getting started

[tenderfoot]

hello everyone,
I have been trying for several months to convince the powers that be in my hunting fishing club that along with our pistol shoots we should try cowboy action shoots. they have finally agreed to let me organize a few shoots.i realize I have to start small and slow . I was hoping on getting some advise. understand i am in new england and this cowboy stuff is different and i will have to get these guys to warm to it. I myself can't wait to give it a try whole hog.
tenderfoot

[Russ T Chambers]

Tenderfoot
I don't where in New England you are but one of our roving cowboys is now in Bangor Maine (don't know if you can get more New England than that), has found a couple clubs in that area!  If you look at http://www.sassnet.com/AClubs-Main-001A.php you can find SASS affiliated clubs in your area.  They will probably be more than willing to help you get started.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Where are you in New England?

There is already lots of cowboy action shooting in New England. You will want to make sure you don't schedule your matches to conflict with an already existing match nearby. I live in Mass and shoot at Pelham, NH; Pemi Valley in Holderness NH; Candia NH; Keene, NH; Country Pond in Newton, NH; Harvard, Mass; Scituate, Mass; and Manville, RI. There are matches in Connecticut and Vermont that I don't get to, and there are a couple of matches in Maine that I don't get to anymore.

Check out Piny Woods Place to see how much CAS there is in New England.

http://www.pineywoodsplace.com/

There is already lots of CAS here. I can shoot someplace nearly every weekend if I want to. I you sure you want to start up another match?

[tenderfoot]

hello driftwood

I am located in litchfield county in connecticut. i went to the piney woods website, thank you, that was great advice. as far as starting another club we are a long way from that this is just to see if this is something club members would like to do. I am not sure what to include in these shoots. for instance can we just use one revolver and one rifle and just some costuming so people can get a feel for the sport and then progress from there. I don't want to take away from the spirit of the game.
tenderfoot

[Trailrider]

hello driftwood

I am located in litchfield county in connecticut. i went to the piney woods website, thank you, that was great advice. as far as starting another club we are a long way from that this is just to see if this is something club members would like to do. I am not sure what to include in these shoots. for instance can we just use one revolver and one rifle and just some costuming so people can get a feel for the sport and then progress from there. I don't want to take away from the spirit of the game.
tenderfoot

Howdy, Pard,
I'd suggest you try to have some of the "powers that be" from your club go to a match at one of these neighboring clubs.  If they aren't keen on travelling, maybe some of the members of the Piney Woods club might be willing to come down and put on a demonstration.  That is how Cathouse Bill Blattler got CAS expanded from the Colorado Shaketails at the Ben Lomond Gun Club at Ramah, Colorado, along the Front Range of the Rockies from Cheyenne down to the Colorado/New Mexico line.  That was about 21-22 years ago!  Of course, you can always ask questions on this and the "other" forum.

Best of luck on your project!

[Marauder]

Take a loot at a few videos to get some ideas.
Here's a start:


Yes, you can start with one pistol and a rifle if you want.  Of course, many folks may have shotguns that work already. 
For introducing people, you can even allow them to shoot a double action pistol but only in single action mode.  Similarly allow modern pump shotguns, but they must load on the clock with a max of loading 2 at a time.  Just be sure to explain that these are to get the feel, but the regular matches will be with the appropriate guns. 

Start simple but have fun stages with a little movement, if possible.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Yeah, you can start with just one pistol if you want, but you will have to tailor your stages to that fact. The club where I first started shooting cowboy only used one pistol for a couple of years, made it easier for beginners to get started. Eventually they changed over to two pistols though.

The Connecticut Valley Bushwhackers are having a match this Sunday in East Granby CT. I strongly suggest you show up to see how a typical match is run. You can find out about it at Piney Woods Place.

If you can't make that one, there are upcoming matches at Ledyard and Naugatuck. Check out Piney Woods Place for the details. I don't think you will get any of the New Hampshire boys to come down and show you how to run a match, but Lou Graham is a frequent contributor to this forum and she helps run the match in Naugatuck. She would be a great person for you to call up and talk to about how to set up a match.