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Detroit Free Press reports on Johnson Creek Regulator's May match.


Sarge

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Detroit Free Press Photo/Journalist Eric Seal attended the Johnson Creek Regulator's (Plymouth, MI) May 22 match. His accompanying article and photographs appeared in the Friday electronic edition. The hard copy article will appear in this Sunday's Detroit Free Press. Here are the links to the electronic versions:
Shooting club turns Plymouth range into wild, wild west once a month
Shooting club turns Plymouth range into wild, wild west once a month
Cowboy Action Shooting clubs compete for the best shooting times using real and replica pistols, rifles and shotguns from the pre-1900s.
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Yeah.  Sorry about that.  Here is what I am able to cut and paste.

Shooting club turns Plymouth range into wild, wild west once a month

Cowboy Action Shooting clubs compete for the best shooting times using real and replica pistols, rifles and shotguns from the pre-1900s.

Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press
Published 8:01 AM EDT Jun. 4, 2021 Updated 10:44 AM EDT Jun. 4, 2021
 

Shooters compete during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters event at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May, 22, 2021.

ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS

They go by names like Slow Gin Ricky, Reverend Missalot, Hey Sugar, Rifle Rick and Not Dead Ed.

“Sometimes, it’s a play on your name or a nickname you have,” said Ed Kucinski, 59, of Canton, who chose the cowboy name ‘Not Dead Ed’ based off the stage production of "Spamlot" from the "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" movie.

“I stole mine from that scene where they’re bringing out their dead and the one guy who wasn’t dead is ‘Not Dead Fred.’

A casing is ejected from an 1860 Henry replica rifle loaded with black powder bullets as Eric Sauickas, 69, of Romulus, who goes by the cowboy name "Bar 20 Jack," shoots during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
 
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A casing is ejected from an 1860 Henry replica rifle loaded with black powder bullets as Eric Sauickas, 69, of Romulus, who goes by the... ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
Cowboy Action Shooters head down to shooting stages, pushing and pulling their gun carts, which carry their weapons, lots of ammunition and other supplies they need to use during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
 
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Cowboy Action Shooters head down to shooting stages, pushing and pulling their gun carts, which carry their weapons, lots of ammunition and other supplies they... ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
12369bf1-d11f-486b-9f9e-93699a86f16a-Cowff4ed671-7fe6-4046-bb32-615a7f9f099f-Cow
LEFT: Shooting duelist style, firing one pistol after the other, and loaded with black powder cartridges, John Rose, 49, of Lapeer, known as “Flat Water Johnny,” competes for time at one of the stages during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021. RIGHT: A cowboy adjusts his shotgun belt before heading to the next stage to shoot during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition.ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS

Dressed up as cowboys straight out of the Wild, Wild West, they compete by shooting at targets. “You get to pretend for a day once a month,” said Rick Celia, who goes by Slow Gin Ricky.

Twenty members of the Johnson Creek Regulators, part of the Wolverine Rangers organization and others from around metro Detroit come to the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on the fourth Saturday of the month from April to October.

They compete for the best shooting times during various stages using real and replica pistols, rifles and shotguns from the pre-1900s.

Ray Hanka, right, known as "Rainmaker Ray," reads the rules and instructions on one of the stages during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
 
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Ray Hanka, right, known as "Rainmaker Ray," reads the rules and instructions on one of the stages during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters... ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
559435b2-c007-4c4e-a9b0-60e45f6ee954-Cow77ac7623-3d09-4504-8afe-664fe41385e5-Cow
LEFT: From left, Rick Nakkula, of Oxford, known as “Rifle Rick,” shoots for time with his shotgun as Ray Hanka, whose cowboy name is “Rainmaker Ray,” looks on during one of the stages at the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021. RIGHT: Pistols, a shotgun and rifle belonging to a cowboy wait for ammunition to be loaded into them before the next stage of shooting during the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition.ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
42 Cowboy Action Shooters, which is the largest turnout the Johnson Creek Regulators have had in 10 years, compete in five stages during a Blazing Saddles-themed match at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
 
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42 Cowboy Action Shooters, which is the largest turnout the Johnson Creek Regulators have had in 10 years, compete in five stages during a Blazing... ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS
Dave Evan, center, whose cowboy name is "Footsore," looks up at the American flag during the national anthem before the start of the Johnson Creek Regulators Cowboy Action Shooters competition at the Western Wayne County Conservation Association in Plymouth on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
 
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Dave Evan, center, whose cowboy name is "Footsore," looks up at the American flag during the national anthem before the start of the Johnson Creek... ERIC SEALS, DETROIT FREE PRESS

“Most of us are older, in our 60s, and we grew up watching the Western TV shows and Saturday matinees,” said Slow Gin Ricky. “When you strut around in tall boots and cowboy hats, it just feels good. It takes you back to Steve McQueen and Lee Marvin, the tough guys in the old Westerns. The good guys always won.”

There are 15 Cowboy Action Shooting clubs in Michigan with three of the groups in metro Detroit from Plymouth to Fenton and Utica.

“In all honesty, you come for the game but stay for the people,” said Not Dead Ed. “When I started out, I didn’t have anything and I was borrowing gun leather, a revolver and everyone was there helping me.”

797f326a-0cd8-420d-87f9-9b29df303902-CowboyShooterPortraita_2_1.jpg?crop=1655,1242,x0,y360
Members of the Johnson Creek Regulators pose for photos during a recent competition in Plymouth

If a posse is "a group of people who have a common characteristic, occupation, or purpose," these men and women fit that definition.

Slow Gin Ricky summed up the experience of being a Cowboy Action Shooter: “When you’re there, nothing else matters, you’re so immersed in it and it’s a great way to escape from reality. Even having a bad day on the range is a good day because everyone is super nice.”

Photos and story by Detroit Free Press photo and video journalist Eric Seals. He can be contacted at eseals@freepress.com

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1 hour ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Can't read the article without a subscription.

 

1 hour ago, Dutch Wheeler said:

Expect that it might be an interesting read, but you have to have a subscription to read it! :(

 

image.png.1c06b17ee21b4ab0653f080e8d8835b2.png

 

1 hour ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Yeah, looks like the Free Press ain't free.

 

37 minutes ago, Attica Jack #23953 said:

I will have to wait until my neighbor gets his Sunday Free Press and go and liberate it.   I was at that shoot, good time.

 

I posted what I could cut and pasted.  There were more individual photos taken by the reporter.  And not all of it came out in the cut and paste.  

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24 minutes ago, Faygo Kid, SASS # 26408 said:

Good job Sarge....looks like Ya'll had fun......Faygo

Can't take any credit for this one Faygo.  Slow Gin Ricky did most of the work.  I was at a seminar with Gunny Brian Zins.  

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I shot with these guys a couple of years ago on a trip to Detroit to visit with our son and his family. What a great group of cowboys. The Wayne County range is beautiful, and they put on a fun match for the 12-15 guys that shot that day. I was even loaned a set of leather after I forgot mine back at the RV park.

 

Glad to see they are still going strong and I hope I get to shoot there again someday soon.

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https://www.freep.com/picture-gallery/news/local/michigan/2021/06/03/cowboy-action-shooting-club-johnson-creek-regulators-take-aim/7523890002/

 

This link is on Google Discover...and I was able to read without subscribing.

Give it a sec or two to load...at first it seems to show nothing but ads.

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