WELCOME TO THE
LOS ALAMOS SPORTSMEN'S CLUB
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Rendija Canyon Road - Los Alamos - New Mexico
GPS: 35.90917° N, 106.2775° W
Cowboy Action
Program
Are you interested in shooting the kinds of guns that were used in the Old West?
Then please come and join us for our Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) matches.
We currently meet on the morning of the second Sunday of each month at the LASC covered pistol range. We shoot rifles, shotguns, and single action revolvers, at every match. Do you only have one or two of those firearms, but not the rest? Don’t worry, you can start with the gun(s) you have. You are responsible for bringing your own firearm(s) and the appropriate amount of ammunition, plus the required eye and ear protection. The guns you bring need to be reproductions (or safe-to-shoot originals) of the guns made and in use in 1899 or earlier. Please contact us with questions, or to let us know you would like to shoot at a match.
For the most part that means lever action rifles, single action revolvers, and side-by-side shotguns. There are quite a few different types of period correct reproduction guns that are available, and in all price ranges. For a complete list of approved firearms and the guidelines, please see section 6 of the SASS Rule Book. Please note that rifles must be chambered in a pistol caliber like .45 Colt, .45 ACP, 44-40, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, 38-40, 10mm, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, 9mm, .32 Magnum, 32-20, etc. NO rifle calibers are allowed, i.e. 45-70, 38-55, 30-30, etc. When choosing a rifle, make sure that the magazine will hold at least 10 rounds, or you will be at a disadvantage. Semi-auto pistols and double action revolvers of that time period are not allowed. If you are not sure whether or not a gun you have can be used in our CAS matches, contact us and we will let you know.
We run our local CAS matches closely following the operational rules developed by the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). You can read about the Match and Safety guidelines in Sections 3 and 4 of the SASS Rule Book. While we encourage new shooters to have as much of the necessary equipment as possible (2 single action revolvers, a set of holsters, 1 rifle, and 1 shotgun), we understand that this can be quite difficult. We want to accommodate shooters who are new to CAS and give them the opportunity to shoot a CAS match using the guns they have. Our intent is to let people try CAS matches to see if they enjoy them and have fun, and if they do, to give them the time needed to buy the rest of their equipment. We prefer that shooters eventually obtain all of the necessary equipment, and do not shoot indefinitely with a limited number of firearms.
Photograph Provided by Rye Miles
A CAS match is normally set up as 5 or 6 different stages. Each stage uses similar targets, but the stage instructions as to how the stage is supposed to be shot will change for every stage, making it more challenging. The targets are steel plates and fairly close, so you don’t have to worry about being a dead-eye shot. Each stage typically requires 2 single action revolvers, 1 rifle, and 1 shotgun. Rifles and pistols are only loaded at the Loading Table. Each revolver is loaded with just 5 rounds, leaving one empty chamber under the hammer(s) (10 rounds total), the rifle magazine is loaded with 10 rounds, leaving the chamber empty, and the shotgun uses 2+ rounds (the shotgun is only loaded at the firing line). No loaded ammunition should be in a chamber or under the hammer of any gun when you go from the Loading Table to the firing line. When you are done shooting and are cleared to leave the Unloading Table, there should be no live ammunition or empty cases in any of your firearms. The rifle and shotgun actions must remain OPEN.
Rifle and revolver ammunition must use lead, or coated lead (polymer or moly is OK), bullets. No jacketed, plated, or metal clad ammunition is allowed. The minimum velocity is 400fps, the maximum velocity for revolvers is 1000fps, and 1400fps for rifles. We prefer to use fairly low velocity ammunition because the steel targets are positioned close to the firing line, so there is no need for high velocity ammunition. Shotgun ammunition must be #7 to #9 lead shot (no steel or bismuth, etc. shot). There is no need for high velocity, magnum, or heavy hitting shotgun ammunition. Low recoil shotgun shells with 7/8 to 1 ounce of shot work great and do not damage our targets.
IF YOU ARE A NEW SHOOTER and do not have all of the firearms, you will only be able to shoot the number of rounds for the gun(s) you have (i.e. if you only have a rifle you would only shoot 10 rounds and then stop, if you have a rifle and one revolver you would only shoot 15 rounds and then stop, with a revolver and a shotgun you would only shoot 7+ rounds, etc.)
IF YOU ARE A NEW SHOOTER and do not have all of the firearms, you will be required to shoot the same stage instructions and patterns as everyone else, with the limited number of rounds for your firearm(s) and then stop. During a normal CAS match each shooter (that has all 4 firearms) will shoot 50 rounds of pistol ammo, 50 rounds of rifle ammo, and somewhere around 20+ rounds of shotgun ammo. Almost all of the shooters in CAS use the same caliber ammunition in their rifles as they use in their revolvers.
Most shooting competitions use an electronic timer and CAS is no different. A CAS group member, the Timer Operator (TO), will be near you holding the timer. They will also help you while you are shooting, if you need it. If you want help, make sure to tell the Timer Operator (TO) that you would like their help during the stage, before you start shooting. When the timer makes an audible BEEP the shooter will start to shoot the stage, when the last shot is fired the timer shows how fast the shooter shot the entire stage, and their time is then entered into the match record. IF YOU ARE A NEW SHOOTER and do not have all of the firearms, or you are shooting .22 caliber firearms, then the timer BEEP will only be used to have you start, but you will not be timed and no time will be entered into the match record for you.
If you are new to CAS, or new to the LASC CAS group, we want to make your experience as safe and as enjoyable as possible, but there are a few basic requirements that you will need to make sure you follow. Please read the Match and Safety guidelines in Sections 3 and 4 of the SASS Rule Book to familiarize yourself with the rules and the way that a CAS match is run, especially the 170° rule.
- Safety Always Comes First! Unsafe behavior will immediately end your shooting for that day.
- Before your first match, you will be asked about your shooting experience, and may be asked to demonstrate your ability. If you are inexperienced or new to shooting please contact us and let us know ahead of time by email. You will be asked to come to the match early so we can help you get ready.
- Eye protection and ear protection are required once the match starts. NOTE: ear muffs do not fit over cowboy hats, so some type of ear plug, or behind the neck ear protection, will work best. Make sure to bring eye and ear protection with you to the match. You will not be allowed to shoot or participate without them.
- You are encouraged to do your best to come up with a late 1800’s Cowboy
outfit. This can be as simple as a pair of jeans or a long skirt (no shorts), a blue
button-up work shirt or a blouse (no t-shirts), a pair of boots (no tennis shoes),
and a cowboy era hat (no baseball caps, boonie hats, etc.)
- You can use any SASS approved firearm(s).
- Unlike SASS, you are welcome to use .22 caliber firearms.
- You must have at least one, or more, firearm(s) to participate in a match (single action revolvers, rifle, shotgun).
- Holsters are highly recommended but not required.
- An experienced CAS shooter will help you through at least the first few stages, please listen carefully to what they tell you.
- You are required to immediately follow all of the range commands given by the Timer Operator (TO) from the time you leave the Loading Table, until you are checked out, cleared, and released from the Unloading Table. Never leave the Unloading Table until you have been cleared by someone!
- If you are uncomfortable for any reason while you are shooting, no problem, stop shooting, carefully set your guns down on the table pointed downrange, and tell the Timer Operator (TO) why you stopped. The Timer Operator (TO) will tell you what to do next.
- You are expected to shoot the entire match. Usually 5 or 6 stages, plus help with clean-up and storage, for a total of about 3 hours.
- There is a $5 fee for each shooter.
Our goal is for everyone to safely have fun shooting the guns of the Old West, and to spend time with others who have a similar interest. We will do everything we can to help you have a great time, and we look forward to seeing you at one of our CAS matches. If you are interested in coming to a match, or would like more information, please contact us.
Best advice ever given, “Do not buy any equipment until you have been to a few CAS matches.”
Useful Resources-
SASS Forums- explanations and discussions of all things SASS and CAS related (search function is a bit iffy).
SASS Home Page- all things related to the Single Action Shooting Society
Search YouTube- thousands of CAS videos showing all aspects of CAS events, equipment, techniques, and rules.
