Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Trying to explain CAS to the uniniated.


Ketchum Quick, SASS #72923

Recommended Posts

I was reflecting on a conversation that I had with a (hopefully) new shooter a couple of weeks ago. He called me up with some questions about the shoot at our club and was looking for particulars on the match. I told him to bring his eyes and ears, told him how to get to our cowboy bowl in the far back of our club.

 

Once he had the information he needed to come out and watch we talked about the environment and what to expect if he gets involved in CAS in West Michigan. I told him that unlike other shooting sports we get along great. That we don't compete for prizes but bragging rights. That we have some who intentionally shoot guns that are less competetive just for the fun of it and that not all our shooters shoot to win. He was intrigued.

 

I got to thinking about why I and my wife shoot CAS. I narrowed it down to two reasons and I believe they are for fellowship and shooting fun. We have a great time with those who we shoot with. We do things together outside of the monthly matches that we attend and we talk quite often during the week. We have made some great friends. With that, I have personally noticed, in myself, that I don't care so much anymore where I place in a match but that I get to attend.

 

So how about you? Do you shoot for shooting sake or do you attend the matches for fellowship with your pards?

 

 

Ketchum Quick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect that most of your responses are going to be the, "...I came for the shooting but stayed for the people", variety so I'll be the odd man out.

 

I came to CAS as a way to add a niche to my gun business (that was 19 years ago). I stayed to compete. After all, this is a shooting sport.

 

There are plenty of fine folks too.

 

Fillmore

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since no one in Hollywood has given me the chance to fulfill a childhood dream of being a villain in a western movie, I have to do the best I can at CAS shoots a couple times a month.

 

If it weren't for CAS friends, I wouldn't have many at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about "A bunch of aging baby boomers still playin' cowboy...with REAL guns!" :lol:

 

That's why I joined. When I found SASS, I couldn't believe I could relive my early childhood experiences of dressing up like the "Have Gun Will Travel" or "Wanted Dead or Alive" guys, with real guns. I loved the cowboy shows of the late '50s through the late '60s. Of course, most folks I have met are quite nice. Great group with the common bond of similar childhood play time memories.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect that most of your responses are going to be the, "...I came for the shooting but stayed for the people", variety so I'll be the odd man out.

 

I came to CAS as a way to add a niche to my gun business (that was 19 years ago). I stayed to compete. After all, this is a shooting sport.

There are plenty of fine folks too.

 

Fillmore

 

True...but in the end when for many reasons one cannot compete or even shoot...they stay because of the people :D

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started this madness cause I could shoot more. I keep doing it cause of all the friends I've made from around the world while doing it.

 

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PS Forgive me for saying this. ;) When I first saw the post I misread it in my mind as urinated. :rolleyes::lol: You must mean uninitiated.

 

Glad I wasn't the only one...^_^

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually a lot of other people in different shooting sports get along well. I never mention any negatives about IDPA, IPSC or the others.

Although I do not shoot those disciplines I feel we should be supportive of all shooters.

Trying to recruit a new CAS shooter depends on what they may be interested. Geezers like me enjoy the nostalgia and history of old west shooting. Younger folks tend to like the competitive aspect more. You can play up both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Ivory Jack & BT Blade who said to me - "you come for the shootin'...and stay for the people"

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

 

That pretty much sums it up!!!

 

I explain SASS to anyone who will stand still long enough. Most don't get it. It's ok I tell them, it's something that must be seen firsthand. Folks I see that come to a match and meet folks well, they slide down THAT rabbit hole purty quick, mostly......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey UB, the younger generation are closer to us than some think :lol: ...my younger brother and younger sis gals liked the old west part of it...both sayin' (after warchin' the folks at The Cowboys shoot) 'these are the coolest people ever' ...but yes, if they get involved they will get the competitive bug :)

 

...so many attractions to our sport...

 

GG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is hard to expain to other folks what ya do. Everybody thinks fast draw? I'm in this sport because a good friend told me to come and watch one Sunday! Well i walked in to town and seen everybody dressed cowboy, shooting old style guns!!!!!!! Thats all it took next day i'm looking at buying things to get started.

 

Once i got going the competetion stepped in!! Was never any good at sports, but i was getting good after a short time. That is because everyone was giving me a lot of Help! Only Sport i've ever been good at. like others say the people make it "Fun" I tell all my friends that don't shoot, you need to come watch as it's really something to see! Then i tell them look on U-tube, they come work the next day and say WOW!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:FlagAm: I tell people I like to shoot but do not hunt. Got nothing against hunters but unless I need to eat something I don't care to shoot animals. I spent 30 years in Air Force putting holes in paper and that gets old quick. SASS lets me handle firearms and shoot in a environment I enjoy. And yes, I do get to dress like a cowboy.

 

SaukValley Sam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I joined for the money and driving new Caddilacs home from the matches. :lol::lol::lol:

 

The sport is great within its competitive personality. But it is the Pards that make it all happen and worth anticipating each Saturday.

 

 

..........Widder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest EL NEGRO GATO #8178

Hey Quick, I go for the friendship, seeing old friends, dressing up and looking purty and making alot of noise. I'll never be #1 but I don't think I'll be at the bottom. At 62 one just wants to have fun

ENG :FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After having spent a lifetime being active in the shooting sports of one dicipline or another, CAS has been about the most fun I have had in years. It's enabled me to shoot on a fairly regular basis, and associate with some of the nicest people on Earth. At my age, 78, I am really not very competitive anymore, but just being there and doing the best I can, while enjoying the people involved is good enough for me. I look forward to it with great enthusiasm. I agree, I come to shoot, but thoroughly enjoy the time spent with the good pards there, and watching the really good competitors go at it..

 

RBK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should memtion that I was wondering about the atmosphere at some of the matches across the country. I have friends that shoot in othere states and they say that the friendships that we have here in Michigan isn't the norm in other regions where they have shot.

 

One of my snow bird friends was telling me that where he shoots in the winter, people show up shortly before the match, shoot and then take off for home. He says they are not unfriendly but they are not very open to friendship, if that makes sense.

 

I have hear stories from others along these lines and it made me wonder....

 

KQ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After everything said,(I Shoot For My Enjoyment). I enjoy dressing up like a cowboy and shooting real guns.I enjoy being a competator for the gamers as well as being supportative to the not so gamer.I enjoy all my new CAS friends and I enjoy trying to make their time more enjoyable. Yes, after everything said, (I SHOOT FOR MY ENJOYMENT).

Did I mention that I enjoy winning when I can?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where else can we go around our friends and say "Do you think this hat looks good on me? Does this vest go with this wild rag? Look at these spurs, leather rig, pistol grips, gun cart, engraving, action job, britches, etc!" :lol:

 

Also, where else will you find pards that will go the extra mile and then some when you're down on your luck or just need a helping hand to get through a match?

 

I may have gotten into this because I thought it was neat. I stayed because there is no better people in the world than my cowboy friends here. Good people are hard to find. I found a great number of them here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should memtion that I was wondering about the atmosphere at some of the matches across the country. I have friends that shoot in othere states and they say that the friendships that we have here in Michigan isn't the norm in other regions where they have shot.

 

One of my snow bird friends was telling me that where he shoots in the winter, people show up shortly before the match, shoot and then take off for home. He says they are not unfriendly but they are not very open to friendship, if that makes sense.

 

I have hear stories from others along these lines and it made me wonder....

 

KQ

Hi Pard,

 

Every venue in our area has a "watering hole" that folks visit after a match. Usually it is a sizeable group. I think that speaks of friendships beyond the match. These venues are in Ione/Sloughouse, Manteca, Ione, Yolo, Richmond, and Chabot. Unfortunately, the only place I've shot since 2005 is Ione and they still "do lunch." I don't know about the others anymore.

 

We used to have one or two parties a year and most of our guests were fellow shooters. Now, with matches every weekend and sometimes twice a weekend, it is difficult to pick a date for a party. Not to mention that we moved to the boonies.

 

Regards,

 

Allie Mo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should memtion that I was wondering about the atmosphere at some of the matches across the country. I have friends that shoot in othere states and they say that the friendships that we have here in Michigan isn't the norm in other regions where they have shot.

 

One of my snow bird friends was telling me that where he shoots in the winter, people show up shortly before the match, shoot and then take off for home. He says they are not unfriendly but they are not very open to friendship, if that makes sense.

 

I have hear stories from others along these lines and it made me wonder....

 

KQ

 

Thats funny, a friend the other day at or thursday shoot. Was telling a story of a match they were at. He said the last stag as people were done shooting they were going to their cars and leaving! He said he looked around and had no one to spot for the last couple of shooters?

 

My home club we allways go out to lunch after the match! The other clubs we shoot with there's allways some that hang around and tell stories!!!! Lots of them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should memtion that I was wondering about the atmosphere at some of the matches across the country. I have friends that shoot in othere states and they say that the friendships that we have here in Michigan isn't the norm in other regions where they have shot.

 

One of my snow bird friends was telling me that where he shoots in the winter, people show up shortly before the match, shoot and then take off for home. He says they are not unfriendly but they are not very open to friendship, if that makes sense.

 

I have hear stories from others along these lines and it made me wonder....

 

KQ

 

Clubs have their own personalities. I don't think it has anything to do with the region of the country.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When people ask me about CAS, I haul out my phone (either right away or after a few minutes, depending on the conversation) and show them a video of me shooting a stage. I'm in it for just about every reason except competition. I started off to get a small collection of western-type guns, then discovered CAS while shopping online. I ran into some cowboys at a gun show, bought a TTN (my first cowboy gun) from one of them, and here I am. Health -wise, I had trouble attending matches the first couple of years, but now things have improved to where I finish every match and I'm planning on joining another club or two so I can attend their matches. This last bit is because of the people in my home club and the ones I'm thinking of joining (there's a lot of cross-pollination between them).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started this madness cause I could shoot more. I keep doing it cause of all the friends I've made from around the world while doing it.

 

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

 

 

How else could we have met Painted Mohawk?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should memtion that I was wondering about the atmosphere at some of the matches across the country. I have friends that shoot in othere states and they say that the friendships that we have here in Michigan isn't the norm in other regions where they have shot.

 

One of my snow bird friends was telling me that where he shoots in the winter, people show up shortly before the match, shoot and then take off for home. He says they are not unfriendly but they are not very open to friendship, if that makes sense.

 

I have hear stories from others along these lines and it made me wonder....

 

KQ

 

 

Wow! I'd find a bunch like our Ozark Posse that spends almost as much time at lunch after the matches as we do shooting.

We actually like each other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't actually tell you why I went to my first match. I think it was because I had always been a fan of westerns, the Cowboy Way, getting to wear cool duds and shooting extra cool guns.

 

Now, I still go for those same reasons and, as an added bonus, I have meet some really great folks whom I admire tremendously and look forward to spending time with at the range and anywhere else, especially here at the Saloon (ACS) and also here on the Wire. Some folks I have never met in person, but I do count them amongst my friends. How neat is that?! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.