newbie needs advice on funs

[rattlesnake jake]

Brand new SASS shooter.  need to decide on a set of guns.  closest I have is a marlin 336c in 30-30.

what caliber is biggest question.  heard 45 colt blows back too much.  what calibers do you recommend for SASS competition?

and i have no idea about pistols ... all i own is semiautos.

help ??

rattlesnake jake

[rattlesnake jake]

i really did mean guns.  fat fingers .....

[Shotgun Franklin]

I've been shooting CAS for about 13 years and have used .45's from the start. Never had a problem with mine.
I highly recommend that you attend a few matches, take enough ammo with you to do a whole shoot, someone or several someones will be happy to let you try guns. You'll also very likely find shooters selling stuff they no longer use.

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy,

I've shot 45 Colt in my 1873 short rifle and had no trouble with excessive fouling.  I shoot a full case of FFFg black powder and have had no problems!  Shooting 44 Russians in my Henry and no problem either!  The 44 Russian is also a straight wall  case.  Al;so loaded with a case full of FFFg black powder.    The trouble may come if you use reduced loads.  YMMV!

[Blackpowder Burn]

There are as many answers as there are SASS shooters! 

Are you after speed and trying to be a top competitor?  If so, most folks shoot 38 Special. 

Do you like some buck and roar when you shoot?  Then 45 Colt, 44 Special, 44-40 or 38-40 are the way to go.

Do you want to be authentic?  Then you need a rifle in 44-40, 38-40, 32-20, etc.  45 Colt was never chambered in a rifle.

Black powder?  Any can be used with proper attention to the ammunition (and I do shoot 45 LC black powder ammo), but the bottleneck cases (44-40, 38-40, 32-20) will shoot longer with less fouling problems.

Myself - I like warthog black powder so I shoot 45 LC and 44-40.  I shoot far more 44-40 than anything else.

[Dead I]

I am a big 44/40 fan because you can buy a 73 that was loaded with the 44/40 in the day and also a Colt SA of the same.  You can find all kinds of light loads for them....but do it right.  You can take up some space in BP loads with kapoc filler. A fully loaded 44/40 was a killer then and it is today.

Thirty eight specials are lighter, and guys who want to win matches shoot fast and recovery is important.  Normally you are shooting 7 to 15 feet.  You can shoot spitballs at that range.

As someone said attend a shoot.  You'll find no end of experts there.  Course they'll all tell you something different!

[Major 2]

i really did mean guns.  fat fingers .....

Freudian Slip  it's all fun(s)

All good advise above....For new shooters to SASS (but with some shooting experience ,like yourself) I suggest "the attend an event route" in fact several if you can.
I've taken several to events, more than often the fellow is offerd help from many, makes the job that much easier.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

All good hints.  A few tips from me:

1)  Go to your local club or posse.  They will be more than willing to loan you guns and try some things out.  Be polite and offer to pay folks for ammo.  Most of them won't take your money, but it is a nice gesture.

2)  Ask who has guns for sale.  CAS folks are selling and trading guns all the time.  A nice used set of pistols is economic, already broken-in, and probably has an action job done as well.

3)  For your first "set" of guns, try to get all your guns in them same caliber and get something common, like .38 or .45.  When you travel to big matches, it's much easier to buy or scrounge common calibers if you run short.  For every shooter with .38-40 guns, there will be 10 with .45 guns and 20 with .38 special guns.

4)  Your first set of guns will likely become your "back-up" guns later on.  Take care of them.  You can also use them to trade up to your next set of guns. 

5)  Everyone will tell you that you have to buy brand "X" guns or all the champion shooters shoot brand "Y" guns.  Take it all with a grain of salt.  Buy something from a reputable brand, but get guns that you like in calibers that you want to shoot.

6)  Be safe.  Everyone will respect you more for that than for any amazing skill you might have with your guns.

Pancho

[Sgt. John McAfferty]

Howdy,

All the above is excellent advice.  I would only add that you might want to let us know where you live so that clubs in your area can invite you through this forum or a PM.

Shakey

[Kent Shootwell]

Also needed is a scatter gun, a 12 or 20 gauge. A 16 gauge is fine but ammo isn't as easy to come by. Then the pump or double barrel debate starts. The pump must have an exposed hammer and everone knows the double has more class. As suggested above go to a match and you'll get a chance to try each.

[Ol Hoss]

I've always used 45LC in my pistols and rifle. I just like big bangs. Noise and recoil are what its all about for me. You can always load your own ammo and reduce the recoil.
The choices and preferences are endless. After caliber comes barrel length, finish, grips. This is the perfect sport for a bad case of GAS(gun aquisition syndrome). Have fun with it, you'll buy more, believe me. That knowledge alone makes the first choices easier. The sooner you come to grips with it the sooner the fun will start on the range and in the gunshop. 

[WyrTwister]

Brand new SASS shooter.  need to decide on a set of guns.  closest I have is a marlin 336c in 30-30.

what caliber is biggest question.  heard 45 colt blows back too much.  what calibers do you recommend for SASS competition?

and i have no idea about pistols ... all i own is semiautos.

help ??

rattlesnake jake

     So what if a .45 LC blows back ?  I guess you mean soot on the outside of the brass ?  No big deal .

     I have wheel guns ( and lever guns ) in .357 Mag , .44 Mag & .45 LC  .  I cast and load for all three .  The .357 and .45 LC are close in recoil .  Both are close in cost to shoot .  The .44 Mag , more recoil and costs a little more to shoot .

     God bless
     Wyr