Cowboy boolits and such

[Sprue]

Okay can someone please school me on Cowboy reloading accessories ie: Molds, dies etc. you name it ??

Tks in advance

[btroj]

They are the same as regular reloading supplies. The moulds are generally for a very light for caliber rnfp style bullet.
Get a Lyman manual, it will tell you all you need to know.

[Calamity Jake]

RCBS makes specialty loading dies for CAS them come with expander set up for cast boolits but an "M" die works just as good an is cheeper when used with standard dies.
As btroj says, boolits used are light for caliber and are RN, RNFP or TC for fast lever gun operation although some LGs will feed SWCs.
Most shooters load fast powder and light FPS loads(under 800 FPS) in hand guns.

[Irascible]

Suggestions; If you don't have the guns yet, buy ones that handle straight wall cartridges. You will shoot a lot of ammo and lubing the cases really slows you down. Get carbide sizing dies for those straight wall cases. The RCBS "cowboy" dies are better sized for cast bullets, so those are the ones to buy. 38-40 and 44-40 are romantic, but slow to load. 45 Colts are romantic, but with the light loads, your rifle will blow a lot of grit back into the action and your face. 357 revolverss firing 38 special and 45 Colt revolvers firing Schofield cartridges are what most have gone to. The new 45 Cowboy cartridges are also being used. These are specially made for Adirondack Jack and are 45 Colt cartridges the length of a 45 ACP. Low recoiling pistols are what you need to be competitive. If you are just out to have fun, shoot whatever turns you on. You won't be alone.
For moulds, Lyman, RCBS and Saeco all make light for caliber "Cowboy" moulds. They are all good. Light as in 200gr 44 and 45 and 125/140gr 38 special.
Again, if you don't have the rifle yet, buy an 1866 or 1873 copy. Marlins work, MOST of the time, but do jam at the most inoppertune time. The Marlins do work best with the proper length cartridges for which the rifle was designed. That is 357mag in a 357 mag rifle, 44 mag in a 44 mag rifle, etc. The 66 and 73 models DO HAVE TO USE the proper cartridge unless modified.

[cajun shooter]

Not all shooters in SASS use the MOUSE FART loads. If you want to see what is going on the best way is to go to a few matches. I don't agree with all of the posting by Irascible as I find much of the posting to have different results for me.The loading of the 44-40 has been done by me for quite some time and I have not found it to be any different than any others that I have loaded since 1969. It's a wife's tale that keeps being repeated without proof to back it up. I don't know how many matches he has shot in but I average 3 a month for the past 3 1/2 years plus State and Regional. The Marlin is a good rifle but it has a big negative if you shoot any caliber other than 38 spl. 38spl brass is very cheap to buy and may be replaced for a few dollars. The reason I am saying this is that the Marlin is designed to throw it's brass to the front right of the shooter. All the hulls are thrown past the firing line and you can't retrieve them. I have seen people shoot 10 rounds and receive no brass back. My 44 WCF's cost any where from .20 to .35 each depending on brand. The 66 & 73 rifles are the fastest to shoot because of design but will cost $1500 compared to a $500 model 92 Winchester. The sport of SASS can be what you want it to be. I choose to shoot the same powder and strength of the rounds used in the 1800's and only use full cases of REAL BLACK POWDER. NO FAKE SUBS OR SMOKELESS. You may even choose to shoot Frontiersman class which is the hardest of all. You have to shoot Cap& Ball revolvers and a hammer shotgun. Take your time in choosing your class and the guns that you buy. If you go on the SASS wire you will always see where pards are changing classes and selling out to buy other guns. Try to find some one near you that may become a mentor and help you along. If you buy all the recommended guns at first you will spend $5000 for guns and clothes. You can enjoy the sport much cheaper by taking your time to buy. If I may be of any further help please contact me. David AKA Cajun Shooter AKA Fairshake 81802 RO 2 Frontier Cartridge class

[DJ1]

for CAS shooting I use "RNFP" molds, srtaight WW with about 1% tin added and I try to stay around 650-700 fps. I have no specific recipie's to share as I shoot various calibers and am still experimenting with powders but I am finding I like to use Clays more for CAS. I'd be happy to talk more off line.

DJ1

[fredj338]

You can be competative w/ decent ammo in CAS matches. I have won my share against the guys shooting bunnyfart 38sp, shooting my 200gr/750fps 45colt loads. It always comes down to the shooter.
You don't need any special dies, all dies will service lead bullets. The molds should be a RNFP for best use in rifle & handgun. That is really all you need for CAS; good carbide dies, RNFP bullet shape. Powders will run on the fast side. I have been happy using RedDot for years, but others work.

[lbaize3]

My wife and I shoot CAS to enjoy the fellowship of good people and to dress up like our forefathers did. I admit that the real gamers shoot light loads and focus on speed. Not all of us do. Like others have mentioned, I shoot full loads but not with blackpowder. I have several reasons for the full loads. I keep a good supply of ammo on hand and the light CAS loads have limited use outside of a CAS competition. If you need to take out a Zombie, which would you use... a full house 45 Colt with a 250 grain bullet or one of the lite loads with a 200 grain, or lighter? In addition, practice with the full loads builds good speed and accuracy.

About the only thing I can add is that the straight walled cases, especially the 45 Colt, do not expand enough to seal the chamber when firing the very light loads. This gets a lot of carbon build up in the action and chamber. Lighting rifle replicas are very sensitive to this buildup.

But the neatest thing is the aliases that we adopt and use at the meets. Mine is Jalapeno Slim (and slim I am not), my wife's is Slim's Filly, the son's is Chaseum Grizzly. Other names are equally neat like Missedum Again, Cajun Queen, Possum, Gumbo Bandit, etc...

You will enjoy yourself!

[Walter Laich]

Some settle on the same load for the rifle and pistol--I have different loads for each--hard to shoot full-load pistols with RA