What is Cowboy long-range precision rifle shooting?
This is a competition where the emphasis is placed on precision shooting at long ranges, with time being a secondary scoring factor. Scoring of these matches is determined by the number of hits, with either of two methods used to break ties. At the match director’s option, either total time used to shoot the required number of shots or a shoot-off may be used to break ties.
There are five categories in Cowboy long range or precision rifle competition, plus one optional category:
- Lever action, revolver caliber
- Lever action, rifle caliber
- Single Shot
- Buffalo Single Shot
- Optical
Open Category (may be used at the match director’s option to include those firearms not covered by other official Long Range Categories).
Black-powder categories can be added to any or all of the basic categories at the option of the match director. Each category is competed within itself.
Basic rules for the long-range competitions
- Front barrel sights may vary from simple blades to period hooded wind gauge designs using interchangeable sight inserts and having a spirit level mounted integral with the sight or sight base.
- Rear sights must either be open iron sights mounted on the barrel or original style tang or stock wrist mounted peep sights. Long range rear barrel mounted sights of the flip-up ladder type may use a peephole drilled through the sliding sight leaf. An example of this is the various ladder type sights used on the Springfield trapdoors.
- Bolt or receiver mounted sights are not allowed.
- “Rifle Caliber” competition rifles must use traditional, period, rimmed cartridges. No cartridge chambered for use in any SASS approved main match revolver or rifle may be used in the “Rifle Caliber” competition, except the .56-50. Thus, .30-30 (.30 WCF), .38-55 Marlin & Ballard, .43 Spanish, or .45-70 Government cartridges are legal, while a .375 Winchester, .444 Marlin, .32-20, or .44-40 are not legal. Shotguns using slugs are not allowed.
- Any propellant powder may be used (with the exception smokeless powder is not allowed in the Buffalo Single Shot competition).
- Regardless of category or caliber, bullets used in long range and precision rifle matches must be made of pure lead or lead alloy having a plain base, gas checked, or paper patched configuration.
- Range finders, or any other devices for calculating distances or sight adjustments are not allowed. Their use constitutes a side match disqualification.
- Lever Action Rifles used in long-range matches, whether revolver or rifle calibers, must be originals or replicas of rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899. Lever or slide action, tubular feed, exposed hammer rifles or carbines are allowed, providing they are in safe working condition.
- Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899. All rifles MUST have exposed hammers. The caliber and cartridge rules for the “Rifle Caliber” firearms noted above under basic rules also apply to Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot rifles with the exception Buffalo Single Shot rifles must be .375″ bore size or larger.
- Buffalo Single Shot competition has further restrictions requiring original or replica rifles to be a design of US manufacture. Spring-loaded ejectors are also prohibited, except for Springfield Trapdoor Rifles.
The Optical Category firearms must meet the above restrictions with the following optical rules:
- No length or power limitation on the scope.
- Scope tube body to be ¾” or less in diameter and any ocular or objective lenses and adjusting or assembly rings to be less than 1″ in diameter.
- No internal scope adjustments for windage or elevation.
- Mounts are to be of a traditional style of the period and contain the windage and elevation adjustments for the scope in either, or both, the front or rear mounts. No click adjustments in the mount. Either dove tail mounting or scope block mounting is allowed.
- Original scope mounts of either the Cataract or Malcom style or variations thereof or replicas or derivative scope mounts conform to the criteria of paragraph above.
- (Note: These rules are identical to the NRA BPCS Rules on optical sights.)