Abe E.S. Corpus

The reason I asked the question was not to advocate for the application of “Shooters Choice” to the 1911. Since the semiauto pistol operates differently from “manually operated” firearms it is more difficult to determine whether a shooter has attempted to shoot a target (or more than one target). I would be fine with not applying that “doctrine” to the 1911. Since WB rules are being conformed to CAS rules it seems a given that Shooters Choice applies to WB rifle and perhaps to shotgun (still less of an issue since shotgun targets are usually “in any order”. The problem with Shooters Choice is inconsistent application. SASS chose not to put it in the Handbook so many shooters (including TOs) don’t know about it or understand it. Personally I would be OK if the rules were rewritten to consider a target “engaged” only when a round is fired. Or rewritten to incorporate the Shooters Choice “interpretation” more clearly. Either way we could do away with inconsistent calls.

The “Shooter’s Choice” writeup specifically addresses live rounds ejected from a rifle and failures-to-fire in percussion or cartridge firearms. I believe it has been applied to other situations in which a shooter has “engaged” a target (attempted to shoot it) but did not fire a round. The cause of the failure to fire clearly includes outrunning the manually operated rifle, a cap only ignition in a percussion revolver, or a cartridge in any type of firearm that goes “click”. Since the 1911 pistol is a semiauto there is no manual action (such as levering the rifle or cocking a revolver) to clearly evidence the effort to shoot a target. One approach would be to only apply Shooter’s Choice to the 1911 when the hammer has fallen on a “dud” round. For the record I would recommend that a shooter who experiences a 1911 stoppage to shoot the next target in the sequence. The correct application of Shooter’s Choice can save a shooter from a ten second penalty. I like that.

Arguably pointing the jammed pistol at T5 is an attempt to shoot the target, satisfying the requirement to engage that target.

I disagree. Failure to attempt to shoot a firearm is a Procedural. Once the shooter has fired, or attempted to fire, a firearm, unfired rounds are misses.

I think I posted on the topic a while back but I’ve seen and read lots of confusion on this topic in CAS so I thought I’d ask about a “variant” that may be specific to the 1911. Palewolf’s description of the shooter’s options upon ejecting a live round from a rifle in the middle of a sequence (levering the rifle counting as an “engagement”) is applicable to other firearms. In short, the shooter can re-engage the target he/she attempted to shoot, or take the miss on that target and move to the next. If the shooter re-engages, the ejected round may be replaced to avoid the miss. It’s amazing to me how many experienced shooters can’t grasp this. It is of course pretty common for a WB shooter to eject a live round from the pistol after a malfunction. There is no “levering” or manual cocking but in my view pointing the jammed pistol at the next target satisfies the requirement of “engagement”, so that Shooter’s Choice applies. Agree so far? With a rifle you typically eject one live round. In the course of clearing a malfunction with the 1911 the shooter may end up dropping a magazine containing several rounds. How many targets may the shooter “skip” after reloading. A simple hypothetical: Seven pistol targets in a row. Sweep the targets three times from the same direction. Our shooter completes one sweep and reloads. Shooter hits T1, T2, T3, and T4, then experiences a double feed malfunction as he points at T5. Shooter strips the magazine and ejects a total of three live rounds. Shooter reloads a full magazine and thinking “I’ll take the three misses”, starts the third sweep beginning on T1. Three misses for sure. Was the “Shooter’s Choice” option to skip limited to the first target he did not shoot at (here T5), or can the shooter choose to skip three, since three live rounds were ejected or dropped. Arguably the only missed target he engaged was T5, so he earned a P. Thoughts?

We had fifteen shooters and a great time!

There are other action pistol sports in which reholstering the pistol is not allowed or at least discouraged.

Belton will hold a six stage WB match on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Register online and see the stages at BeltonBushwhackers dot com.

Personally I’ve never thought a hollow point bullet to present a greater risk but “them’s the rules”.

Hollow point bullets are specifically prohibited. WB SHB v. 17.5 page 32. Same prohibition in the CAS SHB.

Once again hosted by Gunpowder Creek Regulators in Lenoir, NC. Five stages with lunch provided. More info expected on the club’s website but mark your calendar.

There was a four stage WB match at The Bushwhack (2025 SC State Match) last week. Congratulations to the top three places: Kid Ray, Cotton Gloves and Krisco Kid. Looks like it was tight!

Scarlett Darlin’ sells .45 ACP “Cowboy Cartridges” for those who don’t “roll their own”.

No 5th Saturday match this month since it’s so close to The Bushwhack (SC State SASS match), but there will be a four stage Wild Bunch mini match at The Bushwhack on April 10.

The Geechee Gunfighters announced a WB match on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Matches are held at the Palmetto Gun Club in Ridgeville, SC. Contact info is on their website. I will miss this one but it should be a good match.

I’m happy to be corrected.

A fellow on my posse at the Florida state match (Wild Bunch side match) used an 1887. The downside is that it only holds four rounds (as I recall) in the magazine, forcing an on the clock reload on stages with more than four shotgun targets.

Slippery Stew sent out the following information about the (six stage) match: You can view the stages for Wild Bunch right now by going to the Belton Bushwhackers website: STAGES ROUND COUNT 147 pistol 22 rifle 30 shotgun

The Belton Bushwhackers will hold a Wild Bunch match the Saturday after Thanksgiving. More info will be posted at www.beltonbushwhackers.com

I can attest that this is a nice rifle.

No club in South Carolina offers a monthly WB match. We ran a match in Greenville on 5th Sundays until we lost the date to a larger number of host club members who wanted to shoot Three Gun. A couple of years ago the Belton Bushwhackers started holding WB matches on 5th Saturdays. That’s about 30 minutes from me so I shoot that match unless I have a conflict. We have a four stage WB mini-match at the SC State SASS match. Belton has hosted that match for the last several years. There is an annual Carolinas Wild Bunch Shootout that the Gunpowder Creek Regulators in Lenoir, SC have hosted for the last few years. It’s a “must”.

Details are posted at www.beltonbushwhackers.com.

Let’s assume for the sake of this discussion that the stage instructions are silent. The new language says “must”. I think this is another area that needs to be corrected in the SHB.

Prior to 2024 the rules as I understood them allowed any shooter to stage loaded magazines or loose ammo. That prior language remains under the heading “Cartridge Belts, Bandoleers, Magazines and Pouches” (SHB 17.4 p. 20) but seems to be contradicted by the first bullet point under the heading “Ammunition Belts and Loops” which reads “Ammunition required…must be carried on the shooter’s person…, or be safely staged AS REQUIRED BY STAGE INSTRUCTIONS.” (All caps not in original). I expect this another cut-and-paste from the CAS Handbook. I liked being able to tell new shooters that they can stage magazines rather than requiring them to purchase magazine pouches. I’m not sure that is now an accurate statement. Please don’t tell me what a Match Director has discretion to allow ow waive in a local match. I know that.

37 shooters which I believe set a record. We had a great time. It may move to the Spring next year.