Out of the box CAS guns - not good enough?

[Mustang Gregg]

We (for the most part) do our own gunsmithin'. 
We dang-neart ALWAYS put lighter hammer & SOMETIMES lighter trigger springs for ease of operation in rifles & revolvers.  Not as much on the SxS's. 
We also smooth up (deburr edges on some slidin' & rotatin' guts) on some brand new guns.  And lube them ('zactly like St George said) with Break Free & good gun grease.

Many used guns we have are much smoother jus' from years of use.

Mustang Gregg

[fourfingersofdeath]

I do not know squat about SASS / CAS shooting but I have been thinking about it for some time  I own several single action revolvers mostly 44 magnums but no rifle or shotgun  I am also timid about going to an event to watch because thats my nature.  Its easy to reply to a group of faceless people but just showing up at a match and not knowing anyone is hard for me.

We all were new he first time we turned up. I went for a look, asked a few questions, next thing I know they had scrounged around, I had shotshells in my shirt pocket, a passel of borrowed guns, a too small gunbelt tied up with a bit of rope, a borrowed set of eye protectors, disposable ear plugs and I was shooting cowboy in my baseball cap!

I just got back from a three day shoot and the only ugly scene I witnessed was two friends arguing over who was going to lend me a spare rifle after mine broke (actually rattled apart, still ok when I can get it back together).

You'll get a heaping helping of hospitality!

[JL McGillicuddy]

There are a number of gun dealers around the country that specialize in cowboy action guns.  They often have stocks of used, tuned firearms available for purchase at fair prices. 

Ask around at your local matches and see if there is one in your area or one that folks in your area suggest.  I know of at least one such dealer that will let you work out payments to get what you want.  (If you want to know, PM me.)

There is also the SASS classifieds as well as classifieds on various club sites.  That will help you perhaps find what you are looking for without breaking the bank.  Post a Want To Buy ad if there is something you are looking for specifically.  Often it turns out that someone has been thinking of selling that extra (whatever you are after) and just needed the push of someone asking to go ahead and sell it.   

You can buy off the shelf guns and play also, if that is what you want to do.  You may not win any speed side matches with what you are shooting, but most of them will work out of the box. 

For leather, you can again ask around at your local matches.  There may be someone that has a rig that they haven't used in a while that would be perfect for you.  There may also be a largely unknown small local maker that can make you quite nice custom gear for a good starter price, also. 

Just for Pete's sake, go to a match BEFORE you buy all your gear.  It will save you time and grief.  Most of the time there is someone (or several someones) that will let you try out their gear.  Guns, what have you.  You can avoid wasting money and making it more expensive by going to a match and asking around.

Take care!
Jack Lee

[Top Kick Ken]

Best advice I can give is to find out about your SASS/CAS club.  Make contact with the club's Territorial Govenor or POC.  Whether you are a novice or veteran shooter, most clubs will have extra guns, ammo, and the necessary equipment to get you started.  When I started, I had only one pistol.  (CA has strict rules on how many guns you can purchase in a one month period.)  But, club members loaned me the firearms that I needed to compete.  I supplied my own ammunition and offered up my spent brass and shotgun shells to the kind members that let me use their guns.  I offered to clean the loaner weapons I used during the shoots.  Using loaner guns, is a good way to get an idea of what your options are in purchasing firearms. 

I bought guns that I like; they are stock, right out of the box.  No modifications.  I use my forearms for other things besides CAS shooting, so I purposely bought firearms that I could use for more than one purpose.  I will never be a top 10% shooter, but I have a lot of fun shooting.  For me it is shhoting as fast as I feel comfortable, while always aiming for that "Clean Match" designation,  all while dressing as authenticly as possible.  For me it is another way to connect to western history and my families history.  I keep track of my shooting times and scores and try to improve at each mew match. 

The bottom line:  Be safe and HAVE FUN!

[Pony Racer]

I shot cowboy for about two years before I messed with action jobs with guns.

As SP already mentioned early in this thread - after two years - I knew the guns well - their point of aim and their internals.

Then I could pick and choose what I wanted worked on and understood better what various action job things would do for my guns.

as far as leather - if you are patient and do some searching on the internet and at local clubs - you can alwasy find used leather and or people who do great local work for less than what the bigger names are charging.

My two cents

PR

[Thai Fighter]

Frankly, if you're afraid of the cost, then shop around and get some used guns.  CAS is a pretty inexpensive hobby.  I've had others that are more mainstream and a LOT more expensive.

This is all relative...

IDPA runs me:

$40 annual membership
$500 cost of Springfield 1911
$30 belt
$30 holster

Total $600 give or take before fees, range, ammo, etc.

CAS

$55 SASS membership
$1,000 for 2 SAA type guns on average (be it Californians, Great Westerns, Smoke Wagons, etc... give or take $200)
$500 for a shotgun
$500 for a rifle (cheapest being the Rossi 92, otherwise you're looking at north of $1k for your '66s, '73s, etc)
$200 for a dual gun leather rig
$100 make or buy your cart
$100 for shotgun cartridge belt, and other access.
$200 minimum for your "costume" and that price is just boots, britches, shirt, hat that's just "basic"

Average total $2,655.


I don't know about you but $2,655 is a far cry from $600 and no where near the neighborhood of "inexpensive".  Now if you're talking a golf habit or bass fishing with a boat, etc... I can see your point.

[Thai Fighter]

To weigh in on the actual out-of-box (OOB) question, it depends.

I've got 3 of 4 single action pistols that could have gone to the range untouched.  The fourth is out of time, gouges the cylinder and locks up.  So some may or may not be able to truly get an out of box that'll work.  That being said... my story will make my point for me.

I started IDPA a couple of years ago believing as always that I should fight like I train and that means training like I fight.  I won't go into the M9, but I'll tell you that for my concealed carry I wanted to be more proficient with it than just a day or two a year at the range. 

I started IDPA with my carry De Santis holster, my Glock 23, and the only thing I had to buy was a magazine holster.  I learned a lot about the manual of arms in situations with my Glock that pure range time doesn't get you.  I was never the slowest, but also never the fastest.  Towards the end of the first year I was the upper faster half of the club.  That's with a shorter barrel, without a trigger job, fiber optic sights, or fancy holsters.  So yes, you can start CAS, IDPA or whatever (not IPSC though..) with just an OOB piece.

I finally succumbed though when I tried my friend's fiber optic sighted Glock 19 and cut 3 seconds off my time with the "fancy" sights and 1 inch longer barrel!  That's when my hobby gun, the 1911, came out of the safe and started being used in IDPA.  So I got corrupted and started... gasp, "gaming".  A trigger job, fancy sights, and a Kydex rig later I'm a perversion of who I was when I started IDPA.  I'm so ashamed.

[Stillwater]

Interesting thread..., an old thread, but interesting never-the-less.

I haven't attended a match yet, however, I have bought two new, Cimarron rifles. I'm a old gun nut, so I know what I'm doing, when it comes to firearms.

Just with the Two Cimmaron rifles, one is an 1873 24" Deluxe Sporting Rifle in 38-40, the other is another 1873 24" Deluxe Sporting Rifle in 44-40, I am in this, up to now, at about $2700.00, just for the rifles.

I wanted the rifles, despite the cost...! I asked Cimarron to hand picked them from their stock, and I got a couple of beauties.

I want one more 1873 24" Deluxe Sporting Rifle, this one will be in 32-20. And, I want a Cimarron 1876 in 45-75, if the 1876 is made by Uberti.

I bought the Cimarrons because of the extra, original barrel stamping that Cimarron puts on them. It makes them look a liittle more original.

CZ just came out with a 12 GA, SXS Coach gun, and it is a beauty. I wanted the CZ because of the beauty, and the quality, of the firearm. That was $800.00 and change for the new CZ.

I already had a TOZ (Russian) 12 GA, SXS coach gun in good unfired condition. The problem with the TOZ is that the finish is so utilitarian, and it has strong hammer springs, which I call the hammer springs from hell. I will eventually sell the TOZ to some lucky person.

I want several Cimarron SAA's, two in each caliber, to match the three Cimarron 1873 rifles. However, since I live in the state of granola, (California, the land of the fruits, flakes and nuts) I will only be able to purchase one handgun a month. So, unless I can get a FTF deal from somebody, It is going to take quiet a while to acquire the SAA's I want.

I'm not wealthy; I live on a fixed income. However, I know how to save for what I want.

Bill