SASS questions

P

pcgunner

Inactive
Anyone here doing SASS?

I've been to their website as well as the only local groups site we have. I've been interested in this type of shooting for years.

When we lived in Ca. there was a 2 year waiting list to join the club where we lived and just as our number came up - we moved to Fl - go figure.

Anyway, I read you have to have 2 handguns - question: Do they have to be "old"? I have one Ruger Vaguero 45 Colt we bought 20+ years ago - can I use that and I buy a 2nd?

Can the hand guns and rifles be any caliber? I have 45 colt dies which I load but don't have a 45 colt rifle which I've been searching for for ever. I prefer to use the same caliber for the 3 guns if possible.

Can the rifle or one of the handguns be a Mares Leg? I'm about to buy a Chiappa arms or Henry in 45 Colt and I just love how they look.

Thanks in advance
 
Howdy

Here is a link to the SASS website.

http://www.sassnet.com/

And here is a link to the SASS shooter's handbook that will answer all of your questions, although sometimes it can be a bit confusing.

http://www.sassnet.com/Downloads/SHB%20Version%2021.8.pdf

I will speak only about the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) because that is what I am familiar with. There are a couple of other Western shooting sports, but SASS is the biggest and the easiest to find.


I will try to answer a couple of your specific questions.

Anyway, I read you have to have 2 handguns - question: Do they have to be "old"? I have one Ruger Vaguero 45 Colt we bought 20+ years ago - can I use that and I buy a 2nd?
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Yes. Two handguns are required at the official level, however some small local matches allow shooters to only use one handgun. However since all stages are written for two handguns you may be asked to reload, or you may have to take five misses if you are only using one handgun. Don't know what you mean by 'old' however the Ruger Vaquero is probably the most common handgun used in SASS. Yes, you can use your Vaquero and you can buy any other handgun that is SASS 'legal', such as a replica of the Colt Single Action Army. Most shooters choose to have matching handguns, but it is not required.


Can the hand guns and rifles be any caliber? I have 45 colt dies which I load but don't have a 45 colt rifle which I've been searching for for ever. I prefer to use the same caliber for the 3 guns if possible.
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Acceptable ammunition varies according to the category you choose to shoot. See the handbook for more details. However 45 Colt is acceptable for almost every category.

By the way, you need four guns, not three. Two pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun. However you do not have to run out and buy them all at once. If you contact the match director and ask he can probably set you up with someone who will loan you what you need while you are getting started. SASS shooters are very friendly and love to help new comers. And you do not have to belong to a club either. I have been shooting CAS for many years and am not a member of any SASS affiliated club. I just show up at the match and shoot.

Can the rifle or one of the handguns be a Mares Leg? I'm about to buy a Chiappa arms or Henry in 45 Colt and I just love how they look.
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No. The Mare's Leg is not acceptable as either a Main Match handgun or rifle. See the descriptions of acceptable handguns and rifles in the various categories.

I would steer you away from the Chippa brand, they have not fared well in competition and spare parts are hard to find. I know many people like the rifles made by Henry, but you will not see one of them in the winner's circle at very many matches. That is all I will say about that. Most shooters choose a replica built by Uberti, the 1892 replicas imported by several importers, or a Marlin.
 
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The main reason I don't do SASS is because it is very inauthentic.

As a student of history, the guns of modern design (Rugers etc.) and weak smokeless powder loads aren't very appealing to me. Top it off with the hammy and rather silly handles and sets that are a part of the sport and well... it's just not for me.

DON'T BE OFFENDED!! I understand many here love it and I do very much respect that choice. It is a perfectly legitimate and challenging shooting discipline, just not what I would like to do. Something like N-SSA (North-South Skirmish Association) shooting would be far more appealing to me. I would certainly be an N-SSA member if they had a unit in my state, which they don't sadly.
 
Howdy Again

I will only make one reply to that. Although most competitors in CAS shoot as fast as they can, with very light loads, not everybody does.

Some of us march to a different drummer. We shoot real Colts, or sometimes real antique revolvers from the late 1800s, real old double barreled shotguns, and sometimes even real antique Winchesters. We shoot real Black Powder loads with the case stuffed to the gill with real Black Powder, not mousfarts. And we don't give a darn where we place in the competition.

BlackPowderCountryPond_zpsc1361063.jpg





I don't think it gets much more authentic than me shooting a Merwin Hulbert Pocket Army made in the early 1880s with full house 44-40 Black Powder loads.

shooting%20Merwin%20Hulbert%2003_zpszmyu0b56.jpg


Certainly not everyone, but some of us march to a different drummer.
 
You can find all the info in the hand book but I'll add a couple of things to DJ's response. Rifle must be a lever action or slide action in a pistol caliber using lead bullets. No 30-30's or jacketed bullets of any kind. Shotguns can be SXS without ejectors, a Winchester 1897 slide action or an 1887 Winchester lever action. With the 87 and 97 only two rounds can be loaded at a time.
 
To the OP: I'd recommend finding a club near you (and for others who may be interested you can find clubs in your area easily on the the SASS website) and just show up at a local match and hang around.

I'm in my 7th year of cowboy shooting. I shot my first match with holsters and guns supplied by my fellow shooters. I put my gear together over the next year, sharing as I went. In my neck of the woods we encourage new folks to show up with what they have. It's no big deal to lend them a gun or two (or four) to get them through a stage. Some cowboy shooters have backups or "loaners" that they bring just in case someone else's gun breaks down.

Model12, you might want to see if there is an NCOWS chapter in your area; they place an emphasis on historical accuracy and it may be right up your alley.
 
Model12, you might want to see if there is an NCOWS chapter in your area; they place an emphasis on historical accuracy and it may be right up your alley.
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Yes, I've done some reading on NCOWS and it seems like great fun.
 
Thanks all - much appreciated

There is a meet it seems next weekend out of Pensacola I'm going to try and make - hopefully they won't turn us away for not being dressed properly- don't have any authentic looking garb at the moment

Started looking for replicas and have only found Uberti's so far - seem reasonably priced.

Are there other mfg's or importers I should look at before making a decision? I know about the broker sites, but looking more for "new" rather than used. Also, not sure how much I trust some of these auction sites at the moment.

Not so much the sellers, but the sites themselves.

The rifles are bit out of price for me at the moment
 
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hopefully they won't turn us away for not being dressed properly- don't have any authentic looking garb at the moment
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Don't sweat the costuming. You don't have to spend a bundle on clothes. Just don't show up in shorts, ball cap, and/or sneakers and expect to be allowed to compete. Those items are forbidden, unless OKed by the local club. First match I attended I wore a pair of jeans, a workshirt, an old pair of boots and a cheap cowboy hat.

Show interest and ask a lot of questions. Chances are you will be given an opportunity to try out some of the guns at some point.

And don't forget what I said about not needing to own all the guns to start out. Chances are you will find somebody who is happy to loan you what you need to get started. Don't be embarrassed to try borrowed guns, we all like to give newcomers a chance to try before they buy. Don't rush out and buy all your guns at once, be sure to try some to see what works and what does not. If you rush out and buy something in a hurry, chances are you will eventually be dissatisfied with it. Trust me on this.
 
Thx Driftwood - contacted the local this morning - they meet last saturday of the month so we're good to go in a few weeks.

There's another meet next weekend but 1.5 - 2 hours away is a bit much atm.

I found a few sites with replicas - if anyone has experience with any of these aside from the Uberti and Rossi, your input is greatly appreciated...

  • emf-company.com - handguns, rifles and shotguns
  • cheaperthandirt.com has these (not buying just researching atm:
    • Traditions Frontier Series 1863 Single Action Revolver .45
    • Cimmaron's - look ok not sure about the quality
    • Taylor .45's - never heard of these guys
    • Shotguns

I like the pricing on the Rossi rifles - Uberti rifles out of my budget

Thx Hawg - yah I like the cimmarons as well.

Also, have to remember the wife and I will share the guns hopefully (don't want to have to buy her her own set) so need 2 holsters.

Very worried about buying holsters online - I don't like buying something I can't try out/feel.

Guns, I can go to the shows and hopefully find similar/same but holsters I've not pulled the trigger on yet for any of my guns - LGS is expensive, gunshow expensive and of course on the net I find stuff they both don't carry lol.
 
Howdy Again

The lever action Model 1892 rifles imported by EMF are made by Rossi. These are quality firearms, however they tend to be a bit rough out of the box. I won one in a raffle a few years ago. Yes, it was rough and needed work. Never fired it, sold it for a down payment on my 1860 Henry. Many shooters start with one of these rifles, however if you want to be competitive you will eventually trade it for an Uberti 1873 rifle. The 1892 can be made to run smoothly, but you have to spend extra money on gunsmithing to smooth it up. Straight out of the box an experienced shooter can get ahead of the rifle and cause it to jam. But they are a good starter rifle if you don't plan on being competitive.

Taylors, along with Cimarron are importers. They do not manufacture anything. There has been a myth going around for a long time that Cimarron has higher quality guns than most of the other importers. This is only a myth, it is not true. All these guns come off the same assembly line.

I have had personal experience with Taylors and I think they are top shelf. They stand by their products and give no grief if an adjustment is needed.

The thing about all these importers is other than a few minor details, they are all importing the same firearms. So the best thing to do is find out who has the best price for a particular firearm.

Don't overlook Dixie Gunworks. Dixie has been around a long, long time. They periodically have sales on selected firearms. I saved around $200 when I bought my 1860 Henry through Dixie, same thing when I bought my Sharps.

https://dixiegunworks.com/
 
If you are talking about the Panhandle Cowboys that shoot in Cantonment they are a great group of people that will be more than happy to show you the ropes! Talk to them before you buy anything. One of their members goes by the name Mad Dane. He is an excellent Cowboy gunsmith and a straight shooter, he and the rest of them will be glad to answer any questions you have.
 
thx guys - Yah the Cantonment one is next weekend, but way too far travel wise.

I'll take a look at dixie - didn't find that one yet

Thanks again for all the guidance and responses - greatly appreciated!
 
The thing I like about the Cimarron Uberti is the Italian markings are all hidden and Cimarron has their barrel address tastefully roll stamped.

 
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Howdy Again

Yeah, it's cute how Cimarron has their name roll stamped onto their guns, but that does not make them any better than any of the other imports. I have been inside this Cattleman and it needed just as much tuning as any other imported revolver.

uberti-cimarroncattleman_zpsd11f564c.jpg


I used to own another Cimarron Cattleman that had the worst trigger pull of any revolver I have ever owned, and to make matters worse, the barrel was not screwed in properly so that the front sight leaned to one side. I eventually sold it and used the money as a down payment on a Vaquero.

Like I said before, choose the importer that has the best price.
 
I didn't say it made them any better but mine is better than the Uberti/Stoeger I had by a long shot.
 
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