Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

How were you attracted to Cowboy Action Shooting?


Recommended Posts

Becky Munden is my mom's cousin.  Her and Bob had come down to So Ca from Montana for EOT.  The week prior, the family met up to visit and Becky was telling me about SASS and invited me to come out to EOT.  I hung out part of the time in Bob's booth and spent the rest of the time wandering around watching all I could.... and also signed up.

 

My biggest regret is that I didn't get a life membership way back then... they were much cheaper back then, and I have spent far more over the years with annual memberships than the life membership would have cost me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking for local shooting sports and venues, I discovered the website of the North Alabama Regulators on line.  That was 2004.  I'm still shooting there.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was raised on shotguns, and other than just a few times, I had never shot handguns, until my dad died in 2001 and my brothers and I divided his guns, and I took his S&W Mod. 10 38spl. (He didn't want handguns in the house when he was raising 5 boys, but bought a few in later years.)

 

So I got interested in revolvers and in 2004 saw an Uberti SAA Bisley in .45 Colt in the case at the LGS. It struck me as a real beauty, so I bought it. Research about single-actions soon brought me to SASS.

 

I never had watched Western movies, and only a handful of the TV Westerns of our youth. SASS made me a big Western fan, both the books and the movies.

 

I quit shooting  CAS several years ago for various reasons, mostly time constraints and conflicts, but have never lost interest in the firearms (of which I now have many and regularly shoot) and the Western lore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of magazine articles back in '92 and '93.  Chiseler was very active promoting SASS then.  A local club in NJ started up around then.  I probably got every brochure available from every company that made of sold CAS equipment, firearms and reloading presses and ordered a bunch of stuff, most of which I still have.  I started out with a Uberti Peacemaker in 45 Colt, a Win trapper, and a Uberti Schofield , also in 45 Colt until I saw the error of my ways.  I met two pards back in '92 and have been shooting with them since, although neither one is in MN.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw a gun vid on youtube with hickock45 talking about it and shooting in a vest and a hat… said go to the website and find the nearest club. I did, and I called @Dream Chaser, SASS #79316 .. first match i only stayed for a few mins but long enough to recognize a friend  from church( @Will Kane ) … and the next thing i know im buying his old shotgun which im still shooting today! That was just about three years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far nobody has mentioned social media.   Has it played a role in anybody's discovery of or attraction to CAS?  Remember, I am looking for the best places to invest recruitment time and effort.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

So far nobody has mentioned social media.   Has it played a role in anybody's discovery of or attraction to CAS?  Remember, I am looking for the best places to invest recruitment time and effort.  

 

I think a lot of the answer to that question come from the badge numbers of the people that are answering the thread here.

 

You want to see a  possible correlation of the impact of social media on recruitment, you need to start talking with people with badge numbers over 95,000.

 

Some of the badge numbers represented here predate the internet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

I think a lot of the answer to that question come from the badge numbers of the people that are answering the thread here.

 

You want to see a  possible correlation of the impact of social media on recruitment, you need to start talking with people with badge numbers over 95,000.

 

Some of the badge numbers represented here predate the internet.

 

I'm #96324. Saw a coworker(Mortimer  Smith) watching one of his personal CAS videos on his laptop in 2011. Probably need to go even higher in numbers and probably still won't find much correlation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Born a cowboy.

That's me in the middle, with my Mom & Dad.

Rocky Mountain House, 1946

1946 at Rocky Mountain House.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

I think a lot of the answer to that question come from the badge numbers of the people that are answering the thread here.

 

You want to see a  possible correlation of the impact of social media on recruitment, you need to start talking with people with badge numbers over 95,000.

 

Some of the badge numbers represented here predate the internet.

Valid point.  Age plays a role also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

My wife and I encountered a bunch of cowboy shooters in costume at a movie theater in Houston who were there to see Tombstone and promote the sport!

Wow!  Interesting promo idea. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of mine and his son were very involved in SASS.  For those who might know him, it was Fred Bursey Jr.  aka  Goatneck Clem.  That was about 22 or so years ago.

Horace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly, I don't recall how I first found out about it. I have a lifelong affinity for things cowboy, though. My first rifle was a lever action. I recall reviewing the forum here and gathering information at least as far back as my last deployment back in 2008. As for which direction to point resources, I would be no help there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw a copy of Guns of the Old West at the news stand. Several SASS articles and photos in it. That’s all it took. Went home and asked my wife how much I could spend. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saturday night fellowship gathering at a friends house is where I met the guy that introduced me and invited me to CAS. Some of us had gathered early and were shooting most any gun except lever actions and revolvers. Multiple AR’s were among the mix, some bolt actions,  as well as multiple flavors of semi autos from pocket sized to full sized. Later in the evening we were all sitting around the fire and conversing over the  guns we all had been shooting when a CAS shooter showed up with a 1911 on his hip and chimed in about CAS.  I was instantly intrigued and after a question or two the “all you need is a hat, long sleeves, jeans, and boots and I’ll supply all the rest if you wanna try it out” offer was made. I was hooked before I fired the first shot back in 2017. I don’t get to shoot quite as much as I’d like yet, but I have my guns and working on my attire. Unexpected BONUS, the friendship I have with the guy that was bold enough to stand out different in a crowd of semi auto enthusiasts and talk CAS. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The comments about finding and reading a "Chronicle" reminded me of peeling the labels off some of my old copies and leaving them on the waiting room tables at my dentist and doctors offices.

Both of them figured out Who Done It.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those Old "Chronicles" were great Ways to spread the Word on SASS, I too Spread them about ...

I wonder if SASS ever Thought of all the Free advertisement they got from Members "Recycling" those Chronicles.

 

Jabez Cowboy 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I first heard about SASS and CAS in the 90s in gun magazines. Didn't get to start until we moved to an area with a CAS club that shoots on Saturday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mostly because of all the young, single and attractive women

 

Now that I am done being a smart ass (at least maybe in this thread) , I saw a sign at a  local gun store, so I went to a meeting where some guy (long since left the sport) explained SASS.  It sounded interesting, so the next year (maybe 1997?) we started shooting.  I think we kind of skipped using two handguns for most of the first year while we all bought what we needed.  IPSC which was the only other "action" shooting sport with handguns, cost too much money for me to join and be competitive.  SASS at that time you could get a lot of guns for under $500 if you were careful and hit the gun stores on a regular basis to check out what they had in used guns that were suitable for SASS.   Careful shopping could get you all 4 guns for under $1000.  These days, it's more like $4000-$5000 to start SASS from scratch.

 

SASS got popular, the guns and other needed accessories got more expensive, the number shooters started going up (as well as the average age of the shooter), which eliminated a lot of fun stuff done off the clock like knife throwing, lassoing, etc and race guns came along  Now the majority of the shooters seem to want fast stages with close targets and 10-10-4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2022 at 10:19 AM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Son of a.... I swear to gawd, auto correct drives me nuts!

It’s getting so bad I spend as much time proof reading and editing as I do posting. And stuff still sneaks through. I don’t mind looking like a dunce if it’s my fault. I object to some electronic gnome doing it to me. :angry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was shooting a State ISSF trap competition in 2006..I'd always wanted to see 'Western Action & it just so happened that there was a monthly comp on a range close by..I wandered over, I was already planning the building of my cart on the way back.

My first shoot was six months later & I had the lot, guns, cart, Injun gear & rearing to go !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Baby Sis sent me a clipping from a Columbus newspaper.

Looked it up, and a couple years later, the opportunity presented to jump in headfirst with both feet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First heard about it in a gun magazine and later saw a local match going on at a range nearby. I stopped, watched and talked to some folks who encouraged me to give it a go. I've met some of the best folks around and have few regrets. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heard about it at our local gun club.  Told my husband I was interested, since it seemed like something we could do together, now that we are retired and have more time.  He likes to hunt, but that is too early for this night owl-and too cold.   I have some experience pistol shooting, but limited rifle and shotgun (retired Army). Costuming is another draw for me-give me a couple years to sew and I’ll be rocking some bustle dresses.  He is taking care of locating guns and the reloading. We have a rifle and shotgun (for him), but will need pistols.
 

One of the biggest draws-The folks in our local club are very friendly and welcoming.  I helped with score keeping during the second match we went to.  I will never be super fast,  but know that I can improve against myself, and have fun.  There are a bunch of clubs within a few hours, split about 50/50 between Saturday and Sunday, so we will be able to get some shooting in-we don’t do Sundays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2022 at 8:02 PM, Dusty Devil Dale said:

So far nobody has mentioned social media.   Has it played a role in anybody's discovery of or attraction to CAS?  Remember, I am looking for the best places to invest recruitment time and effort.  

 

Well, kinda. I had bought a 4.6 blued super blackhawk in 44 mag in 2010. I thought I could order a fluted cylinder later. I was wrong. Ruger wouldn't sell one for a 4.6...for a 5.5 yes but not a 4.6. Irritated. Looked off and on for 10 yrs not liking the gun. Then...I found one in a pile of parts on ebay!  Bought the whole pile to get the cylinder and tada!  I liked my gun again, now I wanted something to do with it. Searching around and watching videos on blackhawk 44s one popped up about CAS. I had seen CAS stuff years ago and didn't get it. Now it looked good. Gave it a try and joined up...at the beginning of covid. Still shooting. Have a 22 AND 44 rig. So yes youtube helped but the costuming and speed of everyone on the videos is intimidating to newbies. Also having a 22 option is helpful. I wish it had been an ootion when I had started. I'd still have my 44s but could have eased n2 the sport better and more cheaply.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was watching a gun show on TV one Sunday when up popped cowboy action. Found there was a sass club in Durango Colo 50 miles north.Went to they're shoot & was hooked.I had already read about all of Louis LaMours books.I had the fever & jumped in with all fours.Started buying Cowboy guns & gear & still buying.It all started back aboout 97. Started out with Evil Roy & learned a lot from him.I even beat Holy Terror once(her first match)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Largo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I first became interested in Cowboy Action Shooting after seeing photos of a SASS Mounted Cowboy posted on our Intranet website. I met with him to talk about what he did, and was directed to the Lake County Pistoleros who shoot at the Eustis Gun Range in Tavares, Florida.

Snip-it_1652908745263.jpg.319879021d328cdef557a9a52bc5b9ac.jpg

I went to a couple of their matches and was hooked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.