What Is Cowboy Action Shooting? A Beginner’s Guide to SASS

Last updated May 2026 · By Nick Hall, shooting-sports writer

Cowboy Action Shooting is a timed Old-West-themed shooting sport, governed by SASS, where competitors use period single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles, and side-by-side or pump shotguns to run scenario stages in full period costume under a shooting alias. You need two single-action revolvers, a pistol-caliber lever rifle, and a shotgun, most often in .38 Special, and a basic setup runs 1,500 to 3,000 dollars in quality used guns. It’s one of the most welcoming, costume-and-camaraderie shooting sports there is.

Cowboy Action Shooting, or CAS, is the most theatrical and arguably the most fun of all the shooting sports. Run by the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), it takes the multigun format of running a pistol, rifle, and shotgun through timed stages, but every gun is based on a late-1800s design, every competitor wears period Western costume, and everyone shoots under a registered Old-West alias. It’s part competition, part living-history theater, and the community is famous for welcoming newcomers. This guide explains what CAS is, the guns and rules, and how to start. For the broader landscape, see my complete guide to competition shooting.

What Is Cowboy Action Shooting?

Cowboy Action Shooting is a multigun sport in the same family as 3-Gun, but where 3-Gun uses modern firearms, CAS uses guns based on those of the American frontier in the mid-to-late 1800s. Competitors run scenario stages drawn from Old-West themes and films, engaging steel targets with single-action revolvers, a lever-action rifle, and a shotgun. It’s governed worldwide by SASS, with close to 500 affiliated clubs, and it blends serious shooting with the costume, aliases, and camaraderie that make it unlike any other shooting sport.

Crucially, CAS isn’t a fast-draw competition. Any unsafe handling on the draw, or fanning a revolver, is strictly forbidden, and safety is heavily emphasized despite the theatrical Old-West flavor. The appeal is the whole package: you’re not just shooting a stage, you’re stepping into a character. For a comparison with the modern multigun game, see my guide on what 3-Gun shooting is.

The Guns You Need for Cowboy Action

A standard CAS setup is four guns: two single-action revolvers, one pistol-caliber lever-action rifle, and one shotgun, either a side-by-side or an exposed-hammer pump. The most popular chambering by far is .38 Special, which most competitors shoot for its low recoil, low cost, and the fact that the same cartridge feeds the revolvers and the rifle. The shotgun is typically a 12 or 20-gauge coach gun. Here are the classic, widely-run choices.

The single-action revolvers. The Ruger Vaquero is the most popular modern CAS revolver, a tough, reliable single action built for the sport, usually run as a matched pair in .38 Special or .357 Magnum. Italian-made Uberti and Cimarron replicas of the Colt 1873 Single Action Army are the traditional, authentic alternative.

The lever-action rifle. A pistol-caliber lever gun is the rifle of CAS, and the Uberti 1873 replica of the Winchester 1873 is the period-correct favorite, prized for its smooth, fast action. The Henry Big Boy is a popular American-made alternative chambered in .38/.357, and a short-stroke-tuned 1873 is the choice of serious competitors.

The shotgun. A double-barrel side-by-side coach gun is the classic CAS shotgun, with the Stoeger Coach Gun the affordable, reliable standard that fills most racks at a match. An exposed-hammer side-by-side or a Winchester 1897-pattern pump are the more period-authentic options for shooters who want the full old-time experience.

How a Cowboy Action Match Works

A CAS match is a series of stages, each a short scenario with steel targets placed 5 to 20 yards out. A typical stage calls for ten revolver rounds split between your two pistols, nine or ten rifle rounds, and two to eight shotgun rounds, shot in a prescribed sequence. You shoot one at a time against the clock, and scoring is total time plus penalties for misses or procedural errors, minus any bonuses, with the lowest time winning.

Because the targets are close steel, CAS rewards smooth, efficient gun handling and clean transitions between the three guns far more than long-range precision. The short distances and steel targets make hits satisfying and the learning curve gentle, which is a big part of why the sport is so beginner-friendly. The clock is real, but the emphasis is on running the stage cleanly and safely rather than raw speed.

Costume, Aliases and the SASS Culture

What sets CAS apart from every other shooting sport is the culture. Period costume is required at all SASS matches, though you can start simple with jeans, boots, a Western shirt, and a hat, and build a more elaborate outfit over time as part of the fun. Every SASS member also adopts a unique shooting alias, an Old-West persona registered so no two members share a name, and you compete and are scored under that alias.

This theatrical layer is not a gimmick bolted on; it’s the heart of the sport. The costumes, the aliases, and the Old-West scenarios create a community built on fun and camaraderie rather than cutthroat competition, which is why CAS is consistently rated one of the friendliest, most welcoming shooting sports for newcomers. People will lend you guns and leather to get started, and the whole atmosphere is closer to a living-history club than a serious match.

What Cowboy Action Shooting Costs

A basic CAS setup isn’t cheap, because you need four guns, but it doesn’t have to break the bank either. Expect to spend 1,500 to 3,000 dollars on quality used guns for the full four-gun battery, plus 200 to 500 dollars for the leather gear and a starter costume. The good news is that you don’t have to buy everything at once, and the community genuinely helps: most clubs have members who will loan firearms and leather to a newcomer so you can try the sport before you invest.

Ammo is affordable too, since .38 Special is cheap and the close steel targets do not demand premium loads. Many shooters also reload, which drops the per-round cost further over a season of high-volume shooting. Starting simple with borrowed gear and a basic costume is the norm, so the real barrier to entry is much lower than the full-setup price suggests.

How to Get Started in Cowboy Action

Getting into CAS is refreshingly easy. Use the SASS club finder to locate one of the roughly 500 affiliated clubs near you, since most host organized monthly matches. Go watch a match first, talk to the shooters, and ask about borrowing guns and gear, because most folks are happy to loan a newcomer their setup to get started. You’ll need to take the SASS safety course and register an alias when you join, and you can begin with a simple costume of jeans, boots, a Western shirt, and a hat.

Bring eye and ear protection, which are required on the firing line even with the Old-West theme, and a willingness to learn the safe gun handling the sport demands. The community will guide you through your first match, and you’ll quickly understand why people who find the tactical sports too serious fall in love with cowboy action. New to shooting sports generally? Start with my how to start competition shooting guide.

The Bottom Line

Cowboy Action Shooting is the most fun you can have in a holster, a timed Old-West multigun sport where you run period single-action revolvers, a lever rifle, and a coach gun through scenario stages in full costume under your own alias. You need a four-gun battery, most often in cheap, soft-shooting .38 Special, but you can borrow to start and build from there. With near 500 SASS clubs, the friendliest community in shooting, and a gentle learning curve on close steel, it’s one of the best on-ramps into the shooting sports for anyone who loves the Old West. New to it all? Start with my complete guide to competition shooting.

Frequently Asked Questions