Cowboy Action guys, a random thought...

[swingset]

I'll have to go to a SASS event and see what's what. I agree it looks like a great organization and ANYTHING that gets a pass from the sheeple is good for all of us. I was just ruminating on the perceptions we have about guns, and those who gravitate towards a particular style of shooting.

I doubt I'd be a SASS or CAS shooter tho....just not my thing. To quote Bill Murray from Groundhog Day, "She's fun, just not my kinda fun".

 

[Tom C.]

In addition to CAS being all around fun, it is a great way for women to become involved in shooting sports in a non-intimidating way. My wife always felt intimidated shooting IPSC, so she didn't do it much. She has a good time with CAS. She is becoming pretty good, more familiar with guns in general and more confident. She also like the dress-up and social aspects.

 

[BuckeyePPC]

Tumbleweeds Woolery here SASS# 54635. I joined just last year and if the earlier posts are correct, membership has just about doubled in a little over a year. Great media coverage including Michael's excellant show really helps. I'm lucky to shoot in Tombstone and love going into town in my cowboy attire and find others dressed the same way. During Helldorado Days, there are so many dressed in all their cowboy finery with their guns, it's just an incredible sight. So many tourists smiling at the friendly cowboys and cowgirls.

 

[stellarpod]

Hard to add to what's already been said.

The "warm fuzzy", non-threatening image of the All-American Cowboy is what lures people to CAS. But, it is the genuine friendliness and fellowship that hooks people in tight.

The single downside to CAS is the price of entry. Two six-shooters, a levergun chambered for pistol calibers (leave your thuty-thuty at home - it's not allowed), shotgun and even minimal leather necessary to carry your shooting irons is going to cost a pretty penny. BUT, I promise that if you make an appearance and show even a slight interest in shooting, someone is going to offer to loan you the equipment or supplement yours as necessary. This is the difference between CAS and other shooting sports. It is the "golden rule" come alive.

How many of us have been to IPSC or even skeet events where there were muffled snickers when somebody's gun broke? "One less competitor to worry about, he-he-he...". Break a gun at a CAS match and I PROMISE that you'll be swarmed by other shooters offering to let you borrow their guns to finish the match. Because, for most of us, winning is the furthest thing from our mind. A friendly environment where people enjoy the history, the shooting, the equipment, the fantasy and each other. THAT'S what it's really about.

Don't get me wrong. There are certainly those who take it seriously. But, in my experience (I've been shooting CAS here in OKC for about 3 years), the vast majority are just having a grand time, challenging themselves to do better, but not getting their shorts in a wad if they don't.

Dress up to the hilt or just enough to get by, it doesn't matter. Just come join us. I'm betting you'll be back!

stellarpod
aka Q.T. McNeil
SASS 45698

 

[Old NFO]

Griz has an excellent point. A guy dressed up like Roy Rogers does not scare the average person, even with a pair of Colt .45's on his hips. However, take the same guy, dress him in black with a different Colt .45 in a tactial thigh rig, and he will scare the h*** out of most people. Why? Images from movies and television have made most cowboys out to be "good guys." The man in black has been portraid as a psycho on the edge of going "postal", or a militia type wanting to verthrow the government, or a survivalist nut-job.

I think Cas and Griz hit the nail on the head... Us old farts grew up playing cowboys and indians; everybody accepted it, and those are the "heroes" we still see on TV- Also, many people have for years been reenactors portraying both western and civil war people in various locations throughout the US.

On the other hand, IDPA, IPSC, Bullseye, Bianchi, etc. have had very little coverage outside the shooting community, cater primarily to current/ex-military/LE and realistically are MUCH more competitive and less social than SASS. The weapons we use also tend to play into the anit's sensabilities along with the fact that we shoot at "people" targets...

Having said that, if I had the extra time and money, I would love to also shoot SASS !

 

[Justin]

I promise that if you make an appearance and show even a slight interest in shooting, someone is going to offer to loan you the equipment or supplement yours as necessary. This is the difference between CAS and other shooting sports. It is the "golden rule" come alive.

Honestly, this mirrors my own experience in the worlds of both High Power and Bullseye pistol shooting. It has been my general experience that the gun culture is easily one of the kindest and most generous groups going.

 

[Gunpacker]

Cowboy Action Shooting

One thing you should notice in nearly every comment regarding CAS. Everyone mentioned the word "fun". That is the real key to CAS IMO. The sport is geared to give everyone a good time. Targets are set so that most anyone can hit them, but some can do it faster. Not many get heated up about winning, but almost anyone can take pride in not missing a target, "shooting clean". The ones that have fun are the folks that lose mainly, since the gamers that want to be fastest in the world are always unhappy about a second lost, finishing second, or not being fast enough to win the world championship. Gamers (a tiny minority) shoot pipsqueak loads so they don't have recoil to slow them. Fun seeking folks usually shoot "real" cowboy loads, in .45 Long Colt, or 44/40. They like real cowboy guns and don't worry about beating the tight a**ed gamers. They talk, laugh and have a good time at the match, with comraderie being as important as shooting. How many other competitions can say that. In most, if you don't win you're only wondering how you can do well enough to win. You are a gamer in those sports. CAS opens up a world to another group, that is larger, those seeking fun. Many shoot black powder loads that obscure vision, leading to even slower shooting because it is fun. (and interesting). CAS is growing, has great appeal, and other sports are equipment races with guns unsuited to real life use or are dedicated to life/death simulation. Women LOVE the dress up aspect, and my wife likes that as much as the shooting as many do. If you like to have fun when you shoot, CAS may be your game. Everyone goes home feeling good, having had a lot of laughs. The matches are designed to make you laugh. Even "losers" are winners when they have a great time.

 

[Correia]

stellerpod, I've got to disagree with you on the loaner stuff. IDPA/IPSC and 3gun are just as friendly when it comes out to lending equipment. I've lent out plenty of guns to new shooters. And the only time I've ever had a major equipment failure I was lent a rifle immediatly. Same goes for anybody else in my club that I'm aware of. We are not jerks.

I've never done CAS. To many booked weekends already, but it looks like fun. Nice bunch of folks who do nothing but good for our image.

 

[stellarpod]

Correia:

I'm sincerely glad to hear that your matches are more friendly and laid back. I suppose it's inappropriate for me to broadbrush any shooting discipline based upon my limited exposure. And I would be the last to call you or any of your shooting cronies "jerks".

I'm just recounting some of my past experiences and observations.

At any rate, my intention is to illustrate that CAS is more about fellowship than cut-throat competition. My apologies if I offended any participants of the other disciplines.

stellarpod