I have had a few members PM me for my opinions on how to get started in 3 gun.
First off you need to find a match. There isn't really a governing national body for 3gun. Most of the large matches are independant, and the rest of the matches are put on by local clubs. Rules and allowable equipment varies from club to club. I would say your best bet is to contact your local IDPA or IPSC club and ask the people there about what is available locally.
Equipment: Right off the bat, don't spend big bucks on equipment. I have seen too many folks feel the need to get the big bling bling before they will go out and shoot. However one of two things happen, either they never collect the bling so they never actually shoot in a match, or they spend a small fortune on gear only to find out that what sounded great in a gun magazine or on the internet just plain didn't work for them in reality.
Rifle
You will need a military style rifle. If you have an AR, AK, FAL, M1a or something like that you are probably good to go. To start out you don't need fancy optics. Many local club matches are limited to 100 yards due to range restrictions, so the Leopold MkIV may not be totally neccesary. The most common rifle in 3gun is some sort of AR variant. However you can shoot in a local match with just about anything.
Make sure you bring some spare magazines. Many COFs will call for rifle mag changes. Or since rifle mags take a while to load, load up half a dozen the night before. It will save you valuable time at the match if you aren't screwing around trying to load magazines between strings. Bring along an empty magazine as well, just in case there is a stage that requires you to start with a set number of rounds in the gun. It is easier to load 10 into an empty mag than it is to remove 20 from a full one.
When you first start out you will probably be just fine sticking rifle mags in your pockets. However this well and truely sucks after awhile and you are going to go way slow. Watch what the other shooters use, and experiment around until you find a mag pouch that works for you. Military style mag pouches protect the magazines well, but they are often very slow to draw from. Like I said, find what works for you.
You don't need an LBV for your rifle gear. LBVs are great if you are packing your gear a long ways, or if you are shooting 3gun as a method of hard core training and that is what you would use in reality, however the LBV is not at all neccesary, and like I said above, like military mag pouches the LBV can be much slower to draw from than a simple belt pouch or kydex unit.
Optics are good if you normally use optics. However you don't need to break the bank if you don't have any. I have used nothing but iron sights for the last few years, and only now am I giving some serious thought to getting myself some optics. Iron sight shooters can hang in there just fine, and many clubs and matches have a seperate division for iron sights vs. optics.
Shotgun
You don't need a tweaked out 1100 or Benelli to shoot 3 gun. You can start out with any old pump. After awhile if you want to upgrade your equipment you always can.
If you don't have a shotgun and you want to start out cheap, go get yourself a used Remington 870, or a Mossberg 500, or a Winchester 1300. Any of these are available for close to $200.
The only accesory that I think is an immediate must have is a mag tube extension. The key to doing well with a shotgun in 3gun is keeping that thing loaded. So if you are starting out with 2 more rounds in the gun, then that is 2 less that you are probably going to have to load later.
You can start out by putting spare shells into your pockets, but that will get real old, real quick. Find some way to carry your shells so that they are always in the same place, and always facing the same direction. There are tons of different ways to accomplish this. Bandoleers, belts, shell caddies, side saddles, butt cuffs, arm bands, I've seen all sorts of stuff out there, and honestly I don't think that there is one best way to do it, it all depends on what works best for you.
Pistol
Be sure to check your local clubs rules. Some matches forbid the use of IPSC style open pistols. Our club allows them, but they need to shoot in open class. Some clubs don't allow them at all.
Now pretty much any regular old defensive style pistol will work. Use your regular gear.
You will need a good holster. If you are using one of those horrible thumb break nylon flop around on your belt holsters, throw it in the river. Immediatly. You can find a good holster for around $20-$30. If you want to start out cheap get yourself a Fobus or an Uncle Mikes kydex rig.
If you are coming from an IPSC background, and you use an open speed holster, be extreamly careful. Those holsters were designed for one thing, and that is to provide a super fast draw. They do this by barely holding the gun. You are fine at a pistol match where the most athletic thing the holster needs to hold the pistol for is walking to the line. Once you start the running and stuff the gun is in your hand. A 3 gun holster needs to hold your pistol while you are manipulating your long guns, running, crawling, going prone, etc. At my local club we have had 2 IPSC holsters lose their pistols during a stage. Be careful.
Practice
3gun is great because it is a challenge on so many levels. You really need to become good with all 3 guns.
With your rifle practice engaging targets rapidly. From pistol distance to as far out as your range allows. Practice from any position you can think of. Forget about shooting itty bitty pretty little groups. If you are doing that you will be going too slow. Figure out just how good of a sight picture you are going to need at each range to get your hits fast.
Don't screw around when you manipulate your rifle. Practice mag changes and malfunction clearance drills like you would with your pistol.
With your shotgun practice shooting fast. Pattern your gun. Find a good method to reload fast and devote hours to it until it becomes second nature. If you need to contort yourself to load your shotgun then you are doing it wrong.
Hope this answers some questions. If anybody has any other advice or questions please post them.
First off you need to find a match. There isn't really a governing national body for 3gun. Most of the large matches are independant, and the rest of the matches are put on by local clubs. Rules and allowable equipment varies from club to club. I would say your best bet is to contact your local IDPA or IPSC club and ask the people there about what is available locally.
Equipment: Right off the bat, don't spend big bucks on equipment. I have seen too many folks feel the need to get the big bling bling before they will go out and shoot. However one of two things happen, either they never collect the bling so they never actually shoot in a match, or they spend a small fortune on gear only to find out that what sounded great in a gun magazine or on the internet just plain didn't work for them in reality.
Rifle
You will need a military style rifle. If you have an AR, AK, FAL, M1a or something like that you are probably good to go. To start out you don't need fancy optics. Many local club matches are limited to 100 yards due to range restrictions, so the Leopold MkIV may not be totally neccesary. The most common rifle in 3gun is some sort of AR variant. However you can shoot in a local match with just about anything.
Make sure you bring some spare magazines. Many COFs will call for rifle mag changes. Or since rifle mags take a while to load, load up half a dozen the night before. It will save you valuable time at the match if you aren't screwing around trying to load magazines between strings. Bring along an empty magazine as well, just in case there is a stage that requires you to start with a set number of rounds in the gun. It is easier to load 10 into an empty mag than it is to remove 20 from a full one.
When you first start out you will probably be just fine sticking rifle mags in your pockets. However this well and truely sucks after awhile and you are going to go way slow.
Watch what the other shooters use, and experiment around until you find a mag pouch that works for you. Military style mag pouches protect the magazines well, but they are often very slow to draw from. Like I said, find what works for you. You don't need an LBV for your rifle gear. LBVs are great if you are packing your gear a long ways, or if you are shooting 3gun as a method of hard core training and that is what you would use in reality, however the LBV is not at all neccesary, and like I said above, like military mag pouches the LBV can be much slower to draw from than a simple belt pouch or kydex unit.
Optics are good if you normally use optics. However you don't need to break the bank if you don't have any. I have used nothing but iron sights for the last few years, and only now am I giving some serious thought to getting myself some optics. Iron sight shooters can hang in there just fine, and many clubs and matches have a seperate division for iron sights vs. optics.
Shotgun
You don't need a tweaked out 1100 or Benelli to shoot 3 gun. You can start out with any old pump. After awhile if you want to upgrade your equipment you always can.
If you don't have a shotgun and you want to start out cheap, go get yourself a used Remington 870, or a Mossberg 500, or a Winchester 1300. Any of these are available for close to $200.
The only accesory that I think is an immediate must have is a mag tube extension. The key to doing well with a shotgun in 3gun is keeping that thing loaded. So if you are starting out with 2 more rounds in the gun, then that is 2 less that you are probably going to have to load later.
You can start out by putting spare shells into your pockets, but that will get real old, real quick. Find some way to carry your shells so that they are always in the same place, and always facing the same direction. There are tons of different ways to accomplish this. Bandoleers, belts, shell caddies, side saddles, butt cuffs, arm bands, I've seen all sorts of stuff out there, and honestly I don't think that there is one best way to do it, it all depends on what works best for you.
Pistol
Be sure to check your local clubs rules. Some matches forbid the use of IPSC style open pistols. Our club allows them, but they need to shoot in open class. Some clubs don't allow them at all.
Now pretty much any regular old defensive style pistol will work. Use your regular gear.
You will need a good holster. If you are using one of those horrible thumb break nylon flop around on your belt holsters, throw it in the river. Immediatly. You can find a good holster for around $20-$30. If you want to start out cheap get yourself a Fobus or an Uncle Mikes kydex rig.
If you are coming from an IPSC background, and you use an open speed holster, be extreamly careful. Those holsters were designed for one thing, and that is to provide a super fast draw. They do this by barely holding the gun.
You are fine at a pistol match where the most athletic thing the holster needs to hold the pistol for is walking to the line. Once you start the running and stuff the gun is in your hand. A 3 gun holster needs to hold your pistol while you are manipulating your long guns, running, crawling, going prone, etc. At my local club we have had 2 IPSC holsters lose their pistols during a stage. Be careful. Practice
3gun is great because it is a challenge on so many levels. You really need to become good with all 3 guns.
With your rifle practice engaging targets rapidly. From pistol distance to as far out as your range allows. Practice from any position you can think of. Forget about shooting itty bitty pretty little groups. If you are doing that you will be going too slow. Figure out just how good of a sight picture you are going to need at each range to get your hits fast.
Don't screw around when you manipulate your rifle. Practice mag changes and malfunction clearance drills like you would with your pistol.
With your shotgun practice shooting fast. Pattern your gun. Find a good method to reload fast and devote hours to it until it becomes second nature. If you need to contort yourself to load your shotgun then you are doing it wrong.
Hope this answers some questions. If anybody has any other advice or questions please post them.
