[iamkris]

Well it's been a month and I'm finally getting around to writing about this. Back in September, my local Cowboy Action Shooting club sponsored the 1st Annual Cops vs Cowboys shoot. It was a miserable day (stormy) but we still had 6 teams of cops and cowboys out to shoot.

The rules were simple: similar stages to cowboy shooting but limited to pistol and shotgun (no carbine this time). Cowboys shoot single action pistols and shotguns with designs prior to 1897. Cops shoot duty sidearms and shotguns. Everyone loads 5 round per pistol or mag and stoke the shotguns with no more than 2 rounds at a time. Shoot 5 stages with metal plates in a certain order (e.g., engage 1 set of targets left-center-right-center-center, 2nd set sweep right to left twice), low time wins, each miss costs you 5 seconds. We had one full reload and one tactical reload in the course.

The result? The cops had a great time. Everyone was hooting and hollering, trash talking, clapping for a good run and generally getting along great. They said they'll be back next year. The entry fees went to children's charities (a scholarship fund and a foundation giving special experiences to terminally ill kids).

The one interesting part...we cowboys, even with our "ancient" guns...smoked the cops. They were reasonably good with their pistols but their long gun handling was abysmal. Fumbled reloads, shotguns that didn't work, etc, etc. It would have opened my eyes to see that I needed to be more proficient with my duty weapons.

I highly encourage everyone to try to sponsor something like this. It was great public relations and I think we showed the cops that we're on their side. They even stuck around afterwards to give our guns a try. Here's our website...click on Cops vs Cowboys for scores and more info. http://www.bristolcowboyaction.com/

[Mark Tyson]

I think we showed the cops that we're on their side.

Bingo. Good community - police relations are a worthwhile pursuit, and if you can have a lot of fun in the process that's great. Good job!

[Pilgrim]

The one interesting part...we cowboys, even with our "ancient" guns...smoked the cops. They were reasonably good with their pistols but their long gun handling was abysmal. Fumbled reloads, shotguns that didn't work, etc, etc. It would have opened my eyes to see that I needed to be more proficient with my duty weapons.

Not surprising. Even my department's training emphasized proficiency with pistols at the expense of proficiency with the shotgun and the carbine.

Pilgrim

[444]

Sounds like a lot of fun and a great excuse to hold a match. Would like to see something like that done in every American community.

[gunsmith]

Great idea,why not IPSC,IDPA matches as well.

[rayra]

What a fantastic idea (and worthy cause).

[J Miller]

iamkris,

What part of IL did this take part in? I'm in IL and darn it, I didn't hear about this at all till now. That would have been a blast to watch. I don't have the equipment for cas, but I would have rooted for somebody.

[Standing Wolf]

...we cowboys, even with our "ancient" guns...smoked the cops.

Yep. The sportmen's bullseye pistol team I was on years ago did reasonably well against other sportsmen's teams. We always beat the police and sheriff's department teams. The prison guards' team almost always beat everyone else.

[Dave R]

The prison guards' team almost always beat everyone else.

That'swhere Dave McC (Shotgun forum mod) got his training, right? If he'd been shooting with the Cops, they may have done better.

Great event! Great idea!

[C.R.Sam]

Sounds like twas a super fun time, whichever side one was on.

Sam

[iamkris]

J Miller --

I live in the northern (spit!) Chicago (spit) suburbs (spit) but shoot with a club just over the border in Bristol, Wisconsin. Lots of us flatlander refugees go up there to shoot.

[HABU]

My club sponsors a similar event in IPSC, IIRC its called the Courage Classic. This years event is this weekend and I will be hunting with my son, oh well.

[TheeBadOne]

It's heart warming to hear of great events like this.
Not surprising. Even my department's training emphasized proficiency with pistols at the expense of proficiency with the shotgun and the carbine.
I agree with you. After doing some searching I think that a few things became obvious. Law Enforcement agencies are fixated on the handgun. This appears to be caused by several things.

1) Most depts don't have long guns, other than shotguns.

2) Those shotguns tend to be cylinder bore short barrel shotguns without slings. (can't sling it, don't want to take it and have to put it down)

3) The majority of calls are of unknown threat. Thus, when the SHTF the Officer is armed with his sidearm. If a threat is known ahead of time, long arms are taken. Walking around wth longarms all the time results in two things
a) Normal citizens freaking out
b) Uncomfortable carry
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LEO's in my area are pretty cool and many frequent most of the gun ranges. Some of the best pistol shooters I've run across are Game Wardens. I guess being deep in the woods w/o backup has inspired some to take their firearms seriously!

[Penman]

Great event, congratulations! Good PR and a nice way to get to know the local police. I was in a gun club which got together with a muzzleloading club for a mixed event. Two shooter teams, with one muzzleloading rifle and one cartridge handgun shot a series of stages with each shooter firing both weapons.

[LeonCarr]

Our local DA puts on a law enforcement pistol match every year, with the proceeds going to benefit crime victims in the county. The Game Wardens cleaned everybody's clock this year...they were smokin :).

Just my .02,
LeonCarr