Cowboy cosplayers go back in time to the Wild West
STORY: These cowboy cosplayers are going back in time for shootouts in the Wild West
Location: Renton, Washington
Cowboy Action Shooting is an annual firearms competition
Participants dress up as cowboys and use vintage firearms on various old-fashioned themed courses
(Mike Perin, Cowboy action shooter) “It’s a timed event. So if you shoot the stage correctly, your total time is your score for that stage. If you miss a target, just flat miss it, they add five seconds to your score. If you shoot it outside the prescribed order, they add ten seconds to your score. So…you go as fast as you can without making any errors.”
The Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) sets rules and regulations for the sport
(Darin Puryear, Cowboy Action shooter) “One of the biggest and most important elements of this game is safety, and teaching people how to operate in this environment with people all around you, and you're handling weapons that are actual real weapons, and then learning how to use those safely. All that is, is part of the learning curve as well.
Those who love the sport return each year and remain devoted to the community
But the niche sport is facing dwindling numbers
Its fans who were inspired by old Western films are quite literally dying off
“Our generation that grew up with that is passing away. The newer generation hasn’t been exposed to those cowboy movies. So that’s why we’re losing our base of people. The younger folks don’t really want to watch cowboy movies anymore.
