MercantileEXCITINGSee section our NovemberNovemberNovember 2001 2001 2001 CowboyCowboyCowboy ChronicleChronicleChronicle(starting on PagepagePagePage 90) 111 The Cowboy Chronicle~ The Monthly Journal of the Single Action Shooting Society ® Vol. 21 No. 9 © Single Action Shooting Society, Inc. September 2008 END OF TRAIL‘08 . New and Improved! . By Billy Dixon, SASS Life/Regulator #196 Photos by Black Jack McGinnis, SASS #2041 and Mr. Quigley Photography ounders Ranch, NM - match ROs! There was a six-stage From the corners of the Wild Bunch Warm-up Match fol- country, from the cities and lowed by a full 12-stage Wild Bunch F the farms, from offices and match over the next three days (four factories, homes and schools we stages each day). Following the Wild descended in the valley of the gun Bunch Match, there was a six-stage with a single purpose. We arrived in Main Match Warm-up, a full day of an ever-tightening group until we Plainsman and other side matches, reached Founders Ranch to rid the and then the regular three-day New Mexico Territory of a lawless main-match competition. The final element grown to unacceptable pro- Sunday was reserved for the man-on portions since this same time last man competition and the Top Gun year. We came to support truth, jus- (Continued on page 69) tice, and the American Way, and we can do it because, after all else fails, we deal in lead, friend. The 27th annual END of TRAIL dedicated to Classic Western Movies was yet another celebration of the rights we have as Americans. I had only to look at the many faces during Founders Ranch’s latest addition is the Copper Queen Hotel with the Happy Jack Saloon upstairs. This new building forms the back wall the opening ceremonies to realize no of the Belle Union Saloon, houses event Administration and Jack Diamond’s one in this crowd takes for granted gun shop, and is the Range Officers’ Headquarters. The upstairs provides any right, privilege, or civil liberty we a retreat for event sponsors and other important personages as well as exercised every minute of every day serves as a convenient reception area. Interior finishing and between June 13 and June 22, 2008 exterior paint are planned for later in the summer. at Founders Ranch near Albuquer- que, New Mexico. As Americans we places on this planet. We elect our rifle targets, and 4 blasts of the enjoy mutual trust between govern- officials to represent us, knowing if splattergun on stage 1. Targets were ment and citizens like few other they fail, we will replace them. big and close, scenarios easily under- The Shooting Program stood, props well arranged, and Each stage commemorated a action as fast as we could go. SASS Cowboy Chronicle classic western movie, including Nobody does it like the Wild Bunch. Shane, Destry Rides Again, The One of the most significant . China Camp . Westerner, and other memorable old changes to END of TRAIL this year ~ Hall of Fame 2004 ~ In This Issue cowboy flicks. “I heard you’re a dirty was the offering of a full 10 days of no good Yankee liar” expressed in a competitive shooting! And, this 1944 – 2008 OF 16 END TRAIL loud and clear Texican voice set me doesn’t count the first weekend See STORY on page 6 COSTUME CONTESTS free against 10 revolver targets, 9 warm-up and shoot-through for the by Cat Ballou 66 KIRST 1860 ARMY COLT by Tuolumne Lawman 80 WYOMING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP C by Buckskin Lily h C r o PENNSYLVANIA STATE 82 o w CHAMPIONSHIP n b by Swift Montana Smith i o 23255 La Palma Avenue c y 84 MARYLAND STATE Yorba Linda, California 92887 CHAMPIONSHIP l www.sassnet.com by Chuckaroo e Page 2 Cowboy Chronicle September 2008 September 2008 Cowboy Chronicle Page 3 Page 4 Cowboy Chronicle September 2008 September 2008 Cowboy Chronicle Page 5 The Cowboy CCONTENTSONTENTS Chronicle 1 ON THE COVER END of TRAIL 2008 . 6 FROM THE EDITOR China Camp (One Of Our Greatest Champions!) ... Editorial Staff 8-14 NEWS Stoeger Customer Support Policy . Four Generations Shoot At END of TRAIL ‘08 Tex Editor-in-Chief 20-24 LETTERS Comments From SASS Members . Cat Ballou Editor 16 CAT’S CORNER Wonderful Costumes At The 27th Annual END of TRAIL . Coyote Calhoun Managing Editor & Marketing Director 18 COYOTE DROPPINGS Memberships And eCowboy Chronicles . Adobe Illustrator 26, 27 POLITICAL America’s Child . Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness . Layout & Design Mac Daddy 28-38 ARTICLES Seventy Plus And Cruising . The Tinkerbell Syndrome . Graphic Design Donna Oakley 46-61 GUNS & GEAR Finding Gold . Wanted: Gunfighters! . What’s The Call? . Advertising Administrator Contributing Writers 54-56 SASS CONVENTION Sign Up Today! . Billy Dixon, Bob Boze Bell, Buckskin Lily, Capt. George Baylor, Celtic Knight, Chuckaroo, Col. Dan, Cree Vicar Dave, 62-64 MOUNTED A Buffalo Range Riders-Mounted Weekend! . It’s A Blast! . Doc Nelson, Doc On Holiday, Fat Jack, Holy Terror, Inspector, Joe Fasthorse Harrill, Justice Lily Kate, 66 REVIEWS-PRODUCTS Kirst 1860 Army .45 Colt Konverter . Lonesome Dove, Lucky Bill Thorington, Oracle, Palaver Pete, Rascal Rick, ( Sierrita Slim, Purdy Gear, 68 TRAIL MARKER To Be Remembered . Stockyard Johnny Red, Swift Montana Smith, Tuolumne Lawman, 74, 75 HISTORY Hell’s In Session . Little Known Famous People . Utah, Whooper Crane The Cowboy Chronicle is published by The Wild Bunch, Board of Directors of The 78-84 ON THE RANGE What’s Goin’ On In Your Town? . Single Action Shooting Society. For adver- tising information and rates, administrative and editorial offices contact: 88 CLUB REPORTS Bunkhouse Bidness . Chronicle Administrator 23255 La Palma Avenue Nice SASS Collectibles . Yorba Linda, California 92887 90-96 MERCANTILE 714-694-1800 FAX: 714-694-1813 97- CLASSIFIED email: [email protected] http://www.sassnet.com The Cowboy Chronicle (ISSN 15399877) is 100 ADVERTISERS INDEX published Monthly by the Single Action Shooting Society, 23255 La Palma Avenue, Yorba Linda, California 92887. Periodicals 101- SHOOTING SCHEDULES (MONTHLY)-(ANNUAL) Postage is Paid at ANAHEIM, CA and addi- tional mailing offices (USPS #020-591). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 105- SASS AFFILIATED MERCHANT LIST The Cowboy Chronicle, 23255 La Palma Avenue, Yorba Linda, California 92887. 107 SASS NEW MEMBER APPLICATION DISCLAIMER - The Single Action Shooting Society does not guarantee, warranty or Every now and then a youngster SASS® Trademarks endorse any product or service advertised in this newspaper. The publisher also does comes along that reminds us what SASS®, Single Action Shooting Society®, this game is all about. Cowboy Clay not guarantee the safety or effectiveness END of TRAIL®, EOT®, of any product or service illustrated. The from Albuquerque plays “cowboy” TM distribution of some products/services may with a passion, and shoots very well, The Cowboy Chronicle , TM be illegal in some areas, and we do not indeed. At END of TRAIL he showed Cowboy Action Shooting , assume responsibility thereof. State and TM up at the Plainsman event, all on his CAS , local laws must be investigated by the pur- own, and handled the firearms like a The World Championship of chaser prior to purchase or use or prod- pro. He was even a significant player Cowboy Action ShootingTM, ucts/services. in the evening entertainment on the Bow-legged Cowboy Design, and the WARNING: Neither the author nor The Friday and Saturday evening Belle Rocking Horse Design Cowboy Chronicle can accept any responsi- bility for accidents or differing results Union stage. At the recent SASS New are all trademarks of Mexico State Championship he was obtained using reloading data. Variation The Single Action Shooting Society, Inc. recognized as the State Buckaroo in handloading techniques, compo- nents, and firearms will make results Champion. When one wants to see Any use or reproduction of these marks without the express written permission vary. Have a competent gunsmith check the future, one needs to look your firearms before firing. no further than Cowboy Clay! of SASS is strictly prohibited. Page 6 Cowboy Chronicle September 2008 CHINA CAMP ONE OF OUR GREATEST CHAMPIONS! .(AKA Dennis Ming) . 1944 – 2008 Tex, SASS #4 By Tex, SASS #4 ~SASS Hall of Fame Inductee~ ures of critical body parts are becom- We’ve lost several good cowboys ASS, as an organization, is ing more and more part of our daily and cowgirls in the past few months. getting older … and all of us lives. Many are beginning to under- It’s hard when any of them go on . China Camp . S are getting older with it. I stand life is fragile, there are no down the trail ahead of us, but it’s ~ Hall of Fame 2004 ~ don’t think there is one of us who guarantees, life should be lived to toughest when the departure is sud- 1944 – 2008 hasn’t expressed the idea they the fullest while one can, and noth- den and unexpected … and such wished they had discovered Cowboy ing should be taken for granted. was the case with China Camp, Camp set his mind to Cowboy Action Action sooner or wished Cowboy I’ve heard it said, and I think it’s SASS #649. in a serious way, he became an awe- Action itself had started a lot earlier. true … one should write their own I’ve known China Camp since the some competitor and lent new mean- As we all grow older, we slow down. obituary. That way you begin to second END of TRAIL in 1983. He ing to the term, “Ming Dynasty!” Our reflexes and our stamina are not understand how others will remem- has always been a considerate gen- China Camp’s Cowboy Action what they used to be.