New Guy Questions, specifically firearm, category, and costume related.

[IronOkie]

On 11/26/2023 at 6:45 AM, Sixgun Seamus said:

Buy Captain Baylor's book from Amazon titled "Captain Baylor's Big Bad Book on Cowboy Action Shooting".

 

That might be the most expensive paperback I've ever seen!  Would I be missing out on anything buy buying the kindle version rather than the print?

[Sixgun Seamus]

1 hour ago, IronOkie said:

 

That might be the most expensive paperback I've ever seen!  Would I be missing out on anything buy buying the kindle version rather than the print?

I never saw the Kindle version but it would probably be the same. The book is thick and packed with tons of pictures and info. I bought the print version when he first put issued it.

 

 

[John Kloehr]

From someone who has failed again to get to at least one shoot thIS year.

 

Don't worry about the costume categories. If you get into that, then pay attention to the details.

 

You might be able to show up one time in tennis shoes, but do better the second time. You o not actually need cowboy boots but you might go that way if your lady like how you walk in them.

 

Borrow guns! This will save you a lot of money! I still spent too much. .38 special is popular for good reason, but I wanted "fatter" rounds. So a pair of .44 Special revolvers but I run .44 Russian in them And I got a .44-40 Winchester Miroku because I like it. Then i also get an Uberti Evil Roy in .38 Special slicked by Grimes because I could not resist... Still have not shot it.

 

Shotguns has been a difficult path, I now have 3. A broken Stoeger SxS and a pair of '97s. I need to try shooting the '97s.

 

Blue jeans, button-up long-sleeve shirt, leather, guns, ammo. the ammo needs to be all-lead; that might be your  biggest challenge since CoViD.

 

I want to go to black powder, but first I need to show up a few more times to use and recover my brass so I can reload, This will not be a cheap sport, but the fun factor is awesome! I have other reasons for shooting other sports and they are also fun, SASS is only for fun.

 

Welcome aboard, please take advantage of offers to try equipment to find what works for you. I did and I am still going to have gear to sell later.

 

I guess the last thing is to recommend a cowboy  hat. It will catch a lot of brass keeping it out of your shirt collar. And while you might get one pass (one!) for tennis shoes at your local club, I make no such guarantee for a baseball cap.

[DeaconKC]

As a retired LEO too, I use the roper boots even shooting Classic Cowboy. They let me put my orthotics in and still be fairly stable. If you are masochistic like I am and want to shoot 45s, it costs almost twice as much as if I shot 38s, so factor that in when deciding. If you don't reload yet, you can get started with a turret press kit for about $300 and it will pay for itself quickly and you won't outgrow it to soon.

[Tucker T Fudpucker]

Since you are in Choctaw attend a match the 2nd Saturday or 4th Sunday with the Oklahoma Territorial Marshalls at the Oklahoma Gun Club in Arcadia. Flat Top Okie will be glad to help. As everyone else has said "Don't buy anything until you have attended a match." Have fun and enjoy your self.

 

Tucker T

[IronOkie]

1 hour ago, DeaconKC said:

As a retired LEO too, I use the roper boots even shooting Classic Cowboy. They let me put my orthotics in and still be fairly stable. If you are masochistic like I am and want to shoot 45s, it costs almost twice as much as if I shot 38s, so factor that in when deciding. If you don't reload yet, you can get started with a turret press kit for about $300 and it will pay for itself quickly and you won't outgrow it to soon.

I too am a fan of fat rounds, I carried a 1911 on duty for years.  That said, I'll start with the 357's and graduate up once I ensure it's something I'm going to have time to do often enough to be worth spending the money on a second caliber.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the boots, I feel much better reading the comments on here. 

1 hour ago, Tucker T Fudpucker said:

Since you are in Choctaw attend a match the 2nd Saturday or 4th Sunday with the Oklahoma Territorial Marshalls at the Oklahoma Gun Club in Arcadia. Flat Top Okie will be glad to help. As everyone else has said "Don't buy anything until you have attended a match." Have fun and enjoy your self.

 

Tucker T

I plan to do exactly this, but it will be at least another month before I can make it out.

[Mister Badly]

On 11/26/2023 at 11:32 AM, IronOkie said:

  It is, however, going to be difficult to attend matches with regularity due to my family weekend obligations (which I would not give up for anything).  At best, for me, this would be a 5-6 times a year

Some of the Tennessee clubs have a work shirkers match during the week. You should check the clubs in your area.

[Captain Bill Burt]

There are three items that have a big impact on your shooting but are often not given the consideration they deserve.
 

One of those is boots, which many have already addressed in this thread. I have had a minor foot issue, a broken bone that my podiatrist says is going to stay that way. That lead me to move from Ariats (which are good reasonably priced boots) to Whites which are excellent very expensive boots. These are unquestionably the finest footwear I’ve ever worn but be aware they run large.

 

Another necessary item that deserves careful consideration is your rig. What type holsters, double strong side or crossdraw, where will it ride, single or double shotgun loops, rifle reloads right handed or left handed, etc. The new shooter whose first rig remains his go to rig is either very fortunate, or not trying to be competitive.

 

Hats are often picked randomly or strictly based on appearance. When the weather is good pretty much any hat will do, but when it turns nasty a good hat is worth its weight in gold. I’m using a hat that is about 50% beaver and it’s a decent hat, but I’m keeping my eyes open for a 100% beaver hat.

Welcome and good luck finding equipment.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

The SASS money pit is bottomless.  Just how fast and how far do you want to go?  You have to find your own comfort level.    

[Go West]

SASS supports waivers for physical impairments. I can't wear cowboy boots anymore, but Ariat lace ups worked well for a few years. I may have to give up the Ariats since I use a foot brace now.

 

Some of my best enjoyment has been using the cheapest guns I own. My leather was $150 I found at a gun shop nearly 20 years ago. Pietta pistols for $700/pair, $399 Stoeger and a $300 Rossi 92. You can get a nice straw hat from Sunbody that works well in the heat or just to save money.

 

 

[DeaconKC]

PS, on the hat issue and lousy weather. I use the wool crusher from Bass Pro and spray the snot out of it with Scotchguard. It works, and I don't have to worry about an expensive hat in the rain.

[Captain Bill Burt]

1 hour ago, DeaconKC said:

PS, on the hat issue and lousy weather. I use the wool crusher from Bass Pro and spray the snot out of it with Scotchguard. It works, and I don't have to worry about an expensive hat in the rain.

That's an approach I hadn't thought of. I might try using Scotchguard on my current hat.  How often do you spray it?

 

[DeaconKC]

1 hour ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

That's an approach I hadn't thought of. I might try using Scotchguard on my current hat.  How often do you spray it?

 

About once a year. Worked well for me for years when working and using hats in all sorts of weather.

[Mossy Horn Gent]

The current price for Captain Baylor's paperback book at Amazon is $50.94.

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

On 11/28/2023 at 11:13 AM, DeaconKC said:

About once a year. Worked well for me for years when working and using hats in all sorts of weather.

Rustoleum has a product called "Never Wet."

Spayed it on a felt hat 6  years ago and it still beads water.

[Ashley D Austin]

On 11/26/2023 at 12:10 AM, IronOkie said:

First question, are the costume categories and age based categories independent or are they always combined?

I was confused by this at first also, they are independent. You do not have to shoot a costume category. Recommended mimimum attire is a button down shirt, jeans, a period hat, and boots. If you choose to shoot a costume catagory it can be combined with an age and/or style of shooting catagory (in laymen terms: one handed, two handed, smokeless powder, black powder).

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 11/26/2023 at 8:50 AM, Blackwater 53393 said:

Go to a couple of matches or more! Go with an open mind. The main reason that we say to try other folks’ guns is because you can find out what fits your hands and your style without going through the process of trading up, down, or sideways when you find that “brand X” doesn’t fit your hands or that you really, “like some other revolver better than the $1,800.00 worth of what you’re holding now”!

 

I went through three sets of pistols before I found the ones that I mostly shoot now. I was fortunate to be able to swap and trade until I found out that the 1875 Remington revolvers fit my big ol’ hands without taking a big loss on guns I wasn’t comfortable shooting!

 

As to footwear, with the exception of Classic Cowboy and B Western, so long as you’re not wearing sneakers, you’re pretty much good to go!

 

There are two rules that are the most important thing in CAS/SASS! Those are “BE SAFE” and “HAVE FUN” , the rest will generally take care of itself.

 

Get ready to have the most fun you can have with your clothes on!!

Good luck with them finding guns , I say but what you can afford and what you can find and go shoot! You can always sell guns you don’t want anymore.