IPSC rifle match with an M1 - whoo!

[Ian]

Woohoo! My local IPSC club held a rifle match (which I think are the most fun shooting competitions out there) recently, and I just got the results back. I was using a tanker M1 Garand (18" barrel, .308, Smith Enterprise muzzle brake, standard iron sights) and a WWII ammo belt for spare clips, and took 7th out of 19 shooters, and 2nd of the 8 shooters using iron sights!

Two of the stages were pretty M1-friendy (ie, requiring movement or mandatory reloads after 6 or 8 rounds), and two weren't. None of them had any shots longer than 50 yards, unfortunately.

I wish there were more matches like this around...I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't caught on at all like action pistol matches have. I like 3-gun as well (when I can find a match), but rifles are undoubtedly my favorite.

BTW - The shooting port in the photo was originally defined by the silhouette on the ground, but my muzzle blast knocked it down after 2 shots.

 

[scotty]

I've seen people blow tape off of targets using comped pistols, but that's getting severe!

Congrats on your nice finish using a real rifle.

I tried a 3-gun match last summer, I wish there were more around my area. I used my usual pistol, a Para P-16. For the others, I went with what I already had-a Mossberg 500 8 shot and a Mini-14. Good fun was had by all.

 

[Zak Smith]

Ian,

Where are you in CO?

We have 3Gun & rifle matches all the time.

Here's the schedule and links to more match info-- http://demigod.org/co3g

 

[3 gun]

Yep, using a REAL rifle in a 3 gun shoot is a blast. I often find myself the only 30 caliber shooter with my M1 or M1a at a match. Happily my favorite range put an end to pistol caliber carbines in 3 gun by having at least one rifle stage every match of 200 yards or more. They often say they can follow me around the stages just by the sound of my rifle. The best stage for a WoW factor had me clearing a "house" stage with my Garand, shooting one handed at point blank ranges, blowing over the targets. They sand bag the target stands now.

 

[Ian]

3gun - Most of the rifle at this match were ARs, but the was one .45 Mec-tec carbine, an M1 carbine, a FAL, an 18" scout-scoped M1A, and two normal Garands.

 

[ACP230]

That pic makes me want to run my Garand in some kind of action match.
It's been a while since I shot it, although I did some work with my M1A early this summer.

 

[pauli]

this thread makes me wish i had a centerfire rifle, and somewhere to do these things.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Ditto. I don't think my Saiga or M38 quite make the cut. I'd love to get into this while I'm young, as a lot of older shooters wish for themselves, but the ironic part is you don't have the money until your older.

 

[Ian]

Spooky - An M38 would be pretty slow (unless you've precitced with it a lot), but I don't see any reason you couldn't use a Saiga. Look at Correia - he uses a Vepr (not quite the same, I know, but close) in 3-gun and is damned good.

I, for one, don't shoot these matches to win, I shoot them to get as good with my rifle as I can. Doing well in the rankings is just a bonus, when it happens. If I were you, I'd take that Saiga and enjoy the heck out of any match you can find to use it in. Practice a lot of reloads and controlled pairs, and you might even beat a lot of people.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Unfortunately it's a .308 saiga, and just with one mag. I basically need to wait until I can get down to my dad's again and steal his Romanian AK. Nothing fancy, for sure, but it would beat sitting on the sideline. I have a good 870 and a better 1911 that I could use for the rest. I wouldn't be showing up to take first or anything, but fun is fun.

 

[Moondoggie]

At my first 3 gun match earlier this year one of the guys was using an M-1. I thought it looked like a lot more work than the AR guys (me included) were putting out..but fun just the same!