIFLES: Main, Team & Side Matches (Other Than Long Range Rifle)

 

Any lever or slide action, tubular feed, exposed hammer rifle or carbine.

 

0 Centerfire of .25 caliber or larger.

0 Rifle must be in a "pistol" caliber. (No.30 30,30.06, .45 70, etc.)

0 Open iron sights are required.

0 Barrel must be over 18" in length.

0 Rifles with box magazines cannot be used.

0 Rifle ammunition must be loaded to a muzzle velocity less than 1,400 FPS.

0 Only lead bullets are allowed. No jacketed or semi jacketed ammo.

0 All rifle ammunition must be of single projectile design. No duplex, triplex or other fragmenting loads are allowed.

 

NOTE: In long range rifle side matches the competitor may use any tubular feed, lever action or single shot rifle manufactured before 1896, or any reproduction thereof. All rifles must have external hammers. Sights are to be open iron and mounted as on the original rifle, or factory original, tang mounted peep sights. Optical and receiver mounted sights are not allowed.

 

In the side matches, single shot rifles compete against single shot rifles and lever rifles against lever rifles. Modern single shot rifles such as the Ruger Model 1, Winchester 95 (with box magazine) are not permitted. Reproductions of earlier models such as the Browning 78 are allowed if chambered in a traditional caliber (.45 70, .45 90, etc.).

 

There are no restrictions on ammunition, except for safety considerations, in the long range rifle matches.

 

SHOTGUNS:

 

Any side by side shotgun, typical of the era, without automatic ejectors, with or without external hammers. Any lever action shotgun. Any pump shotgun with an exposed hammer (i.e. Winchester Model 97 or Marlin Model 16 except the military configuration of such guns).

 

0 No larger bore than 10 gauge and no smaller than 20 gauge.

0 All shotguns must have a barrel length over 18".

0 Number 4 lead shot or smaller must be used in all events.

0 Magnum loads are not allowed.

0 Pump and lever action shotguns are allowed to load no more than two rounds at a time in the main matches. In team events, shotguns may be loaded to their maximum magazine capacity.

 

NOTE: Frontier Blackpowder category shooters must use a side by side in their main matches, but may use any of the above shotguns in team and side matches.

 

 

Also, here is a link to the earlest Handbook I could find online:

 

Shooters Handbook 1997 - 3/97 Sixth Edition

 

Regards,

Sol T.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

EQUIPMENT & SHOOTER CLASSIFICATIONS

Cowboy shooters are divided into three categories: frontier cartridge (black powder), traditional and modern.

A shooter's classification is determined by the type of "sixgun" (and powder) he or she uses.

...

SHB 1992 Edition

 

SASS RULE CHANGES - October 1993

(supplemental SHB pages mailed out inside the Cowboy Chronicle):

Page 4. Cowboy Action Shooters are divided into four categories: frontier cartridge (black powder), traditional, modern, and duelist.

 

Page 5. Duelist. Any SASS legal "traditional style" pistol (cartridge or percussion) shot one handed.

...

Page 10. Pocket Pistol: A small pistol of per-1890 design. Barrel must be less than four inches long. No Model "P" Colts or their reproductions allowed.

 

Page 10. Plainsman Category. This is a special category for side matches.

...

 

Page 10. Women's Shooting Category - It is permissible to further subdivide this shooting category into "traditional" and "modern" depending upon the type firearms the competitor uses.

[Cap Roundtree,#6056]

Hello the Fire,

AH the GOOD OL' DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cap