Permitted Firearms for Competition

[Charlie Prince]

Hello I'm new to SASS.  Just joined.  I've had a 92 Rossi Lever Action for years and love it.   I finally found a stagecoach shotgun and wanted to know if this type is permissable in SASS competition.  It's a Stoeger Coach Gun Double Trigger 20 inch barrel.  Are different gauges allowed, i.e. 20 vs 12, etc. or does everyone use the same gauge?  Still putting together my clothing then I'll head out to a club and see how it is.  I'm also in the market for a pair of Outlaw Nickel plated revolvers 5.5 inch barrel chambered in .357.  Bad time to search for firearms, I know.  But it is what it is.

Thank you.

[DeaconKC]

Your shotgun is a good one. I run one too. They aren't the best guns out there, but for the price, you can't beat em!

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

You are just a half hours drive from the Big Salty Range in West Valley City.  You won't be turned away for lack of a complete costume.  The locals are your best source of information on acquiring guns and ammo.  Regarding shotgun gauges, most shoot 12-gauge though some shoot 16 and 20-gauge.  Children shoot .410s.

[Sedalia Dave]

36 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

You are just a half hours drive from the Big Salty Range in West Valley City.  You won't be turned away for lack of a complete costume.  The locals are your best source of information on acquiring guns and ammo.  Regarding shotgun gauges, most shoot 12-gauge though some shoot 16 and 20-gauge.  Children shoot .410s.

 

THIS^^^^^

[Singin' Sue 71615]

Go ahead and download the shooters handbook and RO books fromm sassnet.com

Bottom of the page.

Information on all things you will need in those manuals

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Welcome Charlie!  Before you go out  and purchase everything you think you need - go to a local club and see what others are shooting. See how this all is done, ask questions, and most likely someone or more than one person will ask you if you want to shoot some. If they offer try different arms and see how they feel and function. You can wear just blue jeans, boots and a work shirt. Nothing fancy is required and you can build your Cowboy attire as much as you want.

Scout

[Doc Shapiro]

2 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Welcome Charlie!  Before you go out  and purchase everything you think you need - go to a local club and see what others are shooting. See how this all is done, ask questions, and most likely someone or more than one person will ask you if you want to shoot some. If they offer try different arms and see how they feel and function. You can wear just blue jeans, boots and a work shirt. Nothing fancy is required and you can build your Cowboy attire as much as you want.

Scout

 

This.  Go to a match.  Talk to folks.  Find out what they like and why.  There's a reason folks settle on the gear they use.  Reliability, recoil, ergonomics are all part of the equation.

 

From my experience, stick with 12ga for the shotgun.  20 kicks more.  12ga shells are also really easily available.  But get out and talk to folks locally.  Best way to make some new friends and figure out what you should spend the hard earned money on.  Otherwise you might end up doing what I did and go through 3 or 4 different combinations before settling on what worked.  That's an expensive way to learn.

[Charlie Prince]

A big thank you to everyone for the help and advice.  I'm excited to get started and get to know some good folk with similar interests.  I appreciate all the help and responses.  Thanks again!

[Hendo]

15 hours ago, Doc Shapiro said:

  Otherwise you might end up with 3 or 4 different combinations.

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the problem of getting more guns. 

 

Seriously though, pull on your boots, get to a match and just talk to the folks there. You'll learn way more in a day there than a whole month of Phantom's posts.

[Tex Wilson]

Welcome to the game Charlie, your Stoeger is a fine SxS for S.A.S.S. most everyone who shoots the Stoeger double shoots 12 gauge. use the Winchester XX Featherlite shells they are great for the targets we normally use, with very little recoil. The 20 gauge shotguns kick much more than a 12 gauge. As for pistols, go to a match and try differen ones as far as calibers and barrel lengths. A very good and popular pistol is the Ruger Vaquero in either .357 or .45. Your Rossi is a good rifle, but lots of us use either the Uberti or Miroku 1873. Go to some matches borrow guns and shoot them before you buy. Don't worry so much about clothing and gun belt for now unless you are thinking of shooting Classic Cowboy or B Western, the S.A.S.S. handbook spells out what type of clothing gun belt  you will need for those 2 categories. Ask questions, we are all ready to give you answers and our opinions. 

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

On 7/31/2021 at 6:08 PM, Charlie Prince said:

Hello I'm new to SASS.  Just joined.  I've had a 92 Rossi Lever Action for years and love it.   I finally found a stagecoach shotgun and wanted to know if this type is permissable in SASS competition.  It's a Stoeger Coach Gun Double Trigger 20 inch barrel.  Are different gauges allowed, i.e. 20 vs 12, etc. or does everyone use the same gauge?  Still putting together my clothing then I'll head out to a club and see how it is.  I'm also in the market for a pair of Outlaw Nickel plated revolvers 5.5 inch barrel chambered in .357.  Bad time to search for firearms, I know.  But it is what it is.

Thank you.

Howdy CP. 

late to the party (as usual) but here is one more point of view. 
you didn’t say what caliber your Rossi was in but as long as it is a pistol caliber it will be fine. Back in the days before short strokes the ‘92’s ruled so yours should be fine until you decide to change. The Stoger, some have had success running them for years others not so much. Pretty much hit or miss for you but lots use them so odds are probably in your favor. You can always upgrade down the road if you want but why not jump in now and start having some fun? Pistols can be borrowed, same for leather as long as you go to a match and let others know you need a little help. I might suggest you take a sturdy work belt to hang somebody’s holsters on especially if your waist size is a little different (you know extra skinny or maybe a bit larger if you catch my drift). Don’t know anyone personally that uses the Outlaws but if they are nickel plated…. Everyone knows shiny guns are faster!!! Bottom line, hold onto your wallet for now, hold onto your hat and enjoy the ride. 

Regards and welcome 

Gateway Kid

[Charlie Prince]

Thanks Gateway Kid!  My Rossi is a .357/.38 combo, octagonal 20" barreled thunderstick of joy.  It is my favorite piece in my armory.  I came across a US Grant revolver on another website and it looks BEE-YOU-TIFUL, but was unsure if the price was too high or is it not allowed in SASS competing.  Do I have to have matching revolvers to compete or can they be slightly different, but look similar?  Also is there any difference in 4.75 length of barrel vs 5.5 length?  I understand sight acquisition can be affected by length of barrel, just wondering if there is a standard or not.

[Singin' Sue 71615]

23 hours ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Howdy CP. 

late to the party (as usual) but here is one more point of view. 
you didn’t say what caliber your Rossi was in but as long as it is a pistol caliber it will be fine. Back in the days before short strokes the ‘92’s ruled so yours should be fine until you decide to change. The Stoger, some have had success running them for years others not so much. Pretty much hit or miss for you but lots use them so odds are probably in your favor. You can always upgrade down the road if you want but why not jump in now and start having some fun? Pistols can be borrowed, same for leather as long as you go to a match and let others know you need a little help. I might suggest you take a sturdy work belt to hang somebody’s holsters on especially if your waist size is a little different (you know extra skinny or maybe a bit larger if you catch my drift). Don’t know anyone personally that uses the Outlaws but if they are nickel plated…. Everyone knows shiny guns are faster!!! Bottom line, hold onto your wallet for now, hold onto your hat and enjoy the ride. 

Regards and welcome 

Gateway Kid

Hmmmm....lets see, what was it...10 years ago?

You had a single trigger Stoger that kept doubleing on you.

You sold it to me...and up to last year, that has been my match shotty! I still have it for back up.

Shanley's Stoger , after 15 years, got a crack in it...Boomstick gave it a weld, and it is back to good!!!

Nothing wrong with a Stoger...or Gateway's advice Charlie.

Get out, use what you have, get involved and have fun!!!

[Buckshot Bob]

On 8/1/2021 at 1:47 PM, Hendo said:

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the problem of getting more guns. 

Same here . I just need an excuse 

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

9 hours ago, Charlie Prince said:

Thanks Gateway Kid!  My Rossi is a .357/.38 combo, octagonal 20" barreled thunderstick of joy.  It is my favorite piece in my armory.  I came across a US Grant revolver on another website and it looks BEE-YOU-TIFUL, but was unsure if the price was too high or is it not allowed in SASS competing.  Do I have to have matching revolvers to compete or can they be slightly different, but look similar?  Also is there any difference in 4.75 length of barrel vs 5.5 length?  I understand sight acquisition can be affected by length of barrel, just wondering if there is a standard or not.

Matching pistols is more of preference thing IMHO. Mine are matched but I know quite a few who run different combos. Some use different models, calibers, manufacture, hammers, barrel length etc. One shooter I know uses a cross draw with a stubby 3.5” on one side and a 7.5” on the other. Why? Because that is what he has and he likes it. 

Barrel length is another of those kinds of factors, I have a set of NMV 4.6” that are smooth and slick, but when I am on a roll I miss (a lot) with them. My 5.5” OMV, also smooth, I don’t miss much. Wouldn’t think .9” would make a difference but for me it does. 
You will find dozens of makes of pistols in this game, if you want to see impassioned arguments bring up how rugers are better to a colt person or why colts have the best triggers. 

Again personal preference. Best bet go to see a match and people will literally force you to try out their firearms, then you can decide what you like. 
Regards

    

Gateway Kid

[J.D. Daily]

On 7/31/2021 at 5:08 PM, Charlie Prince said:

Hello I'm new to SASS.  Just joined.  I've had a 92 Rossi Lever Action for years and love it.   I finally found a stagecoach shotgun and wanted to know if this type is permissable in SASS competition.  It's a Stoeger Coach Gun Double Trigger 20 inch barrel.  Are different gauges allowed, i.e. 20 vs 12, etc. or does everyone use the same gauge?  Still putting together my clothing then I'll head out to a club and see how it is.  I'm also in the market for a pair of Outlaw Nickel plated revolvers 5.5 inch barrel chambered in .357.  Bad time to search for firearms, I know.  But it is what it is.

Thank you.

I have two sets of Ruger Vaqueros, one set is a New Model 45 colt SS & the other is Old Model 38/357, one SS & the other blued.  Other than the cool factor of SS or nickel it is a hindrance when aiming.  In bright sunlight you can't pick-up the sights.  I use flat black enamel paint to blacken the front site blade & the area around the rear site notch.   When I decided to get a SASS set of 38/357 main match guns I was unable to find a SS match to the SS OMV; so, I settled on a blued model.

[Charlie Prince]

4 minutes ago, J.D. Daily said:

I have two sets of Ruger Vaqueros, one set is a New Model 45 colt SS & the other is Old Model 38/357, one SS & the other blued.  Other than the cool factor of SS or nickel it is a hindrance when aiming.  In bright sunlight you can't pick-up the sights.  I use flat black enamel paint to blacken the front site blade & the area around the rear site notch.   When I decided to get a SASS set of 38/357 main match guns I was unable to find a SS match to the SS OMV; so, I settled on a blued model.

That's good to know, JD Daily.    Thanks for the advice.

[DeaconKC]

Something to consider when choosing/testing your pistols is the size of your hands. I have big paws and the Army, Bisley or Schofield grips feel better in my hands that the Navy or standard Colt/Uberti/Pietta grips do. If you have smaller hands, the difference may work the other way.

[watab kid]

nothing wrong with mismatched handguns , its all in what you like - i started with one 5 1/2 and one 4 3/4 , but now shoot matched 5 1/2s 45s , i do have a matched set of 357/38 4 3/4s as well , i shoot what suites me on the day , im not fast , i just enjoy what im doing , 

[Equanimous Phil]

Howdy @Charlie Prince 

 

You maybe already know that but it hasn't been mentioned yet: ammunition requirements. As you already have a rifle in .357 you may have illegal ammo for CAS. Please note that pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammo must be ALL LEAD as we shoot steel targets! Bullets may be coated but not jacketed! There are other requirements you can find in the Shooter's Handbook.

 

Have fun in this greatest of all games!! 

 

Equanimous Phil

[Charlie Prince]

Thanks for the advice, Phil, my friend from across the pond!

[Charlie Prince]

23 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

Something to consider when choosing/testing your pistols is the size of your hands. I have big paws and the Army, Bisley or Schofield grips feel better in my hands that the Navy or standard Colt/Uberti/Pietta grips do. If you have smaller hands, the difference may work the other way.

Ain't that the truth, DeaconKC!  I've met about a dozen or so people that have bigger hands than mine.  Grips have been a nightmare with firearms.  I bought the Sig P356XL thinking it would fit in my hand better, but I was wrong.  My Shield with the extended pinky grip fits just fine though.