First Match

[JP Riley]

Well now, it started when I took my lovely wife to the shooting range to teach her some gun safety and let her do some plinking with the 10/22. (She has since claimed it as her own)

Next bay over there was a bunch of people all dressed up looking like they was doing a cowboy movie or something! We watched them for a while and I started thinking that I could do this, after all I shot IPSC for several years, and was looking to get back into the shooting game.

time occurs..... I show up to my 1st match at the local club, raise my hand when they ask who is a new shooter (tried real hard to make sure it didn't shake much) and they set me up with an ole timer to watch over me.

Now I admit that I was feeling pretty darn confident, after all I was an ex-IPSC shooter and knew all about speed and accuracy. (Side note: you would think that after 50+ years I would learn that humble pie buttered with crow is not a tasty dish!)

Well I stepped up to the plate, zeroed my laser sharp focus down range on those vermin, and told the man with the timer to "let'er rip" (Side note: Muscle memory is a funny mistress, even after several years of not shooting a 1911 style pistol, someone forgot to tell my hands!) Well I jerked that hogleg outa' the leather slid my thumb down the left side to clear the safety and squeezed the trigger, and squeezed the trigger, I said go bang ya' hunk of steel!!

The stage RO whisper in my ear "ya' gotta' cock it first" and from there it all went down hill

By stage 3 I started to ring some steel and even though I was running low on ammo and shot shells, I figured I had just enough to finish the match if I took the extra time to point the hardware in the right direction. (somebody said something about a front sight!)

I had so much fun my 1st match, laughing and crying and swearing and shaking and laughing and meeting great people that I just finished my 1st year as a cowboy shooter. Yep I still have some of that competitive edge from the dark years, but I temper it with the fun and good people I hang with at the matches.

Of all the shooting sports I have tried,this by far and above is the absolute best, best fun, best guns, best people, best hobby

JP Riley

[Cpt_Invictus]

Oh no!! there has got to be more than this!!  I read every single thread and I am loven it!  My first match is a long way off but this information is helpen me like nothen you can believe.  More sotries folks!  you guys tell good ones!

[RattlesnakeJack]

Do keep us posted, Willie!

Your obvious enthusiasm is a wonderful reminder to all of us of our own excitement over getting into this great sport! 

 

[HISEASCOWBOY]

My first match was a disaster  .  I had only one pistol so that's how I shot the match.  Thank God the local club had a class for it so I thought I'd have a chance to be competitive in my first match.  That was my first mistake "thinking"  ,  There was one stage that was shotgun only with 12 rounds to me fired.  I'd been practicing with my Mule-Eared double so while I knew I wouldn't be blazing fast I was shocked to hear my time of over 120 seconds  .  Then there was one stage when just as the buzzer went off sweat from under my hat poured into my eyes and onto the back of my glasses.  I blinked and shook my head as I was drawing my gun and touched the trigger before I should've sending a round into the pavement and some lead splatter into the never region of the ROCowford regulators working the timer on that stage.  Thank God he was only bruised a little according to him(I"ll take his word).  This was in Jacksonville FL and the match was with the Cowford Regulators on a hot summer day.  I was lucky that they let me come back after that.  I've gone on to shoot some clean matches and become the TG for the club I currently shoot at.  Oh yeah I'm a lot safer to shoot around now a days.

[Willie Dixon]

Well,
today is December the 28th, 2008.  And my range report is as follows:
I didn't go.

why?  Don't worry I'm not having a change of heart, actually the exact opposite.

I'm saddened by not going, but I deliberately chose not to because I have no extra funds, I have no guns, I have no way to commit.  I feel that I have to earn into this great group, and I don't want to make any empty promises about joining SASS and NCOWS without having the solid ability of doing so. 
Right now, thanks to the economy my businesses have tanked practically, I'm still in school so it's hard to work for someone else around here... don't get me started on that.  And I just don't want to shake and give my word I'll be back to my second match with a SASS # when I can't even afford the cost of membership, let alone the ammo, the powder, the guns, the costume, the range fees.
So I'm an armchair gunman, and I'm proud to say I now have 5 3" binders full of resources for different aspects of this sport and my persona.  I just don't have the means to actually get there...yet.  Tomorrow is another Monday, and an interview at 2pm.  After that, maybe I can officially kick myself in the butt for not going today.  But my word is my bond, I've been raised that way because way back when illiteracy was rampant, a handshake was better than a signature.  I can't give that handshake yet.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Willie 

        Listen Pard we've all been there, at least most of us, not too many of us were born into money, so please don't feel bad, and I appreciate your honesty, just remember this is a COWBOY bunch of pards, which is a WHOLE lot different than the norm. I got started slow too, it takes time to put all this together not to mention money, but if you want to do it bad enough you will, just make up you mind to do it and that it's going to take time, So I guess what I'm saying is WE'LL KEEP A LIGHT ON FOR YA PARD.. join in when you can , or just come and watch, course if you do some pard just might stick a gun in your hand and say go to it, either way it will be here for you when you're ready.


                                                      tEN wOLVES 


                           

[Willie Dixon]

Thanks Ten Wolves,

I'm here, just not quite at the range yet.  Hopefully by the January match I'll have the means to be able to go.

[Old Top]

Willie Dixion,

Do not let not having the proper equipment stop you.  Go out to a shoot, have enough money to pay the match fee, and a little extra to offer to help defray the expense of ammo, you will probably be told no thanks but it does not hurt to ask. Curly Cole and I go to each match with extra guns, ammo and leather, we are alway looking to get people interested in our sport.  This is the only sport that I have ever been in that if something breaks or does not work you have six to ten people offering you their guns or extras to shoot if your are not working.  We normally shoot Silver Queen or the Cowboys and you are more then welcom to join us.  A good way for someone starting out is to shoot differert pistols and rifles to keep from making costly mistakes when getting their own equipment.  I am in this sport due to many people helping me out and this is the way that I can repay the kindness.  So do not let not haveing the equipment stop you throw on a set of cowboy boots, or hikeing boots a long sleeve shirt and blue jeans and you are almost there just need a hat.  Hope to see you soon.

Old Top

[L.G.]

Our club host a couple of .22 Cowboy matches every year, real cheap shooting, and makes it easy for people to get a handle on the sport.  We are planning on doing an open .22 Charity match for 2009 so that anybody can show up with any kind of .22 pistol or rifle, a good way to get new blood into the sport.

[Nevada Mark]

If all goes well next week I will have a good story to tell -- It will be my first match -- I suppose closing your eyes and pulling the trigger is out of the question