Abe E.S. Corpus

There is an AI generated poster for the match that reads “four stages” but it is a five stage match with lunch provided.

Stages are posted.

Procedural for firing more rounds than required by the stage instructions.

One challenge is that the line between an “athletic shoe” and a lace-up work boot/hiking boot is pretty blurry.

I saw that language. The way I read it, if boots are worn they must conform to the rule that lists prohibited items. George Baylor wrote an article about Wild Bunch costuming that includes a photo of an army issued leather “walking shoe”. Not a boot, but legal under the general costuming language “typical of the late 19th and early 20th century”. See also the next sentence about “Edwardian period fashion” which would not be limited to boots.

Stages are not yet posted but check the website as the date approaches. www.beltonbushwhackers.com

Boots are not required in Wild Bunch. If you choose to wear boots they must be SASS legal. There are plenty of other types of footware that are appropriate. That’s before we consider allowances for medical reasons.

Once again hosted by Gunpowder Creek Regulators in Lenoir, NC. Five stages with lunch included. Details will be posted on the host club’s website.

I hope neither game tries to write a rule against “shadow shooting”. How would one define it? I have not seen many instances of shooters holding up the group. Peer pressure seems to discourage it. It’s also difficult to define what constitutes “unsafe gun handling”. I think there’s one example in the CAS SHB. We have left this up to the clubs to sort out and I expect common sense has largely prevailed.

The match has been canceled due to the second round of weather heading our way.

I saw that the stage convention affecting shotgun makeups did not pass. Any changes coming?

Let’s hope 2026 brings us more opportunities to shoot Wild Bunch!

The Belton Bushwhackers will hold a Wild Bunch match on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Stages will be published on the website at a later date. www.beltonbushwhackers.com The folks in Belton are looking to grow the match and they do a great job helping new shooters.

I realize that. My comment was tongue in cheek. I’m in favor of good punctuation. Google “the Ron Pair comma” for an interesting story about punctuation.

My condolences. The SASS Wire (cowboy action forum) has a Classified section but only SASS members can post ads.

Who knew that we could once use a 1911 pistol in .40 caliber?

The stages for the Wild Bunch “speed match” are posted on the Belton Bushwhackers website.

We had 12 shooters at the match. The next fifth Saturday falls on November 29 (Thanksgiving weekend). Slippery Stew said this would probably be a “speed match”.

Another match coming up on Saturday August 30, 2025. Stages are posted on the Belton Bushwhackers website.

At least SASS retained the concept that an empty case or hull left in a long gun is a “no call” as long as the action has been cycled. They could have changed the rule back to mirror the CAS rule that the shooter had to clear the rifle or shotgun. Cowboy shooters who want to use a double in Wild Bunch have to clear it, same as in cowboy. That’s simpler than having a different rule in each sport.

Same as in CAS: MSV

Read the definition of “Action Cycled” in the current SHB-it only applies to lever and pump action long guns. The Double cannot meet the “condition”.

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.