How did you get the bug?

[One Gun Jimmy]

Well, sad day in the One Gun household.

 

My dad went HOME today after losing a year long fight with his body.

 

Been back home with mom and sharing memories, picking up the pieces.

 

My dad was my soul influence into the Cowboy way.

 

I spent many of evening in silence watching westerns with dad.

Tombstone

True grit (original)

Miclintock

Sons of Katie Elder

Unforgiven

Good the bad and the ugly

Bonanza

Gunsmoke

Rawhide

the Rifleman

So on and so on. Plus western music and story telling.

 

This gave me a fascination with gunslingers and gamblers and the way of life.

 

What gave you guys the bug to be a shooter, a cowboy or historians the period?

 

I know some of you have just been around since the 1890s ( im kidding calm down) but for us mere mortals why are you in the game?

 

Any of the original guys, especially,what got it started and kept it moving?

 

Just looking to learn and honestly keep my mind working through today.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

I'm very sorry for your loss One Gun.

Please accept my deep sympathy.

[One Gun Jimmy]

13 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

I'm very sorry for your loss One Gun.

Please accept my deep sympathy.

Thank you, I appreciate it...truly.

[Rip Snorter]

One of the toughest times.  Deep sympathy.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Sorry for your loss. 

[Doc Nelson #19958]

My Mom's dad, mechanic for the Royal Canadian Air (Services?) during WW2 used to read cowboy novels by the gross and he gave them to me when he was done. Well, one day my Dad brought home a stainless Ruger Old Army and I set about to take squirrels with it, built my own leather in shop class. Then, one day on this new-fangled internet I looked for the classic rifle, the 1860 Henry and the article mentioned SASS.....

9 of my family shoot CAS now and some more of my wifes family.

My Dad is still farming to a degree, 84 yrs young. I dont like to think about whats next.

 

Doc Nelson

[Yul Lose]

Sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing. When I was young about all we watched were the westerns on TV. My first drive in movie was Shane and it’s still my favorite. When I learned how to read I couldn’t get enough of Zane Gray and Louis Lamore western novels. A couple of wood working buddies took me to a Cowboys match up at Norco, Ca. one Sunday and the hook was set, that was 2006.

[One Gun Jimmy]

4 minutes ago, Doc Nelson #19958 said:

My Mom's dad, mechanic for the Royal Canadian Air (Services?) during WW2 used to read cowboy novels by the gross and he gave them to me when he was done. Well, one day my Dad brought home a stainless Ruger Old Army and I set about to take squirrels with it, built my own leather in shop class. Then, one day on this new-fangled internet I looked for the classic rifle, the 1860 Henry and the article mentioned SASS.....

9 of my family shoot CAS now and some more of my wifes family.

My Dad is still farming to a degree, 84 yrs young. I dont like to think about whats next.

 

Doc Nelson

That's awesome!

84, barley broken in!!

Just enjoy what's now, what's next is fond memories.

 

I appreciate his service and I wish you and yours all the luck and good health for years to come.

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

[One Gun Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

Sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing. When I was young about all we watched were the westerns on TV. My first drive in movie was Shane and it’s still my favorite. When I learned how to read I couldn’t get enough of Zane Gray and Louis Lamore western novels. A couple of wood working buddies took me to a Cowboys match up at Norco, Ca. one Sunday and the hook was set, that was 2006.

17 years later your out banging and clanging and making the coolest dang gun carts I've ever seen!!

 

I'm sure many of you know Yul far better than me, but in my short time and conversations with him he has proven to be one of the most generous and helpful pards out here!!

 

I appreciate you and your comments Yul!!

[One Gun Jimmy]

4 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Thank you Joe

Beautiful.

[Blackwater 53393]

My sincerest condolences.  It’s been nearly twenty years and I still haven’t got it all behind me.

 

 I got into the game to blow off steam. My dad rodeoed and we had cattle for a while. He was a law officer for most of his life and I inherited the feeling and affinity for firearms.  He was a superior marksman. He won several competitions among law enforcement agencies as a shooter.  
 

I learned from him, but chose other ways to make a living and to amuse myself. He was into high performance vehicles too and I took that avenue, also learned and inherited from him, for my livelihood AND my recreation for many years!

 

Near the end of his time, I took up CAS to use as a release from the stress of work and from competition! (I know!! Wrong choice!). 
 

I shot my first match using one of his revolvers. He had fallen into dementia, the result of surgery that went wrong, but I think he knew that I’d gotten involved in the game.

 

I treasure the times we spent together, doing things we both enjoyed.  Those memories are what I take with me and I hand them down to his kids and grandkids!  I wish the grandsons had known him!

 

When the sorrow fades, be sure to remember that he gave you much to remember and take pride and joy in passing those memories along!!

 

 

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Condolences and best wishes to you and your family.

 

Been doing CAS since 1992.   Like many of the folks involved in the game, I grew up watching westerns in the movies and later TV.  Got tired of high power shooting and cowboy shooting looked to be fun, so I joined up and have kept going.  Met lots of folks over the years; been to places that I would never have visited, so it's all good. 

[One Gun Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

Condolences and best wishes to you and your family.

 

Been doing CAS since 1992.   Like many of the folks involved in the game, I grew up watching westerns in the movies and later TV.  Got tired of high power shooting and cowboy shooting looked to be fun, so I joined up and have kept going.  Met lots of folks over the years; been to places that I would never have visited, so it's all good. 

1992, I was 5 playing with cap guns.

 

I enjoy the longevity this sport seems to have.

Not a ton of competitions guys can do for 20-40++years.

 

I wish I would have started 15 years ago but I apparently had to grow up first hahaha

 

Thank you for you condolences.

 

 

[Pat Riot]

I am very sorry for your loss One Gun.

 

My Dad got me hooked on Westerns when I was a kid. His hero was John Wayne so we got to see a lot of John Wayne westerns when they were on TV or at one of the local Drive-In Theaters. I will never forget when we went to the drive in to see The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I was in between first snd second grades. They played that movie followed by A Fist Full of Dollars. Double Feature, Baby! 

Those were great days. 

[One Gun Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I am very sorry for your loss One Gun.

 

My Dad got me hooked on Westerns when I was a kid. His hero was John Wayne so we got to see a lot of John Wayne westerns when they were on TV or at one of the local Drive-In Theaters. I will never forget when we went to the drive in to see The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I was in between first snd second grades. They played that movie followed by A Fist Full of Dollars. Double Feature, Baby! 

Those were great days. 

Ow A fist full of dollars...thats a good one!

[Eyesa Horg]

One Gun,

We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Our heartfelt and sincerest condolences go out to you Pard.

Eyesa & Ellie

 

I spent many childhood hours watching western with my parents. Lost my Dad when I was 12 suddenly while on vacation. He was hunter, but had to give it up to keep peace when I was born. Remember going to visit my Grandfather and listen to them chat about guns and hunting. Got my first exposure by the big kid next door and then in Boy Scouts. Much later in life, convinced Ellie to let me get a 22 pistol and shot Bullseye on the phone company team. One day at work around 2000, I found a Cowboy Chronicle on the ready room table. Took it home and quickly decided this would be a grin! Between work and moving to Vermont, building a new house etc. etc., It took me another 12 years to gather guns and build a cart. I joined SASS in 2012. I just love this sport and especially the people. Never had the same camaraderie and help in any other shooting sport that I have experienced in CAS. 

Again my sincerest condolences Jimmy.

 

 

 

 

 

[One Gun Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

One Gun,

We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Our heartfelt and sincerest condolences go out to you Pard.

Eyesa & Ellie

 

I spent many childhood hours watching western with my parents. Lost my Dad when I was 12 suddenly while on vacation. He was hunter, but had to give it up to keep peace when I was born. Remember going to visit my Grandfather and listen to them chat about guns and hunting. Got my first exposure by the big kid next door and then in Boy Scouts. Much later in life, convinced Ellie to let me get a 22 pistol and shot Bullseye on the phone company team. One day at work around 2000, I found a Cowboy Chronicle on the ready room table. Took it home and quickly decided this would be a grin! Between work and moving to Vermont, building a new house etc. etc., It took me another 12 years to gather guns and build a cart. I joined SASS in 2012. I just love this sport and especially the people. Never had the same camaraderie and help in any other shooting sport that I have experienced in CAS. 

Again my sincerest condolences Jimmy.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you and Sorry, for your loss aswell, I lost my older brother very suddenly when he was 35.

Don't think either is better, both ways pretty much suck.

 

I have to agree l, just in my limit time I've had some conversations and interactions with Pards I'm sure I will know for the rest of my life.

 

[Eyesa Horg]

You're in with a great bunch of folks One Gun.

[One Gun Jimmy]

12 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

You're in with a great bunch of folks One Gun.

Hopefully they let me stay haha

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Sorry for your loss, Jimmy. Lost my dad after a long illness in ‘83, just days after his 56th birthday. 
 

We watched all the TV westerns in their heyday. Although I never liked Bonanza (and still don’t). I was exposed to real guns at summer camp in 4th grade with .22 rifles. I was hooked. 
 

Cowboy shooting came along by accident when I discovered our club range within the trap & skeet range I frequented in 2008. I’ve since met some awesome pards in person and on this forum. 
 

Glad to make your acquaintance. 

[One Gun Jimmy]

4 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Sorry for your loss, Jimmy. Lost my dad after a long illness in ‘83, just days after his 56th birthday. 
 

We watched all the TV westerns in their heyday. Although I never liked Bonanza (and still don’t). I was exposed to real guns at summer camp in 4th grade with .22 rifles. I was hooked. 
 

Cowboy shooting came along by accident when I discovered our club range within the trap & skeet range I frequented in 2008. I’ve since met some awesome pards in person and on this forum. 
 

Glad to make your acquaintance. 

Same to you pardner.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Im sorry for your loss - lost my Dad in '15 and I still miss him everyday.

 

As for "Cowboy" - I grew up in southwest Michigan, Battle Creek (hence the name, Creeker).

But Michigan is not known as cowboy country - my Grandpas rode tractors and wore bib overalls and baseball caps.

So cowboy was not really a thing for me until I was maybe 6 or 7 years old. 

My Grandpas brother (my great Uncle Rault) came to visit from California where he owned a ranch outside San Diego - cowboy cut suit and hat, fancy boots and he always carried a small nickel revolver.  I had met a "cowboy" and my life would never be the same.

I grew up thinking a cowboy was about the coolest thing on the planet - but by the time I entered my teens and twenties - the era of small affordable ranches outside San Diego was over and the laws and social acceptability of open carrying firearms in southern California had gone away.

So growing up to be a cowboy fell by the wayside - over time I competed in other firearms disciplines, IPSC, PPC, PPR, Trap, Bullseye, etc. but in 1999; my Dad mentioned this game that he was getting involved in called Cowboy Action.

I already had the equipment to go play (not necessarily the right equipment - but legal equipment) and sought out a local club.

My first match was in 1999 and other than a weekend here and there - SASS cowboy action has been my game of choice ever since.

[DeaconKC]

I lost my Dad some years ago, I was by his side when he passed. He too, loved westerns, I guess that's where I got it.

[DocWard]

My deepest condolences, Jimmy. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and meditations.

 

Growing up, I can recall watching reruns of The Wild, Wild West, The High Chaparral, The Big Valley, and other TV shows as well as plenty of John Wayne movies. Even though it was very short lived, my dad loved Hec Ramsey also, and I would watch it with him. Later, I started reading my brother's Louis L'Amour books as well, and enjoying them.

 

Later, I got started shooting competitive trap with my father-in-law. Without getting into details, I was closer to my father-in-law than I was with my dad. With my FIL's passing, every time I went to shoot trap, I would look and he wasn't there. I had known about CAS from seeing it on TV, and decided to move that direction instead. That isn't to say I don't have good memories of my father. Whether watching westerns, listening to Marty Robbins singing about El Paso, The Alamo, and rangers with big irons on their hips, we both worked to make the most of our relationship, and I was chosen to eulogize him a little over a year ago, just as I was for my father-in-law in 2008.

[One Gun Jimmy]

8 minutes ago, DocWard said:

My deepest condolences, Jimmy. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and meditations.

 

Growing up, I can recall watching reruns of The Wild, Wild West, The High Chaparral, The Big Valley, and other TV shows as well as plenty of John Wayne movies. Even though it was very short lived, my dad loved Hec Ramsey also, and I would watch it with him. Later, I started reading my brother's Louis L'Amour books as well, and enjoying them.

 

Later, I got started shooting competitive trap with my father-in-law. Without getting into details, I was closer to my father-in-law than I was with my dad. With my FIL's passing, every time I went to shoot trap, I would look and he wasn't there. I had known about CAS from seeing it on TV, and decided to move that direction instead. That isn't to say I don't have good memories of my father. Whether watching westerns, listening to Marty Robbins singing about El Paso, The Alamo, and rangers with big irons on their hips, we both worked to make the most of our relationship, and I was chosen to eulogize him a little over a year ago, just as I was for my father-in-law in 2008.

I was always close to my dad's dad. More than anyone.

 

He past when I was 14 and none has ever hurt as bad.

 

Dad was amazing character and I have many fond memories, sometimes tho I think the times I didn't like his actions or words made me the man I am more than the fond memories.

 

It's amazing in this world that people do not understand the importance of a positive male figure...blood or not.

 

I wish I could have had him longer, but I know how fortunate I am to lose him at 35 instead of much younger. I didnt get all his knowledge  but he taught me enough to be a man and handle responsibility with a sense of humor. 

 

With many terrible examples out there my dad was far above par.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Sorry for your loss.  My dad influenced me in so many ways I can'r begin to list them all, but he wasn't a gun enthusiast.  He hunted, and hunted well, and was a good fisherman, but his primary force driving to do those things was to help feed his family.  I spite of thqt he was very proficient with a long gun and better that average with a DA Colt .38a.

 

How did I get the bug?  I believe I was born with it because I don't recall not liking guns, and always had something gun-like from the time I first recall....but I was never much of a fisherman.

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Sorry for your loss Jimmy, condolences to family & friends.  Got into Cowboy in '06 cos always  loved the Western way of life..ah' heck I tell a lie ' I like the Injuns better ' 

[Sixgun Seamus]

My condolences to you and your family for your loss. Cherish the memories that you made with him and make sure you make similar memories with the next generation. I unfortunately grew up without my father being in the house. I don't remember any time in my life when I wasn't drawn to westerns. Mom gave me "Fanner 50's" and similar toys when growing up. Hopalong Cassidy was my hero. My first exposure to firearms was a Boy Scout camp like others have posted. We've been in the game only 10 years and like you, wished I had found out about it 15 years sooner. 

[One Gun Jimmy]

9 minutes ago, Sixgun Seamus said:

My condolences to you and your family for your loss. Cherish the memories that you made with him and make sure you make similar memories with the next generation. I unfortunately grew up without my father being in the house. I don't remember any time in my life when I wasn't drawn to westerns. Mom gave me "Fanner 50's" and similar toys when growing up. Hopalong Cassidy was my hero. My first exposure to firearms was a Boy Scout camp like others have posted. We've been in the game only 10 years and like you, wished I had found out about it 15 years sooner. 

Thank you Seamus, im looking forward to years of fun and friendships.

 

Wish dad coulda seen me play the game but I have faith he knows.

 

I won't see you at Tusco this month but I plan to come down to Brown in a few weeks.

 

Hope your feeling better as well!