Welcome ...

We are a Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) club in Massachusetts that runs Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) competitions at the Harvard Sportsman's Club in Harvard, MA. We are affiliated with the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). We travel to shoots around New England and the Northeast and some go to Winter Range (the SASS National Championships) and End of Trail (the SASS World Championships).

We run several monthly events each year. Registration runs from 8:00-9:15 AM. There is a mandatory safety meeting for all shooters at 9:15 AM. The gate will be open 8:00 - 9:15 am. Shooting starts at 9:30 AM and runs until approximately 3 PM (3 stages in the morning, a break for lunch (Bring your own) and 3 stages in the afternoon). Registration fees are $15.00, however Young Guns (age 14-16) and Buckaroos (age 12-13) are free. Spectators are free, but eye protection is mandatory.

We hosted the SASS MA/CT/RI State Championship 'Hellfire at Barrister's Junction'on the first weekend in June each year. From 2006 to 2016 this shoot was called 'Shootout at Sawyer Flats' and was renamed in 2017 in honor of the contributions 'Barrister Bill' made to the shoot, the Harvard Ghost Riders and SASS Cowboy Action Shooting in New England. Due to new restrictive gun laws in Massachusetts, the SASS MA-CT-RI State Championship has been moved to Berwick, ME and will be held June 6-8, 2025.

The sport is an attempt to re-live the time of the "Old West", whether real or fantasy. The shooting competition utilizes reactive steel targets and live ammunition. Shooters negotiate scenarios based on real or imagined incidents from the history of the 19th century West or the silver screen of the Saturday matinee.

Props, aliases, and period clothing are all utilized to help establish the feel of the American West of over 100 years ago.You'll often see such props as a saloon, fences, wagons or jail cell used in a scenario. Each shooter is expected to adopt a particular "alias", such as Yankee, Eastern Tenderfoot, Boston Lady, or Appaloosa Amy. They then dress in clothing appropriate for the persona they have chosen -- whether it be a cowboy, schoolmarm, blacksmith, gambler, saloon girl, banker, Indian, or lawman. You won't find baseball caps, sneakers or T-shirts at a CAS event! Minimum dress requirements are a cowboy hat and boots, a long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

Unlike many modern "high tech" shooting matches, CAS takes pride in the use of weapons available between the Civil War and 1899. The technology of this sport is limited to what can be found in original or reproduction firearms of the period. Equipment needed includes single action revolver(s), a lever action rifle in pistol caliber, and a side-by-side, pre-1899 pump or lever action shotgun. Ammo must be lead bullets only (pistol under 1000 fps, rifle under 1400 fps); shotgun ammo must be lead shot, #4 or smaller. Shooters are grouped in classes based on the type of pistol they shoot (fixed vs. adjustable sights), the way the pistol is held when shooting (one or two-handed), the ammo used (smokeless vs. black powder), their age, and/or their costuming.

The emphasis is on FUN rather than all out "win at any cost" competition. This is an opportunity to make friends and to share an appreciation for the lore and legend of the most well known and unique period in American history, its equipment, dress and lifestyle.

CAS is an activity for the entire family. It is much more than just another shooting event. The social aspects of the sport are as important as the shooting aspects for many people. There are a number of women and juniors involved in the sport. And friends and family members who do not shoot frequently attend the events, oftentimes dressed in period attire just like their shooting counterparts.

For further information on the club and its activities, please contact 'Grazer' at 978-456-6971 or 'Yankee' (Territorial Governor) at 781-383-9799.

Please take your time and enjoy the website.

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