i don't compete in 3gun competition because...
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HB
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It looks like fun but it is expensive (you need an AR-15, shotgun, and centerfire pistol) and ammo isn't cheap anymore. I've also never really have been interested in it, it's like SASS with modern guns. You also need dedicated equipment for the most part, which is a turn off to new commers.
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g.willikers
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Yeah, centerfire rifle ammo is too expensive to burn up at the rate required of a three gun event. Even reloads are way more than pistol caliber. And the rifles are pricy.
And 12 gauge slugs ain't no fun at all.
But two gun, pistol and shottie (with birdshot just on steel) is great. Pumps are low priced. Very affordable. Easy cleanup, too.
Or pistol caliber carbine maybe.
And 12 gauge slugs ain't no fun at all.
But two gun, pistol and shottie (with birdshot just on steel) is great. Pumps are low priced. Very affordable. Easy cleanup, too.
Or pistol caliber carbine maybe.
rantingredneck
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Lack of time and money.
lazyeye
Member
Lack of time, money, and I'm probably not good enough.
rantingredneck
Member
Yeah that too. 
.
.Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
If I had someone to get me into any form of competitive shooting, I'd go. I just don't know anyone who does it, and never been to a match.
It IS expensive to be competative- but not to compete. A $200 Mossy 500A and a $450 Mini-14 or WASR will open the door to wonderland. You can also go to a match and get to know some folks. I used to buy ammo for another shooter in exchange for using his rifle, until I built my own. I loan my shotgun out all the time (as long as they are on the same squad).
The opportunity to put shot on steel or take on multiple targets at 50- 200yds away, under pressure and time constraints, will make you a better shooter. To be honest, there is nothing more satisfying than using very basic gear to the best of your ability. The first time that you beat a "pretty good" shooter with go fast guns, using cheap guns, you will be hooked.
Of course, when you get hooked- it starts to get expensive.
My 3 gun setup cost me about $2800 and I built everything myself. Of course, mine is one of the cheapest rigs you will find.
You can also go to a match and get to know some folks. I used to buy ammo for another shooter in exchange for using his rifle, until I built my own. I loan my shotgun out all the time (as long as they are on the same squad). The opportunity to put shot on steel or take on multiple targets at 50- 200yds away, under pressure and time constraints, will make you a better shooter. To be honest, there is nothing more satisfying than using very basic gear to the best of your ability. The first time that you beat a "pretty good" shooter with go fast guns, using cheap guns, you will be hooked.
Of course, when you get hooked- it starts to get expensive.
My 3 gun setup cost me about $2800 and I built everything myself. Of course, mine is one of the cheapest rigs you will find.
sargenv
Member
I no longer have a rifle.. but I can borrow one. One time I used a bolt gun
ok, so...
for those of you with equipment/money woes, if there was a "22LR" division, where you could compete with a 22lr pistol (e.g. walther p22, browning buckmark), a 22lr rifle (e.g. a 10/22), and any caliber shotgun... and a $13 / 550 rnd bulk pack from wally world would get you through two matches...
would that make a difference?
(you'd still need a safe, usable holster, and a ton of magazines, etc)
for those of you with equipment/money woes, if there was a "22LR" division, where you could compete with a 22lr pistol (e.g. walther p22, browning buckmark), a 22lr rifle (e.g. a 10/22), and any caliber shotgun... and a $13 / 550 rnd bulk pack from wally world would get you through two matches...
would that make a difference?
(you'd still need a safe, usable holster, and a ton of magazines, etc)
Smokin Gator
Member
3 gun
Actually, there is a spinoff of SASS called Western 3 Gun. The revolver and rifle targets usually have a 6" knockout in the middle of the steel plate. You get minus 1 second for each bonus you hit. The targets for each gun are not all visible from one position. You might shoot 2 targets and then move to engage the remaining targets with the gun cocked but your finger off the trigger. You can't move both feet with a cocked gun in SASS. W3G has a lot more movement and the accuracy reward that SASS doesn't have.
Actually, there is a spinoff of SASS called Western 3 Gun. The revolver and rifle targets usually have a 6" knockout in the middle of the steel plate. You get minus 1 second for each bonus you hit. The targets for each gun are not all visible from one position. You might shoot 2 targets and then move to engage the remaining targets with the gun cocked but your finger off the trigger. You can't move both feet with a cocked gun in SASS. W3G has a lot more movement and the accuracy reward that SASS doesn't have.
I do, but I don't. The I don't right now is time and money. I usually do better at rifle and Shotgun than I do at pistol. Unification of rules is a big thing. Obviously, as a USPSA member I am biased, I think they are going at it correctly with regards to equipment classes and scoring.
rantingredneck
Member
I've actually got the equipment to get started.
I have an AR, I have an 11-87 and several good pumpguns. I have several good single stack .45's of the non-1911 variety (sorry just not a 1911 guy).
For me the cost prohibitive part is the ammo but even that pales in comparison to the time-prohibitive part. I just have too much other stuff and too many irons in the fire to get hooked on something else right now, and I'm the kind of guy who gets hooked.
Someday maybe, but for now, just not doable.
I have an AR, I have an 11-87 and several good pumpguns. I have several good single stack .45's of the non-1911 variety (sorry just not a 1911 guy).
For me the cost prohibitive part is the ammo but even that pales in comparison to the time-prohibitive part. I just have too much other stuff and too many irons in the fire to get hooked on something else right now, and I'm the kind of guy who gets hooked.
Someday maybe, but for now, just not doable.
This thread got me Googling (God forbid) the three gun thing. I think I'd like to see a match and evaluate my ability to try it. I own an 870, an AR & AK, and a cheap 1911. Perhaps I should upgrade my handgun, (an RIA 1911) to something a bit more fancy prior to shooting. Right up my alley though, shooting static paper is not so much my thing.
ny32182
Member
The only reason I don't shoot it more is that the local club doesn't have more matches. I will go to almost any lengths imaginable to be present when they do have one, which occurs about every 6 months to one year or so. Others are several hours drive, and that, unfortunately, is more than I am willing to do for a single match at this time.
The most recent one here was this past weekend... it was four stages, and the round counts I fired were, iirc, 58 pistol, 78 shotgun, and 86 rifle or something like that. Not a huge amount of ammo.
To be truly competetive with the best requires a massive commitment of time and money of course. Personally I don't use game guns, but see it as dynamic practice with a milspec carbine, stock G19, and stock M590A1. I imagine most of us already have that kind of stuff. You don't have to win the contest to get good practice with your equipment and have a good day shooting.
And watching the gamers reload 8 shells into a shotgun tube in 5 seconds is something to see indeed, if you never have.
The most recent one here was this past weekend... it was four stages, and the round counts I fired were, iirc, 58 pistol, 78 shotgun, and 86 rifle or something like that. Not a huge amount of ammo.
To be truly competetive with the best requires a massive commitment of time and money of course. Personally I don't use game guns, but see it as dynamic practice with a milspec carbine, stock G19, and stock M590A1. I imagine most of us already have that kind of stuff. You don't have to win the contest to get good practice with your equipment and have a good day shooting.
And watching the gamers reload 8 shells into a shotgun tube in 5 seconds is something to see indeed, if you never have.
skinewmexico
Member
I don't shoot it as much as did, because it got gamey here fast.
Chris Rhines
Member
I do shoot 3gun, a lot. It is expensive, and it does require a lot of practice to be competitive. Hasn't stopped me yet...
Honestly, I don't like the idea of shooting .22 pistols and rifles for score in 3gun, for reasons that I cannot fully articulate. It would be tantamount to running a Hyundai in an F1 event.
I do like using a .22 rifle to practice with.
-C
Honestly, I don't like the idea of shooting .22 pistols and rifles for score in 3gun, for reasons that I cannot fully articulate. It would be tantamount to running a Hyundai in an F1 event.
I do like using a .22 rifle to practice with.
-C
3 gun
I DO shoot 3-gun. It is by far my favorite type of match. My IDPA club holds one 4-5 times a year. Yup, ammo and components are pricey, gas is expensive, match fees have to be paid, but I have yet to see an armored car following a hearse. I only wish there were more 3-gun matches in this area.
If it wasn't for 3-gun matches, I would probably never take the 12 gauge out at all.
I DO shoot 3-gun. It is by far my favorite type of match. My IDPA club holds one 4-5 times a year. Yup, ammo and components are pricey, gas is expensive, match fees have to be paid, but I have yet to see an armored car following a hearse. I only wish there were more 3-gun matches in this area.
If it wasn't for 3-gun matches, I would probably never take the 12 gauge out at all.
SamG.
Member
Are there any age restrictions on 3-gun matches?
Grump
Member
I'm "none of the above".
My reasons:
1. Shooting time is still being spent in load development with my oldest son. S/B done in 2 weeks....
2. Local events30 drive one-way, not bad) are only maybe 2x/year, and I just haven't had my free weekend coincide with that club's events.
3. Monthly events are a 2:45 1-way trip, and the rest of the family won't have any fun tagging along to make it a weekend (other local commitments have until recently filled Sundays anyway).
4. I haven't been in the mood to borrow a shotgun to shoot a match. Yet.
Overall, I just plan to show up to 2-3 of the local club's pistol events and get myself re-acclimated to the run 'n gun scene before expanding back into 3-gun, which I helped get started at the more distant club almost 20 years ago. My start was with a monthly pistol shoot that had 1 almost IDPA-style score is time stage (speed shoot), 1 NRA Action Pistol-style par time stage (accuracy shoot with time pressure), and 1 IPSC-style Comstock stage (combined speed and accuracy shoot). Our round counts were often small, but we also had everyone done before noon, too.
Then there's the fact that my GI mag carrier with 2 USGI M14 mags disappeared at the last 3-gun shoot I participated in... Then the Klinton mag ban set in. Ick.
My reasons:
1. Shooting time is still being spent in load development with my oldest son. S/B done in 2 weeks....
2. Local events
30 drive one-way, not bad) are only maybe 2x/year, and I just haven't had my free weekend coincide with that club's events.3. Monthly events are a 2:45 1-way trip, and the rest of the family won't have any fun tagging along to make it a weekend (other local commitments have until recently filled Sundays anyway).
4. I haven't been in the mood to borrow a shotgun to shoot a match. Yet.
Overall, I just plan to show up to 2-3 of the local club's pistol events and get myself re-acclimated to the run 'n gun scene before expanding back into 3-gun, which I helped get started at the more distant club almost 20 years ago. My start was with a monthly pistol shoot that had 1 almost IDPA-style score is time stage (speed shoot), 1 NRA Action Pistol-style par time stage (accuracy shoot with time pressure), and 1 IPSC-style Comstock stage (combined speed and accuracy shoot). Our round counts were often small, but we also had everyone done before noon, too.
Then there's the fact that my GI mag carrier with 2 USGI M14 mags disappeared at the last 3-gun shoot I participated in... Then the Klinton mag ban set in. Ick.
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