Any SASS or Single Action Shooting Society participances here?

[dverna]

What surprises me is people blame the "gamers" for taking the "fun" out of shooting sports. My take is people either tire of a sport or they realize they are not very good and stop participating. I suppose we could adopt the rules they have for little kids sports and not keep score. But people are not wired that way.

When I shot Bullseye in the Dark Ages, the "gamers" shot Long Slide Clarks and then .32 Walther GSP's. That is as far back as I go...LOL

Any competitive shooting will have "gamers". A "gamer" is anyone who outshoots you and is using better equipment than you have. In my experience, that "gamer" will take your equipment and outscore you. But if you use his equipment, you do not score much better. That is what makes the "gamer" so despised. He is just better and his skill allows him to shoot even better with better equipment. So, people blame the gamer instead of their ability or just getting bored of something.

SASS is cheap in terms of gamer guns. When I was into it, I could afford the best. A pair of tuned Colt SAA's back then were $3000, a tuned 1873 was $1500 and a modified SxS was $500. $5000 for the best equipment. I had a holster rig that cost $400. Shooting the best loads was cheap as I reloaded mouse fart .38's and low recoil 12 ga....about $4/box...less than $15 to shoot a one day match.

But you do not need the best guns to have fun...only to win against other gamers IF you have the skill.

I do not agree 100% with the post from Outpost. At least as it relates to why SASS stopped being fun. For me it was the lack of trigger time and the long delays between stages. No way CAS can address those issues but for most folks 150 rounds a day is enough shooting and some folks do not mind spending a full day to do it. IMO what has reduced the fun of CAS for many is the result of pandering to mediocrity. Targets got larger and closer. People wanted to shoot "clean" stages and matches. And some thought that larger and closer targets would let them shoot faster and be more competitive with the gamers. Ain't going to happen!!

I once shot with a guy who could put ten rounds on target with a lever action in under 3 seconds. And 10 rounds with two pistols drawn from the holsters in 3 seconds. That is what a skilled gamer can do. My equipment was every bit as good, and I was twice as slow on a good day. I could call him a gamer, get ticked off and stop shooing or accept he was more skilled, and I would never get that good.

To the OP, do not let talk about gamers dissuade you. Unless you want to just plink and have fun, every shooting sport will have gamers. You will find gamers even at the club level. Just go shoot and have fun.

[Hootmix]

Gamer ??? Sounds like just showing up to play makes you a "Gamer", just my thoughts.

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[Walks]

the 1st EOT I went to was in 1987, shot My 1st match 3 months later. Only 1 revolver was used then. In 1989 the 2nd revolver was staged. After that it was wear 2 all the time. Targets got bigger and closer, bigger and closer, and Bigger and Closer. Shot gun changed from fun targets that could be missed to shoot until they were all down. The action part ended, and you just stepped a bit to the side. Guns were altered to gain any advantaged. There was a minimum power for knockdown revolver targets, that changed to sissy loads.
Yes the gamers ruined the sport. And the greedy wild bunch aided and abetted those gamers for all the $$$$. Until the Baby Boomers got too old or died off.

[Outer Rondacker]

I was not aware the targets where so close. I am being told 25 feet is the distance. Shooting does not start here until late April. Four shoots a year in this area.

[Shawlerbrook]

Always though it would be fun. I have heard that most of the Cowboy shoots are welcoming and helpful. I would stop in and meet some members, make some new friends and then pick their brains for ideas. And I agree, handgun buying and selling is a pain here behind the Blue curtain.

[Baltimoreed]

Watched the most recent EOT in Illinois [I think] and was amazed how close everything was. Ridiculous. I stopped attending a clubs monthly Wild Bunch match because everything was too close. I was consistently coming in second place shooting duelist. My club still places targets the distance that sass originally recommended. We have a small close crowd of 15+-, run two posses, one shooting-one working. We only have 1 or 2 clean shooters. We do a variety of things along with our monthly cas shoots, BAMM, Wild Bunch, double action pre 1916 and self loaders. The best I’ve ever done is 5th place in state and regional sass shoots. Nowadays I do it for fun.

[Froogal]

The NCOWs posse I belong to has pistol targets at approximately 10 yards up to maybe 30 yards, and rifle targets up to maybe 80 yards. Some are small enough to be a real challenge and others are large enough that if you miss, it is most likely your fault. You need only a single action revolver and a lever action rifle to participate. If desired, you can have 2 revolvers and even a pocket pistol, and there ARE targets for shotgun if you want to add that to your arsenal. Proper attire is required, but not necessary when you first start. Plenty of shooting also. You will want to bring at least 100 rounds.

[Baltimoreed]

I could get involved with ncows but don’t think there are any clubs on the coast.