by GLS_1956 » 16 Aug 2016, 8:08 pm
I shot Cowboy Action for a number of years. I had to drop out when the matches were moved from Saturdays to Sundays. My handguns were a brace of Ruger's polished stainless steel original Bisley Vaqueros in 45 Colt. The nice thing about the Cowboy Action Shooters is how it seems everyone is willing to let everyone else give their guns a try. The Uberti replica of Remington's 1858 revolver is a really nice gun, but it is a cap and ball gun not a cartridge gun. When comparing the Colt cap and ball guns, 1851 Navy and 1860 Army, to the Remington I prefer the Remington with its top strap. I think the top strap design is a bit stronger and I can assure you that the sights are easier to pick up than the notch in the Colt's hammer.
In addition to a pair of handguns you'll need a pistol calibered long gun, lever of pump, and a shotgun double barrels are the most common but Winchester 1887s or their clones, these are lever actions, are seen and in the USA Winchester Model 97s are quite popular but those are pump guns not available to you Australians.
Reloading of ammunition is not mandatory but it makes the sport much more affordable especially if you can cast your own bullets. Also if you want to "win" the matches you will need to be able to load up the supper weak wimp loads that are so common in competition here in the USA. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there are people who have down loaded the cartridges so far that bullets get stuck in bore and that when fired you can see the bullets in flight. This may let you win matches, but to me it spoils the romance of the game.
But Cowboy Action Shooting is fun, the majority of the people are great guys and gals. And yes it's fun to dress up and to have a moniker to go by as well.
I've been asked: "How many guns do you need to have?" My answer remains the same: "One more."