Life should be full of fun adventure, and you don’t even have to go far to find one worthy of the wild, wild west. A gun club near you probably offers cowboy action shooting, and if you love shooting sports and haven’t already tried it out, you should. Here’s what you can expect from your first experience.
The premise of cowboy action shooting
Cowboy action shooting takes the fun of shooting sports and kicks it up a notch by adding thematic flair. Competitors most often dress in clothing depicting the era of the Wild West, and even use antique firearms while shooting. The goal is to out shoot everyone else you’re shooting against, and there are often fun awards given out at the culmination of the match. It’s shooting sports meets role playing, and together it’s something magic.
Who thought of such a cool thing?
The Single Action Shooting Society was thought up back in the 1970s by a man named Roy Bean. Today, there are more than 100,000 members of the society around the world. There are also gun clubs throughout the country that offer related activities and even host local cowboy action shooting clubs. There are usually up to 42 categories that shooters compete in.
What you need to bring along
Shooters shoot with weapons similar to those used in the Wild West days. And each category of shooting might require different equipment. For the most part, you can have a successful day of cowboy action shooting with a couple of single action pistols, a pump rifle, and a double-barreled shotgun. Your pistols will have to be carried in holsters and you’ll use a gun cart with wheels to carry the rest of your equipment around the course.
Jumping into cowboy action shooting
You’ll need to come up with an alias, and your group will join the fun as a posse. You can have as many as 16 people shooting for a posse. Your posse will square up against a few other posses and listen as the marshall reads a scenario that will guide how all the targets are shot. It’s a fun experience and a great way to spend a day outside. If you love shooting and the culture surrounding the sport, you should try cowboy action shooting soon.
