Looking down the desolate canyon, Capt. Eli muttered to Chico Cheech: “You know, if we build it, they will come.” The captain was not talking about a baseball field and the Chicago White Sox. He was talking about adding stages to hold the first state-wide New Mexico Cowboy Shooting match on a private ranch north of Mimbres. The captain was actually a major who demoted himself after it was discovered that a Capt. Eli McDaniels already existed and both names are actually aliases but the Silver City Gila Rangers went on to host the first, second third and 2008 state matches anyway.

Cowboy Action Shooting™ is a competitive sport involving pre-1900 replica single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles and double-barrel and pump-action shotguns. Club members don Old West apparel and choose aliases that are registered to avoid duplicate names. Timed scenarios or “stages” are acted out on Western-style sets complete with fixed and moving targets made of steel that “clang” when hit; hence the descriptor “bang and clang.”

“We shoot relatively light loads,” Cheech said. “We don’t want to put holes in the steel, but also a light load means the shooter can recover from the first shot and get ready for the next one.”

A stage might consist of the shooter standing at the bar of a saloon. The bartender says something untoward. The shooter responds with: “Them thar are fighting words” which is actually a cue to the range officer that the shooter is ready. The range officer then starts a timer with a loud beep. The shooter shoots a pistol at 5 targets in a pre-arranged order, holsters that weapon, pulling out another pistol, shooting the same targets in reverse order, holstering the second pistol, runs to a rifle to shoot the next set of targets, putting the rifle down and picking up a shotgun to knock down the last group of targets. There are myriad scenarios.

The range officer monitors the timer and makes sure that all the bullets are fired. Counters keep track of the order and what targets are hit and which are missed. If a stage is shot clean, the score is the time. If a target is missed, 5 seconds are added. Time is added for more serious infractions.

While speed is important, safety is paramount. The Gila Rangers is a Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) affiliated club, the international governing and sanctioning organization dedicated to ensuring safety while preserving the traditions and history of the Old West.

“The rules and regulations are clear,” Cheech said. “If you drop a loaded gun, you are done.” Loading and unloading tables are provided at each stage and each shooter checks the last shooter to make sure the guns are unloaded between stages.

The Gila Rangers hold monthly shoots on the second Saturday of the month. Typically six stages are set up, but other times, members improvise more informal scenarios.

“It’s all about bragging rights,” Cheech said.

It is also a social occasion. From April through November, many members camp out, arriving on Friday and leaving Sunday afternoon.

“Captain Eli loves to cook,” Cheech added. “He converted his flatbed trailer into a cook trailer and we’ll cook for everyone.” Many members come out just to watch.

For those unfamiliar with the sport, the first time is free and includes the use of a .22 rifle, ammo and instructions.

“It really is more fun than an indoor range where all you have is a paper target with some holes,” Cheech said. “There is nothing like bang and clang.”