.22 LR division

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

We are now allowing it, but not eligible for overall.

[watab kid]

im in agreenment with offering it , the youngsters have always been allowed , one of them got me involved back in the day and she was a good shot too ,,it might actually allow some older shooters to continue shooting with all the aches and pains that come with old age - or is it just me ? i dont think so ..............

[The Loose Moose]

I think the single biggest hurdle for attracting new shooters is ammunition. 
My biggest gripe isn’t the cost of the  components, but the enormous amount of time needed to make all the ammo for my wife and I. Luckily for MOST existing sass shooters, they’ve qualified enough laps around the sun to be AARP members and they may have a lot of discretionary time to slave in an ammo plant to make their own in order to “save on costs”. However, the target demographic of the population we’d like to attract are most likely still in the working age class who are trying support their families and probably don’t have a lot of free time to dedicate to making ammo, and not to mention the additional costs needed to get setup to reload.

The .22 rim fire is simply the easiest solution to the value of costs vs time. 

In a different yet similar world of BPCR silhouette competition, a massive drop off in the number of shooters is happening much like sass, however the BPCR game adopted a new 22BPCR game and it is showing steady growth contrary to the big bore matches.

 

I can readily order thousands of rounds of 22 for an avg cost of $0.05-$0.07 per round and the time it took me to do that was about a minute. At todays costs, one primer costs as much if not more than one 22 round, so I’m curious to learn how anyone can show me their 38 ammo is cheaper than a 22 not even considering time value.

Let’s face it, it takes a lot time to dedicate to sass fun, and time is the most precious commodity. It’s hard to get anyone, besides the truly dedicated, to invest the time it takes to play these games.

 

$0.02

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

2 hours ago, The Loose Moose said:

a new 22BPCR game and it is showing steady growth contrary to the big bore matches.

 

I can readily order thousands of rounds of 22 for an avg cost of $0.05-$0.07 per round

 

How is that a black powder game (BP CR) if using commercial .22 rimfire ammo?     Sounds more like just a single-shot rifle game.

 

ACTION sports are usually not shot with a .22 due to the frequent use of knockdown and other reactive targets.  Hard to calibrate those to go down with hits from .22s. 

 

And, as already mentioned several times, match directors are free to open a special "open" .22 category for SASS matches, if they can figure out how to deal with quiet muzzle report, difficult reloading of most 22 guns on the clock, and other problems with rimfire shot on anything but paper or very frangible targets.  GJ

Edited February 24 by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

4 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

How is that a black powder game (BP CR) if using commercial .22 rimfire ammo?     Sounds more like just a single-shot rifle game.

 

ACTION sports are usually not shot with a .22 due to the frequent use of knockdown and other reactive targets.  Hard to calibrate those to go down with hits from .22s. 

 

And, as already mentioned several times, match directors are free to open a special "open" .22 category for SASS matches, if they can figure out how to deal with quiet muzzle report, difficult reloading of most 22 guns on the clock, and other problems with rimfire shot on anything but paper or very frangible targets.  GJ

 

Other than shotgun targets, reactive targets seem to be pretty rare these days.  Shotgun last solves quiet problem.   Is reloads really a thing anymore?   Spotters have to watch closely.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

All are losses to our game that I lament.  COWBOY shooting of the era involved guns capable of knocking down horses, dispatching cattle and some game for the pot.  GJ

[Hoss]

I generally drag out my 22s & 410 double to shoot at least one match a year, usually in the summertime )when it’s hot and the lighter guns are less work!) this is for a monthly club match. I’ve never had a problem with our knockdowns, if fairly hit. I do aim a bit more for the upper 1/3 of target than I would with my 38s. 
shooting 22s is fun. I have a Win pump and a Marlin 39a. A Ruger Single Six, a Ruger Shopkeeper, a Colt new frontier. I bring them all and have fun. 

[Waimea]

I shoot .22s regularly at the SW FLORIDA REGULATORS in beautiful sunny Punta Gorda Florida where we shoot year round. Yes, even in the chilly winter weather. Today it didn't get above 75°.

[Jasper Agate]

On 12/7/2016 at 1:59 AM, Snakebite said:

It certainly has ZERO interest for me, and I seriously doubt that many more folks would be interested in a Long Range 22 RF category.... of course if you can find someone else interested, then the two of you can most likely go out to the range and shoot it out. I do, however see some interest in short range 22 RF shooting gallery type side events, IF DONE PROPERLY. One of our neighboring clubs has a very talented member who has made a motorized arcade for 22 RF. It has the ducks and all sorts of whiz bang targets to shoot. This draws many shooters when ever he sets it up.

 

Snakebite

Hey Buddy,

Don't knock the 22 long range until you've tried it!! I shoot 22 BPCR with little tiny chickens at 50 yards off hand ( with a 12 lb rifle), pigs at 100, turkeys at 150 and rams at 200 yards and it's a hoot!! I also shoot with world class shooters with 22's on paper at 200 yards with scaled down targets to mirror 300 and 400 yards and do pretty well. It's something I can do with this tired old body.

                             Hope you and Connie are well and maybe well see you on the road this year.

                                                         Your old Friend,

                                                         Jasper or as you like to call me Timmy

[Snakebite]

Timmy, how do you load the 22 RF with BP? 

[Erasmus]

I'm all for it, and have been advocating for it for a couple of years now. 

 

An all ages .22 category using two .22 single action pistols, any lever action .22 rifle, and a 20 gauge or better single shot (or single loaded double/repeater) shotgun. 

 

There are plenty of folks out there with a single action .22 revolver and a single action .22 lever rifle already that would like to play Cowboy Action but don't want to borrow gear (being dependent on the good will of others) or buy gear (buying 4 new guns). 

 

If we had an all ages .22 category, even as a side match, people could dip their toes in the game and drum up some more participation. 

 

Sure, many of us can reload .38 cheaper than we can buy .22; but LOTS of people interested in trying out CAS don't reload, and some of them aren't interested in reloading. 

 

Sure, you can buy cheap used guns from people on this forum, but you have to know about this forum and be willing to deal with the particulars of buying a gun from some random person you met on the internet. 

 

You can walk into Bass Pro and buy two Heritage .22 pistols, a Stoeger coach gun, and a Rossi Rio Bravo for under $1,000 and still have money to go to Tractor Supply for a shirt, some boots, and a hat. And tons of people already have some (or some variation) of those guns (like Dad's Single Six and Marlin 39a) and wouldn't only have to supplement their current armory. 

[Erasmus]

On 2/24/2025 at 8:07 AM, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

All are losses to our game that I lament.  COWBOY shooting of the era involved guns capable of knocking down horses, dispatching cattle and some game for the pot.  GJ

I would suggest there's less of a leap from gamers using super light .32s to people use .22RF, than from those same gamers using super light .32s and other people choosing to shoot full house .45s. 

 

That is we are so far gone, with how formulaic the game has come, and the allowance for things other than guns capable of knocking down horses (etc., and for reasons other than just gamers, plenty of people have health problems preventing them from safely shooting full black powder power 45 LC) there might as well be an all ages .22 category to attract new shooters from all ages. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Said I lament it.   You are certainly  free to have your own opinions.  But no need to "suggest" to me that I ought to feel that way.  GJ

[Erasmus]

42 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Said I lament it.   You are certainly  free to have your own opinions.  But no need to "suggest" to me that I ought to feel that way.  GJ

I'm not suggesting how you should feel, I'm suggesting the difference between gamer .32s and .22RF is less than the difference between gamer 32 (or 38s for that matter) and full house full house 45 LC. We are so far removed from those old loads, why stop there? And if that's what we need to grow the sport, maybe it's not that bad. 

Edited February 27 by Erasmus

[Sam Sackett]

I have shot at clubs that allowed 22’s and have seen folks shoot them that could not afford larger calibers. It’s not just about ammo cost. 22’s are cheaper to purchase and a lot of folks already have a lever rifle in 22. Lower cost. Means we can see new shooters. 
Our loca club has a Plinker category for them and we all have a great time. 
 

Sam Sackett 

[Jasper Agate]

11 hours ago, Snakebite said:

Timmy, how do you load the 22 RF with BP? 

Carefully, very carefully my friend!!!