The Kings River Regulators, Cowboy Action Shooting Club, got it’s start in 1994. Doug (Snakebite) Gilmore, Jim (Hank) Borton , Jim (Hawkeye O’) Riley, Dean (Shorty) Rowan, JR (Beanpot) Reid and Paul (Bearpaw) Speer got together and built targets, with the help of a loan from the American Legion in Reedley. As Snakebite put it, “It was a labor of love”. Snakebite was the clubs biggest promoter, went everywhere in his cowboy gear, even to work. He made up flyers and hit all the gun shops and gun shows in town.

On December 17, 1995 the club had all the props built, had chosen a name, The Kings River Regulators, and had been given the use of Range 1 at FRPC to hold their first match on. There were 60 shooters at that first match, and the club has grown and improved greatly since then.

We originally had only 4 bays to shoot in, we brought in some heavy equipment and expanded our shooting area to 8 bays. We built a real western town on the outside perimeter of the bays, a main street in bay 1, Etta’s Place in bay 2, mine shaft in bay 3, Mexican Cantina in bay 4, Sheriffs office (with jail house) in bay 5, a run and shoot town “Hell Town” in bay 6, a moving ore cart in bay 7 and the crowning touch, “Fort Miller” in bay 8. Our club has grown from the original 8 members to over 100 active members. We are a SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) affiliated club, and operate under their rules and guidelines.

The Regulators have always placed safety on the range as number one priority, and having fun is the second most important thing. You get to dress up like a cowboy out of the old west, use the guns they used and test your skills on various types of targets, big and small at various distances. We use single action pistols, lever action (pistol caliber) rifles and shotguns. Any side by side shotgun typical of the era (without automatic ejectors), with or without external hammers, with single or double triggers can be used. You can also use any lever or pump action shotgun with exposed hammers (e.g. Winchester Model 1887 or 1897). All guns should be original or replicas of pre 1900 guns. At a monthly match we usually shoot 5 stages. Each stage requires use of all three gun types.

It’s been said you get to dress like your Grandpa, play like your Grand-son, only you use live ammo. Come play with us and have a great time while you’re improving your shooting skills.