Ahh, yes! Frontiersman; the SASS category where I got my start. When I first started CAS I knew, without a doubt, what revolvers I wanted to use. The ’51 Navy!! A pair of ‘em were good enough for my ol’ pard Wild Bill Hickok and they are the Jed I’s choice as well.
The SASS rules for shootin’ Frontiersmen category are as follows: Frontiersman requires black powder or black powder substitutes used in all of the weapons. Revolvers must be percussion pistols fired duelist (one handed). Any SASS legal pistol caliber rifle, and either a SXS shotgun or a lever action shotgun (no pumps) are required.
At the time I began Cowboy Shootin’ there weren’t no real reliable / quality conversion ’51 Navy revolvers on the market and the cap and ball variety have always been less expensive anyways. So that’s what I got… and the rest is history… or at least this version of history.
Every year I gather as many of my pards as I can to get out their cap and ball guns, blow off the dust and send some rounds down range with me at the September Jefferson State Regulators match in Ashland, Oregon Territory. Typically on 3 or 4 folks will have the balls to show up and shoot in the Frontiersman category with me.
Tomorrow, being the 3rd Saturday of the month, is the day for that special match!! I’m all excited, got my gear put and I’m ready to load up enough cylinders to get me thru the day’s 5 stages.
If your in the neighborhood and you want to see how it was really done, way back when before the advent of cartridge revolvers, come out and visit!!
Jed I. Knight
SASS Life Member
Black Powder Gunfighter
