The .45Colt

[Hillbilly Jim]

Hello. I  have been to several SASS matches and really like the atmosphere, and the people. I going to join myself, but have a question about pistols caliber's.
I really like, and already own a Bisley Vaquero in .45Colt. In tallking with several members, I have been told that this rig was not adequate, if I wanted to compete, and ever have a chance of winning. They have suggested a .357 and squib loads of .38.
Should I take their advice, or is the tried and proved .45Colt good for CAS?

[mama missalot]

I shoot 45 lc in pistols and rifle, Have a blast with both. Like the BANG and the CLANG. I've seen some purty fast times with this caliber.I like to have fun first ribbons second but there are guys and gals who get the ribbons with 45's. Shoot them for awhile and decide latter if you want to change to the baby loads, sorry guys I couldn't resist Have fun, hope to see you on the trail.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Jim, I started with .45's. The first piece of equipment I bought was a Marlin CB rifle in .45. In order to keep things simple for a beginner, I got everything else in that caliber.
Don't think that you can't be competitive, at least on the local level, with .45's. You can, I know a lot of really quick guys shooting .45's.
On the national/international level, the very top/cream of the cream are shooting smaller calibers, .38's/.357's, or .32's, at least in the revolvers. A lot of them will tell you that it's the long guns and transitions between the various guns that will either win or lose the match for you at that level. And, basically, that's true.
If you want to shoot .45's and be competitive, there's a couple classes that you can be in and be quite competitive. Frontier Cartridge( Black Powder loads) and Classic Cowboy( nothing smaller than .40 caliber allowed. That's the 38-40( .401), .44's, and .45's). There's some other things you need for those, but .45's are real competitive in those.
In short, shoot what YOU want, practice the other things that need to be accomplished to gain the neccessary skillls to be fast, safe, and have fun. This game is only what you make of it. Shoot .45's if you wish, and then if you want get another set in a different caliber or trade into another if you find it'd be more to your liking.
Myself, i have braces in .45, .38, and 38-40. I shoot them in rotation depending on which I feel like using that particular day. Last month I shot the .45's, today I shot the .38's. The class I shoot in is Duelist, and whether I place near the top or not, I have as much fun as I can have with my clothes on.........Buck

[Doc Shapiro]

There is absolutely no reason at all that you can't be competitive with 45 Colt!  The same work is required to get that good regardless of what you shoot.

It will be more expensive with 45 Colt than with .38 spl, but that's due to needing more lead and powder in each load. 

If you want to get competitive, you could very well end up shooting 30 thousand rounds a year, or more.  So take cost into consideration. 

It ain't the guns (or caliber), it's the shooter.

Doc

[Big John Denny]

What Doc said. I shoot all 45 Colts, revolvers and rifles, and seem to do alright for an old guy.

[Hillbilly Jim]

Thanks for the replies and the information. It apperars, I might should have posted this in the Newbie section. If that be the case, I apologize.
I'm new and open to any and all help. The reason I am leaning towards the .45Colt is that I have a fondness for the round. It is what I grew up on.  I use a Freedom Arms Model 83 .45Colt for hunting, and the Vaquero for backyard shooting. I was just thinking, that I could use something I am familiar with.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

By all means, do so. I believe up in the newbie section is a link to a site by Capt. Baylor, that has all kinds of helpful info on getting started..............Buck

[Prof. Bullspit]

If you plan to practice a lot the .38 is cheaper and definitely the way to go.

I shoot for fun, I like the .45!

But I also know that I'm not trying to win a class at End of Trail. I shoot two times a month and in some of the local multi-day shoots. I don't practice shooting although I have been known to practice a transition or two.

One of the great things about this game is that you can play it on many different levels. If you get satisfaction from slipping that big fat round into the cylinder, hearing it clunk into place, you can do it and feel good about it. If you want to be the absolute fastest gun in CAS with all of the glory that goes with that then you can do that too. The first one is a heck of a lot easier to achieve.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Hillbilly Jim,
I have a brace of Bisley Vaqueros in .45 Colt. I love 'em. I only compete with myself. I am not out there to win the match but that is me. I shoot 255 gr boolits on top of a full case of BP. I love the buck and roar of a .45 or .44. I know some shooters that use 160 gr boolits in their .45's.

Slim