BLUE HILL — The Blue Hill Rifle and Pistol Club would like to increase its membership, particularly among women, for its cowboy fast draw shoots.

Cowboy fast draw shooters dress up in period costumes, such as cowboy attire, and compete with .45-caliber pistols, although they do not fire live ammunition. Instead, according to Mary Ann Sheets, one of the club’s directors, they use a special cartridge that fires a wax bullet at a target.

Sheets said a computer system times competitors on each shot. The winner is the shooter who hits their target faster.

Sheets said the playing field is level at the competitions, as men, women and children only compete against each other in separate divisions.

“Strength is not an advantage,” she said.

The cowboy fast draw shoots are held the third Saturday of each month at the rifle range.

For more information about the cowboy draw events, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or go to www.cowboyfastdraw.com or www.bluehillrpc.org/fastdraw.

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