Back up guns

[Mezcal Charlie]

I love guns. I tend to buy more than I need. Well not so much tend to as always. Guns are not only fun to own but cash in the bank if you buy them right. But I have a question on the backup gun phenomenon: how often do you need your backup guns? Are failures an issue during competition? I’ve been hunting must of my life and had jams here and there but only one real failure that ended that days hunt. Anyway, is it a reason to buy more guns, as if one is needs a reason, or am I missing something?

[Hashknife Cowboy]

It seems as if I generally end up loaning out my back ups to someone who really is in need at a shoot.  I believe if I have a extra I won't need.  The only gun which left me high and dry was a SG and someone loaned me their backup.  If you can afford to its not a bad idea, but it is an expensive idea.

 

On the same topic, you are aware CAS guns breed when left alone in the safe and create more guns. That's my story and i'm sticking to it.

Edited August 21 by Hashknife Cowboy

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

You do eventually reach a point, when your collection is large enough, that you start to see really great guns, but don't buy them because you start to feel you don't need any more. 

But you've got to have a pretty big collection before that happens.

[Choctaw Jack]

Charlie,

In the ~14 years I've been involved in CAS, I can remember only two times my backup were used in a match.

Once, at a annual match, a revolver malfunctioned and I finished the match with the backup brace that I had brought along.

The other time I loaned my backup rifle to a shooter that was from out of town who had travelled to shoot our monthly match.

To be fair, our club is fortunate that we have a very talented gunsmith as our club president. He always offers help when we need it, and keeps us shooting.

Thanks, Ken!

Choctaw 

 

[Hawkeye Kid]

Found carrying spare parts easier than carrying back-up guns.  Especially when traveling.  In 20+ years had maybe 3 guns fail.  Was lucky to be able borrow a replacement or I had the parts to fix.  In all cases it was broken springs.

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

I take backups when I travel.  So far, I have not needed them.  

 

To add to what HK said, there is a thing called "critical gun mass".  That is when you have so many guns that your wife doesn't realize it when you carry in a new one.  I am not there yet.

 

Chancy

 

 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

My wife and I travel and shoot a lot.  Parts on our guns have worn out and broke.  I've had firing pins on shotguns both break and mushroom and stick.  On rifles I've had main springs break and extractor springs break.  My Rugers have never failed but transfer bars on them can break.  Hands on cap and ball revolvers are prone to breakage too.  In every case I just went to my truck and pulled out a backup gun and finished the match.  So yes, backup guns are needed.  Mobile gunsmiths like Boomstick do a brisk business at major matches.  At EOT this year there were three mobile gunsmiths and all were busy.

 

Sidebar:  bring tools and squib rods with you too.  I've loaned my squib rods many times.  I am forever tightening screws on my firearms.

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I carry a complete backup for each firearm to every match including my Long-Range firearms.  I have not as yet needed my backups, but I have loaned them out to new shooters.  Sometimes I provide them to spectators just so they can see if they might really like this sport.

 

It is more a peace of mind just knowing they are there if needed.

[Texas Maverick]

4 hours ago, Chancy Shot, SASS #67163 said:

I take backups when I travel.  So far, I have not needed them.  

 

To add to what HK said, there is a thing called "critical gun mass".  That is when you have so many guns that your wife doesn't realize it when you carry in a new one.  I am not there yet.

 

Chancy

 

 

Same here, I bought identical 73's from Boogie, identical CZ Sharptail's from Griner and 3 NMV's that have been tuned to be identical. I have never had to use my backups as backups but have gotten where I shoot some black powder every once in awhile so my backups are my black powder guns. I don't take my backups to the locals shoots but they do go with me when I hit the road. Feel like it is too expensive to drive all over the country to big matches and not have backups for emergencies. 

 

TM

Edited August 20 by Texas Maverick

[Col. Cornelius Gilliam, SASS#5875TG]

I take backups to every annual match. It's just too much time and money invested to not have one available if a gun breaks.

 

If a gun breaks, it's much easier during the match to just go get a backup instead of trying to replace parts before the next stage.

 

I've had Ruger transfer bars break, and rifles and shotguns go down for a variety of reasons over the past 28 years of competition. It doesn't happen very often (typically years between occurrences) but it will happen if you shoot enough. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I shoot Classic Cowboy and my rifle and pistols are 38-40 caliber so yes I have backups.  My current shotgun is an 87 and my hammered double is now my backup.  Over the years I have had occasion to use backups for all 3 guns.  My backups are always in my gun cart (not in my car) even at monthly matches.

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

Although it doesn't happen to me often I've had springs break in pistols, and rifles, and the hammer spring in a Marlin rifle go weak in the middle of a match. Yes I carry a backup set of firearms with me to matches.

[Griff]

I have backups for my backups...  4 double bbl shotguns... 3 1897s, 8 1851 Navy cap guns, 6 Colt SAAs, 3 Patersons, 3 1892s, 3 toggle-links, 3 single shot rifles...  the only firearms lacking a backup are my Lightning & Hawken... Even have backups to my backup pocket pistols and derringers...  And let's not talk about winchester 94s... Well... err... I did before that unfortunate boating accident!

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

As I have progressed through this journey called CAS when I first started I brought a complete set of backups…. rifles, pistols, shotgun, even to a monthly. Then as I began to focus on my own competitive nature I started bringing parts rather than entire guns. Now I have come to the realization that if you have a mechanical problem you are already done as far as competing goes so time to adjust mentally, graciously accept someone’s loaner and just hang with your friends. 
YMMV

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

[Captain Bill Burt]

I agree with Gateway. The likelihood of having a gun break during a stage, but still having an opportunity to place well with a backup is pretty low.  I guess it could happen if it broke on the last round out of that particular gun, but otherwise competitively you're done at that point.

 

Since we usually have three shooters in the game, and often four we don't really need backups.  The Iron Cowboy's rifle is identical to mine, so we back each other up there.  Shootin Sharyn's pistols are almost identical to mine in terms of the action (both Jimmy Spurs .32 H&R) so there's our backups if needed.  All four of us shoot SKB 100s done by Fast Eddie, so we can back each other up there as well.

 

That's long winded, but no, we don't carry backups.

[SouthwestShooter]

4 hours ago, Mezcal Charlie said:

I love guns. I tend to buy more than I need. Well not so much tend to as always. Guns are not only fun to own but cash in the bank if you buy them right. But I have a question on the backup gun phenomenon: how often do you need your backup guns? Are failures an issue during competition? I’ve been hunting must of my life and had jams here and there but only one real failure that ended that days hunt. Anyway, is it a reason to buy more guns, as if one is needs a reason, or am I missing something?

I let my wife carry,  so I don't need a back up.  She's a better shot than me anyhow.

Edited August 20 by SouthwestShooter

[SouthwestShooter]

We always  bring  backd up to major matches.  Only need it once when a case separated in main match gun during warm ups.

[Sedalia Dave]

I take a set of backups to away matches. Although my backups are not always identical to my main match guns.

 

Usually take three 87 shotguns. One for WB side match and 2 with drop two mods.

2 sets of C&B pistols. ROAs and Long Hunter 1860s

1872 open tops for the BP side match if it is offered. If there is a night shoot, I'll also bring a set of pistols in 44 WCF.

Currently, my backup rifle is a different caliber than my main match rifle.  I shoot 38/357 for main match and 44 WCF as a backup. The 44 WCF also doubles as my WB rifle. 

 

I also bring at least three times as much ammo as I think I'll need.   

 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

3 hours ago, Chancy Shot, SASS #67163 said:

To add to what HK said, there is a thing called "critical gun mass".  That is when you have so many guns that your wife doesn't realize it when you carry in a new one.  I am not there yet.

 

Hmm...

Well, I am not married, but I think I have already reached that point.  So that means it'll be easier if I ever wed?

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Vary rarely do you have a failure. 

But its a good excuse to tell the wife why you need a backup  for your backup so you have a extra backup to loan to a Pard who broke his backup 😳

Then there is different barrel length too 🤔

Just Sayin Rooster 

[Rip Snorter]

Been a good many years since I was active, but I never brought backup guns or had a firearm failure.  I did have pistols & rifles in 3 calibers with just the 97 for shotgun.  Would pick a caliber for a match based on mood.  Probably wasn't driving hard enough, since all I was worried about was continuous improvement in overall ranking.  Never won a match.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Backups or spares?  I think of backups as being clones of your main set.  Same models, same tuning, same setup etc.  So guns can be swapped without any adjustments being required.  Spares on the other hand are what I usually have.  I love shooting, so i will usually have at least two different shotguns, sometimes two different rifles and on occasion a different sixgun I wanna try on a few stages.  So if something does "go down", I can pick a different one from my cart and still be shooting.  I may not be the fastest, but if there is only one other pard in my category I can pretty much guarantee I'll be in the top 3.  😁

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

I guess I'm a combination of @Captain Bill Burt and @Snakebite Dust SASS 75484.

 

We had identical pistols, but Shortcake went to a smaller frame for one handed shooting. But I really haven't had (or seen for that matter) a pistol malfunction that put the gun out of service.

 

Rifles, to me, seem to be more prone to break down because they have more parts/spring thingies that move. She has a 94 Marlin and I have an Uberti 73.

 

Shotguns are SxS,  a Stoeger and a Browning.

 

But I have assembled a nice tackle box of parts for all guns that we carry.

 

Maybe bring the 66 for an extra rifle?

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

I almost never bring backups to local matches.  The only time I needed one was when a '61 with a Kirst cylinder broke the hand spring at the loading table.  I shot it on that stage by pointing it down to cock it each time, and it just so happened that I had a brand new charcoal blue .45 Cavalry in the car that I had planned on testing after the match. 

[Texas Maverick]

7 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

I almost never bring backups to local matches.  The only time I needed one was when a '61 with a Kirst cylinder broke the hand spring at the loading table.  I shot it on that stage by pointing it down to cock it each time, and it just so happened that I had a brand new charcoal blue .45 Cavalry in the car that I had planned on testing after the match. 

Before I got my 2 Boogie rifles I had a firing pin break and Abilene loaned me the use of his gun for the rest of the match. We shared it. I also had one match where a spring broke and Sheriff Robert Love let me share his rifle and then his firing pin broke and I ended up using another shooters rifle while he shared his wifes rifle. So it does happen.

 

TM

[Tom Bullweed]

A mix for me.

I bring an extra ejector for a 97.

We really don't put a lot of rounds through the shotgun.

I bring an extra rifle for a state or regional-lots of small moving parts.

When I shot flat-spring pistolas, I usually had an extra.  The only failure that I have had with a Ruger was due to a lack of cleaning.

[T-Square]

Always have them, only needed one pistol, once in seven years.  But I'm not spending the time and travel, hundreds of dollars for hotels and prostitutes, to have to sit out (or borrow a gun).  in the imortal words of the iconic rock group Poison - "I Want Action"  !  sarcasmed added by the author for humor, no hotels were harmed in the making of this post.

[KingSnake]

Shotgun Shannon and I both shoot rifles by Palo Verde, SKB shotguns by Johnny Meadows, and Ruger NMV’s with Shotgun Boogie short strokes installed by me. If a gun were to breakdown for either of us, we would just share.  So we don’t take extras. 

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

The firing pin on my 73 broke this year at the OH St Championship. I finished the match with my wife’s 73. I’m used to a straight stock and hers is a pistol grip but it worked out ok. Except eating 8 in the rifle 

[Yul Lose]

I shoot 16 gauge 1897 shotguns so I always bring a couple of extras, even for monthly matches. Carry 2 in the guncart and one in the truck vault. For big matches I’ll bring along an extra pair of ROA’s (never needed them) and an extra Pedersoli Lightning (never needed it) but like they say it’s better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

[Three Foot Johnson]

I've had to swap out for backups maybe six times in 32 years of this. A couple were the gun's fault, and the rest were my fault - a double charge that split the cylinder, installed aftermarket revolver springs that were too light and didn't test shoot them before the match, incompatible ammo, etc.

[Shooting Bull]

On 8/20/2025 at 10:37 AM, Captain Bill Burt said:

I agree with Gateway. The likelihood of having a gun break during a stage, but still having an opportunity to place well with a backup is pretty low.  I guess it could happen if it broke on the last round out of that particular gun, but otherwise competitively you're done at that point.

Watch to the very end. Pay particular attention to the forend dropping off my shotgun after the first two rounds. You can see it on the ground between my feet.
 

The lug broke off the bottom of the barrels. If I didn’t have a back up with me my Winter Range would have been ruined. Low probability? Absolutely. But it can happen. 🤠

 

Edited August 21 by Shooting Bull

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

20 hours ago, John Barleycorn, SASS #76982 said:

The firing pin on my 73 broke this year at the OH St Championship. I finished the match with my wife’s 73. I’m used to a straight stock and hers is a pistol grip but it worked out ok. Except eating 8 in the rifle 

I had rifle problems at Land Run last year and finished the match with my wife's rifle.  Not surprisingly I finished last in my category.

 

My wife's SKB lost a forearm at a match a few years ago.  She grabbed her backup SKB and kept shooting.  She has a third long-barreled SKB as another backup.

[German Jim]

On 8/20/2025 at 6:52 AM, Mezcal Charlie said:

 Anyway, is it a reason to buy more guns, as if one is needs a reason, or am I missing something?

I say, Who the hell needs a reason? 😂

Edited August 22 by German Jim

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

7 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

Watch to the very end. Pay particular attention to the forend dropping off my shotgun after the first two rounds. You can see it on the ground between my feet.
 

The lug broke off the bottom of the barrels. If I didn’t have a back up with me my Winter Range would have been ruined. Low probability? Absolutely. But it can happen. 🤠

 

I would have been honored to loan you my SKB. The low probability referred to was finishing high in the rankings after a mechanical failure, not that gun failure is unheard of. Which has happened to me once or twice over the years!!  

All the best

    

Gateway Kid