The idea caught on and within a few years the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) was formed. SASS is an international society that governs the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting with the purpose of promoting and preserving the original concept of the sport. (The Jefferson "Outlaws" is a SASS-affiliated club.)

In Cowboy Action Shooting contestants compete using firearms typical of those used in the taming of the Old West: single action revolvers, pistol caliber lever action rifles, and old time shotguns. Shooters can use original firearms, or choose from a variety of modern re-creations.

The competition is a timed sport in which shooters compete for prestige on a course of different shooting stages. There is no prize money involved in SASS shooting, even at the world championships.

"Action" is an important aspect of cowboy shooting. A typical scenario might require the shooter to move from one place to another along the firing line, rather than doing all the shooting from one spot. The more imaginative scenarios involve props and other kinds of movement, such as roping a "calf," and there's no shortage of humor.

In the last few years, SASS has also started a mounted-shooting category, with participants shooting either from horseback or a buckboard.

One of the unique features of SASS approved Cowboy Action Shooting is the requirement placed on costuming. Each participant is required to adopt a shooting alias and develop a costume. Many participants gain more enjoyment from the costuming aspect of our sport than from the shooting itself. SASS events provide regular opportunities for fellowship and fun with like-minded folks and families.

SASS produces a Shooters Handbook, which sets out all of the rules and guidelines.  Affiliated clubs are required to follow these guidelines at all Cowboy Action Shooting matches.  The emphasis is on safety, fun, and participating in the spirit of the game; not on winning. Visit the SASS website to find out more.

In the years since SASS got its start, other old-west action shooting sports have gotten started. Click here for information on these.

To get started in Cowboy Action Shooting you should be proficient in shooting pre-1900 style single-action handguns and long guns. You don't need to be a crack-shot: just experienced enough to be a safe shooter. In fact, precision rarely comes up at a match. All of the targets are big and not too far away.  We count only hits and misses, although you are shooting against the clock. A hit is a hit, whether you’re dead center or barely winged the target.

A cowboy match is not the place to learn how to shoot. If you are new to firearms entirely, please enroll for basic shooting classes or individual lessons with an NRA certified instructor.

All matches require you to shoot two revolvers, a rifle, and a shotgun--all made before 1900 or a replica of a gun from that era. All ammo must be unjacketed lead, without gas-checks, and there is an upper limit on muzzle velocity.  Your pistols must be single-action revolvers in a period-correct caliber, such as .45 Long Colt, .44, .44-40, .38 or .32. Rifles must be in "pistol caliber," which means that 30-30s and the like are not to be used, because they are too powerful Most folks use a rifle in the same caliber as their pistols, to help keep things simple. Shotguns are typically either a side-by-side or a Winchester Model 97 type (pump-action with exposed hammer an no ejectors). Refer to the SASS Shooter’s Handbook for more specific requirements.

Before you spend money on cowboy guns, it's wise to attend a new-shooter clinic, and then observe a match or two. Most cowboy shooters are more than willing to let you handle, and even shoot their guns, so you can get an idea what works best for you, within your budget.

While you’re saving up to buy those guns you should be thinking about your costume. CAS shooters' clothing must look period-correct to the late 1800s, although there are categories for so-called B-Western cowboys. Your gun leather ought to be roughly appropriate to your costume. Most shooters wear a double-holster rig, and there are several distinctly different types. Refer to the Shooters Handbook for details, and don't be shy about asking questions!

With all this gear, you’ll need some kind of cart to hold your ammo and long guns while you’re not shooting.  Gun carts can be fancy and expensive or basic and cheap; it’s all a matter of preference.

Finally, you'll need to pick an alias.  Your alias will be what you are called at the match.  In many cases you will never know another cowboy’s real name. Aliases can be from history, fiction, or just something you've made up. SASS keeps the official list of aliases and has the final say in granting them. Follow this link to see a list of known aliases; it might help you decide on yours.

The best way to get a taste of this sport is to attend a New-Cowboy shooter clinic. These are inexpensive, all-day courses that include some background work in the classroom, and actual shooting experience. You don't need a costume or alias, and guns and ammunition are included.

Even after you've attended a clinic, it’s a good idea to go and watch a match before you actually participate in one.  It's not impossibly difficult, but there is a lot going on at once, in addition to the need to handle three different kinds of firearm in the same shooting sequence. As Yogi Berra said, "You can observe a lot just by watching," and when you do, things don't seem nearly as overwhelming as when you're trying to safely load and shoot your own guns while watching all the other stuff for the first time. It takes at least six people to run a posse, because of the number of things happening simultaneously.

While someone is on the firing line, the timer operator is timing them, and watching to ensure all movement and action is safe. Three spotters watch the targets and keep track of the number of targets missed. One or more people will be loading their guns at the loading table, under direct observation. The shooter who has just finished will be unloading at the unloading table, with someone double-checking that the guns are cleared. Other posse members may be retrieving brass between shooters, or setting up props that get moved around during a scenario.

Just go to the range on the day of a shoot, dress up of course, and join up with a posse as an observer.  I guarantee you will be welcomed!

When you arrive for your first shoot at Jefferson, you must register in the clubhouse,  between 8 and 9 AM. Our monthly match fee is $10.  If it's your first time shooting, be sure to let the registration person know, and they’ll pair you up with an experienced shooter. After you register you can go back to your wagon and start loading up your gun cart. This is a good time to strike up a conversation with some of the other cowboys. Once you're ready just head down to the range and wait for the safety meeting.

A safety briefing is held before every match, and at most clubs attendance is mandatory for shooters. The match director will go over SASS rules and any club-specific rules you need to be aware of. After the safety briefing and other announcements, the posse leaders will call out the posse assignments. The posse is the group of cowboys and cowgirls you’ll be spending the rest of the day with. You move from stage to stage and take turns doing the different jobs within your posse.

Before you begin a stage the posse leader will read out the scenario and describe the order which the targets are to be engaged. Usually someone will act out the stage along with the reading. Even if things seem a little confusing at first, after you've watched the first few shooters go through the stage the scenario will become easier to remember. Most folks will help you along while you’re shooting – calling out reminders like which target to shoot and with which gun. The scorekeeper will call out the shooting order and let you know when you should be loading, and once you recognize the cowboy who shoots just ahead of you, that part gets easier, too. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun, and be safe.

After you finish the last stage please hang around and help put away targets and do general clean up. Remember, this is a volunteer sport: nobody gets paid to set up or tear down a match. After cleanup is complete, you can load your gear up in your vehicle then head back to the clubhouse to share in conversation about the shoot while you wait for final scores. After the scores are tallied the match director will read out the finishing order. Some clubs offer door prizes before they read out the scores as an added incentive to stick around.

The "Jefferson Outlaws" are affiliated with SASS and we generally follow SASS rules, but you might like to know about these other western-style shooting organizations. Many people shoot matches held by these organizations, as well as SASS.

Here's a list of some of the other organizations:

• Western 3-Gun
• National Congress of Old West Shootists (NCOWS)
• Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association

A good place to get acquainted with these other versions of the sport, and the people who shoot them is CAS-City.

A cowboy match is not the place to learn how to shoot. If you are new to firearms entirely, you can enroll for basic shooting classes or individual lessons with an NRA certified instructor.

Some Jefferson Outlaws members are certified instructors. If you don't know of a convenient place to learn the basics, use this Contact Us link.

We can help you enroll in basic classes, usually at the Continental Arms range in Cockeysville, MD. Or we can arrange private, one-on-one instruction using the specific kinds of guns used in Cowboy Action Shooting, under NRA's First Steps program.

 

Wild Bunch Rules

Shooters at the Jefferson Outlaws’ November shooting match will have the opportunity to register in the Wild Bunch category.  The basic requirements are:  a plain 1911, SASS-legal rifle and an 1897 shotgun (details are below).  It will be a standard Cowboy Action Shooting match in which all shooters will shoot the scenarios in the same manner regardless of which handgun is being used.  Shooters using 1911s will have a separate category for scoring purposes and there will be one overall match winner.  The Wild Bunch category is only being offered in this one shooting match.  We may do it again sometime in the future, but the Wild Bunch category will not be offered at all Jefferson Outlaws matches.

Requirements for shooting in the Wild Bunch category: 

GUNS 

PISTOLS: 
    ·       Full size single stack steel frame 1911-style semi-auto pistol in .45 ACP caliber, single stack magazines only.
    ·       Barrel length must be at least 5 inches.  No barrel porting or compensators or other recoil reducing devices allowed.
    ·       Barrel must have a standard barrel bushing. Bull barrels are not allowed.
    ·       Magazine wells may be beveled, but may not be oversized, extended or flared.
    ·       Adjustable or non-adjustable dovetail rear sights and blade type dovetail front sights are allowed.
    ·       No sight inserts or colored sights allowed.  Sights must be black or blued.
    ·       Stainless steel is permitted.
    ·       Grips must be GI-style wood or plastic grips. Other natural materials are OK but no rubber grips.  No target grips or thumb rests.
    ·       Only rear slide checkering or serrations allowed.  No front slide checkering or serrations.
    ·       Only standard grip safeties, no extended beavertail grip safeties.
    ·       Standard length magazines cannot hold more than 8 rounds. No extended base pads on magazines.
    ·       The magazine release must be standard length, it may not be extended or oversized.
    ·       Standard thumb safeties only, may not be extended.
    ·       Standard slide release only, may not be extended.
    ·       Standard recoil spring and guide only, may not be extended.
    ·       Short or long trigger allowed, may not be a match trigger.
    ·       Standard spur hammer only.
    ·       Checkered front strap and trigger guard not allowed.
    ·       Flat or arched mainspring housing permitted.
    ·       Internal accurizing and action tuning are allowed.
    ·       Lanyard loop is optional.

Notes:
        Standard in all cases means Standard Military Specs.
        Questionable firearms will be subject to approval by the Match Director.

RIFLES:
        Any SASS-legal, main match rifle may be used with all the usual SASS rules applying.

SHOTGUNS:
        Any SASS-legal 1897-type shotgun may be used with all the usual SASS rules applying.  Only an 1897-type shotgun may be used in the Wild Bunch category.

CLOTHING:
        Dress is standard Cowboy or Period Military. All SASS-legal clothing is permitted with the exception of B-Western.
        Period military clothing would be WWI or pre-WWI uniforms including (but not limited to) campaign hats, khaki shirts, Jodhpur riding pants,
        puttees over combat boots or brogans.

GUN BELTS AND HOLSTERS:
        A WWI–era military khaki web belt with 1 or more ammo pouches. 
        Holsters may be a pre-1919 military holster or a western-styled leather holster made for a 1911.  Holsters may be tied down.  Holsters and
        magazine pouches must be of traditional or military design and made from traditional materials, (e.g., canvas or leather, no black nylon).  No open front
        speed holsters allowed.  If a holster has a flap or strap they need not be closed during competition.
        ·       No shoulder or cross-draw holsters may be used during competition.   
        ·       No metal or plastic "competition" type equipment allowed.
        ·       Magazine pouches must be worn on the opposite side of the body from the handgun.
        ·       Magazine pouches must be worn vertical.
        ·       Magazine pouches can hold either 1 or 2 magazines.
        ·       More than 1 magazine pouch may be used.

SHOOTING RULES:
        THE 1911 MUST NEVER BE HOLSTERED WITH A MAGAZINE INSERTED UNLESS THE SHOOTER IS ON THE FIRING LINE. 

LOADING: 
        Shooters may carry any number of magazines on their body at any time but all magazines must remain empty until they are at the loading table.  The shooter must
        show the loading table RO that the 1911 is empty.  The slide will then be closed and the hammer lowered.

        Each magazine can then be loaded with five (5) rounds only.  When the shooter is ready to go to the firing line, he may holster the pistol with NO magazine
        inserted. 

STAGING: 
        On the firing line, under the supervision of the RO, the shooter shall insert a loaded magazine in the pistol but NOT operate the slide and either holster the pistol
        or stage it according to the stage directions.

FIRING:
The pistol is charged on the clock at the firing line.  Dropped loaded or unloaded magazines will be picked up by posse workers, not by the shooter.  When moving with the 1911 in your hand, the slide must be locked open and the trigger finger must be outside of the trigger guard. (Trigger finger in the trigger guard while moving is a MSV, moving with the slide closed is a SDQ)

AFTER FIRING: 
        If the pistol is NOT the last gun of the stage, the Wild Bunch shooter will place the pistol on the designated prop with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

CLEARING:
        After the stage is completed, the shooter will make the 1911 safe under the direction of the RO.

        The shooter will remove the magazine and show the RO that the chamber is empty. The shooter will close the slide, point the pistol down range and dry-fire the gun
        to prove it is safe. If the gun will not dry-fire without the magazine in place, insert the magazine, dry-fire the gun and remove the magazine.

        The pistol must then be safely and appropriately holstered observing the 170 rule.  The shooter may then proceed to the unloading table where the unloading table
        RO will clear the pistol again as well as all magazines and the rifle and shotgun.