Cowtown cowboy shooters

[Colt Walker 45]

To all our faithful Members over the years

Due to a new proposed contract agreement with the Cowtown Range, I felt the new plan was not beneficial to the Cowboy Shooters Family, so chose to shut down the club at this time and retire. It has been a lot of great years together and I thank you all for being a part of it.

Regards and shoot straight, Barb Wire… 

[Colt Walker 45]

Just reading this on the club page. Going to miss shooting there. What a loss to all of us that have shot there over the years , and all the hard work Barb put into the club and match’s.

[Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968]

40 + years of her dedication to the sport.

 

Great memories for many cowboys and cowgirls at Cowtown.

 

I can personally say this was a very difficult decision for her but she felt it was the best option with all the proposed changes to her lease.

 

Spent time with her and Zona moving her targets and belongings to their home from the range.

 

Glad we were there to help with and enjoy the final Fire and Ice.

 

Best Wishes for Barb Wire and Zona.

 

Vic and Kat

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

This process over the past few months has been a real blow to the SASS community.  Cowtown was founded in 1982 and the first Arizona State Championship was held there in 1984.  SASS was founded in 1986.  We use to shoot two CAS matches per month and one Wild Bunch per month there.  Fire and Ice was the swan song and at this point this means for me and many others instead of three CAS matches a month we will be down to one.  Barb has put in YEARS of dedication to CAS shooting.  I hope she gets a little rest and does not get to bored without the range to care for.

Edited March 4 by Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

What changed in the contract? 

Sad to hear this! 

[Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968]

Thousands of dollars increase to lease. 
Only 90 days of shooting. 
All steel cleared from the range and stored (set up prior to match and tear down after). 

Rent fees to have storage on-site for targets/props. 
 

Barb Wire turned 70 this year and to have a multi-thousand dollar lease plus insurance each year and have that additional work……untenable. 
 

Even if she kept the lease, the days of “practice at Cowtown” or “check out your guns” were gone.  $30/hr bring your own steel was the new setup. 
 

Plain and simple…..Her BS buzzer rang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

That's really unfortunate.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

14 hours ago, Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968 said:

Thousands of dollars increase to lease. 
Only 90 days of shooting. 
All steel cleared from the range and stored (set up prior to match and tear down after). 

Rent fees to have storage on-site for targets/props. 
 

Barb Wire turned 70 this year and to have a multi-thousand dollar lease plus insurance each year and have that additional work……untenable. 
 

Even if she kept the lease, the days of “practice at Cowtown” or “check out your guns” were gone.  $30/hr bring your own steel was the new setup. 
 

Plain and simple…..Her BS buzzer rang. 

 

 

 

Sounds like that range didn't want the Cowboys any longer! 

 

 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Painted Lady and I are so very sorry to hear this.

 

Painted Lady has never really "loved" cowboy shooting; some matches/ clubs were horrid, some were "ok" but most were simply tolerated because it was special to me.

 

And I have dragged her all over to matches that she agreed to because I promised her sight seeing or the ocean or whatever.

 

Cowtown was the one exception - I never had to bribe her or promise anything.  If I asked her about going to Cowtown; her response was always, "What time do I need to set the alarm?"

 

Thank you Barbwire.

[Old Man Graybeard]

Very sad to hear about this. It will be a huge change for the area. Barbwire and Zona have put a lot into the area for years. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Another Cowboy range I will now sadly never get to shoot at. Should have done it many years ago when traveling to shoot Winter Range. 

[Sixgun Seamus]

Many thanks to Barb and Zona for the many years they put into Cowboy Action Shooting and Cowtown.  It is a huge loss but understandable. We've had the opportunity to shoot half dozen matches there and we were members for two. Enjoyed the times and friends there.

[Cholla]

Cowtown was the breeding ground of champions. I wrote about Cowtown a few years ago for GUNS. I am lucky enough to say I shot there once. I guess I will tell Jim Martin next time I talk to him.

[Yul Lose]

I got to visit with Barbwire and Zona a few times last week and the new fees and requirements are substantial. Barbwire has been out there for 45 years and Zona another 20. I never shot Cow Town and I’m sorry I didn’t but from all I’ve heard over the years it was a must shoot match. Barbwire and Zona are two people to ride the river with and I wish them the best at whatever they do now.

[Jackrabbit Joe #414]

This has been very sad news for quite some time and sure will miss Cow Town, Zona and Barb Wire amid lots of folks that have been in involved there at Cowtown.. My first time shooting there at Cowtown was 1989.   Joined SASS in 1988 and I have now reached the point that my Cowboy Shooting days are about coming to an end. Got some good friends involved over the years along with many of my family.  Lots of many great shoots thru out the years at Cow Town. See you all down the road somewhere in time.

 

And to Barbwire and family wishing you the very best.  Maybe another Cowtown coming down the road somewhere in time also.

 

JRJ and SP

Edited March 5 by Jackrabbit Joe #414

[Blackwater 53393]

This is truly a sad situation! Many ranges and thus many clubs are under a lot of stress due to things like urban sprawl, increasing costs for insurance and taxes, unfortunate legislation, and pressure from neighbors who have moved in, (knowing full well that there’s a gun range next door) demanding that the local government do something about the noise or the traffic or some other issue that was there and had been for years prior to their arrival!!

 

I hope that the owners of this range are able to continue operating. The fact that a great club is loosing its home and being dissolved is really sad, but more sad it the fact that, more and more, whole ranges are being forced to close, involuntarily, because of unfair increases in operating costs and because courts and municipalities lack the courage and common sense to tell some of these people that it was their choice to move there, knowing that those facilities were and had, for years before they arrived, been there!

 

Just once, I’d like to see a judge or magistrate tell some of these people that the range was there before they got there, they knew it was there when they bought their property, and they had no cause to ask that the range be shut down!!

 

 

[watab kid]

this is sad to hear , becoming all too common , 

 

at 70 she deserves the pass , id not want the burden im only 6 years older byt i wouldnt have wanted it six years ago , 

[Silvertip]

A GREAT club run by great people. They didn’t deserve to have it taken away. 

Thank you Barb and Zona

Silvertip and Red Marie

[Go West]

So sorry to hear it's closing. Thanks to Barb and Zona for their years of hard work and sweat. It's so sad to see a venue like this popular spot shut down. 

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

Sorry to hear this, cowtown was on my bucket list to shoot, wanted to get out there but the timing just never worked out. Rest and relax

Rafe

[T-Square]

My Condolences......

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Fire and Ice, an annual match held at Cow Town the weekend before EOT was always an important part of my overall EOT experience.  I will miss my annual trip to Cow Town.

 

 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

14 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Just once, I’d like to see a judge or magistrate tell some of these people that the range was there before they got there, they knew it was there when they bought their property, and they had no cause to ask that the range be shut down!!

That happened several years ago in Sparta, Tennessee. There was a range on Fire Tower Rd. that had been there for several years. Someone bought the adjacent property and then tried to get the range shut down due to noise. The judge told them the range was there first and if they didn't know it, they should have.

 

Randy

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

I shot there a couple of times and had the pleasure of meeting Barb and Zona there and at the Tombstone match.  Nice folks.  Sorry to see Cowtown end.

 

Tex 

Edited March 5 by Tex Jones, SASS 2263

[Judah MacAbee SASS #64095 Life]

This is extremely sad news. I could see it coming after the "lead remediation" project by the range owners.

 

Aside from the fact that this is one of THE original SASS ranges, Barb and Zona are great people and this is the end of a multi decade labor of love.

Edited March 6 by Judah MacAbee SASS #64095 Life
grammar

[Kirk James]

Barb and Zona-Thank you for all the hard work, love and care you have given my family.  My kids and I are so grateful to the both of you.  God bless and keep in touch!

[Joe LaFives #5481]

That is sad news.  The History of CAS in Arizona began there.  I need to tell Larsen though that he forgot Rio Salado.  It is still alive.

[Colt Laredo]

Yes, we are still going strong at Rio Salado in Mesa. In fact, our match this month is already maxed out.

We can put on a fun and exciting match but we are limited in our shooter capacity.

 

Our club has a great bunch of dedicated members on the Board and volunteers that help run our matches.

However, with the new reality in the valley, in order to accommodate the huge increase in shooters, we will need more people to step up and help set up stages.

 

My hope is that more valley shooters will step forward and help us.

This will allow us to keep more cowboys and cowgirls shooting all year long.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

2 hours ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

I need to tell Larsen though that he forgot Rio Salado.

I didn't forget it is just that it is half-way to New Mexico!🤭

[Flying W Ramrod]

3 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

I didn't forget it is just that it is half-way to New Mexico!🤭

Stop exaggerating, it's only a third of the way there.

[Earl Brasse, SASS #3562]

Many years of fun & friendship happened there thanks to Barbwire.

While the place may be gone to the Cowboys, the friendships & memories made there continue.

 

[PALADIN PETE 19585]

Enjoyed shooting at cow town from 2014 to 2026 it has been my pleasure and honor to know Barbwire and Zona all of these years,  helped after the flood,  and am sorry and feel a deep lost on seeing them leaving what has been to me a great experience.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Here's a suggestion for AZ shooters who valued Cow Town: nominate Barb Wire and Zona for the SASS Hall of Fame.  They easily qualify.  🤠

[Rustler, SASS #33316]

News of the World

 

SASS at Cowtown will rise from the ashes and continue as a shooting club. I met with Cowtown management today, and they are genuinely committed to keeping SASS going.

 

We reached a handshake agreement for the following plans:

 

Cowtown will be responsible for providing the shooting facility, scheduling, payments, steel, and liability insurance. We also discussed moving the Cowboy area to a larger section of the range and rebuilding the town.

 

The Cowboy community will provide the match labor (volunteers), with me as the “mentally challenged” Match Director.

 

Our plans are to continue offering CAS, WB, and expand to include Long Range Rifle (dust off your Sharps).

 

There is still a lot to be worked out, and they need to purchase targets, but Cowboy shooting at Cowtown will continue with a short hiatus.

 

Rustler

 

BTW: I need a new club name —

[Colt Walker 45]

Rustler, I hope it works out good luck, hate to see a cowboy shooting club gone. With the cowtown mgmt treatment of Barb and Zona  I will have to see  if I’m willing to continue to support them. For years the cowtown cowboy shooters were the backbone of that site, with Barb and Zona putting in hrs free to make it work. Instead of working with them, to the benefit of all us shooters, it would appear that they proposed a new lease and agreement to run the club out of their range. That type of mgmt treatment of long time customers just rubs me wrong. Like I said good luck with your endeavor.