Beaten my a Colt single-action

[Sydney]

So I gather up my S&W 686, my Sig 226 9mm, and drive down to the Mass Rifle plate shoot from Exeter. I'm new at this game but I never thought I'd be beaten by a much older man shooting a Colt single-action revolver in .45 Colt caliber. (yes, I stink, but still!) He had some kind of home-made speed loading tubes that held 6 shots - and he never missed a shot! His shooting was faster than you would believe once he was loaded up with 6. I timed him from shot 1 to shot 6 in under six seconds. It was the reloading that slowed him down. Still, he had one string of 25 targets shot in 68.5 seconds. I know, because I looked at the scoring sheet. I buggered up more than one stage worse than that with a modern gun. This guy with the single-action actually beat several other people too. I'll be going to the next shoot in May just to watch the single-action guy. Now I had better practice a little more with my Smith - and my Sig too!

For those who go to these shoots regularly, are there other shooters using single-action guns? It was very interesting.

Sydney

 

[MFP4073]

Sydney,

You did fine. Don't worry about comparing yourself to other shooters. The most important things are that you had a safe experience, enjoyed yourself, and learned a thing or two about another aspect of shooting.

Shooting steel competitively is not something you learn over night. It takes trigger time, practice, and dedication. Many of the guys you saw today have been shooting that game for over ten years - some over twenty! When I first started, I could not hit the broad side of barn with a hand gun!

I have to agree the guy with the single action was cool to watch and he was indeed a great shot. Typically single-action-only revolvers are not allowed at this type of match (it's really the wrong tool for that particular game). I suspect that because it was really an informal match (kind of like shooting darts on the weekend only better), Rich decided to let the guy shoot his SA revo. I thought the home made speed loaders he used were pretty cool too!

I hope you come back for another match. The more you shoot em' the better you become! You did great for your first time.

 

[Chuck Would]

You should come to a SASS match sometime. There are some really fast pards out there shooting those old fashion pistols.

See: http://www.pineywoodsplace.com/coming.html

For a list of comming locak events in the Cowboy Action Shooting world.

 

[otasan]

Indeed

The best place to have a fun, informative, and SAFE time with handguns is an organized competition run by pros such as what you saw at Mass Rifle.

Shooting matches are MUCH safer than your average gun club, for there is an RSO looking over one's shoulder.

For example, I was at my home range on 5Apr07, and I was 4 pounds away from being shot by my careless, ignorant neighbor on the line with me. I was shocked to see him standing with his back to the range, with his loaded Sig in hand aiming at my face. He was totally unaware that he was putting me in lethal danger. He had turned around to "clear a jam" and had done so without removing the magazine. And yes, he was an LEO.

I chewed his butt out royally and left the range as soon as possible.

Now I have had a few loaded guns pointed at me at Chester Pin matches, three times in five years, but I have had loaded guns pointed at me at my home range much more often.

It is experiences like this that makes me lean toward mandatory gun safety classes for gun owners, but I guess that I would rather be accidentally shot at the range than let the government have that kind of power and discretion.

 

[M1911]

otasan: did you bring up the safety violation with your club leadership?

 

[Supermoto]

So I gather up my S&W 686, my Sig 226 9mm, and drive down to the Mass Rifle plate shoot from Exeter. I'm new at this game but I never thought I'd be beaten by a much older man shooting a Colt single-action revolver in .45 Colt caliber. (yes, I stink, but still!) He had some kind of home-made speed loading tubes that held 6 shots - and he never missed a shot! His shooting was faster than you would believe once he was loaded up with 6. I timed him from shot 1 to shot 6 in under six seconds. It was the reloading that slowed him down. Still, he had one string of 25 targets shot in 68.5 seconds. I know, because I looked at the scoring sheet. I buggered up more than one stage worse than that with a modern gun. This guy with the single-action actually beat several other people too. I'll be going to the next shoot in May just to watch the single-action guy. Now I had better practice a little more with my Smith - and my Sig too!

For those who go to these shoots regularly, are there other shooters using single-action guns? It was very interesting.

Sydney

Its always great to watch a good shooter driving a gun hard. My first steel match at Mass Rifle, I got smoke by a revolver shooter, when I was shooting a Open gun.

 

[otasan]

otasan: did you bring up the safety violation with your club leadership?

Yes, I most certainly did.