Organized in the winter of 2000, the Southern Missouri Rangers is a Cowboy Action ShootingTM (CAS) club affiliated with the Single Action Shooting Society® (SASS®). SASS provides uniform rules to affiliated clubs throughout the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand for the sport of CAS. The members of SMR are a group of dedicated cowboys and cowgirls who enjoy the sport of CAS, share a love of history, folklore and traditions of the Old West, and have a common interest and respect for its weapons.
The Southern Missouri Rangers are always scouting for new members but you needn’t be a member to shoot with us. It is not crucial to have all the guns, gear and clothing to join us. Come to the match any way as new shooters are always welcomed. Cowboys are a friendly group of people and will loan you what you need to step back in time to the days of yesteryear. Just make an attempt to “dress cowboy” and members of the club will be happy to get you started on the trails of Cowboy Action Shooting.
Cowboy Action Shooting is the fastest growing sport where men,women, boys and girls, young and old, have the opportunity to wear western costumes/clothing and relive shooting scenarios of the Old West. All clothing must be representative of the second half of the 19th century, "B" Western movies or a Western TV series. The shooter decides what shooting category to participate in, what persona/alias to adopt, what clothes to wear and what shooting irons to exercise.
Cowboy Action Shooters compete by gender and category. Under current SASS rules each gender is divided into 20 categories based on age, dress and firearms, shooting style and propellant. The ten age based categories are Buckaroo/Buckarette (ages 13 and younger), Young Guns (14 - 17), Cowboy/Cowgirl (any age), Wrangler (36+), 49er (49+), Senior (60+), Silver Senior (65+), Elder Statesman/ Grand Dame (70+), Cattle Baron/Baroness (75+), and El Patron/La Patrona (80+). The dress and firearms categories are "B" Western and Classic Cowboy/Cowgirl. The shooting style categories are Duelist, Gunfighter, Senior Duelist (60+) and Senior Gunfighter (60+). Finally, for those who love authenticity of the smoky kind, there are the black powder categories: Frontiersman (cap and ball), Frontier Cartridge, Frontier Cartidge Duelist and Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter.
Firearms must be originals or reproductions of firearms available between the Civil War and 1899. The gun options include cartridge or cap and ball single action revolvers; lever or slide action rifles; and side by side, pre-1899 pump or lever action shotguns. The SASS Shooter's Handbook should be consulted for firearms regulations and category requirements.
A typical CAS stage has the competitor shooting 5 rounds each with their revolvers, up to 10 rounds with their rifle and 2 to 6+ rounds with their shotgun. Competitors shoot steel targets with live ammunition. Props, stages, aliases and period clothing help create an aura of the American West of
over 100 years ago. A typical CAS match is 5 to 12 stages and matches are scored based upon elapsed shooting time plus time penalties for missed targets or shooting targets out of sequence. Winning is not the primary goal; fun is, but above both safety is paramount. Safety is everyone’s responsibility and it is vital for everyone’s enjoyment. Fun, shooting old-time firearms and socializing with fellow cowboys and cowgirls is what CAS is all about.
Firearms photos courtesy of The Gun Engraver