Cowboy Mounted Rifle Shooting

2006 Mounted Rifle Shooting:

Cowboy Mounted Rifle Shooting is a spin-off of the exciting sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting.  It is designed for an advanced to expert skill level rider. A rider should be proficient in the use of the pistols in competition before attempting this advanced aspect of Cowboy Mounted Shooting.

Mounted Rifle Shooting is usually held only as a side event during a sponsored match.  

Ammunition:

The 5n1 or 3n1 Blank Cartridge with standard blackpowder CMSA recipe is used and supplied by the match armorer. The major difference in the cartridge is that a bell or other crimp and a “bottleneck” are applied for proper feeding in the rifles.  Specially prepared ammunition can be purchased through certified ammunition suppliers as listed on the http://www.cowboymountedshooting.com/ website.  

Rifles:

The rifle must be .45LC, 44/40, or 44 Magnum caliber, original or reproduction thereof model manufactured prior to 1899, standard tubular magazine feed with pump action or lever action.  

Just like the originals, any Old West rifle can be finicky. Proper ammunition feeding appears to vary depending on the individual rifle rather the particular make-model-manufacturer. American Western Arms, Navy Arms, Rossi 92’s, Winchester 92/94, and Marlin 94s, 1866 Yellow Boy, and 1873 Winchesters appear to be the rifles of choice. Carbines are the recommended barrel length as they were originally designed to be shot from horseback and are much easier to handle in the saddle. Purchasing rifle dummy rounds are helpful in identifying whether or not a rifle will feed the ammo properly right out of the box or when thinking of purchase. A competent gunsmith can easily adapt the poor feeding rifle to use the blank cartridges.   

Scabbards: A leather lever action scabbard is required for mounted rifle shooting. Proper and safe scabbarding is required during engaging the course of fire. Old time “banjo” type scabbards are the most period and provide a large open throat for returning the rifle safely. Rifle sockets are very period also. The mounting of the scabbard can be forward of the saddle or behind depending on the rider’s preference. The “D” rings are the most stable attachment points for the leathers. A good resource book for scabbard design, with lots of pictures is “Packing Leather” by Richard Rattenbury. 

A Mounted Rifle Shooting Horse must:

·        Very responsive to speed control commands via rein and/or legs

·        Very responsive to turn commands via rein and/or legs

·        A very good Whoa!

·        Minimal head movement when engaging targets

·        Desensitized to gunfire. (The rifle is even louder and closer to their ears)

·        Use to having “attachments” to the saddle i.e. floppy things like scabbards or rifle sockets

·        Tracks straight with minimal rein or leg commands. 

Courses:
The lever or pump action rifle is used in combination with a Single Action Revolver.

The courses are similar in design to CMSA/SASS with the same distance/height measurement balloon stages. Some Courses may dictate a measured distance from the target pole. The rifle can be used for the rundown, first 5 targets or any variations thereof as instructed by the course range master with guidance from posted course sheet.  All CMSA sponsored Mounted Rifle Shooting match courses will be drawn from a 20 CMSA Pistol Course Draw Pool as selected and posted annually by the National Committee in the Rundown Newspaper and CMSA Website. 

The “Art” of Mounted Rifle Shooting:

The run should not be started with “one in the chamber.”  Muzzle direction is an even more important consideration when bringing your “fire stick” to bear on horseback. It’s big difference in handling a 10 pound 20 inch carbine than a 3 pound 5” pistol safely. Practice makes a safe, competitive, and enjoyable ride. 

The rider must have both hands on the rifle in the aiming mode immediately prior to and during firing. There must be one hand on the rifle’s neck and one hand on the forestock at firing. Split and knotted long reins are advisable. They are usually draped through the hand supporting the forestock 

Proper rifle positioning can be firing from the near or off side of your horse. Most folks that are right handed, will be engaging the targets going down the rundown on the right side shooting on the near side of the horse. So, in essence, your rifle is shooting across your saddle. Just know that there is NO requirement as to which side you shoot from. The decision to shoot on either side is at the discretion of the rider 

Due to the longer barrel lengths the black powder spray is tighter close up than at a distance. The suggested minimum engagement distance is 10’ for effective and accurate shots.  

Scabbarding is a skill set that must be learned atop a moving horse. It’s not like Hollywood when accuracy is concerned and safety is even more of an issue. Again …Practice makes perfect! 

It is recommended to wear eye protection and ear protection when firing the rifle from horseback. 

Rifle Rules:

Mounted Rifle Shooting is a class within the sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting.  Competitors should be experienced shooters prior to attempting the rifle competition and shall follow CMSA rules plus the following additions or changes.

Mounted Rifle competition shall be accomplished with the first five targets being engaged with pistol (CMSA pistol rules apply) and the second five targets being engaged with a rifle.  The competitor shall not have a round in the chamber of the pump or lever action rifle prior to crossing the starting line and shall lever or pump the action prior to engaging the first rundown target.

a)      The rifle used shall be one manufactured prior to 1900 or a reproduction thereof.  It shall be a production weapon, not a one of a kind or a home-made weapon.  It shall be a pump action, lever action, or revolving rifle.  The pump action and lever action shall be 45 LC, 44/40 or 44 magnum caliber.  The revolving rifle shall be 45 LC.     Rifle barrel minimum length shall be 16 inches and overall rifle minimum length shall be 30 inches. 

b)      The ammunition for the pump and lever action rifles should be the 5 in 1 or 3 in 1 blank cartridge.   The revolving rifle shall use pistol ammunition with a sealant (bore butter, Crisco or like substance) applied to the crimped end.  This sealant shall be available at the armorer's table. Do not use any type of adhesive as it could provide a projectile or clog the gun. All ammunition shall be supplied by the match armorer. 

c)      Rifle competitors shall be divided into two divisions: Men’s and Ladies.

d)      Clothing and Tack: CMSA rules apply, plus the rifle scabbard shall be of leather construction and shall be attached to the saddle. 

e)      Each stage shall be started with the rifle in the scabbard.

f)       Courses of fire:  The following 10 patterns from the CMSA Coursebook shall be the rifle courses:  1, 10, 18, 26, 36, 43, 47, 48, 49 and 50.

g)      Rifle match shall consist of two or more stages.  Course of fire to be selected at the shooters' meeting. 

h)      Penalties are the same as CMSA pistol rules, plus the following:    

i)        Failure to lever or pump the lever or pump action rifles prior to engaging the first rundown target shall result in a 10 second procedural penalty.

ii)      Rifle stock shall be held against the shoulder or under the arm. No waving or extending the arm with the rifle in one hand shooting like a pistol shall be allowed. Failure to do so shall result in a 10 second procedural.

iii)    CMSA rules shall apply concerning the number of procedurals per stage.  If there are no CMSA rules concerning number of procedurals, the total shall be one procedural per stage.

 

 2005 CMSA National Mounted Rifle Committee

Minnesota Mounted Shooters Assoc. – Ridin hard and Shootin’ straight in the Spirit of the Old West!