Preferences

I enjoy shooting cowboy. It is something Prissy and I share. When we mention cowboy action shooting to the uninitiated the first thing that comes to their mind is shooting the guns. There is so much more to this activity. First, for us it is a ministry. Our being committed to cowboy to the extent we are was a God thing from the beginning. The real motive behind our participation is the opportunity to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ into this group containing more than its share of the walking wounded. We had noticed that preachers didn’t last long around cowboy action shooting events. They would parade around with the largest Bible you ever saw inviting everyone they could find to attend cowboy church. After a few times of low attendance they just stopped showing up for the match. Their absence belies their commitment to their “gospel.” The truth is the cowboys would be courteous but they wanted to know the measure of the man before they would give him their time. That measure is found on the firing line not in easy talk.

I enjoy all the tasks associated with reloading the ammo needed for us to compete. The brass must be cleaned, sized and primed. The lead is cast into bullets and the bullets sized and lubricated. Then the primed brass is charged with powder and the bullet seated and crimped into place. And this only accounts for the cowboy ammo. Loading shotgun is an entirely different animal, with plastic hulls, power piston wads, shot and powder to be combined into a 12 gage shell that doesn’t feel like a Missouri mule every time you pull the trigger.

Then there are the guns that must be cared for. They must be cleaned, checked and maintained in good repair. Each of us has two pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun plus extras just in case Murphy rares his ugly head and something breaks. In cowboy action, Murphy is alive and well. I’m really surprised someone hasn’t shot him with all the mischief he causes!

There is pleasure found in each task and there is a great deal of satisfaction when we complete a match with a minimum of difficulty. It makes it all worth while. The pleasure is found on Sunday morning when cowboys show up for cowboy church. I guess they found the measure to their liking.

As much as I enjoy shooting cowboy, I dearly love shooting long range rifle. Where cowboy action is an action sport, full of activity with lots of laughter and camaraderie; long range is a discipline. Oh, we enjoy the company of others who also relish in the discipline of the effort, but in the sport itself there is you, your rifle, and the target. Do it right and you are rewarded with the satisfying sound of lead striking the steel target. Do it wrong and all you get is a little dirt kicking up.

Seems to me there is a parallel between all this effort put into shooting and Scripture. In shooting, you have to do it right to find the reward. In Scripture, you have to reach beyond the cross to get to the crown.