NO...I've not been out shooting cowboys!
I've always been a "Gun Nut". When I was a kid I had a Daisy Model 1892 Winchester BB gun. My parents wallpapered my bedroom with paper that had Deer, Bears, Elk, Wolves, Coyotes and other North American game animals on it. They thought it was cute and "boyish". I thought it was targets of opportunity! I would spend hours dry firing that BB gun on great imaginary hunting trips. My good friend at the time, Mike, convinced me that we could remove the various hanging pictures and actually shoot the BB gun at the animals behind! Hang the pictures back up and no one would be the wiser. Brilliant!.......Until I became a teenager and my mom decided to re-paper the room....Yeooo...Did I catch hell from her for that...(My Dad thought it was brilliant! Laughed his a## off, he did!)
Anyhow, 55 or so years later, and after shooting just about every shooting sport you can name, I fall into a deal for a Marlin 1894 in 45LC and the seller said "It was ready for Cowboy Action Shooting".....Ready for WHAT!....I did some research and realized that it might be fun at the age of 60+ to dress up like a cowboy and shoot guns! I attended my first match two years ago. Just to scope it out. Not going to join or anything like that.................Yea, Right!
Now I own over 20 Lever action rifles, six sets of leather....four sets of pistols.......three hats....and four funny looking shirts! Oh, and a goofy cart to haul all this stuff around in. My family and neighbors think I've lost it. They keep asking me if I'd like to take a ride out into the country........
I'm a pretty good shot with a gun. I was extremely competitive in IHMSA, IDPS, Egg Shoots, High Power, etc. CAS would be a snap. Cripe!..The targets are only 6 feet away. Who could miss that!....My first few shoots were quite humbling to say the least!
I went from rifle to rifle and pistol to pistol trying to find the Holy Grail..1873-1858-1875-1860 Pistols....1892-1873-1860-1866 Rifles.....Pump-Side By Side shotguns.....
I finally settled on a pair of 1860 converted Colts shooting Cowboy 45 Special brass with both Smokeless and Black Powder.
For a rifle the 1866 in 38-40 was the ticket. Great accuracy with both smokeless and black powder. And that thin brass really seals the chamber and keeps the action clean.
Shotgun is either a 1897 or a SKB SXS, depending on the target situation.
My scores were always right about the middle of the pack. Lots of misses and a "P" here and there. Friends that I've met at the various shoots would watch me shoot and said I had the basics down, but I needed to practice my transitions and slow down just a bit and my scores would go up (or down....if we are talking time here)
So this year that is exactly what I did.....
A couple weeks ago I shot at the Ledyard CT monthly match on Saturday and had a clean match.....But I earned a "P" by going the wrong way with the rifle.......The next day I shot a match at the Harvard MA club and missed the first target on the first stage with a pistol.....The rest of the day I shot clean...So far, 12 stages with one miss. And pretty good times for a Senior shooter.
The following weekend was the three day Great Nor'Easter up in New Hampshire. I've never had a good three day match. Something always goes wrong with my equipment, my loads, or my brain (Last year I forgot to put powder in 50 rounds I had with me!)
This year was to be different..........equipment was checked, guns in perfect working order, brain functioning as good as I could expect. Large bowl of Wheaties for breakfast!
12 stages.....CLEAN! ...and reasonable good times (But I "P"ed on one stage at the end of the second day. Stupid mistake!....
I came in Second in the Senior class........Man I was one proud camper......although with so many fine shooters at a big event like this I didn't think anyone noticed. I drove the two hours home with a big smile on my face. I told my family.....Yawwwn....
24 stages in two weekends with 1 miss was an all time high for me. Those two darn "P"s keep me out of the money......
But wait!....someone did notice. Look what I received in the mail today:
I couldn't believe it................An AWARD!
And a belt buckle......A real honest to goodness Cowboy Action Belt Buckle!!!!
Right there is says I'm a "Wicked Good Shooter".........Who could ask for more!
Yup, I really like this CAS stuff.............Great folks, great fun, great guns!
Suppository Shooters! 
The bane of good Cap-n-Ball designs! I mean really... have some balls... shoot 'em the way Samuel & Eliphalet originally designed 'em! 
