sass

T

toyman69

New member
I was wanting some information. I have been looking in to the cowboy action shooting and it looks like fun. I have been to a range for a pratice session, and my family had a good time. I have the guns for it and even have the gun belt.

But where do you get the brass shot shells?

are they hard to reload, and how many times can they be reloaded.

and just wondering how can I find out where the clubs are that around me.
 
Thanks for the help.
will a standard shot gun reloading press work to remove the spent primer or do I need special tools?
 
Set the base of the hull over a hole drilled in a 2x4 and use a nail. They take large pistol primers.
 
Set the base of the hull over a hole drilled in a 2x4 and use a nail. They take large pistol primers.
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You do, however, need to make sure the nail is skinny enough. The Lee Loader comes with a tool that is wonderful for the job.
508946.jpg
Last tool on the left in the photo.

If I ever lost my Lee loader I would pound a finishing nail into a dowel and snip the head off.
 
Pard, you DON'T need brass shotshells to shoot SASS. Perhaps they were popular at the club you visited, but in nearly 9 years of playing that game I've only met 2 or 3 shooters that use them.

For now I'd worry about getting all 4 guns, leather, gun cart, etc. and just shoot for fun. Your costume will develop over the years (yeah, right now you're saying you don't care about costuming, but that will change). You can add the brass shotshells later for style.
 
I guess the good thing is I've already got the guns I need.
A pair of vaqueros in 45lc.
A puma lever action in 45lc (brass frame)
and a stevens sxs in 12ga. (but I have to find some one who knows how to deactivate the ejector)
do you gents have any other advice?
 
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do you gents have any other advice?
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Go to a few matches to watch, take notes, and ask questions about what you're seeing. You can find out about local rules (and there usually are some), people locally that gunsmith cowboy guns (like deactivate the auto safety), and get reloading help and advice. CAS shooters as a rule are friendly, helpfull, and interested in attracting and keeping new shooters.
 
Yes Please don't dress like you just escaped from Grand Old Opery :D. people didn't dress that way back then. Look at the old pictures and remember many were dressed up for the picture Their was a time I was interested, but today the outfits and all the guns needed . Not any longer Like every thing we do in America This has went over board . 1 pistol and maybe a rifle or a shot gun That's about all most people could afford many just 1 .
 
Their was a time I was interested, but today the outfits and all the guns needed . Not any longer Like every thing we do in America This has went over board . 1 pistol and maybe a rifle or a shot gun That's about all most people could afford many just 1
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I agree, it makes it difficult for new comers. I know a LOT of guys that would do different reenactment shooting if it weren't for the gamers looking down their noses.
 
I bought 4 boxes of these brass 12 ga hulls from Cabelas 6 years ago , have reloaded them many times with no problems .
This type use large pistol primers (the same primers I use in my 45 LC cartridges )..and can be loaded with simple hand tools .
I don`t shoot SASS because of my love for black powder cartridge loading .
You can crank out smokeless rounds much faster and that is what I would use if I were to shoot SASS,,( the targets are close ) and ya might as well throw some smokeless rounds at them and have fun .
My black powder rounds are for hunting and serious target shooting .
It takes alot of time to load black powder cartridges ..with bullet casting and pan lubeing .

Just my 2 cents ..for what its worth
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You might consider looking into shooting with an NCOWS (http://www.ncows.org/) affiliated club. They're not as pervasive as SASS, but they have a "Working Class Cowboy" division that shoots with only one revolver and one rifle. I actually use my 1858 Remington NMA cap and ball revolver and shoot this division at the local club. NCOWS shoots with the targets further away than SASS, and the targets and shooting scenarios are a bit more varied. Since the emphasis is more on accuracy instead of just sheer speed, there seems to be a bit less of the "gamer" attitude, although I know the presence of that will vary from club to club within any organization (I haven't seen any hard-core gamers at any of the SASS only organizations I've visited here in Texas).

As an organization they are a bit more focused on historical accuracy (the organization was started by re-enactors) but that actually allows some freedoms that aren't in SASS. For example I've shot stages with Derringers in addition to my regular revolver and rifle. On the other hand, they don't have a "B-Movie" category of dress. They also expect you to conform to certain dress standards within a year of joining. I'm *not* a re-enactor but I found their basic dress requirements *real* easy to do.

The club I shoot with (The Texas Ten Horns) is affiliated with both SASS and NCOWS. You can find some pretty good info on the differences in clothing and weapons at their web site (http://www.texastenhorns.com/). I personally find the Ten Horns web site much easier to get information off of than the NCOWS organizational site.

My understanding is that some SASS clubs are starting to implement a "Working Class Cowboy " at local matches, but I can't confirm that for sure. Either way, you can find links to NCOWS-related clubs at the NCOWS web site, just like you can find links to SASS-related clubs at their web site. Look for the clubs closest to you and check them out. Sometimes you find that at the local level they're 'looser' about certain things than the national organizations are, and both organizations are real good about welcoming new people who want to check them out.
 
This type use large pistol primers (the same primers I use in my 45 LC cartridges )..and can be loaded with simple hand tools
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I'd like to know more about loading shotgun shells with simple hand tools.
 
I started out useing a nail and a plastic mallet .
Latter I bought an old Lee hand loading kit for 12 ga...about 20 bucks on ebay ...Lee no longer makes them ...but there is always some on ebay .
There is more in the kit than needed to load the brass shells ....after all no crimp needed ..just an over the shot card glued in with white elmers glue ..works as well as anything .
It just doesn`t get any easyer .
You can buy the wads and cards needed from Dixie or Midway ..they come in packs of 1,000 each ...last a long time ..I`m still loading out of my first order.
 
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