Oh, the humanity! (Cowboy ready SKB SxS)

[Alvarez Kelly]

Alvarez,

As noted in an earlier post the SKB is the Cadillac or one of the Cadillac guns for SASS and the demand from the cowboy shooters has driven the price up. Then there's the cost of the gunsmith work to make it "Cowboy ready." I have recently sold several SKB "Cowboy guns," the least expensive was $1,325 the most expensive was $1,400. My personal SKB's (main match and back-up) would take more than that to buy either of them. They are SKB 200e Coin Finish. If you are waiting for the price to come down, you may be disappointed. The market seems to be drying up since most of what's available on Gunbroker are 20 guages. If you have been looking at SKB's then this is not news to you.

Yep. Not news to me. But I'm still looking. You never know.

I have a cowboyed up double trigger Stoeger SxS I use sometimes, but I really like my slicked up '97 clone. Never could get consistent with my lever action '93.

[RPRNY]

An appalling end to four perfectly good guns sacrificed to big bellied chaps into cosplay...

[oneMOA]

Pretty fast all right. Best I've done is the mid 14 second range. And I'm not considered fast.

Ive been looking for a reasonably priced SKB 12 gauge for at least 4 years. I'm still looking.

Alvarez,
Fourteen seconds is awesome time! You are obviously not an Old F**t, if you are, my hats off to you Pard. Times like that are only in my dreams, I'm afraid. I can, on occasion do a 19 second stage (24 round) but I'm afraid that about all I can muster ( I have good equipment, it's the old tired bones). My Grandson can do better and make it look easy......he's 23 yrs old with good vision and great hand/eye coordination, but that's another discussion.

[oneMOA]

An appalling end to four perfectly good guns sacrificed to big bellied chaps into cosplay...

I Reckon so!

[Col4570]

Is the competition for modern day Cowboy action Shooting.I have Just won a Silver Medal at the MLAGB National Black Powder Clay Shooting Championships.This was the Hammergun Comp using Black powder cartridges only.I used a John Fry of Derby Hammergun Circa 1895.2 1/2 drams Black Powder and 1 1oz no7 shot.I entered the Double Percussion comp but was Mr average.In the Flintlock comp I was useless.The Hammergun comp,ended in a shoot off between two of us and I was pipped at the post for Gold by one dropped clay.

[oneMOA]

Is the competition for modern day Cowboy action Shooting.I have Just won a Silver Medal at the MLAGB National Black Powder Clay Shooting Championships.This was the Hammergun Comp using Black powder cartridges only.I used a John Fry of Derby Hammergun Circa 1895.2 1/2 drams Black Powder and 1 1oz no7 shot.I entered the Double Percussion comp but was Mr average.In the Flintlock comp I was useless.The Hammergun comp,ended in a shoot off between two of us and I was pipped at the post for Gold by one dropped clay.

And there you have it! When men get together there is talk of competition. When women get together, they make tea in the parlor.

[fatelk]

Competitiveness is in the genes, I suppose. Whether it's shooting sports, athletics, cars, boats, golf, collecting, whatever; some folks are just driven to try their danged-est to be better than the rest. They put in the time and money for lots of practice and top dollar gear at whatever they do. I've known guys that drop many thousands of dollars into whatever hobby they happen to be into at the time, then move on to the next big thing in a year or two.

Others among us though, just aren't too competitive, either anymore or simply never were. We're content to have fun at a lower level of intensity. Often the two camps have a hard time understanding each other.

To each their own.

[ohland]

So ohland, are you willing to shoot the whole cowboy match with Blackpowder guns? Rifle, both pistols and shotgun?

I am not near reloading with black quite yet. All this stuff about compression and whatnot. But the T/C is a break open, therefor easier to clean. The Marlin 336 does whisper to me, but I'm not sure if cleaning a lever action is all that much fun.

Depends on my progress along the plumbous brick road (if I was near one, it would get rapidly smaller!) on whether I cast for a revolver. In this case, a 1858 Rem replica with a 45LC conversion cylinder (IIRC). Shotgun? Maybe slugs, the Paradox concept always fascinated me.

Not sure I'll ever shoot Cowboy Action. Run my Brittany Spaniel, hunt Doves, Woodcock, Pheasants... Sit and freeze during WI deer season (so COLD that I wasn't going to shoot one unless it attacked me!). Cast boolits. Load shells. Shoot somewhat in the direction of the target.

[Geraldo]

I'm not down on competition as long as everybody remembers it's not reality. The tactical 3 gun matches I shot had equipment rules and you might have crawled through mud, but shooting twenty hostiles in a stage isn't any more real than CAS.

[JTeale]

ohland,

You need to keep in mind that SASS shooters actually believe that they are "members" of an organization, rather than customers, and that their games really do reflect a historical reality.

[ohland]

Sad but true. The Cowboy range down here does a pretty good business on shoot days. Hmm, a Gatling was period. Wonder what the free recoil of a 45-70 six barrel would be... Hey, they had electric lights and motors before 1900, didn't they? Whomp up a wet-cell motor driven can of whoop-buttocks. Have to leave it tripod mounted... Hey, I remember camel-mounted Maxims.... Not that I was present when they were in service...

Ahh-nold at the CAS range... Brrr-t. Top stage winner every time.

[KCSO]

Make the gun look authentic???? Sure every old timer went to the hardware store and said hey I don't want that shiny blue one give me that rusted up piece of ... I refuse to do an aged??? muzzleloader you want it aged use it for 30 years!

There is a place in Dante's basement for the fellow who did this to and SKB.

[Lance Boyle]

I chuckle at the purposely aged guns. Do you think the guys that bought them new in 1878 to 1900 stripped all the finish off in use. I doubt it, that wear and tear took a lot more time and use than that. Look at your own 20-30 year old guns, even the guns that walked the beat on the streets in the 1950-1970's usually didn't look all that bad. A little cylinder and muzzle blueing wear.

I wouldn't mind shooting the cowboy game once or twice for kicks but I'd hardly bother to go out and buy a wardrobe. I don't even own a single action revolver anymore, sold both of them. I did enjoy shooting a Ruger Old Army, that thing was hell on playing cards at 25 paces. One gun I couldn't seem to miss with.

[Alvarez Kelly]

I shot my first few cowboy matches in blue jeans, a button up shirt, work boots, and a $5 straw hat. Lack of wardrobe is not much of an excuse.

I have never had so much FUN! It takes days for that big grin to leave my face.

I have also never seen anyone "age" their guns. I'm sure it happens, but most all the folks I have met take very good care of their hardware.

There have been plenty of posts here that have been laughably ignorant of the facts. Come out and have fun. Or not.

[Janoosh]

I've read that there are two different schools of thought when shooting
CAS. One shoots full loads of black powder, the same loads originally used in the 1800's and the other reduced loads of smokeless. It is easy to shoot a non recoiling firearm.

[WILCO]

Folks that don't shoot Cowboy Action simply don't get it.

That's true. I'm fortunate though. I'm not in the game and I still get it.

[John Barleycorn]

ohland,

You need to keep in mind that SASS shooters actually believe that they are "members" of an organization, rather than customers, and that their games really do reflect a historical reality.

That's simply not the case. The vast majority understand SASS is a for profit company that is selling "entertainment". SASS is currently in the exploration stages of becoming a Non-profit organization. It may or may not work out.

[John Barleycorn]

I've read that there are two different schools of thought when shooting
CAS. One shoots full loads of black powder, the same loads originally used in the 1800's and the other reduced loads of smokeless. It is easy to shoot a non recoiling firearm.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation out there about what Cowboy Action is. Yes, there are the "warthogs" these are purist that shoot a full case if the holy black out of period firearms, but there are those that don't.
There are the gents that just enjoy a day at the range playing a fantasy game with real guns, lead bullets and being with friends.
There are the top 5% that are born competitive and are dead serious about shooting a fast stage. Some call these gents "gamers"
Below them are the next 5% these are the cowboys that on any given day can beat one of the top shooters and they strive to do so. Pushing the very limit of their skills to catch those gifted few. Often as in my case these very shooters they strive to beat are in fact their mentors, who have helped them along the way.
Im not the first to say it but Cowboy Action is The Most FUN can have with your clothes on and shooting.
Come out and join us I'm sure there is a club near by that would love to see a new shooter.

[John Barleycorn]

Check out the fun.
http://logansferrysaloon.smfforfree....pic,339.0.html

Even had a Wild Bunch and Zoot Shooter with us that day.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I think you are very hard on people who pick up some mud and bulge or burst their muzzles.