Josey Wales Stages

[Johnny Longpants]

Match Directors - when designing stages for Josey Wales shooters, what are some of the things you consider.  Other than having a surface to stage and restage your pistols, are there other things you do differently?  

 

Josey Wales shooters, are there things you really like to see or hate to see in a stage design?

 

In honor of this discussion I include the following for all those current incapable of shooting Josey Wales, at least you can drink one!

 

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Remember that JW shooters only have to hit the shotgun targets, not knock them down, so spotters keep awake.

(Since they only get one shot at a shotgun target)

 

We ran into a situation at an annual over shotgun targets -- on one stage, we always shoot something "fun" (stuffed animals, water bottles, old records, etc).  In this case, we shot at walnuts on stands (you have to knock them off the stand).  With a shotgun, no problem, but with a pistol.....  Next time we do something like this, we will have an alternate target for JW shooters, so they can be clean (it's only fair).

 

While we try to have JW shooter's do everything the same as regular shooters, sometimes they have to do things slightly different.  So, just make sure all the JW shooters do that aspect of the stage the same way.

 

Stages with 6 shotgun targets -- The JW shooter loads 5 at the LT.  When he picks up his shotgun for the first shot, he opens the loading gate, puts in the sixth round and starts shooting.  Easy & safe.  More than 6 shotgun targets requires an extra revolver.  Be careful about the shotgun, so that the JW shooter does not get confused & move with a cocked pistol.

 

At our JW   shoot in November, we have many JW shooters who only shoot JW once a year.

So, to avoid confusion & problems, each stage has 5 SG targets shot from one location.

--Dawg

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Also, reloads pose a problem.

Remember, a rifle reload will be a pistol reload for a JW shooter.

Not a problem, unless he is shooting cap guns (I do it from time-to-time), so, I avoid writing reloads  into JW stages.

However, a cap gun shooter can do this, if he caps the 6th chamber BEFORE he starts shooting that particular gun. (This is a case where he might do things differently than everybody else)

 

By the way, at my club, the Tusco Long Riders, we shoot 5 pistols. 

Some clubs shoot 4 pistols and a shotgun -- decide which way you want to do it.

Also decide if you want it OK to shoot 2-handed.

At Tusco, we want folks to shoot JW, so one or two-handed are OK.
JW was originally a GF or duelist idea, but more folks will participate if you open it up to 2-handed shooters  

 

We only allow JW shooters to carry one gun in each hand to-and-from the stage. (safety)

I typically have a 3rd holster, so I  have 3 holstered & one in each hand as I move to-and-from the stage props.

The rifle and shotgun pistols are staged.

During the scenario, only 2 revolvers are holstered.

If you don't have a 3rd holster on, a helper is needed to carry to-and-from the stage props

[Warden Callaway]

8 minutes ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

Stages with 6 shotgun targets -- The JW shooter loads 5 at the LT.  When he picks up his shotgun for the first shot, he opens the loading gate, puts in the sixth round and starts shooting. 

 

I had to do this one time.  Not a problem with 6.  I can't remember us ever having a stage with over 6 shotgun target. 

[Rowdy Ranger Rick]

Suppose you show up at a regular monthly match wanting to shoot Josey Wales with 4 pistols and single shot rifle (shotgun targets), and just happens to be a 2nd shooter wanting to shoot Josey Wales with 5 pistols...I'm pretty sure neither would really care, since fun and a good time is the goal; but in an actual "Josey Wales Match" do you have an option which gun you want to use on shotgun targets, 5th pistol, shotgun, or rifle?

 

RRR

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Since it is  not an "official" category, every place might be different.

At Tusco, JW is 5 pistols.

I shot Possum Trot in Kentucky many years ago, and some JW shooters shot 5 pistols, while others used a shotgun, and you had to knock the targets down, but you could re-engage the SG targets.

So, that is a question each MD must decide ahead of time.

At least that is my experience

--Dawg

[Rowdy Ranger Rick]

Local monthly matches probably not really an issue since you show up with choice of guns, and probably the only JW shooter, or ask MD days before the match.  State matches, EOT, WR, etc. if allowing a Josey Wales Category, is the gun for shotgun targets predetermined, as well as 2 handed or GF/Duelist? How about fixed sights or adjustable (Blackhawks)? Since not an "official" category, are all the variables up to shooter?

 

RRR

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

In my experience, all the variables are up to the match director.

Around here, JW is 5 pistols, and we frequently only have 3-4 folks competing in a local club annual shoot that draws 70 - 100 shooters.

We don't differentiate between 1-handed, GF, and 2-handed shooters or smokeless/black powder or fixed/adjustable sights.

 

At Tusco's November charity, where we feature JW categories, we have duelist JW, GF JW, Senior JW, etc.

Here is a list of the categories we populated in 2019's November shoot:

J.W. Cattlebaron, J.W. Cowboy, J.W. Duelist, J.W. Elder Statesman, J.W. FCD, J.W. GunFighter, J.W. Senior Gunfighter, J.W. Silver Senior, JW Pale Rider Gunfighter

 

How other clubs do it is up to them.

 

I used to have a link to the special category requirements at The Indiana Black Powder Guild annual shoot, "Korruption in Paradise", but that webpage does not exist anymore.

 

I would say, contact the match director & ask.

--Dawg

[Cheatin Charlie]

We ran into a situation at an annual over shotgun targets -- on one stage, we always shoot something "fun" (stuffed animals, water bottles, old records, etc).  In this case, we shot at walnuts on stands (you have to knock them off the stand).  With a shotgun, no problem, but with a pistol.....  Next time we do something like this, we will have an alternate target for JW shooters, so they can be clean (it's only fair).

 

I thought it was very fair.  Anytime you can make  a Josey Wales stage harder for Life-R I am all for it.

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

Come out and give it a try. We had an "Official" JW category at the TN State match last year, a JW 4 stage side-match and a lot of fun.It was 5 pistols, any shooting style( Duelist,GF or 2 handed),any SASS legal main match pistol and only 2 categories, LJW and mens.  I was one of the 5 pistol shooters at Possum Trot many years ago, PD beat me as I remember. We are trying to attract more JW shooters by having a JW category at each mid-month match.

 

Imis

[Warden Callaway]

The last time I shot Josey Wales I came in dead last in the whole match.  But I had the most fun. For me, it's not about competing.  I thought about shooting the rifle targets duelist, strong handed to improve my chances.  But once the buzzer went off, I went gunfighter.  

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Possum Trot Memories!

 

 

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

We do JW shoots usually in the hot summer months so we don't have to pick up brass, and it is announced in advance. The stages are set up to have the "rifle" targets as close as is safe, around 10 -12 yards with larger plates, and the JW shooter can move up closer to them, normal pistol yards, if they choose or shoot them from the table. Regular cowboy classes shoot as normal. If someone shows up at a regular monthly shoot and want's to shoot JW they can, but the rifle targets are shot from the table at 15 yards just like the regular cowboy shooters.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

All the gun stuff is great...but that Josie Wales drink sounds horrible...  Can't imagine Southern Comfort and Fireball in the same drink...  Seems like that would taste nasty!  

 

Then again, with enough pre-drink drinking everything tastes ok.  Like the old song says (sung to the tune of My Sharona by the Knack) "but she looks like Christy Brinkley after nine Corona's"

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

We do more of a pure Josey. No shotgun. 4 pistols. One set shoots the P targets, one set shoots the r targets, at R target distances and then we have single shot big bore targets. These are set back in the bay. Cowboy shooters shoot the stage as always, including shotgun targets. We have a Black powder and smokeless categories.

[Warden Callaway]

4 hours ago, High Spade Mikey Wilson said:

so we don't have to pick up brass,

 

I don't know how many times I catch brass picker-uppers rush in and look around confused because they can't find any brass to pick-up. 

[Pickaway Tracker, SASS #52070]

Hi Johnny, at our club we use five pistols, most of  the J W shooters either have three holsters on their person and carry two, one in each hand, or have a pistol rack they can carry their pistols to the stage with. You are right, you need to make sure they have a safe place to stage their pistols and to re-stage them after they shoot them.  When shooting  J W I only require them to shoot a maximum of 4 shotgun targets even if the stage calls for more shotgun targets for regular shooters, it just eliminates unnecessary issues and since are shooting against other J W shooters it has never been an issue. I only require them to hit the shotgun targets, they do not have to go down. Also even though they only shoot 4 shotgun targets I let them load 5 rounds in their pistol, hammer over empty chamber. This allows them an extra shot in case of a miss without having to reload. If the 5th round is not needed just take it to the unloading table remaining in pistol, but the live round cannot  be under the hammer, there is no penalty for the extra round this way.  If they would go to unloading table with loaded round under hammer all penalties would apply, S D.    Hope this was of some help. I'm sure other clubs have different variations but this seems to work for our club.  

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

6 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

We do more of a pure Josey. No shotgun. 4 pistols. One set shoots the P targets, one set shoots the r targets, at R target distances and then we have single shot big bore targets. These are set back in the bay. Cowboy shooters shoot the stage as always, including shotgun targets. We have a Black powder and smokeless categories.

Hey, if yer shootin' PURE JW, you'll need to shoot ropes (or some such) with a scoped Sharps.

And who said two-handed JW? HERESY!

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Rainmaker, we try to get everyone to shoot dualist. And to simulate the rope scene we hang a clay bird out about 15 yards. No scopes but every kind of single shot big bore you can think of.

 

[Warden Callaway]

Shooting 5 pistols.  I use three holsters. Carry "rifle" pair one in each hand muzzle up grasp around cylinder and frame from loading table to stage. Stage like rifle unless first to be shot and stage directions say "at the ready" etc.  "Shotgun" pistol staged from cross draw holster.  After completing stage, reholster shotgun pistol and carry two rifle pistols as before to unloading table then to cart.   

 

 

I load the sixth shogun round on the clock.  

 

I talk over details with TO so we have the same understanding. 

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

Dawg, thanks for the trip down memory lane. I shot the 2007 Smokeout, didnt see me in the vid.

 

Imis