Anyone shoot SASS Wild Bunch?

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I am thinking of shooting SASS Wild Bunch division here locally. I was just wondering what you guys are using for guns and holsters etc? For now I am going to use my Spartan and a Marlin 1894 cowboy in 45LC. I still need a shotgun though and I am looking at the 1897 models. Let me know. Thanks, Eric

[North]

That sounds interesting. I didn't know they let bottom feeders compete.

[Modoc]

If I remember right, the 45 is 5 in the mag and condition 3, hammer down on an empty chamber.

For leather, see if Dillon is still carrying the Pike holster. Also look at El Paso Saddelry, their leather is pretty good.

As for a shotgun, I "think" that it either has to be a Winchester 1897 or 1887 (or clone). You might go to the SASS Wire and pull a search there. They also have links to vendors and the rule books.

Also just like here, see what your local club is using - I'd like to have a Broomhandle Mauser for Wild Bunch, but can't really justify it with regular CAS, 3 gun and USPSA

Edited April 12, 2009 by Modoc

[Cigar Guy]

Does anyone else think it is ironic that SASS was started by a bunch of old school IPSC shooters who were bored with just shooting 1911s, so they went to SA revolvers, and now that has gotten boring, so they've come back to 1911s? It is even stranger to see the two Wild Bunch divisions: traditional and modern. I get the traditional division's appeal, but the modern division just looks out of place when you've got someone in full out cowboy attire shooting an out of the box Kimber. I don't want to bash anyone or any shooting sport, but it just seems odd. Cowboy Action Shooting (3-gun) is an even more ironic twist to traditional stand and shoot SASS. I think the newer type competitions are great, and their growth attests to the fun involved in shooting while moving with freestyle courses. I suspect that if given the choice between traditional stand and shoot SASS or the newer games, the younger shooters are going to play the new games while traditional SASS becomes a de facto senior class.

Maybe it is because the game has evolved since the late 1970s, but I just don't see how anyone could get bored with shooting while moving, which is the halmark of modern USPSA/IPSC style shooting. If the older courses were set up as "stand in this box and shoot these targets, then move to that box and shoot those targets . . ." with no freestyle components, that would get boring. It is interesting to see some of the historical conflicts in IPSC type shooting having been resolved after a break away group creates a new game to address the perceived problems.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to bash SASS, I just think it is very ironic that SASS has effectively come full circle when compared with its parent sport.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I am thinking of shooting Wild Bunch so I get more trigger time with my 1911 to make me better at USPSA matches. Maybe my thinking is backwards but I don't want to shoot a outdated type revolver. I have a S&W 646 that I do enjoy shooting but I still prefer semi autos better. I shoot for fun and enjoy trying different shooting events. I also liked to be challenged on the stages, not shooting the same old thing all the time. I figure the Wild Bunch will give me the chance to shoot some steel and my 1911 all in the same day. The verdict is still out about the clothes though Thanks, Eric

[MarkS_A18138]

Eric, I am starting to shoot the wild bunch down here. little more play time with my SS gun and it kind of fun! I am using a mod12 shotgun and a borrowed lever action! Just have to get the hardcore SAS guys to calm down! No problems here yet.

[OCPL-Hahn]

The original idea of single action shooting got lost after the first few End of Trail matches. The "Spirit of the Game" has changed. The original match was a bunch of shooters having a good time with Cowboy style arms and "western" style clothing (I wore sneekers and no hat at the First End of Trail, blue jeans and a western shirt was enough). Soon the money and authentic costumes and multi pistols took over. OWSA (Old West Shooist Association) was started to get back to the original idea of fun, family style cowboy shooting. They shoot for a whole week around June in Raton NM. I'd like to see some monthly matches start up around the country based on OWSA.

[D.Hayden]

Old thread revival.

Nice show on Shooting Gallery about this, this week

I've been looking for a lever action 38, may have to look at the 44s now

[whitedog]

I have been shooting wild bunch since it started. It started as a side match, and took off. If you want to get good at reloading a 1911 and like shots that are a bit further than normal, try it. You start hammer down, chamber empty. The shotgun is full. The 97 was designed to slam fire, so it's very quick. And yes, I believe sass is coming full circle. PM me fer more info. I'll help if I can.

[Flatland Shooter]

I have been shooting wild bunch since it started. It started as a side match, and took off. If you want to get good at reloading a 1911 and like shots that are a bit further than normal, try it. You start hammer down, chamber empty. The shotgun is full. The 97 was designed to slam fire, so it's very quick. And yes, I believe sass is coming full circle. PM me fer more info. I'll help if I can.

Until watching Shooting Gallery earlier this week, I had no idea that SASS had a Wild Bunch division. It kinda gave me the bug to give it a try. I did a little internet searching and found a monthly SASS match less than 20 miles from the house. That alone has to be a sign that I need to give Wild Bunch a try.

Several 1911's in the safe to choose from and I picked up a nice Winchester 1897 "shooter" a few months back, but not a single lever action rifle in pistol caliber.

As a Wild Buncher just starting out, what lever gun would you recommend? Winchester is making the 1892 again. Marlin is a little cheaper but should be good too. But the SASS videos I watch seem to show shooters with replica '73's and such. Which one is really the best?

Also just how "dressed up" is required? Will a nice pair of boots, jeans, long sleeve shirt and a Stetson suffice?

Bill

[whitedog]

Yer clothes are fine. The rifle has to be .40 or larger. I shoot a '66 in .45. Inmo a 66 is better than a 73. Having two of each, I find the 66 easier to tear down. Internally they are identical. Only real difference is steel versus brass receivers. The 73 has safety where the lever has to be against the stock to fire. A 66 can fire out of battery.

Also, 200 grain rnfp with 4.8 grains of clays is accurate to 200 yards in a 45lc 66 rifle. Good all around load.

Let me know if I can be of any more help.

Edited January 16, 2011 by whitedog

[Modoc]

Bill,

My WB rifle is a Browning 1892 in 44 Mag. A question that you might ask is "Will I be using this for anything else besides CAS?"

I have several Winchester 1892 type rifles (originals and clones) along with an 1873 and a Henry (original style). If you want to use the rifle outside of the games with Hot loads, I would look at either the Winchester 1892 type (Win., Browning, Puma, EMF) or the Marlin 1894. For ease of use and speed it is hard to beat the toggle link system of the 1866/1873 type rifle. This comes from owning and using samples of each. Since you are in Tejas, look up Steve's Guns and Longhunter Supply. Both of them are good gunsmiths who both compete and deal in CAS type rifles. Steve Young specializes in the '92 while Longhunter is more focused on the '66/'73. Personally, I had to draw the line on shooting sports with CAS, USPSA and Silhouette; SWMBO said that is enough although she participates in all of them with me

I can't say too much about shotguns, because I am using an Winchester 1887 lever action.

[whitedog]

Yup, hard to beat Longhunter. He did one of my 73's. Heck of a nice guy.

[Duke Nukem]

Wild Bunch is whole separate match. Its not a class under the SASS umbrella. Dont go to a monthly SASS match and expect to shoot Wild Bunch.

You have to use a 97 shotgun and 73 is the best rifle. A 66 is ok but you can outrun it, once your good, and it fires out of battery.

[whitedog]

Many sass shoots have a wild bunch class at a monthly shoot. You just shoot the stage different than everyone else. The stage description is written two ways. We have been doing it for quite some time. Check with the club yer going to.

[Modoc]

For interested new shooters, here is the linkSASS Wild Bunch Rules - 2010

We (me as match director) have blended the two matches together when people want to shoot WB, because our monthly practice match usually has bout 9-15 shooters. With only 2 or 3 WB shooters, it really gets frustrating to set up a complete match.

self edit for tone

Edited January 18, 2011 by Modoc

[whitedog]

While I know the rules and such, we get 60 to 90 at a monthly shoot. Usually at least 1/3 will shoot w.b. It is not a stand alone, like duelist, however many people shoot it at matches. What started as a mini-match has grown into it's own.

I remember at the sass convention when this was put before the territorial governors, it started as a side match at first. I believe Mule Camp was the first to really latch on to it. Winter Range had it also.

At The Guns of August we have it stand alone now. 6 stages.

[Punkin Chunker]

I'd like to have a Broomhandle Mauser for Wild Bunch . . .

Then they'd call you a "top feeder".

[Modoc]

Just haven't found a CA legal Browning water-cooled yet

Todd Lofgren did a pretty good write up in the last Guns of the Old West magazine on Para Ord.'s Wild Bunch pistol.

Dang it, now you guys have me thinking about showing up at the next USPSA match with my Singlestack in a Wild Bunch rig, just to see the other shooters' expressions

[Nite Ryder]

I think you will find not all clubs offer a Wild Bunch category at their monthly matches, so it will depend on where you are and which club match you attend. Many of you might not know that the owners of SASS are 6 or 7 older men, who are known among SASS members as "The Wild Bunch". All of the rules pertaining to the SASS shoots are controlled by these owners, input from a group known as the "Territorial Governors" also has a lot to do with changing of the rules, but the owners always have the final say. The Wild Bunch shooting category was named after the movie of the same name. This category may evolve into more than what is offered and allowed now, but I look for the Territorial Governors to slow it down a bit, because it is still a part of cowboy actions shooting. I don't look for it to ever become a shooting sport that is not connected with SASS.

[MHicks]

Cigar guy. Most SASS matches will only have a couple of stand and deliver type stages. Even in regular matches you usually move between target arrays. Are you refering to Western 3 Gun as one of the newer types of cowboy shooting? In W3G you do shoot more on the move, a few rifle targets together, and as you move downrange you will shoot more rifle targets to your left and right. All the rifle targets won't be visible from one spot. The same is true with the revolver and shotgun targets. Also, the W3G targets have a center knockout in them. A hit anywhere on the target counts and if you knockdown the center you get a -1 second bonus. Clubs without the center knockout targets sometimes use IDPA targets with the center scoring area counting as the bonus.

SASS Wild Bunch is supposed to be eventually stand alone, seperate matches from the regular SASS cowboy match. Some clubs are running them at the same time along with the regular cowboy match, but that is not the norm. Usually they are a side match seperate from the main match. I shoot 1911's in IDPA and USPSA and just have my fun shooting them there. I shoot the regular cowboy matches along with other side matches when they have them. Mark (Smokin Gator)

[JoeLaFives]

We had 755 CAS shooters at Winter Range and 125 Wild Bunch shooters in the separate Wild Bunch National Championship. Most of the WB shooters shot both matchs. Here in AZ you have a choice of shooting a monthly Wild Bunch standalone match at one club or at a couple of other clubs you shoot your WB guns during the standard CAS match. Both work. The standardized rules are helping however there may be some tweaking of the rules for a bit so we'll see. The link above has info, additionally the Sass wire forum has info and there is a Wild bunch forum at

http://www.sassnet.com/wildbunch/forum/

[Crunchy Frog]

I've been shooting cowboy action for a little over two years here in Upstate SC; our regular match day is the 4th Sunday of the month. Last year we began offering Wild Bunch matches on the 5th Sunday in months "so equipped".

Aside from the difference in the guns, Wild Bunch is distinguished from SASS by a higher power factor, longer ranges, and more reactive targets.

I enjoy cowboy and I enjoy Wild Bunch. If you are in the area and want to check it out, we'd love to see you.

[Banker Bob]

Good stuff (mostly!) I love to shoot so am referred to as a cross-dresser with USPSA and CAS interests!

Wild Bunch matches kicked around local clubs for many years --finally officially added by SASS with tremendous responce, and now a standard set of rules. However, some local clubs start at condition 1, cocked and locked and have a variety of categories for various guns.

Your 1897(the current rules only allow 1897 -original or replica and only 1911 45 acp for pistols) should be modified to hold 6 rounds in the mag as many stages require that number--(In CAS, all shotguns are staged empty, action open and usually shoot comstock for knockdowns.) WB is non-comstock --aka virginia count, one shot per target gun loaded with correct # of rounds --chamber empty.

Mernicle-see his web site- has a very popular WB steel lined, holster rig--may as well add 3 double mag pouches as sometimes you may shoot 30 pistol rounds (that',s 5 mags, 5 rounds each plus one in the gun--occasionally a rifle round or shotgun round will get ejected via operator error (or?)so you should have a couple of rounds handy --A belt slide can come in handy.-also made by Bob Mernicle (Bob probably has all in stock but his custom work is usually only about 3 weeks--from experience!)

Some carry a mag (remember the 6th mag pouch?)with a single round should a jam with resulting ejection of a live round happen--much quicker than loading a full mag, ejecting it and bringing the pistol to slide lock--which must happen after every mag.

PF is 150 plus-both rifle and pistol-chrono'd at major matches. Bullets must be lead only. Check out SASSnet.com for more details!

Costuming is circa WWI with military the most popular. Full Race 1897's are available from the Squibber, Johnny Meadows and Coyote Cap-all I know as good folks --should find them via google--

WB is a different challenge --and like the other shooting sports --lots of fun!

Shoot straight!

Banker Bob ,aka bobwyo, aka etc, etc.

[Modoc]

My Father (Buckskin John Leslie) just got a Ted Blocker Wild Bunch rig and I am going to intoduce it to powder smoke at our next USPSA match. I am making some belt keepers to meet the rules for USPSA, but it is a really slick rig. In fact I am thinking about ditching the Blackhawk and CR Speed for this rig with an extra mag holder and use it for both USPSA and Wild Bunch.

Ted Blocker Wild Bunch Rig