Long Guns Of Cowboy Action Shooting

Guns Magazine, Annual, 2001 by John Taffin

So ya got a hankerin to take on some desperados, do ya? Here are the rifles and shotguns to get the job done!

The repeating rifles that tamed the wild West are finding new adventures in modern-day competitions. Cowboy action shooting has created a haven, for those hankerin' to walk down a dusty street and poke holes in bad-guy targets. To these it truly is the good life. Then there's the more feisty shotgun the at modern cowboy shooters pack to competitions. All these long guns are steeped in tradition.

The long guns used in cowboy competitions were pressed into serious duty when they first appeared in the mid-1800s. Those were serious times.

The 1860 Henry was the first successful repeating rifle. Holding 15 rounds and capable of very rapid lever-action fire, the Henry changed battle tactics completely. It may not have had the power or range of single-shot rifles but it was a true combat firearm. It's no wonder many Northern soldiers bought their own for use in the War Between the States.

The 1860 evolved into the 1866 Yellow Boy and when the Winchester 1873, often regarded as "The Gun That Won the West." Before the advent of the 20th century, the bolt-action rifle had arrived and the levergun was oldnews with the last designs arriving in 1895 from Winchester and in 1899 from Savage.

However, today there's true renaissance in leverguns, thanks mainly to cowboy action shooting. This Western-style sport has spawned a whole industry of period clothing, great leather from numerous crafters, and most importantly, a new discovery of old single-action sixguns. From 1860 to 1898, the well-equipped frontiersman had a levergun and a sixgun, often of the same chambering. Now, there's a greater proliferation of leverguns for a wider asortment of cartridges than at any time in the Old West. Sometimes, progress really is wonderful!

For those not familiar with cowboy shooting, this grand sport requires period -- pre-1900 -- firearms consisting of two single-action sixguns, a lever-gun and a shotgun. They must have been manufactured, or be of the type manufactured, before the turn of the 20th century. The leverguns for the sport's main match must be chambered in a sixgun cartridge. The most popular chamberings among those more prone to authenticity are .44-40, .38-40 and .32-20, while the more practical among competitors select the .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum and .45 Colt.

Along with the great interest in single-action sixguns, leverguns, belts, holsters and period clothing comes a companion demand for shotguns of the Old West. These include the double-barreled, side-by-side and the pump guns that were around before the end of the 20th century. There's also a third area of long guns that have spun off from cowboy shooting, the long-range rifles. These include single shots and leverguns for side matches and blackpowder cartridge rifle silhouetting shooting.

The Leverguns

Not much has changed when it comes to leverguns. Today's cowboy shooter can pick from sixguns that are original, replica or thoroughly modern as in the case of the Ruger Vaquero. When it comes to leverguns, the Winchester and Marlin ruled this category in the 1890s. It's the same today. You can pick from Marlin or Winchester, or Winchester replicas. Apparently, the levergun had reached such perfection 100 years ago that it hasn't been necessay to improve it!

The Winchesters

There are original Winchester leverguns that certainly can be pressed into great service in cowboy shooting matches. The Model 1860 and 1866 Yellow Boy use rimfire cartridges, plus they're too valuable to be used for sport, even if the ammunition was available. However, both the Winchester 1873 and 1892 models in .32-20, .38-40 and .44-40 chambering will work for cowboy shooting.

Winchester 1873s, especially, should be checked over by a competent gunsmith before being used. Earlier ones had a tendency to slam fire, that is, the firing pin would stick forward, firing a cartridge as the lever was closed. Be careful with these old guns.

The Model 1892, however, is the epitome of an easy shooting lever and saddle gun. If you find one in good shooting condition at a good price in one of the above, grab it! The Winchester Model '92, in production from 1892 to 1931, is the slickest, smoothest and easiest handling levergun ever offered. It has been offered in replica from Rossi and Browning and now it is back marked "Winchester." The resurrected 1892 can be had by cowboy shooters in .45 Colt, .44 Mag. and .44-40 with the "improvement" of a sliding shotgun safety on the tang. Perhaps Winchester will make the line really complete in the future by offering the 1892 in .3840 and .32-20.

Two years after the Model '92 was introduced, Winchester came forth with a levergun for longer and more powerful sporting cartridges, the Model 1894 in .38-55 and .30-30. Today, the 16 1/2" Trapper version is not only available in .30-30, but also with nine-shot magazine capacity in .357 Mag., .44 Mag. and .45 Colt. Unfortunately, while it is a dandy carbine, it does handicap shooters whose cowboy action clubs use stages requiring 10 shots. It take several seconds to load that extra round.