We are all about Cowboy Action Shooting and our mission is to preserve this shooting sport and provide a sustainable basis for it’s growth.
Cowboy Action Shooting is easily the most entertaining sports shooting discipline you will ever find. Competitors dress up in cowboy gear that is either period correct or resembles the outfit of a movie hero (or villain) or a fictional character of the Wild West era. They use firearms instantly recognized from countless Western movies and series – like Colts, Winchesters and double barrel shotguns – and the targets are rather large and close up. The “Action” in Cowboy Action Shooting is what makes it so addictive.
Rules are designed to emphasize SAFETY, FUN and good sportsmanship. That is why it is such a family friendly sport. Many cowboys bring their cowgirls and even the cow-kids along. Cowboy Action Shooters are friendly and helpful people, always willing to help newcomers and keen to share their enthusiasm. If you visit any shooting range where there is a Cowboy Action match going on, you’ll find them right away. Just look for the largest group of spectators.
There are people who love Cowboy Action Shooting because they want to be competitive while shooting Wild West firearms. Others love it for the dressing up part, preferring detailed costumes over the gun play, but most love a combination of the two sides.
It is not surprising that most people are easily drawn towards the Cowboy theme because it conjures up times where life was hard but real, where a man’s word was his bond and good would eventually triumph over evil. A time when honour was not a word but a lifestyle. And a time when justice was harsh and swift for those of questionable morals. Perhaps it is the longing for these good old-fashioned values that makes grown men and women want to be cowboys and cowgirls. It would certainly explain why they are such a genuinely nice crowd.
By the way, you don’t have to portray a cowboy to participate in Cowboy Action Shooting. There were lots of towns-folk, farmers, soldiers, gamblers, bankers, saloon girls, bar-keeps, newspaper men, gunslingers, horse thieves and assorted other scoundrels that populated the Wild West.
If all this intrigued you and you want to experience Cowboy Action Shooting for yourself, check for a club in your area under the Local Clubs tab. If there isn’t one near you listed yet, contact us so that we can check if there are likeminded people in your area who you could get in contact with. Maybe you will soon have your own Cowboy Action club. If you already have a club that caters for Cowboy Action Shooting and would like to affiliate to us to gain dedicated sports shooter status to help with the licensing of your cowboy guns, then contact us.
WSSA National Shoot 2024 – Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein played host to the Western Shooters of South Africa (WSSA) National Shoot from 21 to 23 September 2024, bringing together top Cowboy Action shooters from across the country. Held at the Lion Mountain Rangers’ purpose-built Old West shooting range, the event captured the spirit of the frontier with competitors dressed in period attire and shooting classic firearms in fast-paced timed stages. Over the weekend, shooters showcased their accuracy, speed, and showmanship in an atmosphere that blended competitive precision with old-fashioned camaraderie. The National Shoot remains a highlight of South Africa’s Cowboy Action calendar, celebrating both skill and a shared love of the Old West.
