Unlike Civil War reenactments, skirmish shooting is done with the ammuntion in original or dimensionally certified reproduction military firearms of the period. The team with the lowest total time wins. Members also complete in team carbine and artillery matches. Individual matches, fired on paper targets for score, include revolver and Civil War-era magazine fed shoulder arms such as Spencers and Henrys. In addition to shooting, members and their families compete for trophies in Civil War dress competitions.
Men compete for the most accurate individual uniform.
Union and Confederate troops compete for best-uniformed company awards. As authentic as any of the weapons on the line, these garments add color and excitement to skirmish weekends. Fort Shenandoah, the association's home range, is located on several hundred acres of land in the rolling hills of the lower Shenandoah Valley, just outside Winchester, Virginia.