Information for the new shooter

Time Commitments:

Sign-up starts at 9:00am, there is a shooters meeting to go over safety rules, announcements and then break up into Posse's of 8-10 shooters each, with shooting beginning at about 10:00am. The matches usually last about 5 - 6 hours, yet this depends on the number of stages, the number of shooters and how fast each posse proceeds through the stages. It is not unheard of to get home from a match at 2:00pm.

Lunch:

At the Renton range a lunch break is scheduled in usually after shooting approx. half the stages. It is best to bring water and a lunch with you to the range. There is no drinking water at the site and lunch is provided only occasionally.

I will attempt to address some of the basic information about Cowboy Action Shooting here, but it is only meant to get the basics. It is best to read up on the equipment and safety rules provided by SASS (Single Action Shooters Society) in their SASS Handbook. It it you will find more detailed information than what I've provided here plus information on how to pick out an "alias".

Ammunition Requirements

The amount of ammunition required varies from month to month, but if you bring 150 centerfire rounds and 50 shotgun rounds you'll have enough to shoot the match.
Revolver and rifle ammunition may not be jacketed, semi-jacketed, plated, gas checked or copper washed. It must be all lead.
Velocities are relatively low:
Pistols - up to 1,000fps
Rifles - up to 1,400fps
Shotguns - No magnum loads - Renton requires #6 lead shot or smaller (no steel shot)

For a full explanation,see the SASS Handbook.

Many gun shops in the area carry Cowboy Ammunition, Pinto's in Kent (email Pinto's), The Marksman in Puyallup and Wade's in Bellevue. Call first to be sure.

Equipment and Shooter Categories

Pistols

Shooters are divided into five basic categories: Modern, Traditional, Frontier Cartridge (black powder), Duelist and Frontiersman. A shooter's category is determined by the type of "six-gun" he or she uses, the propellant used and the shooting style.

For a full explanation of the rules see the SASS Handbook.

Rifles

Rifles must be lever or slide action, tubular feed, exposed hammer rifle or carbine manufactured before 1899, or any reproduction thereof.
- .25 Caliber or larger
- Must be in a "pistol" caliber.
- Open iron sights or original style, tang mounted peep sights.
- Velocities up to 1,400fps.

For a full explanation of the rules see the SASS Handbook.

Shotguns

Shotguns must be side by side typical of the era without automatic ejectors, with or without external hammers, with single or double triggers. Any lever action or pump shotgun with an exposed hammer (e.g. Win. Modes 1887 or 1897 or Marlin Model 1898 or their descendants)
- Must be between 10 gauge and 20 gauge
- Barrels must be over 18" in length
- No magnum loads
- #6 low base lead shot or smaller (no steel shot)
- Pump and lever action shotguns are allowed to load no more than two rounds at a time unless specified in the stage description.
- Extractors are legal (they pull the cases about 1/4 inch out of the barrels)
- Ejectors are not legal (they launch the cases out of the barrels)

For a full explanation of the rules see the SASS Handbook.

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