[notbubba]

Is a Winchester 94AE legal for Cowboy Action?
Is it SASS ok?

It's what I got, I'd like to not have to buy a new one.

[Piney Woods]

From the SASS SHooters Handbook, Ver 12, March 2006:

RIFLE REQUIREMENTS
Rifles or carbines used in the main and team matches must be original or replicas of lever or slide action rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899, incorporating a tubular magazine and exposed hammer. Rifles with box magazines may not be used. Certain shooting categories require a specific type of rifle and ammunition to be used. Please see the shooting categories for further information
RIFLE CALIBERS
• Must be centerfire of at least .32 caliber and not larger than .45 caliber.
• Must be in a caliber commonly available in revolvers. (Examples include, but are not limited to, .32-20, .32 Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .38-40, .44-40, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.) The only allowed exceptions are the .25-20 and .56-50. No rifle calibers such as .30-30 or .38-55 are allowed.

If your 94AE is in a pistol caliber, then it's fine for SASS.

[shep madera]

Also, if the event is conducting a long range match, then one's caliber choice can be expanded to include the .30-30 types. Such calibers are NOT permissable in the Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette event, however. For the Cowboy Lever Action Sihouette event (long range), the NRA rules, page 8-9, state: "Any lever action center file rifle 25 caliber or larger with a tubular magazine of original manufacture or replica thereof."

Additionally, it's tradition with some cowboy action groups to restrict the field to calibers developed in the year 1900 or before. Any caliber is permissable for long range events as long as it meets NRA's tube, lever action, and 25 rules, and to be safe, one might want ensure his choice met the year 1900 rule. Therefore, the .25-35 and the .25-20 would admitted as both were developed in the mid-1890s whereas the .250-3000 would not as it came on the scene after 1900 and is not commonly chambered for tubular magazine rifles.

Additionally, a rimmed case loaded with a round or flat nosed bullet must be used. NRA also states in black and white that an exception is made for the 35 Remington, but some would deny the 32 Winchester Special as it does not meet the year 1900 or before rule. This provision/restriction has always puzzled me, as the .32WS is a rimmed case, yet is disallowed by the 1900 rule. You might find a local variation on this, an arguable point in the minds of some. Lever action models 95 and 99 Savages are out as is the Winchester 95, of course, because of the tube rule and may be chambered for rimless cases such as the .250 and .300 Savage.

Remember, Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette is conducted at the NRA's Long-Range Pistol distances of 50-100-150-200 meters. (Not NRA's designation of Hunter's Pistol where the ranges are 40-50-75-100 meters and confined to pistol calibers including the 25-20.)

I don't know of many pistols/revolvers commonly chambered in .25-20 but apparently it's all right here or an exception was made. The .22 Magnum and the .22 long rifle are also allowed in the short range game, states the NRA, as long as the lever action, tubular magazine rule is met apparently. Here again, check with the officials running the show, as some groups and events allow pump action rifles with tubular magazines (e. g. Winchester's model 1890 and model 62) and even semi-auto (e. g. Winchester model 63) rifles.

Others ban such. Some would object to a pump action, tubular-fed rifle that did not have a visible hammer, such as those hammerless types produced by Remington or Savage, for example. The NRA states "lever action" whereas some groups would admit Colt's Lightning rifles and its replicas as such meet the tubular rule, have the visible hammer, and more than likely appear in pre-1900 chamberings.

In his fine book, Cowboy Action Silhouette Rifle, Charles Stephens suggests suitable loads for the .30-30, 35 Remington, 375 Winchester, .32-40, and the .38-55 on page 34. We're talking about the long range events now. He also mentions such powerhouses as the 444 Marlin and the .45-70 as admissable for those wanting more bang out there. Stephens also suggests the 45 Colt and the .357 magnum calibers as minimum for the Long Range events, though the .44 magnum makes his cut. Again, some groups or events object to any rounds developed after 1900.

Stephens also states on page three of his work that the .218 Bee is allowed though I understand some groups object to this round as was not developed until well after 1900; some say it's been banned at their ranges because of damage it does to the Pistol Range targets. If I had a Browning 65 in .218 Bee, I might be denied entry, I guess, at some events and ranges.:what:

Another consideration: some events allow only cast and non gas-checked bullets. No jacketed stuff. Best advice: get someone who runs the show to read you the rules on what variations their event or club allows before you show up. No sense in suffering the embarrassment of being disqualified at the outset. :o Some purists don't want to see receiver sights or ghost ring apertures and do not welcome recent innovations such as crossbolt and tang safeties as such violate their strict adherence to 1900 or before rules governing equipment. Even your angle eject 94 may be suspect with some. Check first and get an authoritative answer.:banghead: What a game!