Wild Bunch Rig

Last month I shot my first Wild Bunch match at Pleasant Valley. I had a great time and a lot of fun. I wasn't very happy with my set up so I decided to come up with something different.

I stated with the notion that a boarder town gunfighter who opted for the new wiz bang auto loader wouldn't settle for a military flap holster. So I decided to improvise just like that gunfighter and cut off the flap.

I purchased an army surplus flap holster for next to nothing ($18) along with a leather knife case ($3). I cut the flap off of both the holster and the case. I then used some leather thread and stitched the top of the holster back together and fitted the knife case to the magazine by getting the case wet and letting it dry with a magazine wrapped in plastic inside the knife case. I then cut the back of the holster and knife case open enough to except an old 3" western cartridge belt I had lying around. The rig looks western enough and the holster presents very well allowing you to get your master grip on the gun well in advance of the draw stroke. Of course now I just have to get a chance to use it. Oh, and don't pay any attention to the 1911. It's not Wild Bunch legal, but it was all I had for the picture.

Wild Bunch Fun

Saturday I made it down to Pleasant Valley for the first time this year. I won't try and explain the crazy schedule I've had this year, lets just say it's the 3rd time I have managed to shoot Cowboy in '08 so it was good to get down to my "other" club.

Pleasant Valley has a "Wild Bunch" category started by Jose and this was the first chance I had to shoot the category. I borrowed Jose's Rock Island Mil-Spec and his 97 and shot my Marlin for the match. I had a tanker's shoulder holster for the 1911 and I kept the magazines in my pocket. Not the best set up by a long shot, but I was only there to have fun.

Speaking of fun I really enjoyed the category. I got to shoot fast and except for one stage when I failed to lock out my elbow I was perfect with the pistol. I also had a little malfunction on the first stage and it's nice to see that all of those malfunctions drills I've worked so hard on over the years just run on their own without me having to think about it.

I wouldn't shoot the category on a regular basis because it would interfere a little with the way I do things int he real world, but a couple of times a year would be a blast. I would like to be able to fully load the 97 off the clock and see how the category compares to the other fast categories. I think it's hard to convince people that reloading is always slower then switching guns, they don't call it a "New York Reload" for nothing!

If you are looking for some 1911 shooting with your cowboy come on down to Pleasant Valley, you can even bunk in the clubhouse and shoot the whole weekend. Tell 'em Judge sent you.

The PVR Wild Bunch

This weekend I finally get to shoot a Wild Bunch match at Pleasant Valley. I originally proposed doing this last year and kind of let it sit on the back burner since I didn't know if there would be enough interest. Nomore Slim contacted me a couple of weeks ago about it and after some discussions about rules, we're a go for this weekend. I know that Nomore, Randy Atcher and myself will be shooting WB this weekend, the question is who else?

If you are interested, come join us. All you need really is a steel 1911 in .45 and a couple of magazines along with you SASS legal match rifle and shotgun. It was decided that the shotgun could be any match shotgun to encourage participation. The shotgun will be loaded on the clock, so as to quell any competitive advantage problems with the other categories. The pistol will be shot in place of the normal two revolvers with 5 rounds loaded in each magazine. There will be special rules for handling of the 1911 with regards to when it is empty, movement and how to show clear.

I'm really looking forward to this as it is a new challenge and I hope it is well received by the other shooters. Come and join us for the first ever PVR Wild Bunch Main Match!

P.S. I posted the rest of the videos on Vimeo. Much better quality, go see them all here.

Sheepdip Inn

Quite the name huh?

Like most strange things, there's a story behind it. The PVR clubhouse is the brainchild of a member who everyone knows as "Smiley" and since he was the main impetus behind the clubhouse, it is only fitting that it be named for or after him. Why Sheepdip? That's his real SASS alias, he goes by Smiley for some odd reason nobody can figure.

Anyway, the Sheepdip Inn is pretty much done, structurally anyways. In two weekends worth of work the entire thing got built by the hard-working PVR members and of course Smiley who not only thought it up, but had the skills to build it. That's always nice to have. I believe the club has about $1,000 in it and a lot of labor. The structure is 24'X16' and is pretty sparse inside, but that'll change when the women folk get to the decorating. As it is, it is a fine place to hold up in cold weather and shoot the bull, have a beer and do some karaoke.

Will Work For Beer

Last weekend, several members of the PVR club descended upon the range to erect a clubhouse in the cabin area of the range so shooters can get out of the weather after a shoot for scores and socializing. I got there just before 9am during the lumber gathering stage and helped load up the wagon with fresh cut poplar. Even though the weather wasn't cooperating, we got the deck layed by lunch time and four walls up by 4:30pm, not terribly bad I think.

The crew consisted mostly of unskilled labor with one of the club members, Smiley, appointed as foreman since it was his baby and he has the knowledge to build a building. Another pard Billy Bucharest is a carpenter, so we had enough supervision and we were an enthusiastic bunch (the promise of beer at the end had a little to do with it).

The near constant drizzle was annoying, but you can work in it. The freshly cut lumber was heavy since it was cut to actual dimensions and was wet after several days of rain. My muscles cried for two days afterward. I posted my favorite picture here, you can see the rest that one of the ladies took at the PVR website.

I know this is going to be a great addition to the range and provide us with a way to get out of the bad weather after a shoot to continue our socializing. The clubhouse isn't completely done, I wasn't able to show up for Sunday to put the roof and siding on, but it looks to have got done, now we need to build the porch, then it will be a proper clubhouse.

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PVR Trade Days

This weekend Pleasant Valley is having a swap meet for cowboys before/after the match, so if you're looking for something or want to get rid of some of your stuff, come on by. I know Judge has some stuff and I'll be bringing a couple of guns, so bring your cash.

1st Annual PVR Trade Days
October 13th and 14th, 2007

Buy, Sell, Trade. Bring anything related to the Old West and
Cowboy Action Shooting. You are welcome to bring your own
table/display or just use what’s available at the range.

••••Cowboy Guns••••
••••Wild Bunch Firearms••••
••••Pocket Pistols and Derringers••••
••••Leather of all kinds
Holsters, Belts, Badge Holders
Loading Strips, etc.••••
••••Old West Clothing for
Cowboys, Cowgirls and Genteel Ladies••••
••••Spurs and Accoutrements••••
••••Ammo••••
••••Reloading Components••••
••••Reloading Tools••••
••••Gun Care and Cleaning Supplies••••
••••Art••••

Please price the items you want to sell.