New To Wild Bunch

[Marshal Flint]

Hi All,

 

I used to shoot CAS with the Rock River Regulators, and I had some financial needs at that time and had to liquidate my CAS inventory.  I have a 1911 in .45acp, and I was wondering which rifle in .45LC and which shotgun I should get to be able to shoot in the wild bunch matches?  I would like an answer to the question not several links to look up, I am wondering in real life experience what you have found to work best?  Is a 66 Yellowboy a good rifle for Wild Bunch or is there something better?  I only want to buy once and make a smart purchase.

 

Thank you so much for your help!

 

All the best!

[Tully Mars]

Welcome Marshal Flint,

 

The 1873 Winchester would be my first choice of a rifle. Yes the 66' would work fine, but there's no lever safety and the possibility of an out of battery discharge is more likely with the 66'. I love my 66' and Henry, but can't run either as fast as my 73'.

 

Model 12 in 12 gauge would be my shotgun of choice with the barrel cut to 22ish inches. Model 12's can be found with a flagged or un-flagged carrier, my preference is flagged. However I own both and haven't had issues with either style.

 

Tully

[Marshal Flint]

I have a Rossi 92 in 45 colt, that is acceptable correct?

[Abe E.S. Corpus]

The rifle does not have to be chambered in .45 Colt.  Anything forty caliber or greater which includes .38-40, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum or .44-40.  Lots of choices.  Your Rossi 92 in .45 Colt would be fine.  Wild Bunch puts more emphasis on the pistol than the rifle.

 

When Wild Bunch rules were first written the only legal shotgun was the 1897 (that and the 93/97 replica that was never approved for CAS).  Later the Model 12 was added and it has proven very popular.  Good shootable Model 12s are often less expensive than original ‘97s.  That said, the ‘97 is still a good gun.  For me the ‘97 points more naturally than the Model 12.  Both are great shotguns.

[Marshal Flint]

This is the pistol that I have:

 

 

I would rather ask these questions now than to find out on the shooting line that my gear is unacceptable.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

[Johnson County Mike]

Hi, as a point of interest this summer, the Beloit Rifle Club, home of the Rock River Regulators, had it's first Wild Bunch match, as a test during the weekly "Wednesday Morning Group". This was a limited and introductory shoot to introduce Wild Bunch shooting to the members. There was some interest and the Director of the Cowboy Action discipline has stated that we can look forward to more.

 

I was in the same boat as you and recently started to gather my Wild Bunch equipment. I acquired an 1873 Uberti in 38-40, and a Winchester 1897. I use my CMP 1911 made in 1919 as my pistol. Those were my choices and yours may be different. I always liked the 38-40 but it has it's own challenges as it is not so common. I recently purchased a set of Redding 38-40 dies and the FL resizing die had the wrong "spindle" installed, without the decapping assembly, :(.  I'm currently looking for a Winchester Model 12,  I'm am still a "work in progress", as you can see,  ;) . regards, Mike

[Marshal Flint]

The rifle does not have to be chambered in .45 Colt.  Anything forty caliber or greater which includes .38-40, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum or .44-40.  Lots of choices.  Your Rossi 92 in .45 Colt would be fine.  Wild Bunch puts more emphasis on the pistol than the rifle.

 

When Wild Bunch rules were first written the only legal shotgun was the 1897 (that and the 93/97 replica that was never approved for CAS).  Later the Model 12 was added and it has proven very popular.  Good shootable Model 12s are often less expensive than original ‘97s.  That said, the ‘97 is still a good gun.  For me the ‘97 points more naturally than the Model 12.  Both are great shotguns.

 

Thanks, the shotgun is going to be my next purchase!

 

 

[Boggus Deal]

Your pistol is is legal in Modern with that grip safety but with a switch to a Traditional style grip safety and blackening the sights, it should be legal in Traditional as well. Your Rossi in .45 Colt should be legal as long as the rest of the rifle requirements are met. The shooter’s handbook gives all the rules in one place and is quite clear.

[Garrison Joe]

There are two shooting categories that would be your main choices in WB.  Traditional, requiring a pistol made ROUGHLY  "to original government specifications" and with pistol shot with a one-hand grip.  Then there's Modern, which allows several improvements to the pistol, and allows a two-hand grip.  Your Remington has a beavertail grip safety (at least) which makes it a Modern category pistol as pictured.  Replacing the grip safety might allow that pistol to qualify as a Traditional gun, but other items might also have to be changed. 

 

The rule book is very clear on what each of these two categories have as requirements.  You said you did not want references, but the answers depend upon what you own and how you want to shoot the pistol part of the game, so unless you really like a game of 20,000 questions from us, you are best advised to read the rule book for yourself.

 

Yes your Rossi would be an acceptable rifle, but not the choice most competitors make (a '73 rifle or carbine).

 

A 97 or a Model 12 in 12 gauge would be the choices for shotgun, with most competitors choosing to shorten barrel to 20 to 23 inches in length, and then making sure the magazine will hold six rounds and function flawlessly when stoked that way.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Boggus Deal]

Just remember, Marshall Flint, while so far the information posted here has been correct, for the most part they’re just opinions. The rule book is the final answer.

 

[lostvaquero]

I run a 97 but that is because I slso use it in cowboy as well.  I think yhe Model 12 is the WB shotgun.

92 Rossi is fine.  73 probably the top gun.  I run a Marlin which is probably a close second.

At least in my expetience WB is much more emphasis on the pistol than cowboy. Maybe shotgun second.

Many stages I have shot would be 3 to 4 magazine changes, 6 shotgun but maybe 7 in rifle.  Yes it varies but typical, so to me order of emphadis is pistol, shotgin, then rifle.

[Marshal Flint]

Thank you everyone for your input!  I am reading the WB rules and gathering personal experience info. 

 

Thanks again for your help!!!

[Marshal Flint]

Thanks again for all the input and I have taken your advice and read the rules and changed my 1911 back to the original grip safety.  And I was able to find a Model 12 Winchester that didn't set me back an arm and a leg :)

 

[lostvaquero]

Yee Haw Marshal have fun!!

[Three Foot Johnson]

Watch the rear sight on that Remington. Mine fell off earlier this year - fortunately on the table I re-staged it on. On mine, and so I would assume on all of them, the sight isn't a tight fit in the dovetail and will slide right out if the set screw comes loose. I put it back in with a paper shim on one side and Loctite.  ;)

 

I bought my first Model 12 this summer, and hoooo boy... the difference is like night and day. I don't think I'll ever use a '97 for Wild Bunch ever again!

[Marshal Flint]

Thanks Three Foot!