
This is an educational article from American Rifleman magazine, not a business directory listing. The source material is NRA journalism about Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) as a competitive sport. The piece walks shooters through everything needed to compete in Cowboy Action Shooting, a growing compet...
Own Cowboy Action Shooting: Something for Everybody?
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This is an educational article from American Rifleman magazine, not a business directory listing. The source material is NRA journalism about Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) as a competitive sport.
The piece walks shooters through everything needed to compete in Cowboy Action Shooting, a growing competitive shooting sport with three basic rules: no baseball hats, no running shoes, and you must have fun.
To shoot CAS competition, you'll need:
CAS ammunition must meet strict guidelines: - Lead bullets only, no gas checks - Revolver loads: maximum 1,000 f.p.s. velocity - Rifle ammo: maximum 1,400 f.p.s. velocity - Shotgun: No. 4 birdshot or smaller, lead only, no steel or magnum loads
Companies offering CAS-compliant ammunition include Black Hills, Winchester, and Hornady.
"One constant shines through: the guns with the best triggers always turned in the best scores no matter who the shooter was."
A clean, crisp trigger breaking at about 3 lbs. with minimal overtravel makes a measurable difference in speed and accuracy. Spring kits from Midway or Brownells are installable by handy shooters, or take guns to a qualified gunsmith for professional adjustment and action smoothing.
Cowboy Action Shooting is a speed game. The Competition Electronics Pocket Pro timer helps identify weaknesses and track improvement. Electronic timers are essential both during competition and in practice sessions.
Serious competitors handload ammunition. Key differences from standard handloading:
Factory rifle sights work fine for younger shooters. For eyes over 40, consider tang-mounted peep sights from brands like Lyman or Marble's—they're easier to use than factory open sights because the eye automatically centers the front sight as you look through the rear peep.
Shootgun recoil can be cumulative in matches with heavy shotgun work. Solutions include: - Switching to smaller-bore shotguns - Using 7/8-oz. low-recoil target loads (easily handloaded or commercially available)
Steel Target Safety: Never shoot at cratered targets—this causes dangerous bullet splash-back. CAS rules mandate lead bullets without gas checks partly for this reason. Always use targets in good condition.
According to the article, the sport attracts three types of shooters: 1. Lifestyle competitors interested in Old West personas and period clothing 2. Pure competitive shooters focused on speed and accuracy 3. Those in between (most common) who enjoy both the shooting and the style
One competitor quoted: "It's the most legal fun you can have with your clothes on!"
Unlike some shooting sports with hours of waiting and minutes of shooting, CAS means "burning powder all day long."
The governing body for Cowboy Action Shooting is the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). Information available at sassnet.com.
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