For
the past few evenings, I have been reading a great book by Gary
Kieft that deals thoroughly with the subject of the sport of
Cowboy Action Shooting. Cowboy Action Shooting is the fastest
growing shooting sport in the USA, and for good reason. It is
just plain fun!
Gary
delves into every aspect of the Sport, from the equipment used
to the various shooting styles and scenarios which may be
encountered at a match. Within the 160 pages of the book are, in
addition to the very informative text, several dozen beautiful
photographs of the guns, accoutrements, and people of Cowboy
Action Shooting. The photos are absolutely top quality,
with most of them shot from the lens of the camera of renowned
shooting photographer Nyle Leatham.
In
addition to the excellent photos, a special treat enclosed
within this book are pictures of many vintage western movie
posters. Cowboy Action Shooting is all about the Old West,
and the characters that lived it. This includes the heroes and
villains of the silver screen, such as Hopalong Cassidy, Roy
Rogers, Tex Ritter, and John Wayne, in addition to those who
rode into our lives through the TV Western. Gary once
again brings these characters to life with his nostalgic look
into the "B" Westerns and TV legends that
portrayed the Old West, whether real or not, as it should have
been.
"Beyond
The Wild Bunch" contains thirteen chapters of interesting
text starting with the origin of the sport and the spirit of the
game. Cowboy Action Shooting is as much about the spirit and
character of the sport as it is about winning. Gary explains the
process of the shooter acquiring an alias; that is, adopting a
character, whether real or imagined, from the Old West. Gary
goes on to detail the choices available in equipment and
accessories needed to compete in Cowboy Action Shooting.
There is a chapter in the book explaining the rules of
etiquette and safety of the sport, in addition to the
chapters covering the guns, equipment, and clothing required.
Every
aspect of the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting is covered in
"Beyond The Wild Bunch", and is the best book which I
have read to date on the subject.
In
addition to the wealth of information contained, "Beyond
The Wild Bunch" is printed on top quality slick paper and
hard bound for durability. The photos are suitable for framing,
and the digital images posted along with this article do them no
justice. The pictures posted here are pictures of
pictures, that have to be of a resolution that will download
easily over the internet. The quality of the photos contained in
the book are outstanding. The book measures 11-3/8 by 8-¾
inches, and is of the quality often referred to as a
"coffee table book". Books of comparable quality
cost anywhere from 45 to 70 bucks in a book store, but
"Beyond The Wild Bunch" is available from Dillon
Precision Products for only $15.95! This is not a
misprint, the book costs only $15.95. You can order the book by
going to the Dillon website at: www.dillonprecision.com
or over the telephone by calling toll free at:
1-800-223-4570.
I
have no idea how they can sell a book of this quality for under
16 bucks. It is worth twice the price for the photos alone!
For
anyone interested in Cowboy Action Shooting, or just the guns
and heroes of the Old West, I highly recommend "Beyond The
Wild Bunch". Thumbing through the pages, one can
almost smell the gun smoke and leather, and hear the jingling of
spurs on a wooden sidewalk. Call Dillon and order the book. They
will put it on the next stagecoach headed your way.
Jeff Quinn
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