About Skirmishing
Skirmishes are marksmanship competitions using Civil War era weapons. It’s a fast paced hobby that’s both fun and educational.
Skirmishers join together into teams representing specific regiments and wear replicas of the units uniforms while competing. Competitions are held for both individuals and teams, using Rifled Muskets, Smoothbore Muskets, Carbines, Revolvers, Breech Loading Rifles, and even Mortars and Cannons. Team competitions use breakable or dropping targets, and each event is timed. At the end of a team competition, all the event times are added together, and the team with the least amount of elapsed time wins. Individual competitions use paper bulls-eye targets. At the end of competitions, awards are presented to the top individuals and teams in each category.
Marksmanship competitions (Skirmishes) are open to both men and women. Ladies can dress in uniforms, or wear feminine period attire. The ACWSA is open to younger folks as long as they have passed a hunter safety course.
A typical skirmish includes:
Individual Competition, using muskets, carbines, and revolvers, shooting at paper bulls-eye targets at ranges from 25 to 100 yards.
Team Competition, using muskets, carbines, revolvers, mortars and cannons shooting breakable targets, teams are judged on both speed and accuracy.
To get a good idea of what these skirmishes look like, check out this N-SSA video on smoothbore musket competition.
