Military Pistol Side Match

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

 

Here's an idea for another side match.   I call it the "Military Pistol Side Match" and you would shoot a course of fire with a pair of pistols that would have been issued by the US Army at one point in history.   Just pistols.   Think of this as a kind of handgun version of a BAMM side match.

This could very easily be broken down into different "categories" based on what pistols you used.

1.  Civil War Era:  Walker, Dragoon, 1850, Remington 1858 cap and ball revolvers.  

2.  Post Civil War Era   Conversions of the above, S&W American.
3.  Old West Era  Colt 1873, S&W Schofield.
4.  Spanish American War/Philippine Insurrection Era   Colt DA 38, S&W 1899, Colt 1902 "Alaskan" model, Colt 1909
5.  Wild Bunch Era  Colt 1911, Colt & S&W 1917 

 

If there is something that would fit into one of these five groups that I didn't remember, they could be okay too.

 

And I'll stop there as getting beyond that get into more "modern" stuff that is beyond our game.

Shooters could could shoot in any one, or all 5 categories as they desire.

Guns would be GI, Replicas of GI, or even commercial equivalent as would have been available in the eras they are shooting in.  

 

I've only listed US Army guns.   I suppose some of the different thing issued by the Navy, or foreign pistols could be considered at the MD discretion.

Just a random thought.   Don't know how many would be interested.

[The Aggie Rifleman, SASS#55213]

Sounds like an interesting premise and I am always game for having more and different weapons to shoot that are period correct.

 

The most glaring problems I see would be:

1. Defining what exactly is a "military pistol".  For example soldiers were jamming whatever they could find into holsters and pockets during the Civil War and after.  Wasn't Custer and/or his brother carrying British Bulldogs at Little Big Horn?

2. While being period correct there's always the dead horse topic of having a SA/DA pistol sanctioned for use.  Another dead horse topic is use of period authentic single action semi automatic pistols.  Again, I'm all for it; heck while I was shooting with the great set of pardners at the Picacho Posse in Southern NM I shot a Webley, New Service Colts, 1917 Colts, Lugers, and Broomhandles and had a good time.  However getting something like this sanctioned by the powers that be would never pass muster. 

 

Old pistol match, I'm in, heck shooting any old gun I'm in...but SASS/CAS is not willing to do this at anything more than a local club-only level.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

8 minutes ago, The Aggie Rifleman, SASS#55213 said:

Sounds like an interesting premise and I am always game for having more and different weapons to shoot that are period correct.

 

The most glaring problems I see would be:

1. Defining what exactly is a "military pistol".  For example soldiers were jamming whatever they could find into holsters and pockets during the Civil War and after.  Wasn't Custer and/or his brother carrying British Bulldogs at Little Big Horn?

2. While being period correct there's always the dead horse topic of having a SA/DA pistol sanctioned for use.  Another dead horse topic is use of period authentic single action semi automatic pistols.  Again, I'm all for it; heck while I was shooting with the great set of pardners at the Picacho Posse in Southern NM I shot a Webley, New Service Colts, 1917 Colts, Lugers, and Broomhandles and had a good time.  However getting something like this sanctioned by the powers that be would never pass muster. 

 

Old pistol match, I'm in, heck shooting any old gun I'm in...but SASS/CAS is not willing to do this at anything more than a local club-only level.

 

1.   With some flexibility, if it was a general issue pistol by the US Army, then that's what we are talking about.

2.  I don't see this as trying revive original style Wild Bunch.   Just some very specific stuff.

[Three Foot Johnson]

We do a three stage BAMM side match at our state shoot using a WWI military bolt rifle, and a "military issued pistol/revolver". Most folks use a 1911, but I've also used a P08 Luger and a P38. A couple other entrants used 1905 M&P or 1917 revolvers. Forty pistol rounds per match/3 stages, five rounds per magazine - fifteen on two stages, and ten on the third. Everything staged on a table.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Recent military pistols:

Beretta 9mm

SIG P320

 

Would those be considered usable?

 

Personally, if a club could host it, I also think it would be a fun side match.

It would be fun to watch folks shoot some military issued pistols like those mentioned above.

 

..........Widder

 

[Three Foot Johnson]

We limit ours to WWII or prior.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

17 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

Recent military pistols:

Beretta 9mm

SIG P320

 

Would those be considered usable?

 

Personally, if a club could host it, I also think it would be a fun side match.

It would be fun to watch folks shoot some military issued pistols like those mentioned above.

 

..........Widder

 

 

Well, if you really wanna add the following...

6.  Post Cold War Era   Beretta M9 or Sig Saur M17

...I don't have a problem with that.

[Constable Nelson #11784]

I think the requirement for a PAIR of pistols would cut participation/interest quite badly.    At our WB matches I have started a Side match  "Precision Pistol - Other than 1911" and am hoping to see some interesting guns appear eventually.  (Pre 1946 or faithful reproductions of course...lol)

[Nasty Newt # 7365]

The neat thing about this kind of stuff is you can do whatever you want to do, including bend your own rules.  We've been shooting BAMM matches and what we call Cowboy Three Rifle matches for several years, and right out of the box I had people saying, "Man, I would love to shoot that match, but I don't have a___________."  I usually cave if I can do it without corrupting the original idea.  As a result we have a lever action rifle caliber category in our BAMM matches.  It's scored separately and has no impact on the bolt action shooters. Everybody's got a Model 94, and it gets shooters out to the range.  You can shoot both categories if you want to, for the price of one.   

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

1 hour ago, Nasty Newt # 7365 said:

We've been shooting BAMM matches and what we call Cowboy Three Rifle matches for several years

 

Cowboy 3 rifle?

What's that?   Pistol caliber, Rifle caliber and .22?

 

[Nasty Newt # 7365]

1 hour ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

Cowboy 3 rifle?

What's that?   Pistol caliber, Rifle caliber and .22?

 

The third rifle is a single shot center fire. Cowboy Earl came up with it. It’s shot like a cas match and we enjoy it a lot. 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

17 minutes ago, Nasty Newt # 7365 said:

The third rifle is a single shot center fire. Cowboy Earl came up with it. It’s shot like a cas match and we enjoy it a lot. 

 

Sounds like a fun variant.