Anybody doing the new SASS Wild Bunch Action Shooting?

Wild Bunch Action Shooting is based on SASS Cowboy Action Shooting with only a few differences; contestants compete with firearms typical of those used in the taming of the Old West just after the turn of the 20th  century: 1911 semi-auto pistols, lever action rifles, and 1897 pump shotguns.  

Two single action revolvers are exchanged for one 1911 style pistol and 4 to 6 magazines. The other difference is the ammunition. In Wild Bunch Action Shooting ammunition must be of 40 caliber or larger (pistol caliber only) and must have a power factor of 150 from the pistol and the lever action rifle. The shotgun must be a '97 pump and it can be a military style.

The shooting competition is staged in a unique, characterized, Old West style, like conventional CAS.

What do you think?

I saw the "Cowboys" TV episode on this and it looked much more fun than original SASS events.

It IS fun!!!

As a 11 year CAS shooter it's cool to go back and shoot a 1911 again!!!

The SASS HQ is putting a big emphasis on Wild Bunch.  SASS is having a progressive loss of membership due to age.  As the bulk of SASS's membership has always been the over 50 crowd, many of these fine people are getting on in age.  Attendance at many of the "big" matches is declining.

Wild Bunch has been very successful in drawing younger shooters in.  Many of the clubs in my area are hosting these matches.

This past summer, SASS held the first Wild Bunch World Championship in August.  SASS also has a new web site and forum for Wild Bunch shooters:

http://www.sassnet.com/wildbunch/

Yes, you "exchange" a single 1911 for two revolvers.  But, you also change your double gun into an 1897 Winchester Pump gun.

In SASS, the shot gun is always loaded and unloaded on the clock.  Pistols are loaded before a stage and unloaded after completing the stage.

In Wild Bunch, the shotgun is stoked at the loading table, but the 1911 is loaded on the clock (with first magazine already inserted).

It is interesting to see a proficient shooter run the same stage with both batteries of guns.  Surprisingly, the par time is almost exactly the same.  In other words, it seems to take about the same amount of time to load a 1911 as it does a shotgun when done in action competition.

The real draw of Wild Bunch seems to be that the shooter can go balls out on rate of fire and folks seem to enjoy that.

We get a lot of IPDA people showing up at Wild Bunch matches.

I reallly really want to do this!!!!!!!!!!!!! It looks like a lot of fun. I was wondering do alot of shooters uses Rossi rifles or are they just crap? Thanls Calpo

Some folks use Rossi '92's.   Out of the box, they can be pretty rough.  Almost everyone gets an action job done on them.

If you really want one, contact this gunsmith first to see what he recommends:  http://www.stevesgunz.com/


Honestly,  almost everyone winds up buying an Uberti '73 or Uberti '66 rifle.  They are dependable, fast, and durable.  I know dozens of CAS shooters who started out with a Rossi, or a Marlin, or a (you name it) and they wind up trading or buying up to an Uberti '73 ro a '66.  You can get the Uberti at Cimarron, Taylors, Navy Arms, or EMF.

Thanks for the respons. I did contact Steve and got the parts that he recomended, but I have to say right out of the box the Rossi was go to go. I have had no prolems at all. I will one day up grade but as a first time Wild Bunch shooter this is a great gun at a great price. Cal

Part of the membership issue with sass from shooters I am around it seems sass shooting has strayed from spirit of the game it used to be a lot more fun before people got so serious about speed and competition and shooting real light loads. Trying to bring back the fun it may help. All shooting sports cycle like this- ipsc as it is now is nothing like Jeff Cooper envisioned

SASS club I used to shoot with used to put a target up across the lake.  Shooters who liked to "game" up their guns with loads that resembled mouse farts used to cring when they thought about a 75 yard pistol shot.  You could see the bullet arching as the used alot of windage to just get their round near the target.

Don't get me wrong, I shot .44 mag with the minimum loads listed on the data table of whatever powder I was loading with, but not the one-two grain crap some people were shooting.  

If the match really is about having fun I have a great time, but when people start getting into the competition side a little to much I lose interest....

I shot SASS for about 6 years or so, started with a 92 Rossi and graduated to the Uberti 73 as others have mentioned.  One of the reasons I left the sport was when they started approving mods to speed up guns that period correct guns never had.  As an example they approved "short stroke" kits for the 73 along with other not spirit of the game modifications to period firearms.  Short stroke kit was some internal mods to the 73 to allow a shorter lever throw to speed up shooting.  My philosphy was if they didn't have it on an original 1873 you shouldn't be using it, someone could probably come up with a way to make a 73 into a semi auto too if you let them go far enough.  Like most games it has run it's course but maybe the Wild Bunch shoots will breath some life back into the sport.  That is until they start allowing funneled mag wells, adjustable sights, comps and other things the original 1911 never had.

Par? I will have to test that out. Put my World War I 1911 up against my Uberti Scofield and Colt SAA.

I think this would be a kick to try but where are folks getting functional 1897 pump guns from?
The Winchesters are Old and I thought the supply of china imports have pretty much dried up

Are these SASS Wild Bunch matches still active anywhere in Texas?

My issue is the 1897 shotgun. Are there even any reproductions available right now?