First Match

[Macon McLeod Osmoke]

My first shoot was last Sept.  My cowboy clothes was a pair of wrangler blue jeans, a black bib shirt, knee high moccasins, cowboy hat, two slim jim style holsters, and a $9 brown belt from Walmart for a gun belt.  I showed up with my shot gun and two '58 Remingtons and one '51 colt, plus two boxes of shotgun shells, plenty of powder, round balls, lube, and a couple of boxes of 38sp for a rifle the MD let me borrow.  He pairs me with the posse leader for a gun cart.  I watched a match the week before so that I can see how things flow and what happens, what needs to be done.  Since I am shooting cap and ball, they place me near the end of the shooting list.  After giving stage directions, I go to the unloading table and start charging my cylinders.  My first match so I am nervous and it almost takes me the entire time until I shoot to charge both cylinders.  I go to the loading table now since it is my turn.  Problems now.  I can not get caps on all the nipples.  The nipples got peened on both Remingtons.  The Colt is in the car, but I don't have time now to go get it, and load it.  I can get one gun capped, but the other is useless.   One pard loans me his revolver for the stage.  I shoot first stage.  Had a blast.  Afterwards, I now think it is over for the day because my guns need new nipples.  I miss the second stage, which would have been a blast.  You sit in an outhouse with your guns, say a line, throw the doors open and start shooting.  While I am watching the second stage, the MD comes by.  I tell him what happens, and he tells me the day at over yet.  He pulls out two very nice Colts in 38sp., gives me more ammo for it, and I get to shoot stages 3 through 6.  Fun day had by all, and if I had gotten to shoot the second stage, I would not have come in dead last.  I might have been next to last.  I get home, throw the loaded cylinder I could not get capped into a bucket of water for a while, remove the ball, clean them, and then immediately order Tresso nipples.  I have also ordered several spare cylinders too in the mean time.

[Matthew Duncan]

First shoot?  That been back in ....

Din't have shotgun loops so I just stuffed the shells between me and the gun belt.  Dribbled shells all the way across the first stage.

Second stage I pointed the gun straight up, cocked it and started squeezing the trigger as I acquired the sights and target.  BOOM!  Hole thru the stage roof and a MD.  This is a single action revolver NOT DOUBLE!  I pickup brass for the rest of the match.

100 years from now nobody will even remember or care.  So shoot safely and have fun.

[Adirondack Jack]

This thread needs to go in the "keeper" file for any new pard to read before they face the steel the first time.

My first shoot wasn't too dramatic.  Durn crossbolt safety on the chicom SXS engaged when i didn't want it to. (ole Mr Dremel fixed it's wagon that night, never to be a problem again).  Pistols were humbling.  I mean what the heck.  The same BH I had shot a deer through the heart at a paced 85 yards with and I miss a target as big as a top off a 55 gallon drum at 10 yards?  Racked a round or two on the ground outta the marlin when I short stroked it..  Nothing unusual I guess.

Then the second shoot I really felt like things were gonna go a bit calmer.  I'm concentrating on the target order, etc, while watching from the loading table.  I get called to the line, shoot a clean stage, go to the unloading table and a feller is standing there with a rifle that looked a LOT like mine.  Man I felt dumber than a bag o' hammers when I figured out what was goin' on.   I'd shot the stage with HIS rifle and didn't even realize it.

It is a whole bunch of fun, and the NERVES when ya first start can't be imagined.  Now days, yeah, I get a little wound at times, and hardly ever know what's goin on besides lookin at the targets, but none of them "feel like ya might hurl" nerves.

[Arcey]

I'd shot the stage with HIS rifle and didn't even realize it.

Been awhile back.  When I was switchin' ta The One True Powder.  Wanted ta test my x-perimental shotshells.  Waited 'til there was a break in the action, in a hurry, grabbed the Stoeger off the common rack.  Put a few thru it, handed it off to a pard 'n he put a few thru it.  Go back ta the 'pit area' where the rack was 'n there's 'nother pard in a semi-panic lookin' fer his Stoeger.  I look it the rack 'n there sits my ole beat up Stoeger.  Look it the one I'm totin' 'n it ain't beat up.........  Ut ohhhhhhhhhhh.......

'Uhhhhhh....  John, I got yer shotgun.  Grabbed it by mistake.  Shot a few test loads out it.  Sorry....'

'Oh.  That's ok.  Thanks'  (This boy is real funny 'bout his guns....)

'Ya need ta know, they were Black Powder loads.........'

The look on his face was priceless...................

[Griff]

Wow, so long ago.  Can't remember the exact month, but it was right around Jan 1985, at the old Coto de Coza range.  Showed up with a .45 Colt, a Winchester 94 in .30-30 and a 1919 Riverside Arms SxS 12 ga.  I mean to tell ya, just how can ya get more "cowboy" than that!!   It was either Tex or the Judge, walked up and said, "Pardner, ya cain't shoot that thurdy-thurdy here.  Let me find someone who'll loan ya a pistol caliber long-gun."  It didn't go downhill from there, but there weren't much uphill about it either.  I'd shot all kinds of shooting games, but never encountered the kind of brain fade that occurs right about the time the buzzer sounds in a 3-gun match.  Addiction at first bang-clang!  And for those that haven't had the opportunity to experience the "rocking" horse, it just don't get any better!  Talk about laughing.

[Matts BasterSon SASS 74843]

Well, I don't have to struggle to remember mine - it was this last Saturday!

We're new to Moriarty, NM (though I gre up in Albuquerque), and the Mrs. and I are over to the local Wells Fargo to get a safe place for our $$$, and in the course of gettin' the paperwork done, the lady behind the desk asks if we'd be interested in comin' to the local SASS club shoot/match the next day.

We ride our own horses, and dress Western, and I'd seen this on TV, and love to shoot and...the Mrs. is even interested!!!

She likes the idea of the period dress, and EVEN WANTS TO SHOOT!!  <faints>

We got directions...the range is maybe 2 miles away (Founder's Ranch is like 7 miles away, maybe?  ), and she told us to be there "about 9".

Next morning, I'm sittin' by the door about 7:30, ready to go! Jeans? check. Felt Cowboy hat? Check. Oldest, most beat up, "I been there" cowboy boots? Check!

I am soooo ready!!!

Well, to say we were early would be to understate some. Others arrived though, all in proper dress, and many "in character" already. Gun carts out, a more thorough range safety brief then I ever saw in 26 years in the military, and then they comenced to sashayin' up to the loading table.

I am facinated. The only SA I'd ever seen was my dad's Ruger Blackhawk. The only lever action rifle, his Winchester 73 (in a rifle caliber...not sure which), and...side by side shotguns??? HUH??? They MAKE those still?? 

So I watch a few of the old hands load and shoot - crammin' those bullets into that little feed door, leverin' those smokin' cartridges into the air (and onto their hats!! ) and I thought...this looks like FUN!!

Well, it was time for us to go. We volunteer at a local horse rescue, and the day was getting on, and we "should" be going...One of the pards says...you ARE going to shoot, aren't you?

GULP! Me? Shoot? Today? But, I'm not ready, and these are strangers, and the sun is in my eyes, and...

"Here. These are my best vaqueros. This gun belt fits. Lets go over to the loading table..."

Next thing I know, I'M stuffing bullets into that little feed door, and I'M learning about "Cowboy Port Arms" and I'm finally looking at the only harware I recognize - a Pump action shotgun!

<Trip back in history time...I was in Navy Law Enforcement for part of my 26 years, and shot perhaps 10,000 round of 9mm 229 Sig, .45 1911, Mossberg 500 pump, and even some M14, M1, AR-15, M-16 and even some M2 .50 cal., and shot pretty well, earning perfect scores with all arms with both hands/sides. NONE of that - other than basic breathing and the notion of what a sight picture ought to look like prepared me for what was coming>

Well, now I'm standing out there at my new found stance of cowboy Port Arms, saying something like, "Put that cow down, you varmit!", and there's a buzzing in my ear, and I bring the rifle up and...what? huh? Where do I put the front sight in the rear sight on this? Here, I guess...lever i na round...ooooh! that was smooth!...what order? Nevada sweep, he said....Hmmmm....point, aim, clickBOOM!...no recoil! That was verra nice...next?....ah! Left to right! Got it!...point clickBOOM!...etc. Out of targets, out of bullets (how nice that they added up that way)....run over to the pistol place, draw, gun up...sights! There is NO BACK SIGHT HERE!!! Just that giant shark fin on the front! Holy c.rap! Targets are huge though, and only 10 yards away...finger on the trigger, cock the hammer...also verra smooth, very nice...mental note...ask who did this work...squeezeBOOM!...another note to self..."hairtrigger"...12345 put that gun back, get the other one, lather, rinse repeat 12345 and done, in the holster, start to move...run to staging table...shell in, receiver forward, gun up, can't miss at this range...BOOM! Ah! 12ga.!..eject...next in, up BOOM!...old home week....eject, shoot, eject shoot...

DONE? Already? Really? 

Shot clean, but the timer had time to have an early lunch, read the Tombstone Times, floss, and clip his toe nails.

BUT WHAT FUN!!!

And then the bride got talked into givin' it a go by the banker lady, and she did, and she loved it, and now we have the winter to do our homework, try some different guns and loads, and get ready for the spring!!!

I can't say enough good things about the wonderful and generous people we met, the Safety-First attitude, the "this is supposed to be fun. If it ain't fun, yer doin' it wrong" approach. Awesome.

We can't wait!

[Camille Eonich]

 


Great stories!  Matts sounds as though you are HOOKED!! 

[Matts BasterSon SASS 74843]

Camille, I think I may have a terminal case! 

Great stories!  Matts sounds as though you are HOOKED!! 

[Scarlet Angel]

Psst..Matts mounted shooters use .45's  and lots of ladies do it too.

I heard about mounted shooting through a friend of my gma. Found the closest club, went to check it out.
The nicest people you could meet. One of the fella's handed me the reins to his horse and loaned me his guns & rig....I was hooked in about 5 minutes. Sent my husband an email (he was deployed at the time) "I have found something to keep me occupied while you're away"  Ordered my first cowboy gun the next week.

My first mounted match was with borrowed guns and holsters as I didn't have mine yet. I was so nervous, how can someone remember the course..along with wondering just how long my horse was going to tolorate the nonscense...can't remember how well I shot but I am still going back.

I had been doing mounted shooting for a couple of years, had seen CAS and thought that might be fun too.

Last year my husband and I took a trip to VA. I had been corresponding with one of the shooters I met here in CAS city and told him we were coming that way I'd like to come and watch a match. Took Tensleep all of about a day of emailing me back and forth and I seem to recall the last email was "just bring your leather."

We had a great time...only thing I didn't borrow was the belt and holsters. I had never shot a pump shotgun before (shotgun yes, I been shootin since I was a kid). Here I am on the course so nervous one of the other fellas had helped me load the guns. I picked up the shotgun and looked at it for a moment, had to turn to one of them and ask him how to load it. I've been around them..know the principle of the entire thing, but my mind drew a complete    LOL...oh well we had a great time. 

My husband finally is on rotation where he is working normal hours. Last weekend was our 2nd CAS shoot (non mounted as he doesn't do that)  I was really slow too but oh well can only go up from there and we are having alot of fun.

[Matts BasterSon SASS 74843]

Well SA,

All I can say is we're thinking about it. We've got four horses, two are adult and two babies. We ride the grown ups, and one, our Morgan mare, is a former Amish road horse, and she doesn't spook at much, but hasn't been exposed to gunfire, to our knowledge.

Adding the horses to the equation will probably be the last thing we do, after we're sure the bride's going to stick with it. 

[Texas Trail Boss]

The plain & simple truth is, I ain't been to my first match yet.  Oh, I went to several & thought I was ready but... I backed out at the last minute.  Don't get me wrong, I been shootin' for many years & since I started into this CAS stuff... I have been out to the range more times than I can count & have shot probably a thousand rounds of ammo or better.  I guess I just don't do well in crowds & never wanted to be embarrassed.  Did I spell that word right? 

Anywho, I have been told by several that I am "one Hell of a shot" but, I just can't find it in me to perform in front of a crowd.  I hope I can get over that real soon cuz I know all the fun I'm missing & I'm afraid in time if I don't go to a match soon... I just may lose interest & quit the game. 

[Matts BasterSon SASS 74843]

Trail Boss,

I hear ya. I haven't shot a match yet, just a "get together" club shoot ,and I didn't even show up planning to shoot. got invited to though, and had no excuse not to. Just like you, the 18 or so people watching were right at the front of my mind. Some how, some way, once that buzzer went off, all I could see was the targets, and I know I had the thought that the best way to cure my own worry about being embarrassed (I'm not sure if that's how you spell it, either) was to not miss, or at least, not miss many. So I went very slow and just tried to remember what i knew about shooting in general, and it worked out fine. O' course, they could have timed me with an hour glass...

Maybe you could go to the range with just a couple of pards, who know and respect your ability to shoot, and just do it with them. Next time, maybe one or two others you don't know so well in addition. Do that 'til you're comfortable, then maybe a regular club type shoot. you get my point though: try building up to it slow - like.

I hope you don't quit. I'd hate to see a pard goin't out through the saloon doors as I'm a comin' in! 

[Texas Trail Boss]

Matts,

I sure do appreciate the encouragement there pard.  Yep, I need to get out there soon & just go for it.  It's all about the fun anyway so, I need to just pick up my boot straps & get involved.  Who knows, I could be the next world champ? 

Nah!  Better get away from that kind of thinking. 

[Coop Trawlaine]

Let me tell ya, there is only one way to handle that problem.  Just go out there and git it done.  Even if they is poeple ya don't know yer still among pards and let the lead fly.

Let me share this one, it is the truth by the way, I have been shooting with CAS for two years now and just a couple of months back I had this situation happen.  Shotgun on this particular stage was pretty simple 4 knockdowns, kd's must go down.  Flattened 1, 2 and 4 reloaded to hit three and as I went to close the sxs I watched my two shells just fly out of the chamber and hit the ground, then I reached for two more on my belt and bumped my hand coming up and dropped those two on the ground.  Well by this time I was laughing so hard I couldn't hit a 20'x20' wall from three feet.  I blew my whole stage by using up all my shells in my shotgun belt just for one kd target.  Funniest thing I done so far in this game.  Next time I gots ta remember don't start laughing at myself until after I hit all the targets....

[Grapevine Jimmy]

Well, I did it! December 30 at the Carolina Cattlemen's Shooting and Social Society was my first match. Man what a great time!

I went to my first match at Flatwoods (Hubert, NC) in September and got bitten by the bug. Went to Carolina Cattlemen's Shooting & Social Society (Creedmore, NC) in October and became sure that I wanted into the CAS community. I started acquiring guns and paraphernalia. I had a Winchester '94 in .38/.357, a Stevens 5100 double barrel and a Vaquero in .45. I decided I wanted to shoot .38 special so I sold and bought until I now have two old model Vaqueros in .38/.357, the '94 and a Norinco 1897. I got a couple of books about the old west (with many pictures) from a used book store. I decided B Western was how I wanted to start. Between ebay and Santa and the wardrobe looks pretty good.

Got to the range early Saturday, signed up, confessed to my first time and met some really nice folks while waiting for the Safety Briefing and Posse assignments. The Posse leader said he would put me ahead of him and in the middle so I get to see what was going on. Things were going good. My turn came at the loading and I got everything loaded without problem. Then, "Next shooter up", I got through the stage, picked up my long guns and walked to the unloading table... I did not think I was going to get the unloading gate opened on the first pistol. My hands were shaking. I had been fine all the way through the stage, but I guess the nerves hit at the end.

Things calmed down after that and I got into the routine of the event. I missed more than I thought I should or could with the pistols. The Winchester did great. I've got to work on loading the '97. I'm looking forward to The Old Hickory Regulators (Rocky Mount, NC) this weekend.

If you're on the fence, come on over, the grass is real green and sweet. But, I must warn you, it can be addictive!

Thanks to Wicked Wanda, Royal Barnes, Wireman and many others who have helped me so far.

[litl rooster]

Texas and Matts, ditto what Coop said................................You won't regret it, I am starting my 3rd season and still get the jitters, They seem to float off with that first burst of Smoke on stage one   Just go out there and have fun and shoot safe, if I'm there you won't have to worry about coming in last.

[Arcey]

Hell, Rooster.  Startin' my tenth year 'n yer already almost iz quick as I am.......

Read o'er this thread.  Glossed o'er it ennyways.  Boys, new shooters.  Don't let this thing frighten ya off.  Folks gonna know yer new.  Ain't none of 'em gonna expect anything from ya 'cept shootin' safely.  They don't wanna get shot.  Spoils their day if they do.  It hurts.

If yer goin' out with an idea ya gottah win yer first time ya might as well stay home.  Ya ain't gonna.  Save yerself some disappointment.

Most of the ladies 'n gents at the shoots are older, like me.  Most of those ain't never been involved in any kind of firearms competition until they started CAS.  Damned near ALL of 'em have had embarrassin' moments when they were new.  Folks had a chuckle o'er it 'n now they're havin' good natured chuckles o'er sumbody else makin' the same boo boos they did.  Ain't no thing.

Hell, it weren't that long ago I had a great run with the pistols 'n rifle 'n I was so happy with it I was headin' fer the unloadin' table when the RO reminded me I had the shotgun left to shoot.

Ain't nobody got anythin' ta prove in this game if they don't wanna.  Just go out 'n play.

Best I can remember I've shot with seven different clubs.  There's always gonna be an a$$hole sumwhere.  Ignore 'em (yer pard at an unnamed club notwithstandin', Rooster.  Hope ta meet the gentleman next summer, I don't shoot there much.  I wanna play).  99% percent ain't no different than anyone else.  They got lives away from the range 'n they got their own problems at home.  That's why they're shootin'.  Ta get away awhile 'n be 'round folks of like mind.  Have a l'il fun.  Join 'em.

[Tensleep]

Well said Bro, well said!!

[Coop Trawlaine]

Arcey, you said the best of any of us.   

[sharps54]

I just shot my first match a KC's Corral and had a great time. I made some mistakes but I learned from them. I don't think any where safety related, they were things like getting the Nevada Sweep right. I didn't have any issues with the buzzer or shooting in front of folks but that is because I have shot other shooting sports before. Everyone was very friendly, I am hooked. This is closer to a social event with shooting then a shooting match with socializing, and I like that.

If you are looking to have a good time, meet some good people, and do some shooting with cowboy guns then get out to a match!