Archive for June, 2011

The Winchester Model 1892

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Firearms

Classic Guns of the Old West – The Winchester Model 1892

By: Sixgunner

Most of those in my age bracket got their first basic education in the history and use of frontier firearms from the movies, both the wonderful old B movies as well as some great classics made by the likes of John Wayne, Randolph Scott, and even Henry Fonda. It was only as we grew older that we realized how unsafe gun handling was as presented on the silver screen and also how badly history was treated.

As I learned of the time frame of the evolution of single action sixguns and leverguns, it bothered me greatly to see Colt Single Actions in Civil War movies and especially to see Winchester leverguns used in any movie from those depicting the War with Mexico forward. Most of the time, the leverguns used were Model ’92 Winchesters. The model number denotes the year and the Old West was pretty well gone by 1892. By then, the buffalo, the stagecoach, even the gunfighter was a relic of the past.

There were still pockets of relatively rough country left in 1892, especially in the Southwest, still are, and the Model 1892 Winchester filled the bill for survival quite well. At least for a short time, Rangers, both Texas and Arizona style, picked up on the soon to arrive Model 1894 Winchester in the more “modern” .30 Winchester Centerfire, or .30WCF, or as most of us call it, the plain old .30-30. The Winchester ’73 is usually thought of as the “Gun That Won The West” while the Model 1892 gave shooters a much stronger action in the same chamberings.

Many of shootists of the Old West packed a Colt Single Action with a Model 1873 in the same chambering. As the Old West began to disappear, the Model 1873 was often replaced by the Model 1892. Interestingly enough, the .32-20 was very popular in both the Colt Single Action and Bisley Model as well as the Model 1892 in the 1890’s and beyond. Apparently, many felt the larger calibers were no longer as necessary as they had been.

When Oliver Winchester’s son-in-law journeyed West in the early 1880’s to meet with a young Utah gunsmith by the name of John Browning, neither could have had any idea of the great effect that meeting would have on rifle production. Winchester got Browning’s designs for what would become the 1886 levergun and 1885 Hi-Wall, and in just a few short years, Browning would miniaturize the Model 1886 with the result being the slickest little levergun ever, the Winchester Model 1892.

Who can ever forget the classic scene in Stagecoach as John Wayne (Ringo) twirls his large looped lever Model ’92 and stops the coach? Or the greatest scene of all Westerns, Rooster Cogburn with his ’92 in his right hand, Colt Single Action in his left, and with teeth clenched around the reins as he goes forth to meet the Ned Pepper gang inTrue Grit? Sandwiched in between these two, those of us old enough will remember seeing Lucas McCain use his large lever Model ’92 to great effect each week in The Rifleman. The real star of all of these scenes was the Model ’92.

In the past few years, the replica Model 1892 has been imported from Brazil, Italy, and Japan under such names as Browning, Cimarron, EMF, Navy Arms, and Winchester. All well made, good shootin’ leverguns regularly seen at cowboy shootin’ matches around the country. One also finds many competitors who have searched the used gun market to come up with authentic Winchester Model 1892’s. The real ‘92’s are not cheap, but I have been able to come up with a pair, one for $400 and the other at $600. Check that out against some of the prices of the replicas, and especially the replica 1866’s and 1873’s!

More than one million Winchester Model 1892’s were produced from 1892 to 1931, so it should be three times easier to find a Model ’92 than a Colt Single Action. The three main chamberings, just as in the Model 1873, were .44 WCF, .38 WCF, and .32 WCF, or as they are better known today, .44-40, .38-40, and .32-20. Two other chamberings are found — the .25-20 and the very rare .218 Bee. During the 1950’s, many 1892’s were converted to .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum. The originals ended production before the advent of either Magnum, so none were ever produced in these chamberings nor in .45 Colt.

With a 20″ barrel, the Model 1892 weighs around six pounds, and it is an easy handlin’ levergun, probably the best ever. In addition to a round-barreled 20″ version, as most encountered will be, there are also 24″ rifles and 30″ muskets with barrels that are round, octagon, or half round/half octagon. Take-down models will also be encountered. Stocks are normally of the straight grip variety of oil-finished walnut. Front sights are usually a post or bead with the rear sight a buckhorn or semi-buck.

In addition to being a great gun for Cowboy Action ShootingTM, the Winchester Model 1892 in .38-40 or .44-40 makes a fine close range deer rifle when properly loaded. Older manuals have loads for the .44-40 in the Model ’92 that eclipse the .44 Magnum. For turkeys and the like, the .32-20 and .25-20 are just about perfect where their use is allowed by the game laws.

My two Model 1892’s are both 20″ carbines, one in .32-20 and the other, .38-40. The first cost me $600 and has plenty of character on the outside and a perfect bore. The .38-40, at $400, has been refinished and the bore had some pitting making it a so-so shooter. It has now been re-barreled by gunsmith Keith DeHart using a Douglas barrel of .401″ groove diameter and contoured to match the original barrel. Both guns not only shoot like those we dream about, they also fairly reek of nostalgia.

As with most guns we buy, the doors of our minds are then opened for more purchases and more money to be spent. I am on the lookout now for a Model 1892 .44-40, and then a .25-20, and then ……

Tags: Colt Single Action, John Browning, Old West, Winchester Model

.50-70 Government

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Firearms

The .50-70 Government: America’s First Big-Bore Centerfire

By: Kenny Durham

In 1866, the U.S. Military introduced a new .50 caliber centerfire cartridge that represented the latest developments in self-contained metallic cartridges. By the end of the war between the states, a foregone conclusion was that muzzle loading rifles were obsolete and a hindrance on the battlefield. The progression of the development of breech loading rifles before and during the war ensured that the replacement for the 1863 Springfield rifled musket would be a breech loader using self-contained metal cartridges. Percussion breech loaders such as Sharps, Smith, and Burnside established the breech loader as a powerful and reliable weapon. Metal cartridge-firing repeating rifles, like the Henry and Spencer, further proved the viability of the breech loader, even though the fire power of these repeaters was largely deemed by the military to be a waste of ammunition. Rimfire cartridges of the day, including those as large as .56 caliber, were lethal, but lacked the stopping power needed for battle beyond short range. What was needed was a cartridge that would exceed the ballistics of the .58 caliber rifled musket, packaged into a compact metal case.

The Great Conversion

An intermediary solution was a short .58 caliber rimfire cartridge used in the 1865 1st Allin Conversion. 1863 Springfield muskets were converted to breech loaders by milling out the top half of the barrel ahead of the breech plug, cutting a chamber, and adding a hinged breech block. This was how the first “Trapdoor” Springfield was created. The concept of a central fire, or centerfire as we now call it, had originated with the Maynard carbine wherein the brass cartridge, although ignited by a percussion cap, had a single center flash hole. All of these developments came together in 1866 when the .50 U.S. Government cartridge, or .50-70, was adopted by the military. The first rifle to be chambered for this new powerful cartridge was the 1866 Springfield, which became known as the 2nd Allin Conversion. The 1866 model was converted from the 1863 musket in the same manner as was the 1865, but it was improved with a centerfire breech block and had the .58 caliber barrel relined to .50 caliber.

The second arm to be converted to accept the .50 caliber cartridge was the 1863 Sharps percussion breech loader. The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company received a contract on October 26, 1867 to convert the abundant surplus of carbines left over from the Civil War. The Sharps conversion consisted of relining the .52 cal. barrel to .50 cal. and modifying or replacing the breech block and hammer, as well as other less significant changes. Interestingly enough, if the existing .52 caliber barrels were found to be in good repair and not oversized, they were left “as is” to fire the .50 caliber cartridge in a .52 cal. barrel. Accuracy certainly suffered, but was considered “good ‘nuff for government work” back then.

By 1868 and 1869, most of the suitable surplus Civil War arms remaining in the arsenals had been converted to .50-70. In the case of Sharp’s rifles, the company and private gunsmiths converted civilian-owned percussion Sharps to .50-70, and later to other calibers. In the movie Quigley Down Under, Matthew Quigley explains to Marsden that his Sharps has been “converted” to shoot a special metal cartridge. Although fiction, the movie and the rifle are true to history; Quigley’s rifle began life as a military percussion breech loader.

New Military Rifle Models for the .50-70

The introduction of newly-made rifle models, both for the military and sporting, established the .50-70 as the standard. For the military, the 1868 Springfield “Trapdoor” was introduced as a new model having a one-piece receiver and breech block into which the barrel was threaded. Surplus 1863 locks, stocks, and a mix of existing and new barrels were utilized from the supply of Civil War muskets in building the 1868 model. In 1869, the Springfield Armory introduced a “Cadet” rifle, which was followed with a shortened action both in rifle and in the first Trapdoor carbine version in 1870.

From 1866 until 1873, when the Army adopted the .45-70, the .50-70 was the official U.S. Service cartridge. Remington introduced its famous “Rolling Block” around 1867-1868 as the No. 1 Military rifle and carbine-chambered, among others, for the .50-70. The U.S. Army showed little interest in the Rolling Block, choosing to devote resources to the Trapdoor models. However, the U.S. Navy and Marines recognized the value of Remington’s rifle when combined with the power of the .50-70. So did the New York State Militia, which procured an altered version of the No.1 Military rifle and carbine in .50-70. Even when the U.S. switched to the .45-70 in 1873, New York State choose to keep their .50s in service and did not switch arms until the 1890’s when the .30 U.S. Army (.30-40 Krag) was introduced.

Sporting Rifles Chambered for the .50-70

The .50-70, great-grandfather of the .30-06, quickly became popular with big game and buffalo hunters.

The Sharps “New Model 1869” and the Remington No.1 Sporting Rifle were the first rifles offered to the general public chambered for the .50-70. In 1872, General George Custer ordered a No.1 Sporting rifle from Remington in .50 caliber, and reported to Remington his extreme satisfaction with the performance of the rifle and the power of the .50-70 cartridge in a letter dated October 5, 1873. In 1872, Sharps introduced a longer version of the .50 caliber cartridge by extending the case length from 1-3/4 inches to 2 inches, allowing the loading of a 500-grain bullet. Also, in 1872, Sharps introduced the “Big 50,” which had a case length of 2-1/2 inches. Soon, both Remington and Sharps added many other cartridges in a variety of calibers to their line. But the .50-70, due to its military genesis, remained popular because of the availability of ammunition and on its own merits as an efficient cartridge.

The standard loading for the .50-70 was 70 grains of black powder and a 425-gr. bullet; powerful medicine for 1866, and still no slouch today. At first glance, especially when compared to the .45-70, the .50-70 looks fat and stubby and is good for only about 100 yards or so. Below is an excerpt from the aforementioned letter from General Custer reporting to Remington on his Yellowstone expedition:

“During the three months I carried the rifle referred to on every occasion and the following list exhibits but a portion of the game killed by me: Antelope 41; buffalo 4; elk 4; blacktail deer 4; American deer 3; white wolf 2; geese, prairie chickens, and other feathered game in large numbers. The number of animals killed is not so remarkable as the distance at which the shots were executed. The average distance at which the 41 antelopes were killed was 250 yards by actual measurement. I rarely obtained a shot at an antelope under 150 yards, while the range extended from that distance up to 630 yards.”

Now, I dare say that General Custer, in all his glory, probably did not get his 630-yard antelope on the first shot, and I rather suspect that more than one of the prairie chickens that the General ground-sluiced may have exploded in a ball of feathers! But surely, the lethality of the .50-70 can’t be questioned. The “knockdown” power of a .50 caliber bullet versus the same weight in .45 caliber is substantially more. The ballistically superior .45 (given the same weight) will tend to pass through an animal, leaving it standing in many cases. The “50s” had the reputation of “kicking the slats” from under anything they hit. Such is the case in the photo of Butch Ulsher and Dick Hansen with the buffalo shot with Dick’s .50-70 Highwall. One shot from the .50-70 dropped the buffalo in its tracks.

Shooting the .50-70 Today

As with other cartridges that were once considered obsolete, the .50-70 is being rediscovered, too. The .50-70, because of the low ballistic coefficient of the 425-gr. bullet, is not the best choice for competing in black powder cartridge rifle silhouette matches or target matches. However, a few shooters have ignored these limitations and shoot .50-70s anyway. Why shoot a .50-70 today when there are so many other cartridges? Because it’s a great cartridge for hunting and it is just plain fun to shoot! Rifles in .50-70 are harder to find than are .45 caliber chamberings, but Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing, Ballard Rifle Company, and C Sharps Arms all list the .50-70 as one of their standard chamberings. Also, many Springfield Models 1866, 1868, 1869, and 1870 can still be found in excellent shootable condition. My 1866 2^nd Allin Conversion is a prime example. I found it at a local gun shop in excellent condition. The bore is like new and it is as accurate as it was the day it left the armory. The same can be said for many Sharps conversions and Remington Military Rolling Blocks. However, prices of the once obsolete originals keep creeping higher and higher. Also, original sporting rifles, such as the Remington No.1 pictured are still around. Incidentally, two big game animals fell to this particular rifle last year and a buffalo hunt is in the offing. Another option for getting a .50-70 is to have a rifle rebarreled, such as the case with the 1885 Winchester owned by Dick Hansen. The neat compact Highwall equipped with the old Lyman scope is a most formidable hunting rifle out to 200 yards.

Loading the .50-70 – Dies, Bullets, and Powder

As with rifles chambered for the .50-70, loading components are hard to find, but easy to obtain. Lyman and RCBS make loading dies and bullet moulds for the .50-70. Cases are available from BELL, correctly head-stamped “50-70 Govt.” BELL brass cases are excellent and, with proper care, should last indefinitely. My cases were obtained from Buffalo Arms Co. I also use a Lyman bullet mould #515141, which is a reproduction of the 425-gr. Government bullet. Lyman also makes a 500-grain round-nose, flat-point bullet (# 515142) suitable for the .50-70. RCBS offers a 450-gr. flat-point bullet (#50-450) designed for the .50 caliber lever-action cartridges that works good in the .50-70, too.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook provides loading data for the .50-70, listing a variety of powders and Lyman bullets. Accurate Arms Co., Inc. also provides loading data for the .50-70 using XMP 5744. The powders used in testing were Goex FFg black powder, Pyrodex RS, and Accurate Arms XMP 5744. My schedule unfortunately did not allow time for me to experiment with Hodgdon’s new Triple 7 Propellant in FFg equivalent, but doing so is certainly in my future. Hodgdon provides loading guidelines for using Triple 7 in black powder cartridges. As always, black powder is my first choice and most often the best choice to use in these old cartridges. Concerning smokeless powder, Accurate Arms XMP 5744 is an obsolete black powder cartridge shooter’s dream come true. XMP 5744 is unlike any other smokeless black powder brands because it works great in the .50-70 and many other big-bore, large-capacity cartridges in which using smokeless black powder is not recommended.

Loading Procedures

When using new brass cases for the first time, as in this instance, the first step is to run them through the sizing die to ensure that they are fully-sized and round, especially in the mouth area. Next, the cases were primed and charged with powder. Using XMP 5744, each charge was weighed. However, with the Goex black powder and Pyrodex loads, the cases were charged from a Lyman 55 black powder measure through the 24″ long drop tube supplied with the measure. The measure was set to dispense 65 grains of Goex FFg, which fills the case up to within 0.350″ from the mouth. With this much powder, the charge must be compressed approximately 0.220″ to allow the bullet to be seated to the correct (desired) depth. In this case, I used the neck-expanding die as a compression die. The same powder measure setting was used with the Pyrodex loads, with the volume being the same as the Goex charge. With the Goex black powder and Pyrodex loads only, a 0.030″ Walter’s Wads fiber wad was used between the powder and bullet. Next, the bullets were seated to the correct depth, and finally, all rounds were given a slight crimp to remove the belling of the case mouth.

At the Range

All four rifles shown in the photo were fired for testing. The Sharps carbine and the Remington Sporting rifle were fired with black powder loads only, using the Lyman 425-gr. bullet. In the 1866 Springfield, black powder and Pyrodex loads were fired using the Lyman 425-gr. bullet. The 1885 Winchester Highwall was used to test all smokeless powder loads and some of the leftover ammunition from the buffalo hunt. The Sharps carbine was fired from the kneeling position at a 100-yard distance, and a ten-shot group produced a pattern of fairly evenly-distributed hits over an 11-inch area. Shooting from cross-sticks would no doubt tighten up the group. The Remington, fired from a bench rest, placed five shots into a 3-1/2″ wide x 2″ high group. This old rifle has a bore that has seen meticulous care over the years. The 1866 Springfield produced good results with the black powder loads, with a five-shot group size that measured 1″ vertically, but strung out to 7″ horizontally due to some stiff wind. However, the Pyrodex loads produced dismal results. Ten shots were fired at 100 yards, with only eight striking the target, resulting in a group 16″ wide x 7″ high.

The smokeless black powder loads in the Highwall produced excellent hunting-load accuracy, with group sizes running about two inches and under. All of the loads tested were based on the suggested minimum starting loads, as is prudent in any loading situation, especially with vintage rifles. The hunting load that Dick Hansen has developed for his .50-70 Highwall is not only accurate, but a potent pill averaging 1312 fps with the 425-gr. bullet. There is no good reason to push the limits of velocity and pressure in a vintage rifle. However, in a newly-manufactured rifle chambered for the .50-70, a hunting load in the range of 1300 to 1350 fps is easily achievable. This “grandpa” of a cartridge may be old, but it can pack a real wallop.

See Ya at the Range!

Load Data
Primer	Powder	Charge (grains)	Bullet	Lube	Velocity
Federal 215	Goex FFg	65.0	425-gr. Lyman	SPG	1283
Federal 210	XMP 5744	27.0	425-gr. Lyman	Lyman BP Gold	1169
CCI 200	Pyrodex RS	65.0 (by volume)	425-gr. Lyman	SPG	1143
Federal 210	XMP 5744	25.2	450-gr. RCBS	Reliable #12	1151
Federal 210	XMP 5744	24.0	500-gr. Lyman	Lyman BP Gold	1145

Tags: Load Data, Loading Procedures, Sporting Rifles Chambered, XMP

Cowboy Mounted Shooting

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Guides

SHOOT! Magazine’s Guide to Getting Started
in COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING

Cowboy Mounted Shooter 2 Gun Dana did such a great job covering Getting Started in Cowboy Mounted Shooting in her series that was published in Shoot! Magazine, that we decided to include the four parts of the series for this section of our web site. Enjoy!

Getting Started in Cowboy Mounted Shooting Parts 1-4
“How the Turtle Wins the Race”

By: Dana Hillman, aka 2 Gun Dana

Part 1

Hello, my name is Dana Hillman, aka 2 Gun Dana in the SASS shooting world. I started shooting in 1996 with my first major match. Over the years I have built my shooting skills to a level that has enabled me to win two World Ladies Modern Titles, three World Mounted Titles, and two SASS World All Around Titles, as well as four National Titles. Thanks to the help of many wonderful cowboy action shooters, who took the time to show me shooting techniques and better ways to improve my skills, I have succeeded in this sport. Now I feel the need to reciprocate that assistance by giving back to anyone who needs my help or advice. To do this, I created a brief shooting seminar called “How the Turtle Wins the Race.”

It all started in September at my club’s annual Idaho State Championship shoot in Jackpot, Nevada . I asked Clarence Sparks, aka nobody, if I could give a free beginning shooting seminar for the ladies. He kindly allowed me to run my ideas and shooting philosophy past anyone who was willing to listen (this also included the men who showed up with their wives!!). I was quite surprised at the turnout in both male and female shooters. I was even more surprised that they liked what I had to say and wanted me to continue giving this seminar. At the end of my seminar, I gave my student certificates dubbing them members of the 2 Gun Dana Gamer Gang. I did this because of the narrow minded attitudes of some shooters who feel that being a good shooter is equivalent to being a gamer. The seminar was such a success that Chucky of Shoot! Magazine asked me to write this series in order to help both cowboy action and mounted shooters.

Like most beginning shooters, I started out in an area where cowboy action shooting was not really happening. My dad and I had no one to really show us the ropes, techniques, and bio-mechanics of the sport. I started out with 7 ½ ” Ruger Vaqueros, using factory full load .45 colt ammo, a .44-40 10 lb. Yellowboy rifle, and a double-barrel shotgun with heavy 12 gauge shot shells. I also wore chaps, spurs, vests, knives, and every accouterment that made me look like a cowboy. It only took me a couple of years (painful, of course) to figure out that for me, I was going about the whole sport wrong, and that I needed to figure out what I wanted out of the sport.

After experimenting with a variety of firearms, including several types of rifles, pistols, and shotguns, my father switched me over to modern Ruger Blackhawks with 6 ½ ” barrel. This slowed me down and taught me to aim at my targets before I fired a round (Good strategy, hit what you are aiming for!). My original rifle was too heavy, so I switched to a .357 Marlin Cowboy, for reasons explained further on. The double barrel used to beat me up. I had bruises constantly on my jaw and fingers; hence I switched to the ‘97 Winchester shotgun. This brings me to the basis of what I want to share with you. I have an outline for success as a beginning shooter. It took me 7 years to figure out what I can explain to you in a few articles.

The first point I make in my seminar is something we all have to decide in this sport. Basically you need to ask yourself “What do I want out of this sport?” Do I want to be a recreational shooter who enjoys spending time with my family, husband, or friends and am not really as concerned about winning as just participating in a sport? Do I want to be the best-dressed competitor on the range and focus all of my energies on playing a specific character or role? Do I want to be the best competitor in my class and be a consistent shooter? Whatever you decide, you need to structure your training program to this decision because it will have a major effect on the types of guns and gear you will purchase or acquire. As you all probably know, cowboy action shooting is expensive. As handguns, rifles and shotguns alone can cost hundreds of dollars each to acquire. Then you must purchase a functional leather rig for both your handguns and shotgun shells. After this, you need to purchase or make what you want to wear. In my view, the priorities in this sport are guns, followed by rigs, and then clothing. But remember I am a competitor, not a dresser.In my next article we will explore the types of handguns, rifles and shotguns I feel are best suited for a beginning competitor that will last for years and that you can grow with as a competitor. Now I would like to touch on the second half of my article concerning Mounted Shooting.
Mounted shooting is the ultimate thrill for a shooter. There is nothing like being on 1400 lbs of horseflesh and trying to shoot a gun at full breakneck speed and trying to hit moving balloon targets. Here again, you have to decide what you want out of the sport. For example, my father enjoys competing in this sport so that we can travel and participate in a sport together. He is a good competitor and has won a World Title of his own, but he realizes that there are limitations for him in this sport because of his age and health. Because of these limitations, he structures his training program around what he knows he is capable of doing and accomplishing.

The first and most important thing that you need to have is a horse (how could you do it without one?). Not just any horse will do. Your horse has to be intelligent, gentle, healthy, and have a quiet disposition. It takes a lot of time to find this type of horse. I was lucky that I had a horse that was willing and able to do this sport with very little up-front training. He was a six-year-old ranch gelding that had been used on a cattle ranch for roping and had done a stint as a college rodeo pickup horse so he basically had seen the “elephant” so to speak. The first shooting match we went to, he won the Montana State Championship. We only improved after that. I will admit that I have been looking for a backup horse, but have yet to find the right horse to replace him. I had my eye on a horse, but $10,000 dollars for a 4-year-old ranch horse run away seemed a little silly. Here in Idaho , you can still find a pretty darn good ranch horse for two to three thousand dollars, and by the way, I only paid $2000 for my plug Jack.

After finding the appropriate horse, it is important to start training him to be a mounted shooting horse. There are several instructional videos that you can purchase to help you learn how to be a mounted shooter and to teach your horse to be a good shooting pony. One such video is by Outlaw Annie, found in most shooting chronicles. Basically, aside from general agility, conditioning, and reining, you need to work with your horse to prepare him for the mounted shooting experience. The three scariest elements of mounted shooting for horses is the gunfire, the balloons, and the breaking of the balloons. Acclimating your horse to these elements is often frustrating work, but one simple thing you can do is to put balloons everywhere. I mean everywhere, around his food and water, in the barn, and along the fence. If you can acquire construction cones (legally of course – no stealing them) it will help you even more. Place them around your horse’s paddock and put the balloons in them with simple PVC pipe or sticks with alligator clips on them. Also use a variety of balloon colors, especially white as that seems to be the color that bothers the horses the most. In no time at all, your horse will get used to the balloons or he will starve.

The next step is training your horse to gunfire. This is the tricky one. Be prepared for a wild ride and to possibly dropping your gun in the dirt. I have yet to try this, but I have considered playing an audiotape with gunfire on it continuously for the horse to listen to. This may help him get used to the noise. What I did, and you can too, was buy a child’s toy cap gun – inexpensive with an unlimited supply of caps. Don’t laugh, it works. It makes the same type of popping noise, albeit not as loud, as a gun and looks just like a real gun (remember, horses have eyes in the back of their heads and great peripheral vision). You can also use an air gun with BBs in it. When you start shooting off of your horse, you want to make sure that you are shooting behind your horse so that he has a chance to move away from the noise. Allow him to either trot or lope, but keep him in control. Keep him along a fence line so that he cannot duck out from underneath you. Remember that you will be shooting off of both sides of your horse, so it is important to train him on both sides, not just your strong side. Keep doing this until your horse becomes used to the noise and you can gradually work your arm forward to be shooting at a 900 angle from your horse. You never want to shoot near his head if you can avoid it. It may also be useful to take a green horse to a local mounted shooting match and tie him to the fence to watch and listen to the commotion of the shoot (make sure to tie him up good and out of harms way).

When you are ready, set up a mock stage, such as the arrow pattern, with the balloons. Run your horse through the pattern (or trot) so that he can get used to seeing the balloons a few times. Then try it with your cap gun aiming at the targets. Never let your horse run away with you or get out of control. Remember your safety comes first, so drop the gun and hang on if you need to, but don’t let your horse get away without doing the pattern. If you need to, slow him down and walk or rein him in tight circles to make him do the pattern. Do this several times to get your horse used to the motions. Change the patterns around for varieties sake, and practice shooting off of both sides! Remember, there is no good reason to rush a horse that is not ready. You will ruin him to the sport of shooting. Also, remember that not every horse can or will be a mounted shooting horse. It may take time to find the right horse for your skills and ability. In my next article, I will discuss using live ammo off of your horse. This is a big step for both you and your horse to take, so be ready.

I hope that you have found this article both useful and info rmative. My next article will include the topic of gun selection for both action and mounted shooters. This is very important in either sport. For mounted shooters, I will also discuss moving to shooting live ammo off of your horse (Yee-Ha!). Remember don’t squat with your spurs on and keep a leg on both sides!

Part 2

A quick recap: the shooter needs to decide what they want out of this sport, for example being either competitive or recreational orientated. Once this decision is made, shooters can then structure their training, clothing, and firearms around what they feel they want and need out of this sport. For the mounted shooters, I discussed starting your horse out in the sport of mounted shooting. We talked about training your horse on balloons, gunfire, and starting some pattern work on horseback. This issue, I would like to continue on with a discussion on gun selection for both mounted and ground shooters. I would also like to talk to the mounted shooters about moving into live fire off of their horses.

As I said in my last article, gun selection is very important especially in the early stages of the game. Not only are guns expensive, but you do not want to be always replacing them. It is a good idea to find a gun that you are comfortable with, that fits you, and that you can continually improve with.

When selecting a handgun, there are several things you need to look for. These include durability, reliability, size, caliber, maintenance factors, and expense. Lets start with my story about handgun selection. I have been through about seven sets of guns for both my mounted and ground shooting. My biggest disadvantage is that I have very tiny hands. No kidding. I joke about it, but I seriously have a disadvantage, especially in mounted shooting where I have to shoot with one hand duelist style. I am only able to wrap my middle finger around the gun and I can barely reach the hammer. This was a big problem for me and really affected my gun selection.

If you are going to be a competitor in ground shooting and have small hands like me, you need to purchase handguns with a smaller caliber to reduce your recoil so that the gun does not slip in your hand as you fire it. Some great calibers for women in any shooting class are .38 long colt, .38 special, or .32 caliber guns. I shoot Ruger Blackhawks in .38 long colt caliber, and get my ammo from Blackhills Ammunition. From personal experience, I can tell you that this is a great brand of ammo that has low recoil.

After getting handguns that fit you, there are more things that you can do to them. I recommend that you use the gunfighter grips on your guns. These grips make your gun slimmer and fit a smaller hand better. I use them on both my mounted and ground guns. These are mainly made by Eagle Grips and are advertised in most SASS chronicles, and Shoot! Magazine. Action jobs on handguns are a good thing in moderation. They help smooth up the action for better cocking and make the gun easier to handle, requiring less effort to cock the hammer. But, you don’t want to get an action job that is more than you can handle (Trust me on this; been there, done that.) I also would not recommend having a light trigger performed done on your gun. This increases the risk of you misfiring or having an accidental discharge. Remember, you can always modify your gun further as your shooting skills improve.

The basic premise of my shooting philosophy is accuracy. I cannot stress how important accuracy is. This is key. It is more important that speed. Without accuracy, you cannot win a match. With this in mind, I recommend that you learn where your gun hits at a 30-foot range (this is called point of aim, or POA.) This goes for shooters in all classes. For traditional shooters, you can sight your gun in by using a sandbag and a file. Rest your hands and gun on the sandbag and fire at a target. This will give you stability for accuracy. If your fun shoots low, gradually file your front sight down until you can consistently hit the center of your target. Remember, once it is gone it is gone, so don’t take too much off of your sights. Modern shooters can do basically the same thing. You can adjust your sights as needed and even widen the rear sight notch and file down the front, if there is no elevation screw on your gun. By doing this, you will find your sight picture easier.

The next gun we need to talk about is the rifle. There are many varieties of rifles to choose from and it is a matter of personal taste or availability when choosing what you shoot. The most important thing in choosing a good rifle is weight, length and modifying the rifle to fit you. It is very important for you to cut the stock down to fit your arm length and shoulder. I realize that some of you may be sharing guns with other family members and this may not be possible, but try to do what you can to make it easier on you. Having a smooth action job on your rifle is also important so that you are not wasting time trying to work a sticky action. Action jobs also help in the feeding of the ammo and can speed up your shooting considerably. Having good ammo is also a key to your shooting success. I cannot count how many good shooters have lost a match (even me) because of bad ammo. The biggest problem shooters have is with reloaded ammo. Unless you are very good, ammo may not be sized right or may be too long or too short to feed properly and may not even clear the end of your rifle if there is no powder in it, a.k.a. squib loads. If you are going to use reloads, check them often and be careful with them. Finally, you are not going to believe this, but cleaning your guns can also help you win a match. Amazing but true, your guns have to be clean and in good working order to win. Also, keep all of the screws on your guns tightened and check them regularly.

The final gun we need to talk about is the shotgun. It is your preference whether you shoot a double or the ’97 Winchester . There are definite differences between the two. We will start with the double barrel. Some of the problems with shooting a double are that when you sight down the middle the shot may slide left or right of the target. This is a problem when you need to fire at knockdown targets. They also tend to close when you pick them up, making them hard to stage to your advantage. When you have an odd number of shots, it is hard to load just one and remember which trigger to pull. Also, there is the possibility of firing both barrels at once. I did this at my first match, knocking myself to the ground to the amusement of both my father and fellow shooters. Hence, I learned to always pull the back trigger first. This eliminates the risk of pulling both barrels at once. Also, if you are going to use a double, I would recommend that you hone out the chambers so that the shells can be extracted easier. Finally, and once again, ammo is key. Using a good brand with a smooth hull, such as the Winchester AA brand, will make your life a lot easier when using the double barrel shotgun.

I prefer to shoot the ‘97 myself because it feels more like a rifle to me and I can aim better with it (remember, aiming is a good thing.) But ‘97s are not a utopia. Some of the problems with ‘97s are that they are temperamental. They can hang-up on you and if you don’t have good ammo, they don’t eject very well. Sometimes the shells don’t eject or they can flip around backwards and you waste time trying to get them out. If you don’t have good parts in the ‘97, they can slam-fire or not fire at all. Therefore, it is very important to keep up the maintenance of these guns.

The trend in shooting is moving towards knockdown targets and fliers. For this you will need some type of choke, preferably modified, in whatever shotgun you are using. You may also need to shoot heavy shotgun loads as well. Another important factor is fitting the stock of your shotgun to your shoulder so that you are not having to reach too far to load it, break it open, or to get your face down on the stock to aim (IMPORTANT!) Finally, clean, clean, clean, and tighten those screws.

In my next article, I will discuss with you the importance of gun leather to your shooting success. I will also talk about clothing and eyewear as well as practice techniques. Now I would like to devote some time to my mounted shooters.

Earlier in this article I discussed handgun selection for the ground shooters. Everything I talked about applies to the mounted shooters as well. You are limited in the fact that you must select 2 traditional, 45 caliber handguns to shoot. They do not have to be the same type of handgun. My father shoots a Ruger Vaquero and a Uberti Thunderer with a birds head grip and a 2″ barrel. It is a matter of preference. My preference runs towards Rugers. I shoot two Ruger Vaqueros with 4-1/2″ barrels, modified with Bisley hammers for my small hands, and fitted with gunfighter grips. They are virtually indestructible. Some of the problems with other brands of guns, such as a Colt or a Colt replica, is that occasionally they have fragile firing pins and the half cock mechanism in them, which doesn’t work well for me. When I tried these brands of guns, I had a tendency to misfire because of my small hands and I often short stroked with the half cock mechanism in the guns.

In my last article, I discussed at length the issue of training your horse to gunfire. When you feel that your horse is ready, you can start moving up to actual practice loads in your handguns. But before you do, there are some more issues that we need to discuss.

The first issue involves state and city ordinances concerning firing a gun within the city limits. I live in an area where you cannot fire a gun, therefore, I do not practice firing at my home. I have to travel to an arena that is located in the county to do any live fire practicing. Furthermore, you may want to alert your local police and neighbors as to what your are going to be doing if you can fire in your area or if you travel to another area. From experience, it is not fun to have to face the local SWAT team and try to explain what you are doing. It is easier to prepare them in advance.

The next issue involves the ammo that you use. Because of the safety issues involved in mounted shooting, specialized ammo is supplied for you at a match as part of your entry fee. When shooting at home, there are also many safety issues. I am not a reloading expert, so I purchase practice ammo to shoot with. There are only a few certified reloaders who can load ammo for this sport. There is a reason for this and it involves safety and bullet modification. Never take a chance on safety. Practice ammo is available at a reasonable price. Ollen Elliot out of Darby , MT can provide you with all of your ammo needs. You can also get a discount if you return the spent cases. I would recommend that you use safe ammo loaded by a certified reloader.

The final issue is not rushing yourself. If you or your horse are not ready, don’t move to the live fire stage. You don’t want to get hurt and you don’t want to backtrack on the progress that you have made on your horse so far. Just keep practicing and it will come.

When you decide to use live ammo, you may want to invest in a pair of earplugs for both yourself and your horse. This will preserve both your hearing and your horses hearing. They are easy to make if you need to. Just take an egg crate mattress cover and cut some of the triangles into individual sections. Horses do not really like to wear the earplugs so be prepared for a fight in putting them in. The horses will also shake them out, so tying them to a string on the bridle will keep them from getting lost.

Shooting live ammo is almost identical to what we were doing in our practice sessions. It is important to remember that we only load five rounds in each gun for safety reasons. The gun will always start with the hammer resting on an empty chamber. When you start your horse in the pattern, do not cock your gun until you are at the balloon. This protects both you and your horse from accidental discharges. When you fire that first round, remember that it is going to be pretty loud and may cause your horse to jump. Keep him moving and try shooting behind him. Don’t let him duck out of the pattern or run away with you. If you need to, work him on a fence and fire to his outside so that he cannot turn out on you. And remember to work and fire off of both sides of your horse, there is no avoiding it. Also, switch your patterns up to keep it interesting for both you and your horse and to acclimate him to different shooting patterns and speeds. If you need more information on this subject, Stoney Meadows does a monthly article in the SASS Chronicle that is very informative with many useful tips.

I hope that you have found this article both useful and informative. My next article will include the topic of gun leather and clothing selection for both action and mounted shooters. This is very important in either sport. For mounted shooters, I will also discuss saddle selection as well as the importance of holstering while moving. Remember, don’t squat with your spurs on and keep a leg on both sides!!

Part 3

While I was contemplating what I wanted to discuss in this series, I realized that most of you don’t know much about me. I am 27 years old. I like to consider myself very driven and dedicated to whatever I put my mind to. By the age of 11, I held a national title in Karate for sparring. I was the youngest person in Idaho to receive a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. By the age of 22 I had a Masters Degree in Business, graduating first in my class. I was also the youngest MBA graduate ever, the school actually tried to discourage me from starting my education so soon after graduating with a Bachelors degree (I showed them.) I now currently run two family owned businesses full-time, a large dance club with a sports bar and grill, and a tanning salon.

I come from a real Western family. I would like to tell you a story about my great grandfather. In 1902, a land race was held in the Pocatello area of Idaho . My great grandfather raced a Railroad train from Lava Hot Springs to Blackfoot, Idaho, a total of 56 miles, using a string of 12 horses spaced a little over four miles apart. He came into Blackfoot neck and neck with the train in a time of two hours. One of his horses gave out on him at Blackrock canyon and he had to carry his saddle a mile to the next horse. He was also a cattle rancher in McCammon , Idaho . He survived the winter of 1919, which broke most of the ranchers in the state when hay had to be shipped in at $100.00 a ton. My grandfather, Bob Hillman, has been inducted into the Idaho Horsemen’s Hall of Fame for his contributions to horse racing in the state of Idaho , and he was an early saddle bronc rider. In the old time rodeos, everyone had to circle their cars to make the rodeo arena. My grandfather won the calf roping and the saddle bronc riding on the same horse in one rodeo.

As with any endeavor, if you want to do well in this sport, you must be prepared for some sacrifices. These sacrifices may include financial issues, time spent away from your family, time spent away from work, and even time spent on school work. When I go to a shoot, I usually have to drive through the night to get there in time for registration. I then shoot for two to three days straight, doing both ground and mounted shooting at the same event. After I finish the last stage, my father and I usually load up because we have to get back home to work. It is highly stressful and exhausting. We try to make it to six major shoots a year.

But, enough about me, lets get back to the issue at hand. In my last article, I discussed at length the issues involving gun selection. These issues included choosing firearms that fit you and modifying them to get more out of this sport. In this article, I would like to discuss choosing or creating a holster rig that will fit your needs. I also want to touch on clothing selection and eyewear, as well as some practice techniques. For the mounted shooters, leather selection for both your saddle and gun rigs is very important. I will also discuss the issue of learning how to holster while on a moving animal.

Choosing a leather rig is the next step in becoming a successful shooter in this sport. As you have probably already figured out, there are a ton of different styles, colors, and creators of leather rigs out there. When choosing a rig, there are some specific things that you need to look for. Your holsters should be able to retain your gun when you are moving or running, but should not be so tight that it hinders your drawing and holstering capabilities. I prefer one cross draw and one strong side setup because it allows me to holster faster and draw faster. But with this rig, you have to be very conscious of safety issues, specifically the cross draw shuffle. The purpose of the shuffle is to prevent you from sweeping spectators with your muzzle. Two straight up and down holsters are becoming popular because it eliminates the risk of stage procedurals or disqualifications by not doing the cross draw shuffle. These holsters can be canted forwards or backwards, depending on what the shooter feels comfortable with. Using crotch holsters, two cross draw holsters together in the front, is also somewhat popular. For them to be legal, you must be able to place your two fists together between them. These are risky for new shooters to use until they can learn to control their firearms when both drawing and holstering.

Leather rigs are not just for your guns. You need to choose a good shotgun shell belt. I prefer having a belt around my waist. Some people choose to place their shotgun shells on their gun belts in holders or slides. It is all based on preference. For me, having them higher up on my waist makes them easier for me to grab while loading my shotgun. When choosing a shotgun belt, keep in mind that it needs to be near your belly button and close enough that you don’t have to strain to reach them.

Our next issue involves choosing the appropriate clothing and eyewear. Depending on what you decide you want out of this sport, you should choose your clothing with certain factors in mind. If your goal is to be a competitor, the wrong kind of clothing can bog you down. A vest can get in the way of your gun leather and may hinder your holstering abilities. Chaps can restrict fast, fluid movement. High heeled boots are hard to run in, add spurs to them and you can trip yourself easily (been there, done that.) Knives, pouches and other accessories can get caught up on stages and add more weight for you to pack around. Scarves can fly up in your face and blind you or get caught in the actions of your guns. So here again, we ask ourselves what we want out of this sport. Are we recreational shooters that dress to the max, or are we competitors? Competitors try to dress traditionally and at the same time try to minimize clothing that restricts or binds fluid bio-mechanical movements. In most shoots, you are on rough surfaces with rocks and empty shell cases on the ground. The flatter the sole and heel of your boots, the better your balance will be in order to move quickly. When I first started, you could only do a fast walk between your transitions, so I wore the biggest and highest boots I could find. Now it is a sprint and, believe it or not, the time saved moving between guns makes up for shooting a little slower and hitting your targets.

When I first started shooting and up until a few years ago, I wore contact lenses with a pair of safety glasses over them. My eyes were constantly giving me problems. If they were not dry they were getting something in them. And if the wind blew (as it so often does when we’re shooting,) you may as well forget about actually hitting your targets. I could not see a thing. Finally, I got smart and decided to get a pair of prescription safety glasses. Now I hardly ever have problems with my eyes. I would recommend that all shooters who wear contacts consider investing in a pair of prescription safety glasses. They are well worth it.

As I sit here writing this article, it is snowing outside, and I can’t help but think about how far away spring is. It is 16 degrees outside, and the thought of going to the range to practice gives me the chills. We don’t have indoor shooting ranges in my small town. Therefore, I have devised my own system of dry fire and transitional practice at home in my living room. My goal, this year, is to utilize the space in my nightclub, which is rather large, to set up stages to practice for Winter Range in February. I will utilize typical scenarios to practice drawing, dry firing my hand guns, holstering, moving to a staged rifle, putting the rifle down, and moving to a staged shotgun, all while using dummy ammo to practice my loading techniques (the key words there being dummy ammo, remember to be safety conscious.) Hopefully, if we get a couple of warm days before February, I will try to go to the range, which may still be snow covered, to fire live ammo at steel targets. You never know about the weather here in Idaho . You can do this yourself in your garage or living room. Just remember to use dummy ammo and snap caps in your pistols and shotgun.

In my final article, I would like to summarize all that I have discussed with you and continue on with a discussion of bio-mechanics, gun staging, transitions and overall attitude for this sport. Now I will continue my discussions for the mounted shooters.

In mounted shooting, the most popular types of rigs are two cross draw crotch holsters. The purpose of the two cross draw holsters is that you have to maneuver the horse with your left hand while shooting with your right hand (for you south paws, reverse what I said.) Other types of holsters include various types of single or double pommel holsters, combination chest and shoulder holsters or straight up and down holsters. I prefer two cross draw holsters located high on my waist. These holsters were specially made for mounted shooters by Wendy Willows. They were created to hold the butts of the guns away from my body for easy drawing and holstering. They also hold my gun steady to prevent bouncing out, but do not restrict my drawing capabilities.

Mounted shooting requires similar bio-mechanics to ground shooting techniques in being able to draw and holster your handguns without losing your line of sight and control of your horse (this takes a lot of practice.) You should not holster your handgun until you have made the turn around the end of the barrel and have line of sight on your next engagement of fire. Here again, holsters that grip but don’t grab the gun, making it hard to draw, are beneficial. Always try to get around the barrel first before holstering; you would not believe how much time this will save. Also, don’t become lazy while you are searching around for your holster. Keep it moving forward. Remember, any time saved will help.

As far as saddles go, you can spend thousands of dollars on reproductions of the old classics or originals, or you can use what is comfortable for you. My dad has been riding the same saddle that his father gave to him for over 50 years ago(WOW!!) I started out using my great grandfather Baker’s original stock saddle that is about 100 years old. It killed my knees. So here again, I decided what I wanted out of this sport. I decided that I wanted to walk at the end of the day. I now use a saddle that is lighter and more comfortable for me. I have also had to lighten the weight on my horse due to his bone spurs. Having less weight to carry around (I refuse to diet,) reduces the stress on his knees.

In my final article for mounted shooters, I will discuss where you can find a good horse to buy. Also, a topic we need to cover is clothing and accessories. Remember to cowboy up and write me with any questions or comments at: 2 Gun Dana, 4010 Yellowstone, Pocatello , ID 83202

Part 4

My goal when I started this endeavor was to give beginning shooters an edge and a step in the right direction while starting in this great sport of cowboy action shooting. Now I want to give a little more advanced overview on bio-mechanics and how they can affect your shooting. I will briefly discuss how you can stage your guns for better movement and transitions. For the mounted shooters, I will talk about my clothing preferences when I shoot off of the horses and where to find a good shooting horse and what to look for when choosing said horse.

Being able to move smoothly is important when you are drawing, holstering, firing, working your transitions, and putting guns down. Putting your mind in the zone, where you block out anxiety and stress, distractions, and competitors is the key to being a successful shooter. Ground shooters must learn the fundamentals of shooting stances, drawing your handguns, breath control, mental focus, levering your rifle correctly, shooting your pistol, and running your shotgun correctly. These techniques will only come with experience at countless shooting competitions and through practice. Again, I recommend getting the best shooter at your local match to help you with the fundamentals. It is hard for me to show you these techniques on paper. You need to see how they are used to understand their benefits and how they can affect your shooting game.

An important part of shooting well is being able to multitask during the shooting scenario. This means doing more than one thing at once, like walking and chewing bubble gum – difficult for some of us, but a necessary evil. For instance, holstering one handgun while drawing the other is a great skill to practice and perfect. Levering the rifle as it comes to your shoulder shaves time. Having a shotgun shell in hand as you come to your shotgun speeds you up as well. Anything that saves time is a bio-mechanical function and a good thing to work on.

One thing I would like to touch on is shooting rhythms. These are important. It is the ability to know when you need to shoot carefully at small targets or speed up on the larger targets. For instance, consider spacing between targets. Distant targets require a slower, more deliberate shot, while a close target may allow a faster shot. Similarly, two targets spaced close together may allow for faster sighting and firing. Again, take the time to aim at and hit your targets. It is better to take a nanosecond longer to hit your target, than make a reckless shot and take a five second penalty (a painful lesson that I have learned over the years.)

Staging your guns properly is also very important. I have learned to stage my own guns at all times, making sure that they are in the right shooting sequence the stage design requires. I have also learned to position them to my advantage, such as aiming my rifle at the first rifle target. The shotgun may be turned over if it is placed next to the rifle so that empty shells are not ejected into the shotgun action (take it from someone who has had to shake shells out of her gun on the clock). Also, always, always, always check to make sure that your safety has not been engaged on your rifle. I have seen this happen so many times to people, even me.

When I say transitions, I mean moving smoothly from my handgun, to my rifle, to my shotgun, saving as many steps and motion as I can. Remember that the extra time you spend to hit your targets can be made up by moving faster between guns than your competitors. Transitions also involve grabbing your long guns correctly and positioning them on your shoulder right the first time.

Learn to snap lever your rifle as it comes to your shoulder. Have your gun levered for the next round before you come to your next target. Lean into your rifle and shotgun a little bit and practice exhaling slowly as you fire. This will help in your accuracy and your solid stance or steadiness. This is something that I learned in martial arts. By channeling your chi energy you make yourself steady. Learn good stances. I shoot with a forward stance which I learned in martial arts. In this stance, 60 percent of my weight is located on my forward knee and 40 percent is on my rear leg. This gives me an aggressive shooting stance (I also like to growl at the targets, I feel this helps me focus as well, you know, kill it, kill it, kill it!)

I bet you thought you were done with school and homework, but let me tell you, you are not. The key to being up on the game is doing your homework. This means studying the stage designs and knowing what you have to do in your mind before the shoot. Study the stages, if you can, the night before. I like to list the order of guns that I will shoot and how I will shoot them. I also include any lines or movements that are out of the ordinary that I may have to do. The trend now in competition is to have many confusing combinations of sweeps to make you get procedurals. The best way to combat this is to have good coaching. Don’t be afraid to have someone remind you on which order you have to shoot your targets or guns. My dad and I coach each other all the time. It helps calm you down on the line so that you do not become flustered and, therefore, miss what you are aiming at.

Finally, we have an attitude issue. We have all been around shooters who are uptight, stressed, or are on a power trip and think they know everything. By making you feel incompetent, they feel that they are somehow superior shooters. That is not the cowboy way. Remember, you catch more flies with sugar than you do with vinegar. Treat everyone the same way that you would want them to treat you. Have respect and patience with new shooters. Enjoy your experience in meeting the many, many, many new friends from around the world that you can make in cowboy action shooting. Also, remember that you will not do every stage perfectly. Don’t be hard on yourself. Remember, it is how you do over the long haul that will determine how you do in the shoot. Eliminate misses. Don’t shoot as fast as you can, but hit your targets as fast as you can. Stay within your envelope. As you get better, speed will come.

For my mounted shooters I would like to end on a discussion on clothing. I personally like to dress well for this event, you may even call it flashy or even quite stylish! I like to wear bib shirts that I design with embroidered dragons on them. I like to wear silver spurs and my lucky hat (my dad wishes I would find a new lucky hat, he says mine is ugly.) It is an impressive sight to see how well-dressed people can be in authentic Old West attire. You can be whatever you want to be. Just remember not to bind yourself too much or wear anything that will interfere with your mobility or ability to draw and holster your firearms.

As for finding a good horse, don’t be lured in by the golden opportunity horse. I have been there and done that. My golden opportunity horse was actually golden in color and could spin faster than a tilt-a-whirl. The first shoot I took him to, we sat in the middle of the arena in one spot and spun circles around and around and around. I almost got motion sickness from the experience. After this experience, I learned all that glitters is not gold. With this in mind, I would advise you to go out to a ranch, a feed lot, a live stock dealer, or to 4-H competitions, team roping, rodeos, or any western events to scope out prospects. If you see a good prospect, ask if he is for sale. Remember to look for a horse that is calm, sensible, sound, gentle, broken and has a good eye. I would also recommend that you buy a good broken horse for this sport. It takes too long to train young or unseasoned horses to this sport, not to mention the pain and aggravation involved (I have the bruises to attest to this.) Age is not a great factor, 14 to 15 is not really that old for a horse. My dad won his world title on a 22-year-old horse. My horse is currently 13 years old and still going strong. Find someone you can trust to give you good advice on a horse. Don’t buy a horse because he has four legs, a tail, and two ears just because you are told he is a good horse. You can buy a good horse in Idaho for $2,000.00 that will go the distance. But remember, not every horse will make a good shooting horse. I have seen too many people show up year after year with the same horse and the same ongoing battle between them. It is sometimes better to cut your losses and find a new and better horse than to perpetuate the battle.

Throughout these articles, I have given out a lot of information. Let me tell you that this is all based on my own opinions and experiences. It is in no way all inclusive and I am sure that there are many who would disagree with me. But, this is what has worked and still works for me. My final advice to you is to find the best cowboy shooter in your local club and watch him, study him, find out why he is a good shooter, and what techniques he uses. Most cowboy shooters would be more than willing to pass on good shooting techniques to you if you ask them to. There are several good shooting schools, videos, or manuals out there to help you with your goals. I will always be available to talk to you if you see me at a shoot, or you can write me at: 2 Gun Dana, 4010 Yellowstone, Pocatello, ID 83202 .

Until I see you, remember it is not how you look, it is how you shoot. Be mindful of the cowboy way. Have respect for other people. And cherish our freedoms here in the great United States of America.

Tags: Dana Hillman, Gun Dana, SASS, shooting

Cowboy Fast Draw

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Guides

SHOOT! Magazine’s Guide to GETTING STARTED in COWBOY FAST DRAW

Getting Started in Cowboy Fast Draw – What is it and how do you get started?

Cowboy fast draw is a relatively new sport having had its first World Championship in 2003. Created out of the imagination and dream of Brad Hemmah of South Dakota , it is a sport that shoots wax bullets and is fast, fun, competitive, and almost anyone can do it!

If you want to feel like you’re part of the Old West, the excitement of standing on the shooting line next to your opponent, your hand shaking ready to draw at the first glimpse of the light in the middle of the target, and feel the adrenalin rush, this is the sport for you. With the average shooting times of top shooters being a little over half of a second and measured in thousandths of a second from the time the light has come on until they draw, fire, and hit the target, each shot fired is over in the blink of an eye! Many of the top shooters can do this in under half of a second and some even perform this feat in the high to mid three-thousandths (.330) of a second. Not to worry though, the faster the shooter goes, the more likely he is to miss and you have to hit the target to beat your opponent. I have seen many a top notch competitor lose to a shooter who is slightly slower but much more accurate.

Most matches are elimination events, usually 4X, which means that you can lose four times before you are out of the event. The random drawing of the poker chips or computer determines who your opponent is, so you never know who you will compete against on the line. Young and old compete in these traditional fast draw events as the minimum age is 16. An 85-year-old even competed at the National Cowboy Fast Draw Championship in Meridian , Idaho in 2005. There are only two classes; men and women, though sometimes the host may give out additional prizes to the top seniors and juniors. New clubs are popping up all over and taking part in this traditional fast draw sport.

There are different types of fast draw competitions and organizations. Cowboy fast draw has rules that restrict the use of guns and gun rigs to more traditional styles. The tricked out, heavily modified, fanning guns used in world fast draw competitions are not allowed, nor are the low-slung buscadero-type holsters you may be familiar with from shows likeBonanza and Gunsmoke. Such tricked out and modified guns can cost well over $2,000, while the fancy steel-lined holsters of world fast draw will easily run $350. You can get started in cowboy fast draw with a stock single-action replica for under $400 and a cowboy fast draw gun rig that looks good and works well for under $200. Naturally, as with any other sport, you can always go up in price and most competitors will want a little action-job performed on their sixgun.

This is a great sport; it’s a lot of fun and filled with wonderful people. Come on out and try it and if you have any questions, feel free to contact us at (800) 342-0904, or send an email to info@shootmagazine.com. You can also contact the Cowboy Fast Draw Association at (605) 642-2573, cowboyfastdraw@mato.com, or visit the CFDA web-site atwww.cowboyfastdraw.com.

Classes, Rules, Equipment, and Information

Classes

Men and women only. The minimum age is 16.

Cowboy Action Shooting

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Guides

SHOOT! Magazine’s Guide to Getting Started
in COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING

Welcome to the exciting world of Cowboy Action Shooting. We at SHOOT! Magazine, want to help you get off on the right foot as you begin your Western-action shooting experience by offering as much relevant and timely information to beginningCAS shooters as we possibly can. Below is a brief overview of the basic how-to and what’s needed information that you will need as you begin your CAS shooting experience.

The first thing we recommend that you do is to try to find a local match to attend to see how it’s done, and to let the shooters there know you are interested. Check out our Cowboy Action Shooting Events Listings, which covers the various cowboy action shooting events and can help you find a club and/or shoot near you. Information gathered while attending a local match will take you a long way in your quest to get set up for cowboy action shooting.

INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW

Cowboy action shooting is the fastest growing shooting sport out there right now. The nostalgic appeal of the Old West, shooting originals or replica firearms from before 1898, and dressing up as cowboys or cowgirls is just plain fun! Though many are competitive in this sport, most of the people participate solely for the purpose of having fun. Some don’t even shoot, but like to dress up, especially at the Saturday night balls, and play the part. Four firearms are required to participate in cowboy action shooting: a period correct lever-action rifle with hammer firing a pistol cartridge, two single-action revolvers, and a period correct shotgun, either a double-barrel without ejectors or a hammer pump or lever shotgun. Naturally, you have to dress the part with the appropriate clothing for the period. Events for this sport are currently conducted in every state, as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and many other countries.

STAGES AND SHOOTING SCENARIOS

Stages are designed for the competitors and provide a shooting area allowing a variety of shooting positions, normally three to four, as well as a loading table and unloading table. The loading tables are usually facing into berms while the shooting area is facing down range. Stages incorporate false front buildings, church steeples and bells, hitching rails, cooking fires, bathtubs, forts, mine shafts, jails, and almost anything your imagination can come up with.

Scenarios are developed for shooting each stage. The scenarios normally include the use of a rifle (using a pistol caliber), a shotgun, and two single-action sixguns. You may start at one position on the left and shoot the rifle with ten rounds at five targets twice from left to right, then move to a doorway to shoot the sixguns in a Nevada sweep at three targets twice (Nevada sweep is shooting at targets: 1, 2, 3, 2, 1). You could run to the hitching rail down to the right (after safely holstering your sixguns) and pick up your shotgun and shoot the four knockdown steel targets from the outside inside (1,4,2,3). Naturally, to develop different scenarios the designer can move any gun or position order around, as well as the order the targets are shot. This provides the capability for multiple shooting scenarios for each stage.

SAFETY

Safety is the most important aspect of any type of shooting. Safety cannot be over-emphasized when handling and shooting firearms. Any time you are at an event, either as a participant or observer, you will be required to wear eye and hearing protection. When shooting steel targets with lead bullets there should be a degree of expectation that small pieces of lead bullet may strike the shooter or spectators and while there is practically no possibility of serious injury to the skin and clothed parts of the body, the eyes are particularly vulnerable to injury from flying objects regardless of size or velocity. While on the firing line, the shooter must always maintain the 170-degree safety rule (an imaginary line that is five-degrees inside the straight 160 degree firing line). The muzzle of any firearm cannot cross this 180-degree line at anytime, potentially “sweeping” other participants or spectators.

All firearms must be loaded at the loading table or under specified circumstances (on the firing line) and must be unloaded only at the unloading table. All firearms should be checked by another shooter or qualified observer to ensure that you have loaded the proper number of cartridges at the loading table and that all guns are safely and completely unloaded at the unloading table. Only five rounds are loaded in your sixguns, so that the hammer can rest on an empty cylinder chamber. Always keep the muzzles of your long guns pointed up unless you are on the firing line. Always make sure you have the correct caliber of ammunition for each firearm. Having both pistols and rifle chambered for the same cartridge will make this a lot easier. Many other safety items apply; so listen carefully to all safety briefings.

FIREARMS

In all SASS sanctioned events, firearms must be models originally produced before 1898 or replicas thereof and chambered in what is generally referred to as a “pistol caliber”, that being a centerfire cartridge of .32 to .45 caliber that has been historically chambered in a single-action revolver. The Buckaroo category for young shooters from age 8 to 12, allows the use of pistols and rifles chambered for the .22 rimfire cartridge as well as allowing the use of .410 bore shotguns. Firearms forcowboy action side matches will vary based upon the side match.

Cowboy action ground shooting requires:

– Two (2) single-action SIXGUNS chambered for an approved caliber. (SASS rules do not require the use of two revolvers, but due to the fact that most stages require ten pistol shots it would be extremely time consuming to reload one pistol “on the clock” and then shoot the second five rounds.)

A variety of sixguns are used for cowboy action shooting. Top to bottom: Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt with custom grips, a Navy Arms charcoal blued .32-20, a Power Custom coltinized Ruger Vaquero in .38-40, a stainless steel Ruger Vaquero in .357 Magnum with Eagle ebony gunfighter grips, a third generation Colt in .45 Colt engraved by Dale Miller with Eagle Grips imitation ivories, a Navy Schofield Wells Fargo model in .45 Colt with Eagle Grips pearl grips, a American Frontier Firearms 1860 conversion in .44 Colt, A Colt Frontier Scout in .22 Long Rifle for the Bucakroo category (young juniors) and a Cimarron model P in .44-40.

– One (1) Lever-action or exposed-hammer slide-action RIFLE, chambered for a pistol caliber (although not required, it is recommended that you use the same caliber as your sixguns).

Top to bottom: A Taylor’s 1866 Yellow Boy rifle in .44 Special and engraved by Dale Miller, A Browning 1892 Winchester carbine in .357 Magnum, an original Winchester 1873 rifle with octagonal barrel and tang site in .44-40, A modern Winchester model 1892 in .45 Colt, a Cimarron 1873 Winchester in .45 Colt with a short stroke kit and action job by The Cowboy and Indian Store, and a Rossi model 1892 Winchester imported by Navy Arms in .45 Colt.

– One (1) exposed-hammer pump, lever-action, or side-by-side double barrel SHOTGUN. The 1897 Winchester pump-action, the 1887 Winchester lever-action, or the 1978 Colt exposed-hammer double barrel are good examples of each type. Any side-by-side double barrel shotgun (with or without exposed hammers) chambered to take 10-gauge, 12-gauge, 16-gauge, or 20-gauge shotshells and utilizing extractors only (ejectors are not allowed) may be used. Iron sights on all firearms are required.

Just as in sixguns and rifles, there are numerous shotguns available. Displayed from top to bottom are: an original 1897 Winchester 12-gauge with original wood, a original 1897Winchester 12-gauge that has been refurbished to include re-bluing, and new stock and forearm, and a EAA Bounty Hunter SASS double-barrel 12-gauge hammer coach gun made by Baikal in Russia .

AMMUNITION

Cowboy Action Main Match Ground Shooting: Cowboy action shooting uses “live” ammunition. All rifles and pistols must be chambered in calibers that are commonly referred to as revolver or pistol calibers and must be from .32 to .45 caliber and encompass such authentic calibers as .32-20, .38 Long Colt, .38-40, .44-40, .44 Colt, .45 Schofield, and .45 Colt, as well as more modern calibers such as the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .44 Magnum. However, there are limitations as to the type of bullets that can be used and the velocities at which they can be fired. Revolver ammunition cannot exceed 1,000 fps, while rifle ammunition must have a velocity less than 1,400 fps. It is recommended (but not required) that the minimum revolver velocity is 650 fps. All bullets must be lead or lead alloy and rifle bullets must be flat-pointed to allow for safe loading in tubular magazines. Jacketed bullets, hollow points, plated, gas checked, and copper washed bullets are not allowed. Commercial factory ammunition is readily available for almost all calibers in both smokeless and black powder versions or you may choose to load your own.

Cowboy Action Side Matches: Ammunition for side matches varies based upon the side match. However, those side matches using revolvers and lever-action rifles for pistol calibers have the identical requirements as the main match. Lever-action rifles chambered in a rifle caliber are generally limited to those calibers available prior to 1898, including the .30-30 WCF. Again, lead, flat-nosed bullets must be used. Some events will have separate categories for smokeless and black powder. The single-shot long-range or buffalo side match is also limited to pre-1898 calibers, with the most common being the .45-70. There are also side matches using derringers and pocket pistols with appropriate ammunition from .22 rimfire to .45 Colt. Many events have incorporated .22 side matches for both revolver and lever-action rifles. Fastest rifle, pistol, and shotgun side matches are standard at most annual matches and ammunition for these events is the same as that used in main-match competition.

Shotgun ammunition is generally of the “light-field load” type with velocity under 1200 fps using #4 to #8 hard lead shot. Shot size requirements may vary from event to event. The point is to keep the recoil as comfortable as possible and still be able to knock over any reactive targets you may encounter.

GUN LEATHER

Traditional gun leather, such as period-cowboy gun rigs and Hollywood gun rigs with drop loop holsters, are allowed by SASS (Single Action Shooting Society). However, NCOWS (National Congress of Old West Shootists) frowns upon Hollywoodholsters. Since two sixguns are normally used, you may either wear two straight-draw holsters, cross-draw holsters, or a combination thereof. Please note that wearing a cross-draw holster requires additional safety precautions. SHOOT! Magazine frequently publishes articles about various gun leather makers and gun leather is also available from the SHOOT! Mercantile.

SHOOTING CATEGORIES

Once you have determined that you are going to get involved in cowboy action shooting, one of many decisions that you will need to make is which shooting category you will enter. To date there are nearly 20 different categories that you may choose from. Generally, the most popular and fastest category is Traditional.

The Traditional category has the least restrictions with which to contend. Pistols may be any approved single-action type with fixed-sights. Barrel length is unrestricted, any caliber from .32 to .45 can be used and any approved powder is OK also while nearly every Traditional shooter uses smokeless, black powder is also approved. Two hands can be used to hold the gun and any style gun leather is also approved as long as it is safe.

Modern category shooters follow the same basic rules as the Traditional category folks with the only difference being that more modern-style single-action pistols with adjustable rear sights may be used.

Black powder shooters can find a home in the Frontiersman or Frontier Cartridge categories. The Frontiersman shooters must use cap-and-ball revolvers chambered for .36 caliber or larger and the Frontier Cartridge category allows the use of cartridge revolvers chambered in any pistol caliber from .32 to .45 caliber. All ammunition must use either black powder or one of the black powder replacement powders in all cartridges and shotshells. Only side-by-side double-barrel shotguns are allowed in the Frontiersman categories.

In addition to the above mentioned categories, there are the various Duelist categories that require the use of only one hand to support and shoot the pistols, the Gunfighter category that allows the shooter to employ both revolvers at the same time, double-duelist-style firing rounds alternately, and the Classic category that requires the shooter to shoot duelist and has firearm, caliber, and clothing requirements not found in the other categories. When you consider that there are age and gender related equivalent categories for all those mentioned above you begin to see that there are a lot of opportunities out there to find your perfect niche. Regardless of how you want to shoot, there is no doubt a category that will fit you perfectly.

COSTUME/CLOTHING

Your cowboy action clothes should follow the persona that you want to portray. In fact, there are some shooters that change personas each day of a match. However, don’t feel that you have to spend a fortune on clothes just to get started. Throw on a pair of jeans, a pair of boots, and a cowboy hat if you have them, and if not, don’t worry about it for your first local shoot or two. After that, you may be expected to slowly build up your outfit, although many continue to wear jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat at local shoots. Just check with your local club members to see what is required at their shoots. When shooting in annual matches, period-correct clothing is generally required. Hollywood-style or “B-Western” clothes are perfectly acceptable at SASS events, but not for NCOWS events, which try to maintain a more period correct atmosphere. Old West clothing comes in all styles and types for men, women, and juniors. Visit the Shoot! Mercantile for a great selection of both men’s and women’s clothing and/or view the photos in SHOOT! Magazine for ideas.

OTHER ITEMS

Alias/Persona: Some cowboy action organizations, such as the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), require you to choose an alias, while others, such as the National Congress of Old West Shootists (NCOWS), do not. A SASS alias is unique to each person on a first-come, first-serve basis. Whichever organization you become associated with, you may want to develop a persona and then select an alias that goes along with it. You might select a type of historical person from the Old West, such as a cowboy, townsperson, law officer, school marm, saloon girl, bartender, scout, or cavalry soldier, and then develop your alias, clothes, and firearms around it. Many people have also selected one of their favorite Hollywood heroes as their alias, such as the Lone Ranger, Tonto, Paladin, etc. Your alias will be used at all SASS sanctioned events. You can find out if an alias is available by calling SASS at (714) 694-1800 .

Gun Carts: Gun carts vary extensively. SASS and most other clubs (other than NCOWS), do not have a requirement on what types of gun carts can be used as long as the guns can be carried safely. NCOWS requires more traditional building methods using materials that were available in the 1800s. Rubber wheels/tires are not allowed.

Organizations: The Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), and the National Congress of Old West Shootists (NCOWS) are the two main cowboy action shooting organizations in the U.S. Visit our Organizations Links page for the web-sites of these and other firearms related organizations.

Tags: cowboy action shooting, shooting society, western action

Getting Started in Western-action Shooting

Posted on June 4th, 2011 by Admin | Posted in Guides

SHOOT! Magazine’s Guide to
GETTING STARTED in Western-action Shooting

When was the last time you watched a western movie? Have you ever thought you would like to play cowboy like you did as a kid? Have you ever wanted to take your family or a friend out to an old-time town dinner and dance dressed up in Victorian clothes? What about galloping on a horse with your sixguns blazing? Well, now’s your chance!

Western-action shooting is the fastest growing shooting sport in the world. It is friendly, family oriented, competitive, and really fun! Come with us and enjoy the world of cowboy action shooting, buffalo matches, cowboy fast draw, black powder cartridge rifle silhouette, cowboy mounted shooting, and more. Come play cowboy with real guns and ammunition in a safe atmosphere, and bring your family and friends along, too.

There are a variety of items that are required in Western-action shooting; however, the most important is your desire and interest, as any local club will be more than happy to help you out with the rest. They will usually even loan you the sixguns, leverguns, shotguns, and other items needed to shoot! So, the first thing we recommend that you do after reading up on the type of shooting you are interested in is to find a local match in your area, attend a shoot to see how it’s done, let them know you are interested, and ask for help.

We will briefly cover all of the subjects pertaining to how you can get started in this guide. More in-depth information is provided in our magazine, as well as books and videos that are available through the SHOOT! Mercantile. If you don’t find what you need here or have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at (208) 368-9920 or e-mail us atinfo@shootmagazine.com and we will be glad to help you.

Please select one of the Western-action Shooting Guides below to get started:

Getting Started in Cowboy Action Shooting

Getting Started in Cowboy Fast Draw

Getting Started in Cowboy Mounted Shooting

Tags: cowboy action shooting, shooting, western action, western action shooting

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Archive for June, 2011

The Winchester Model 1892

Classic Guns of the Old West – The Winchester Model 1892