Abe E.S. Corpus

There have been other instances in which the Handbook did not reflect the intention of the drafters. I suggest this may be one of those times. The solution is in the pen, so to speak. I’ve been shooting Wild Bunch for about ten years. I don’t recall ever seeing a shooter leave the LT with a cocked pistol, but should it happen, I want to make the correct call based on the rules. I understand that when we clear the pistol at the conclusion of the stage that we direct the shooter to pull the trigger to drop the hammer (a final verification that the pistol has been cleared), then to holster the pistol. I don’t think that provides a basis for a penalty on a subsequent stage.

I don’t see a requirement in the Handbook that the 1911 hammer be at rest at the LT. The rule for movement with the pistol requires only that the chamber be empty. The slide can be open or closed. I don’t see a penalty for a movement with cocked hammer on a pistol. I looked at the WB RO/MD Handbook. I don’t think it leads to a different conclusion. In some places it contradicts the Handbook. For example, it refers to “loaded” firearms in a way that is inconsistent with the Handbook’s definition of a “loaded” firearm which is a firearm with a live round in the CHAMBER. I’m not recommending that shooters begin the stage with a cocked hammer on the holstered or staged pistol. I just want requirements to be clear before we hand out penalties. Someone asked recently whether it was legal for a shooter who had difficulty charging a 1911 to draw the pistol, thumb back the hammer and then rack the slide. I said yes, and I believe that is correct, but the way the Handbook is written it may be legal for a shooter to cock the hammer at the LT (assuming the chamber is empty). If that is not the intended result the Handbook should be revised.

There are some “Traditional compliant” pistols out there that have more visible sights than the original GI types. I think the Springfield Mil-Spec does. Ditto for the base model Remington R-1. If you are a cowboy shooter a revolver holster may serve as a Wild Bunch holster. Use the savings to buy good magazines. Mernickle makes good mag pouches. Most of the pouches cover too much if the magazine, slowing you down. Note also that Wild Bunch rules allow ANY shooter to stage magazines and ammunition.

It was one of the rules deemed to be an unnecessary penalty. I still keep a “malfunction magazine” with one round. Thanks to the “culling” of unnecessary penalties, I can keep it on my right side (I am right handed) next to my rifle and shotgun reloads.

For the last several years Cotton Gloves (the "ramrod" of WBAS in the Carolinas, even though he is from NORTH Carolina which we will overlook, giving grace to the less fortunate) has organized and run an annual match called the "Carolinas Wild Bunch Shootout". This year's event will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022 (rescheduled again from the prior August and October 1 dates) at Gunpowder Creek Regulators in Lenoir, North Carolina. Gunpowder Creek is a "dedicated" cowboy shooting range with nifty props. Looks like this year’s match will be five stages with lunch provided. Watch this thread for more details.

Less than a week away from the match. Belton is making it easy to participate by allowing: Any SASS-legal rifle Any 1911 pistol Any pump shotgun A few people in the area own semiauto Thompson carbines. Belton has a “gangster” category for them.

Round count and draft stages are up! https://sites.google.com/site/beltonbushwhackers/

The Belton 5th Saturday matches were to have begun in January but that match was called due to weather, so the first match will happen on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Already looking forward to it!

At one time 1911 fixed sights that were more visible than the tiny sights found on military type pistols were referred to as “hardball sights”. I still use that term for rear sights that do not extend back from the dovetail (as with the old MMC sights or a Novak style rear sight). Is that still an accepted definition?

Don’t let a lack of magazine pouches keep you from shooting. Wild Bunch rules allow all shooters to stage ammunition and magazines. There should be a staging surface at each pistol shooting position (in case the shooter needs to discard a malfunctioning pistol).

Just to wrap up, we had 11 shooters, one of whom was a first time WBAS shooter. There were three or four new folks who came out to watch. The High Country Cowboys are planning more 5th Saturday Wild Bunch opportunities if there is interest. I take it there are shooters in Tennessee who have expressed an interest.

I used contact cement. I think the brand name was Barge.

I saw an inquiry on Facebook whether this shotgun is SASS-legal. I was not aware that RIA was making a ‘97 clone and it turns out, despite the product name, that they don’t. This appears to be a reproduction of an Ithaca Model 37 in “trench gun” configuration. Alert commenters on Facebook told the fellow that it was not legal. FYI to those on this forum who may be asked about it. Nothing is more discouraging to a new shooter than shelling out money for a new gun, just to be told that it’s not legal.

High Country Cowboys will host a Wild Bunch match on Saturday April 30, 2022. Safety meeting at 10:00 am. HCC is near Wolf Laurel, North Carolina above Asheville.

We had 29 shooters on Thursday which included some first time shooters. A big thanks to our regional Ambassadors Sassy Teton Lady and Deadwood Woody for their input, information and support. I was very happy to have (what analogy do I use here) the Romulus and Remus of South Carolina WBAS, Hondo Jackson and Dun Gamblin/Sergeant Dork in the match. The “Sarge” is the match director for a new 5th Saturday Wild Bunch match at the Belton Gun Club that will debut in July 2022. He has run Three Gun , Two Gun and PCC matches so “watch this space”.

The Bushwhack is at capacity (150 cowboy shooters; everyone shoots at the same time). At present we have 32 Wild Bunch shooters for the four stage WBAS “mini match” on Thursday April 7. We will have two posses. Hoping for good weather.

The Bushwhack, the 2022 South Carolina State Championship, will be held at the Belton Gun Club on April 7-9, 2022. The club is in the Upstate in Anderson County. Thursday, April 7 is side match day; we will have a four stage Wild Bunch mini match. https://sites.google.com/site/scstatematch/home

It took me a minute to find the synopsis. I forget that there is more to this website than the forum. My three ring binder has all of the updated documents. Ready to enjoy our new 5th Saturday WBAS matches in Belton, SC!

One point of clarification; there will not be a match on the 5th Saturday of April due to a conflict with a previously scheduled USPSA Sectional match. We expect to have a four stage Wild Bunch mini match on Thursday April 7, which is side match day for “The Bushwhack”- the 2022 South Carolina state match.

Announced today-the Belton Gun Club in Upstate South Carolina (home of the Belton Bushwhackers and host club for “The Bushwhack”, the 2022 South Carolina State Match), will hold 5th Saturday Wild Bunch matches beginning January 29, 2022. Match Director Gerald Dunn alias Dun Gamblin (alias Sergeant Dork in Wild Bunch) is an experienced cowboy match Director who has been shooting Wild Bunch for years. The Belton club is a great facility with wide separated shooting bays and lots of reactive steel. I knew 2022 was going to be a good year for shooting. This is just icing on the cake. No, it’s another cake. A big one!

The match has been canceled due to an unfavorable weather forecast.

Round count will be 133 pistol, 33 rifle, 18 shotgun.

Late notice but HCC (just below the TN state line off of I-26 near Wolf Laurel, NC) are hosting a match the day before Halloween. Round count TBA.

Tactical reloads have been legal since at least January 2018. This assumes, of course, that the reload happens when the shooter is not moving. Movement with a round in the chamber of the pistol remains a SDQ.

Thanks to the moderators for keeping this forum so good. It’s also due to the participants who keep discussions helpful and positive. I read the Wire but many people whose opinions I respect have given up on it.