What is Wild Bunch Action Shooting?

Crunchy Frog · Jun 23, 2014

The Greenville Gun Club offers Wild Bunch Action Shooting matches on 5th Sundays. We have a match coming up on June 29. We'll also be hosting the second-ever SC State Match on August 30-31, 2014. All the details about the club matches are on www.greenvillegunfighters.com.

"Evil Roy" is a well known cowboy action shooter who is also one of the leading shooters in WBAS. Roy's recent post in the SASS Wild Bunch Forum did a great job of pointing out some of the most positive points about the game that I wanted to share with the members of the Palmetto Shooters Forum:

"We want to have fun, shoot big calibers, shoot 1911s, rifles and shotguns, burn up lots of ammo and celebrate the transition period between the Old West and Modern times.

Some things to ponder: This is 3 gun you can shoot with lead bullets at steel targets on pistol bays. It is much less expensive than AR ammo, slugs, buckshot, and jacketed pistol bullets.

There is no shooting under cars, through low ports and 50 yard dashes involved. You have a chance of doing well even you are not 20 years old.

We have added military bolt action rifles as a side shoot this year. Lots and lots of fun and very inexpensive to get started in.

You can shoot mil spec 1911 one handed in the Traditional Class or modern 1911s in the Modern class. Just .45 and full size 5 inch pistols.

We shoot both big and small targets. You cannot just wave the guns at targets and expect to do well in WB.

Women and juniors can operate 1911s just fine. Wicked Felina is very small and thinks the 1911 is the easiest gun to shoot that she has.

Come play."

Well said, Evil Roy. The post can be read in its entirety here: http://sassnet.com/wildbunch/forum/inde ... pic=1719.0

In a nutshell, WBAS is a three gun sport inspired by the movie "The Wild Bunch" which was set in 1913. Our "period" guns are a .45 caliber 1911, a big bore pistol caliber lever action rifle, and a 12 gauge pump shotgun (Winchester '97 or Model 12). Steel targets including reactive targets.

Here's a sample, one of our lady shooters shooting a WBAS stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA_dyfoc9DI

Crunchy Frog · Jun 28, 2014

Tomorrow's Wild Bunch match is a "go". I am returning to Greenville tomorrow morning and cannot shoot the match but will try to drop by to watch for a spell and to help out with teardown.

Looks like the temps tomorrow will be moderate with occasional chance of rain. We usually "beat" the forecast anyway.

I usually recommend that visitors come in time for the safety briefing at 9:30 because the gates are usually closed after the match starts.

Crunchy Frog · Jun 30, 2014

What is Wild Bunch Action Shooting? (Video)

One of our Wild Bunch shooters posted some match videos to YouTube.

This is a good run by one of our older shooters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inXzr-nhQMo

This particular stage started with the pistol. As you can see here, the 1911 is in Condition 2, and we load five rounds in the magazine. Note that each five shot string begins with a popper. We like reactive targets.

Our next Wild Bunch match is the SC State Match, the "Raid on Conestee", in late August.

www.greenvillegunfighters.com

Dave29461 · Jul 1, 2014

That just make you want to drag out the oldest 1911 you have and the old Model97. May have to scrounge around for a lever action in a Major caliber. Does 32-20 count?

Crunchy Frog · Jul 1, 2014

Hi, Dave. We give those "old" guns a workout and they are very effective in the hands of a good shooter.

My 1911 is a Series 70 Gold Cup. I use both paws in the Modern category but I have great respect for people who can shoot the 1911 well and quickly with one hand.

I already had a '97 when we started up our Wild Bunch matches since that was what I was using in cowboy action. Over time, though, more and more of us have switched to the Model 12. The '97 are very cool but they tend to be a little fragile. Also cowboy action shooters have made good original '97s harder to find at decent prices. I paid $300 for a pretty nice Model 12 and I'm liking it more and more.

I realize your question about the .32-20 is in jest but the .32-20 can be used in cowboy action. WBAS rules call for .40 plus caliber in the rifle. In our "local" matches, however, our WBAS Match Director has allowed any "SASS legal main match rifle" so I assume a .32-20 would qualify. I'm still using my .38 caliber rifle until I find enough loose change behind my couch cushions to buy a big bore rifle. The caveat is that some of our knockdown targets may not fall to a light bullet.

We had several shooter from Georgia at the last match. A club member who shoots IDPA and Three Gun gave it a try; he sure could run his 1911.

Dave29461 · Jul 2, 2014

I reload for 32-20 so I can try some different combos of powder and lead. I'd have to work up Powder Coated bullets to use for SASS. I have a Marlin 1894 chambered in 32-20. My 97 is original from 1932. Do they shorten the barrels on the shotguns? I agree the Model 12 is more robust. May have to come out and watch one time.

Dave29461 · Jul 3, 2014

Did you get the Bud's Gunshop 4th of July special. 10% down and 180 days to pay. Might make that couch change stretch further.

Crunchy Frog · Jul 4, 2014

Dave29461 said:
I reload for 32-20 so I can try some different combos of powder and lead. I'd have to work up Powder Coated bullets to use for SASS. I have a Marlin 1894 chambered in 32-20. My 97 is original from 1932. Do they shorten the barrels on the shotguns? I agree the Model 12 is more robust. May have to come out and watch one time.

Curious why a plain lead bullet would not serve but I've never owned a 32-20 (a great historic cartridge by the way). We are starting to see more coated bullets in SASS. The relevant rule in the Shooter's Handbook now reads as follows:

"Revolver and rifle ammunition may not be jacketed, semi-jacketed, plated, gas checked, or copper washed. It must be all lead. Molydisulfide, polymer coated bullets, or equivalent are acceptable."

The '97 I started with dates from 1912. I have since passed it off to another shooter. My wife shoots one that I think dates from the '30s; I need to check the S/N. I prefer the originals to the repros and besides, the wife told me when I began buying cowboy guns, "no Chi-com guns".

Most people shoot a short barrel because it's a little quicker handling as you are moving in and out of windows and doors, but we do have some folks that retain the original tubes; it's not a huge difference.

You are of course welcome to come to Greenville but the club closest to you appears to be the Geechee Gunfighters near Summerville/Ridgeville. That's a great club and I think they have "new shooter days" on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Their cowboy action match day is the 4th Sunday. I don't think they have offered Wild Bunch matches. http://www.palmettogunclub.org/cas/

Dave29461 · Jul 4, 2014

The powder coated bullets are self lubricating, do not lead the bore and produce very little smoke. You can push them to max allowed velocity without the disadvantages of lubed lead bullets. Since you don't need lube grooves, you can use smooth side molds which means fewer rejects. You can mix colors to make your own proprietary colored ammo i.e. Copper, gold, black, red etc. you are handling less exposed lead. I'm looking at getting into loading coated bullets.

Crunchy Frog · Jul 4, 2014

And the powder coated bullets are "polymer coated"? I think of "powder coating" as a way of bonding paint to metal. I never gave much thought to the makeup of the coating. Thanks for the info!

I did see a discussion on the SASS Wire in which someone suggested that, if you have a choice of colors, that you avoid a color that someone might mistake as metal plated (such as a copper color).

I forgot to make clear in my prior reply that the '97 Winchester is legal for cowboy action and for Wild Bunch. The Model 12 is legal for Wild Bunch only. The same is true of the Chinese "93/97" replicas that SASS never approved for cowboy action (much to the chagrin of the American gunsmith who helped the Chinese company design the gun). Cowboy action guns are limited to those available in 1899 and before. The movie The Wild Bunch was set in 1913 which explains the 1911 pistol and 1912 shotgun.

Crunchy Frog · Aug 28, 2014

Just a reminder that we'll be hosting the SC State Match for WBAS this weekend, August 30-31 at the Greenville Gun Club. Ten stages over two days.

WBAS is a "three gun" match inspired by the movie "The Wild Bunch". The flick was set in 1913 so we don't have any polymer guns! Good old 'Merican 1911 .45 pistol, lever action pistol caliber rifle and a pump shotgun. We shoot STEEL targets so there's action and re-action just like Sir Isaac Newton said.

Come check it out! I might try to post a video or two but I'm a "posse marshal" for this match and may have my hands full.

www.greenvillegunfighters.com