Al might have been a real one. Not me.

Got a lot of old wannabe cowboys 'n gals around here, though.

Funny thing we found out, those people, gals and guys are all pretty good with handguns, but few can shoot rifles or shotguns well.

Too - the wimpy loads they demand to shoot so there is literally NO recoil, will not knock over the plates even when fired from a rifle.

Enter my .50/95 with 368gr. FN's at 1,755fps & the Colt Lightening with 255gr. @ 1,350fps did an excellent job.

A friend's sub 900fps with 125gr. from his .38 Spl. Marlin 94 would not even knock over the light ones.

Only one I hit with the .45 Colt failed to fall over. I managed 17 plates out of 27 for my team in 3min. 28 seconds, comprised of 50 to 200yards, smallest were about 8" and 1/4" thick (.38 would knock those over) to the full sized chickens, turkeys, pigs and rams. I knocked over all of the targets from 150yards out, plus a bunch of the closer ones with the .45 Colt. I held 11 rounds and my .50/95 had 12 rounds. 2 my bullet went over as they fell after I fired but before my bullet got there. One, I missed.
The next closest team was just over 5 minutes - 5:13 I think it was.
All shooting was sitting, cross sticks. Both of my barrels were too hot to touch- especially the 1876's barrel.

6 man teams. My other 5 members got 10 targets as amongst them were a .45/70 Marlin and a .45/70 Sharps.

I'm also a gopher hog when out shooting those, I am told by my gopher shooting buddy.

The kits for the 73's and 66's to reduce the lever travel also helps speed them up.

I only have one revolver - a .357 Blackhawk, 4 5/8". That is the only true length for a 'working' SA revolver - ihmo - lol.

No SXS nor 1897 Win. I do have a model 96 Marlin, but they are deemed not to be safe and thus are not allowed.

No pistol ctg. rifle, so I borrowed my bro's Colt Lightening.

I do have a couple rifles suitable for challenges - the model 1876 .50/95 and a 12 1/2 pound Sharps .45 1.9".

If I need to shoot another match - maybe in May - I'll borrow a 'kit', Colt .45's w/4 5/8" bls., .45 Colt Lightening and 12 bore SXS from my bro again. Those are needed for the normal shoots.

Last year, I used 2 borrowed handguns, a .45 Colt Richardson conversion & a Schofield. Both, lots of fun. The SXS was a hammer gun Husky - nice shape. Placed second. A long time friend from Canmore Alberta, also retired RCMP, placed 1st - beat me overall by 2 seconds. I placed second - both of us our first cowboy action match - it was fun.

He was on my challenge match rifle team on Sunday, but his .38 spl. would not knock over any plates. pew-clink, pew-clink, pew-clink, pew-clink. LOL