Cowboy Action Shooting??

[Love Life]

Good thread. I have been thinking of jumping into the game as well. I never really looked at the 44-40, but may give it a harder look now. If you don't have a USFA yet you better jump on gunbroker and snatch one up because the prices have just been going up, up , up. As a matter of fact I talked to a man who can get a new from the custom shop Colt in 357 magnum cheaper than used USFA SAA revolvers have been going for on Gunbroker. The rodeo model is a good bit cheaper though.

[cajun shooter]

There is not one bit of difference between a Rodeo and the Supreme model other than finish.
I have owned both and used both in SASS matches. The Supreme models were all sent to Turnbull for his magic touch and that added $300 to the price of the gun. The fitting of all parts was the very same and used in both models. The Rodeo with it's flat matte finish was much cheaper to produce.
If you used a little fine oil and a rub down with oooo steel wool, you created a revolver that appeared to be one that had seen many days of use on the trail.
The owner of USFA was known as being very eccentric, just ask Jim Finch(Long Hunter). He only offered the Rodeo in 45 Colt and 38 Spl. as he thought if offered in all calibers, it would take away from his Premium sales.
Jim tried for about 6 months to have me a pair made up in 44WCF to no avail. I was shooting a pair of 45 Colt Premiums in SASS at that time. Finally one day he called me and said that my guns would be made but the owner(Gary) said they would be a extra $100 per revolver. I agreed and my 44WCF USFAS bear only 3 number serial numbers. Later David

[Love Life]

Thank you for the insight into the USFA David.

Yes Sir the Rodeo and the SAA USFA are the same, just different finish. I remember years back looking at a set sequential SN rodeos in 38 special. At the time I had no use for them so walked away. I am kicking myself in the backside now. I just wasn't drawn to the matte finish even though I know it is very functional. I like a gun with nice bluing.

Fast forward a couple years and now I want to try CAS, so earlier this year I bought one of the Turnbull USFA with the light engraving on the cylinder. I want another, but they are unobtanium or priced much higher than what I paid for mine. Rumormill says USFA may start back to making the SAA in 2014, but I have no way to verify that and more than likely is wishful thinking on the part of the people who have stated the rumor.

So I'll probably look into getting a Colt in 357 since it is cheaper than a blued and case hardened USFA. Odd huh?

If using black powder in these firearms what is the cleaning regimen like? Do you have to completely disassemble the firearm and clean the innards as well?

[RMulhern]

Rick you need to come up north for a while so you dont see the grass yet to cure the boredom

Kurt

Knowing how much you and I both shoot BPCR throughout each year, maybe you could find the time to go shoot this silly game of CASS but I'm not interested. When I do all the things that have to be done toward prepping brass, loading, casting, cutting/rolling patches, etc. there just isn't any time left for nothing but my game! I've watched some of these shoots and frankly what I've seen doesn't impress me with folks shooting pipsqueak loads at target distances my ten year old grandson could hit with no problem! For those that love it.....more power to 'em but in my eye.....it's a social/dress event waiting for a shooting match to happen!

[Lead pot]

Rick.

They have a monthly shoot on our range and I was invited to join in one morning and I shot at two of the stations and moving around the corner of one berm to the next had a broom stick with a horse head between there legs saying giddy up horse that was enough for the morning for me and it was the last time I shot a wanna be shoot.

[RMulhern]

Rick.

They have a monthly shoot on our range and I was invited to join in one morning and I shot at two of the stations and moving around the corner of one berm to the next had a broom stick with a horse head between there legs saying giddy up horse that was enough for the morning for me and it was the last time I shot a wanna be shoot.

"had a broom stick with a horse head between there legs saying giddy up horse that was enough for the morning for me and it was the last time I shot a wanna be shoot."

EXACTLY....what I was talking about!! I got all that out of my system when Dad bought me my first Roy Rogers gun belt with twin holsters at 5 years of age!! I wouldn't get caught doing that after the consumption of two fifths of FAMOUS GROUSE!!!

[Mike Brooks]

I shot SASS for 3 years. Always placed last or second to last. If the sport had anything to do with accuracy I might consider going back to it. I was beat one day by a kid that had 32 misses. I guess I needed to learn to miss faster.

[Lead pot]

Hey!! they're having fun, so what the hey!! it's just not my thing to do.

[oldred]

:EDIT: Seth is right! My apologies for getting off the the topic.

[joec]

I shot SASS for 3 years. Always placed last or second to last. If the sport had anything to do with accuracy I might consider going back to it. I was beat one day by a kid that had 32 misses. I guess I needed to learn to miss faster.

Well Mike SASS is about speed not accuracy. Now I shoot in NCOWS which is more about accuracy than speed as a miss counts time off your score and quick draw doesn't add anything other than perhaps get you disqualified. Oh and our pistol targets are smaller (about 8" square) and 20 or so yards away not 7 yards. Rifles are 50+ yards and just a bit bigger than the pistol but not much. Often the winners are those that don't miss not the fastest as I said earlier miss real time off your score.

[Seth Hawkins]

The OP asked for advice on guns for CAS, not about CAS itself. Why hit him with all these negative posts? Let the person determine for themselves if they want to get involved in CAS. Offering advice like going to a match and trying it first is a good idea.

CAS isn't for everyone. And it's changed a lot over the years. But I think posts like this fall under the category of "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

I mean no offense to those who gave their opinions - both good and bad. But I hope you'll agree this wasn't what the OP was looking for. It just seems that some of you are trying to talk the guy out of something he hasn't tried yet just because you don't like it.

[cajun shooter]

Rick, I respect you very much and I only wish I had the health to come and learn from you. I've always wanted to learn how to paper patch as I was completely taken in after reading one of your postings on the subject.
Now as far as SASS shooting goes, you and Lead Pot have it all wrong. I will not take the time to tell you about how the game is scored and it is true that some one with misses can and do beat others but it all goes to speed. If you are able to shoot fast and accurate, then you will win. It's that simple.
I've shot BP since 1970 but all my early years were with muzzle loaders such as the T/C 50 and 45 caliber rifles and C&B revolvers. Once I got into SASS and Frontier Cartridge class I was at home.
They have several different classes that you may shoot from and you are also able to switch at any time you please so you may try them all.
It seems to me in these times of such misinformed information being put out by the anti gun people and the news media that all shooters, regardless of which sport they choose should be behind your fellow shooters.
I know it would be hard for you to believe that they have tons of shooters that think shooting any BP gun at anything is pure stupidity. We know different and love those 1874 Sharps regardless of the opinons of others. Take Care David

[Lead pot]

David.

Don't get me wrong. I support the CB shooters, I think we all should shoot what ever we want or type of matches or shoots they want to participate in. It's just my thing with some of the things they do. Also if you have to be dressed "period" then shoot the full loads of black powder instead of squib smokeless loads where you can see the bullet leaving the muzzle to the short range target.
We all shoot to have the enjoyment of shooting.
I also commend the CB shooters with there control for safety at the shoots they hold, but if you want to dress "Period" use the "period" fire arms. The 357 and 45 Colt lever rifles are not period correct.
When the CB started at our range I thought about getting into it and build a gun cart to hold the rifles and shot guns and I have the guns needed also I dont have a dress problem but the silly stuff they do was beyond what I would do.

[Mike Brooks]

I am considering trying this in the spring. How appropriate is using the 44-40 Winchester cartridge in a Winchester 1892 and a USFA revolver? Are 2 revolvers required? What are the ranges of targets? Are these blackpowder or smoleless matches?

Thanks!
Jim

Ok, I'll answer his specific questions. Yes your plan for 44-40 will work for rifle and revolver. Yes, you will need 2 revolvers. you can shoot BP or smokeless. You're going to need a SXS shotgun or a M97 too.
I shot all BP and used C&B revolvers most of the time, either a pair of .36 navies or .44 armies.

[doug strong]

I shoot both SASS and NCOWS using genuine black in 44 special. 44WCF 44/40 is even betters or this because he thin neck seals the case mouth to the chamber better than straight wall cases such as my 44s or 45s. come play with us.

[Springfield]

Man, what a bunch of stick in the muds! One of the reasons SASS/CAS is the way it is, is so that 9 year olds CAN compete. And 90 year olds, and women. I personally shoot full 44-40 cases of real BP, but that isn't for everyone. I wear one piece leather boots for authenticity, I make some of my own clothes for shooting. What I DON'T do is ride a horse or drive a wagon to the matches. I DO wear proper modern eyewear and modern earplugs. I DO bring both my kids and my wife. I Do have a lot of fun. If you don't think these things are fun then it is probably a good thing you don't show up.

[Love Life]

Do you have to use powder puff loads or is that just to facilitate faster follow up shots? It looks like fun and I will be searching for a group near me in the near future.

[Mike Brooks]

Do you have to use powder puff loads or is that just to facilitate faster follow up shots? It looks like fun and I will be searching for a group near me in the near future.

depends on if you want to win or not.
What bothered me the most about SASS was the lead splatter from shooting targets so close. Every shoot I went to I'd end up bleeding from somebody else's splatter. Still have a piece of lead stuck in one of my hats. Too damned dangerous. I remember a muzzleloader shoot where there was a freak bounce back from a steel silhouette that hit somebody. Every body freaked out and they stopped the shoot for a while to check safety of the targets, which were 50+ yards away......

[Springfield]

Funny, I've been doing this since April 1999 and haven't been hit bad enough to bleed yet. But then the clubs I belong too are very safety oriented and we make sure the targets are in good shape with no pockmarks and are hung at the right angle. I shoot full power 44-40 loads and I win every time, as I have fun making lots of smoke and flame. I'm not there for a trophy or a belt buckle. And I do dress up quite a bit, adds to the fun for me. If I just wanted to wear regular clothes and punch holes in bullseyes I would go to the local range, by myself. Been there, did that, boring. Would rather go shooting with my family and friends. I spend enough time by myself casting and reloading. But to each his own.

[Mike Brooks]

Local shoots here have pistol targets at 5 yards or less and rifle at 30 yards or less....always leaning toward the less side.