The Willow Hole Cowboys are hosting their Sweetheart Match this Saturday at 9:30 AM and it’s a match you won’t want to miss! Bristlecone Jan and the other gals have designed six of the most interesting stages you ever see at a single SASS event with plenty of challenges for even the most experienced shooters.
Come join us for a fun-filled Saturday in beautiful North Zulch, Texas. The weather looks to be darn near perfect. Bring your sweetheart or just give Jan a big hug after the match. Lunch will be provided and there’s even an interesting side match scheduled for the afternoon. Spend Saturday with a great bunch of folks, have some good eats and tons of fun.
PS: Bring an extra box of shot shells just in case. I also recommend a strong cup of coffee in the morning. You’ll need your wits about you for these stages.
Don’t let anyone tell you that cowboy action shooting is just for old men. I’ve seen several young ladies at recent matches that beat the pants off the men. There’s just something about a woman and a lever action rifle that stirs the blood.
A Cold Start
I shot my third SASS match with the great folks at Thunder River Renegades in Magnolia, Texas last weekend. The day started out bitterly cold and most folks wore their normal costumes with authentic 19th century long underwear or old west “dusters” to keep them warm. My heavy canvas range coat and lambskin gloves were just enough to keep me from freezing until the sun came out and began to warm us all up a bit.
I’ve never shot a match in forty degree weather before and my fingers were chilled to the bone during the first few stages. It’s a strange feeling to grasp a freezing cold single action pistol and each round that I fired jolted my hands and arms. The first shotgun round I put down range jammed the Stoeger’s butt-plate deep into my shoulder and felt like I’d been kicked by a mule. I shot the first stage “clean” (no misses or procedural errors) but felt like I was moving through molasses.
Warming Up
There are no “warm up” stages in cowboy action shooting so everyone greets the first stage with the same sense of trepidation (for me it’s still terror, for others just nerves). On a cold February morning like this I knew I had to go “slow and steady” until my muscles (and mind) began to thaw out. I began to understand why the Civil War slowed down so much in the winter. I’m sure most Confederate soldiers hated fighting during those long winter months when just shooting your rifle in that bitter cold hurt like hell.
Speed or Accuracy
I would love to be one of the many fine shooters I saw last weekend that could shoot both quickly and accurately but my days of being “fast on my feet” are long gone. I decided to see if a slow and steady course of fire would serve me better and shot four of the six stages clean with only one miss in each of the other two stages. After my nerved racked performance last month I was overjoyed to see my match “rank” climb into the bottom third of the group. I was also quite surprised to see that my overall time was not much slower than that of my previous match. Best of all, I had shaved off almost two minutes by shooting each stage as cleanly as possible.
Enjoying Myself Completely
I guess my nerves have settling down a bit since I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of last weekend’s match with the fine folks at Thunder River Renegades. There’s nothing better than getting together with fifty friends to enjoy a bit of outdoor fun and competition.
Next weekend, Bristlecone Jan has something special planned for us at the Willow Hole Cowboys match in North Zulch, Texas. Having the ladies design the stages should add an interesting twist to our colorful sport. Can’t wait to get some photos of her to post. I’ve taken so many images of Fairplay John’s great costumes and black-powder shooting that it seems only right to embarrass Jan just a little.
Photographing the “black powder” shooters in action is a treat. These replicas of 1873 Winchester rifles shoot black powder cartridges reminiscent of the days before “smokeless” (modern) gun powder was invented. The percussion “open-top” pistols are even more interesting since there is no modern “cartridge” as we know it. Just a cap, ball and black powder! KaBoom…
Don’t let anyone tell you that cowboy action shooting is for “old men”. I shot this six image sequence at 3.9 frames per second. This old cowboy drew from his holster and fired the first shot (a hit) in less than 2 seconds. That’s a darn good time even for a much younger man shooting a semi automatic pistol in IDPA or USPSA competition and this was a single-action revolver!
Another Match / A New Club
I hadn’t planned on shooting another match so soon after a short but painful bought of food poisoning Thursday but by Saturday afternoon I was feeling better and decided to drive North Sunday morning to shoot with the Willow Hole Cowboys. The WHC is a SASS club located in North Zulch, Texas between Bryan and Madisonville. It’s a 2-1/2 hour drive on a quiet Sunday morning, through some of the most beautiful countryside in East Texas. The town of Zulch boasts a rich history dating back to the late 1830′s and the club takes its name from the original Willow Hole Church that existed up till the 1950′s.
I arrived at the Willow Hole Cowboys range early to see Fairplay John and his lovely wife Bristlecone Jan, whom I’d met earlier at the Thunder River Renegades in Magnolia. I was feeling very nervous about shooting at a new club and seeing these two friendly faces really helped calm the butterflies in my stomach. As I’ve said before, the people in this shooting sport are some of the most warm and friendly you could ever hope to meet. I got my cart all setup and walked up to pay and saw the familiar hat (and face) of Baba Looey, the gentleman I photographed at TRR during my first match two weeks ago.
Friendly Faces
I wandered around the range looking over the stages when Jan (seeing my nervousness) grabbed my arm and introduced me to the real “Willow Hole Cowboys”: Walter Durbin, DefWillie, Doc Bury’Em, Dealin’ Lead, Red River Mac, Lonesome Lefty, Rooster, Chato, Texican Slim, Yellertooth and One Shot Doc. I could tell that these were some serious shooters with years of experience. After a few minutes of introductions and small talk, Walter Durbin the “Range Master” went through the day’s schedule, rules and safety reminders including a story about a gun being dropped during Saturday’s match.
We proceeded to the first stage and I thought “Oh Lord, Please don’t let me screw up in front of these fine folks”. I swear I felt like a thousand butterflies were darting through my stomach until one shooter looked me square in the face and said, “I wonder how many times you’ve got to do this before the butterflies go away?”. Wow! That simple question coming from an experienced shooter did more to get me through that first stage than I ever thought possible and even though I missed almost every target (6 misses in my first twenty shots) I got through those “first stage jitters”. I must have looked like a frightened schoolboy on the first day of class and Jan graciously came over to me and said “Breathe”.
Skill & Speed
The match progressed through the first few stages before I finally relaxed down enough to shoot straight and began to enjoy myself. I spent a lot of time watching the other shooters’ form and strategy and it was a real pleasure to see some great shooting with a variety of different firearms. Let me tell you, these folks can put an 1873 lever-action rifle through its paces faster and smoother than I’d ever thought possible.
I also saw some long distance (Cody-Dixon) rifle shooting that amazed me. It was awesome to see a vintage lever-action rifle hit a six inch steel target at 100 yards with nothing more than a semi-buckhorn sight. John Chisum or Lucas McCain would have been proud to hit such a mark!
Great Action / Wonderful Color
The black powder pistols and rifles were especially interesting to watch. I’d never seen one up close before and FairPlay John’s matched set of percussion pistols were gorgeous. I got my camera out and came away with some wonderful action shots of this colorful sport as you can see here. Combining my passion for photography with such a great subject such as cowboy shooting is going to be a real challenge for me. I enjoy capturing this shooting sport and sharing my work with y’all but I “itch” to grab my own guns whenever I see one of these “old pros” step up to shoot a stage!
Many Thanks
I had a great time shooting with the Willow Hole Cowboys and truly appreciate their friendly advice and coaching of this newcomer. I look forward to seeing y’all again next month and around this part of Texas!
QUICK UPDATE: I drove North this morning to shoot with the Willow Hole Cowboys in North Zulch, Texas. What a great bunch of shooters! I had several folks ask what kind of powder I was shooting since they all said it smelled kinda funny. You know you’re hanging out with a bunch of experienced shooters when they can tell what kind of ammo you’re shooting just by the smell.
Like most shooting sports, there are two schools of thought on cowboy action shooting ammunition. Most serious shooters load their own ammo to control quality, consistency and cost. Reloading pistol caliber ammunition can save the average cowboy shooter thousands of dollars a year when compared to the cost of factory “cowboy loads”. The only drawback for those of us living in Southeast Texas is the heat and humidity. Reloading ammunition requires a climate controlled workshop and for most of us without a basement, that means setting up shop in your home (not with a wife and four daughters) or air conditioning your garage.
It’s amazing to me how much more expensive these “cowboy loads” are than “self defense” loads from the same manufacturer. When I switched from IDPA to CAS I thought my monthly ammunition costs would go down since “all lead” bullets used in SASS competition must cost less than jacketed bullets. I also thought that the lower pressure “cowboy loads” must be less expensive to produce than my +P match-grade ammo. Boy, was I ever wrong!
Sellier & Bellot to the Rescue
When I switched from shooting a 9mm to a 45ACP for IDPA competition I knew I’d have to find a less expensive source for ammunition than my trusty Winchester “white box”. I talked with several “frugal” shooters and they pointed me to Sellier & Bellot, a company I’d frankly never heard of. After putting several thousand rounds of S&B 45ACP full metal jacket through my 1911 without a single failure, I knew I’d found the answer I’d been looking for.
Sellier & Bellot has long occupied a key position in European ammunition production and ranks among the oldest munitions companies in the Czech Republic. They have continuously produced ammunition since 1825. In 2009, the Brazilian company “Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos S.A.” (CBC), also known as Magtech became the owner of Sellier & Bellot.
Excellent Quality
When I switched from IDPA to Cowboy Action Shooting I once again turned to Sellier & Bellot for the best value in lead cartridges I could find. S&B produces some of the cleanest burning and highest quality ammunition I’ve ever used. Their powder burns quickly and completely, making firearm cleaning much easier than with other “cowboy loads”. Their lead-round-nose and lead-flat-nose bullets are polymer coated (similar to moly coated lead bullets) and really “fly” through my pistols leaving little residue behind, even in the forcing cone. They feed through my 1866 Yellowboy beautifully and their brass casings come out in near perfect condition.
I hate to admit this but the Sellier & Bellot ammunition I’m currently using (.38 Special, LRN, 158gr, 977 fps) shoots so much better than other brands I’ve tried, that I’m breaking my “Buy American Whenever Possible” pledge!
Incredible Value
So let’s talk money for a few minutes. Not only does Sellier & Bellot ammunition shoot better than anything else I’ve tried, it costs significantly less than any “cowboy load”.
Cheaper Than Dirt (.38 Special, 158gr LRN, 50 rounds per box)
Winchester Cowboy Load – $27.16/box or $0.54/round
Remington Express – $26.58/box or $0.53/round
Magtech Cowboy Load – $21.81/box or $0.44/round
Fiocchi Cowboy Load – $19.04/box or $0.38/round Sellier & Bellot – $16.94/box or $0.34/round
Conclusions
Don’t take my word for it. Buy a box of Sellier & Bellot LRN cartridges and try them out at your next practice session. Shoot one of your single action pistols with this round and another using your normal “cowboy load” of choice. I’d be willing to bet that you come to the same conclusion that I did. For those of you that load your own, do an honest comparison between your reloading cost versus S&B’s $0.34/round cost. I think you’ll be surprised at how close it is.
I think Sellier & Bellot ammunition is a frugal cowboy shooter’s best choice on the market today!
Quick History Lesson
In 1848, an inventor named Walter Hunt patented his “Volition Repeating Rifle” which used a tubular magazine to hold multiple rounds and was operated by two levers and some very complex linkages. Hunt’s invention had numerous shortcomings and in 1849 Lewis Jennings purchased the patent rights and developed a functioning “repeating rifle” which was produced in small numbers.
Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson acquired the Jennings patent as well as shop foreman Benjamin Henry. Smith made improvements to the Jennings design and in 1855 Smith, Wesson and Oliver Winchester formed a new company, the “Volcanic Repeating Arms Company” to manufacture the Volcanic lever-action rifle.
This became the famous 1860 Henry Rifle which was used in considerable numbers by certain Union army units during he Civil War. Confederates called the Henry “that damned Yankee rifle that they load on Sunday and shoot all week!”. After the Civil War, Winchester renamed the company, the “Winchester Repeating Arms Company” and improved the design of the Henry rifle to create the first Winchester rifle: The Model 1866.
The Winchester Model 1866 was famous for its rugged construction and lever-action mechanism that allowed the rifleman to fire a number of shots before having to reload: hence the term, “repeating rifle”. The Model 1866 was nicknamed the “Yellow Boy” because of its “brass” receiver.
The 1866 Yellowboy lever-action rifle was a marked improvement over the Henry rifle. It was the first true cowboy lever-action rifle, and the first rifle widely carried in a cowboy-style saddle scabbard. The Yellowboy had a convenient new type of loading gate, devised by Winchester plant superintendent Nelson King. The gate passed cartridges through the side of the receiver. This improvement made the lever action more functional and allowed for the installation of a wooden fore-end.
The handy carbine version of the 1866 Yellowboy was a hit worldwide. Chief Sitting Bull had one; the forces of Benito Juarez used the rifles in Mexico; and the Turkish Army used the new Winchester Yellowboy against the Russians.
View the video above for more information.
Modern Day Replicas
The three most common lever-action rifles used in cowboy shooting today are the Winchester Model 1866, Model 1873 and Model 1892. However, most shooters would never dream of running an actual Winchester since these rifles have incredible historic and collector value.
Luckily, A. Uberti S.R.L. of Italy is very well known in the trade as a producer of fine replica rifles and pistols including the Model 1866 “Yellowboy”. Three of the most popular models have been recreated as Uberti rifles: The Yellowboy Carbine with 19″ barrel and carbine-style brass buttplate; the Yellowboy Rifle with 24-1/4″ barrel; and the Yellowboy Short Rifle with 20″ barrel.
Cowboy Action Shooting
I’d been looking for a second cowboy rifle for several months now and spied several gorgeous models last weekend in Rawhide’s gun cart at the Thunder River Renegades match. An old friend from up north traded me his for my Winchester Model 94 hunting rifle and I walked away with a beautiful 1866 “Yellowboy” Short Rifle assembled by Cimarron Firearms in Fredericksburg, Texas. Cimarron imports Uberti firearms and then adds their own special cowboy shooting features including removing unneeded safeties, smoothing the action and generally improving the fit and finish of the rifle. Normally, a Cimarron firearm is fully functional out of the box but in the case of the Model 1866, a few “tweaks” were needed to make this rifle “competition ready”.
I love working on firearms, especially during the winter months when I have to put my landscape photography on hold. There’s something very satisfying about taking apart a historic weapon like the 1911 pistol or 1866 rifle and learning to put it back together correctly. Unfortunately, my knowledge of historic weapons is limited to the venerable Colt 1911 pistol. Luckily, there are several great sources of information on the Internet including Marauder’s Old Irons Page which includes detailed instructions and parts diagrams for working on your Model 1866 rifle.
Clean, Deburr & Polish
Most factory firearms need a little tender loving care before they become reliable enough for competition or personal defense so the first thing I do to every new firearm is “clean, deburr and polish” the key components. This is generally all that is ever needed to make a firearm fully functional and it’s a step that I never skip BEFORE taking the firearm to the range. You’d be surprised at the number of folks that skip this step and find themselves with a jammed firearm after the first few rounds have gone down range.
Carrier Upgrade The “carrier” on the Model 1866 is the most important part in the entire rifle and with the exception of the barrel, it’s also the heaviest. It’s machined from a solid block of “gunmetal”, a high copper content bronze alloy and moves up and down to “carry” the cartridge in and out of the barrel. Considering how old the design is, this wonder of engineering does its job with amazing reliability.
The problem is, the “carrier” on the Model 1866 is darn heavy and this makes smooth lever operation a real pain in the butt. Luckily, there are aluminum replacement carriers available from companies like Pioneer Gun Works that weigh less than 1/4th of the original.
Lever Drag
Improving the action on some firearms is beyond my skill level but the Model 1866 is not one of them. Like many other lever action rifles, the “friction” between mating parts on the Model 1866 along with springs that are much too stiff, tends to create significant “drag” on the lever. It’s the one thing that most folks really hate about lever-action versus bolt-action rifles. The lever “drag” on my old Winchester Model 94 was so bad that I could barely operate it at shoulder level. Luckily, the lever mechanism in the Model 1866 is much simpler and with proper lubrication and some polishing, it smoothed up in no time flat.
For even smoother lever action you could install a short stroke kit like this one from Pioneer Gun Works. The unique design of the links in a short stroke kit smooth the lever action considerably while also shortening the lever travel (stroke) by as much as 1-1/2″. For cowboy action shooters this benefit shaves precious seconds off their overall time.
At the Range
I’ll tell you this, the Cimarron Model 1866 “Yellowboy” is a pleasure to shoot. I ran fifty rounds of Sellier & Bellot 158gr LRN ammunition through the Model 1866 without a single failure-to-feed. The magazine tube held ten rounds almost perfectly although the final round was darn tough to insert.
Talk about accuracy! I was able to land all fifty rounds in an 8″ circle from 25 yards with this “short rifle” (20″ barrel) and that was from a standing position. The .38 Special rounds ran through this sweet little rifle with almost no perceptible recoil. The factory semi-buckhorn rear sight and all black front sight are not my preferred combination but they sure did get the job done!
My only complaint about the Model 1866 is the weight. This beautiful old rifle weighs in at a little over 8 lbs versus just over 5 lbs for my Rossi Model 92. Those old cowboys must have worked out a lot more than us old photographers do!
All in all, the Model 1866 “Yellowboy” is a fine cowboy action rifle for shooters of any skill level. It’s reasonable smooth & fast and very (VERY) accurate from 50 yards in. The Model 1866 looks great too with its distinct brass receiver, oiled walnut stocks and charcoal blue barrel. The best thing about using this rifle for cowboy shooting is that you’re holding a piece of history, “The Rifle that Won the West”.
Shot my first match with the Thunder River Renegades in Magnolia, Texas this weekend. Many thanks to John Ross (aka Johnny Morris) for the loan of his daughter’s Marlin carbine!
How the Hell Did I Get Here?
I’ve been searching high and low for a cowboy shooting gun belt that would help me transition from IDPA shooting to cowboy action shooting, with very little luck. Last week I was trawling the Internet, searching through dozens of site and happened upon simple web page from JM Leather in Alvin, Texas right down the road from Sugar Land. I try to buy in Texas if at all possible and the leatherwork displayed on this site was top notch, so I thought, “what the heck?” and sent Johnny Morris an email.
I had an idea in my head for a gun belt with three double shotshell loops on the left, just forward of my left holster (exactly where my spare magazines would be in IDPA) and five single cartridge loops on the right, just forward of my right holster. I really hate the thought of wearing a gun belt and separate shotshell belt and just wanted something simple, clean and light-weight. Johnny’s All-In-One Belt was the closest thing I’d seen but I wanted the buckle facing forward.
After a few emails back & forth, I asked Johnny if we could get together to discuss the project and he suggested I come and shoot this weekend with the Thunder River Renegades in Magnolia. Talk about “customer service”. Not only had I found someone local that did high-quality leatherwork, I’d also found someone to shoot with. Johnny even loaned me his daughter’s Marlin since my Rossi 92 is still being worked on. I don’t remember anything like this ever happening in IDPA.
A Case of Nerves
There’s nothing quote as nerve racking as your first time out in a new shooting sport. You walk up to that line. I remember vividly the first time I shot IDPA and darn near dropped my magazine on the first reload. The buzzer goes off and all those months of dry-fire & live practice got right out the window. Adrenaline kicks in and your once nimble fingers feel like you’re wearing a catcher’s mitt. You silently pray “Oh Lord, Don’t Let Me Drop This Gun”.
My first experience in cowboy action shooting was somewhat similar but with a really big difference, the people! The folks at the Thunder River Renegades couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. Johnny hooked me up with Rawhide (in cowboy shooting, you are your alias) who ran me through the basics and checked me out on range safety, course etiquette and sweep definitions (we’ll cover these in detail later). He had me load each firearm (rifle, pistols & shotgun) and let me get my first taste of shooting steel plates. This type of immediate feedback sure beats trying to see a hit on an 8″ perforated circle in IDPA, let me tell you!
Once the stage began I waited my turn at the loading table and tried not to let the butterflies in my stomach carry me off. What’s to worry about? It’s just two pistols (single-action), a lever-action rifle I’d borrowed and a coach gun that I’d slicked up myself. The Timer said “Next Shooter” and I thought to myself, “Oh Lord, What Have I Gone and Done?”. I stepped up to the platform, staged my rifle and shotgun and waited for the Timer to say “Shooter Ready”.
The buzzer sounded and I grabbed my rifle, brought it to my shoulder, levered a round into the chamber and squeezed off my first shot in cowboy action shooting. A clean miss! The Posse Marshal calls out “High” as I send another shot over the second steel target. I adjust my aim almost 8″ lover and am finally rewarded with that most beautiful sound in cowboy shooting, “Clang”. I continue shooting each target: “Clang”, “Clang”, “Clang” until the rifle is empty. I set it down and move quickly to the pistol targets, drawing my left revolver as I move towards the second position. “Clang”, “clang”, “clang”, “clang”, “Miss”. I draw my right revolver and cleanly sweep the same group of targets. I move toward the third position while holstering my revolver with my right hand and grab two shotshells in left hand.
I grap the shotgun just as I’ve practiced and load two shotshells, bring it to my shoulder and fire off my right barrel. I hear the “Clang” and the Timer says “Down” (shotgun targets have to “fall”, not just get hit). I quickly let go with my left barrel and hear that beautiful “clang” once again. I break open the coach gun, dump the spent shells just as I’ve practiced and grab another two from my belt. That’s when my nerves kick into high gear! I bring the two new shotshells toward the open barrels and miss both openings. After what seems an eternity, I load the two shotshells and open fire on the last two targets. “Clang”, “Clang”, Done!
I grab my rifle & coach gun and walk to the uploading table with a big grin on my face and a sense of wonder. What took these seven paragraphs to write happened in less than forty seconds of “real time”. The next four stages went just as fast and I shot one of them “clean” and with a decent time.
Some Great Shooting
Cowboy action shooting events bring out the best in people and bring out the best shooters. This young lady, “Hey You” is a Ladies Traditional Texas State and Southwest Regional Champion. Watching her run that lever-action rifle with nary a miss was a joy to witness. Like all the folks I’ve met in this shooting sport, this young lady was enthusiastic, polite and friendly to everyone in the match. Unlike some other shooting sports, folks that come to a cowboy match seem to leave their ego’s at home. I’ve honestly never met such a warm and friendly group of folks before.
My thanks to Johnny, Rawhide, Miss Ellie and all the rest of the Thunder River Renegades for making this a weekend to remember. See you next month!
