Three-Gun Match?

[Nando Aqui]

I have read about what guns to use, how much ammo to take, and the many places and clubs where these are held; but to be honest, I have no clue of what they are. Apparently, participants use a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun in some sort of 'real life' situations. Am I close?

Anyway, could someone please give me some details or direct me to a website that describes what these matches are? (Without even knowing the specifics, I know I want to compete from just looking at their popularity.)

Thanks -

Alex

 

[pax]

Great question. I'd been wondering much the same thing.

Moved down to the Competition Shooting forum.

pax

 

[Standing Wolf]

A three-gun match used to be .22 caliber, .38 caliber, and .45 A.C.P. bullseye shooting matches, also known as "2,700" matches, because that's how many points were possible.

I think what you're referring to is cowboy action shooting.

 

[Nando Aqui]

SW,
I used to shoot the .22, .38, .45 many years ago - that was the NRA handgun course, one hand, standing... I used a .22 HS Victor, Colt Python (w/.38 wadcutters) and a Colt Gold Cup.

But this 3-gun match is something else altogether, and I do not believe it has anything to do with the cowboy action shoots.

Competitors use .223 or .308 rifles (AR's, HK's, FAL,s M1A's., etc.), 9mm and larger caliber pistols, and shotguns 20 gage or larger. They use as large capacity mags as they can. But I don't know what the courses consist of.

Anyone?

Alex

 

[Standing Wolf]

Nando Aquí:

Those were some pretty good old days, as I recall. I used to shoot a High Standard Trophy, (still my single most accurate gun,) a Colt Trooper Mark III with very light .38 special loads in .357 cases, and assorted Colt government models that didn't work very well. My modern Kimber is everything those @#$%^&! government models ought to have been, and I still miss the Trooper Mark III, which my ex-wife wanted, although I've since replaced it with Pythons.

By the time I'd started earning enough money to buy the guns I always wanted, I couldn't still see well enough to shoot competitively. If I were half as smart as I'd like everybody to think I am, I'd have had the good sense to have got born rich.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

A thirre gun match is a tactical match that sinsists of multiple stages where the participants use rifles, pistols and shotguns. they may be used together in stages or separately. the pistol must be on the person during all stages of fire.


www.wc3gun.com has some rules for 3gun matches and whatnot.



if you have any further questions, PM me.

 

[Nando Aqui]

SW,

You sure jogged my memory. As I recall, we used to shoot Slow, Timed, and Rapid, and the targets were different for each. Oh well...

--------------------------------

Andrew - Thanks for the info!

I hope to find such matches in or close to the St. Louis area.

Alex

 

[Correia]

I would recommend you do a search here in Competition, we have folks from all over the country who shoot 3 gun. It is a very fun sport.

I do not know much about the midwest. I would think that your best bet would be to look up your local IPSC and IDPA clubs and just ask them. There is no national governing body for 3 gun, and the matches all vary from club to club.

 

[another okie]

I'm not sure what "midwest" means, but check out the local IPSC clubs and you'll probably find one with 3 gun matches. They usually involve courses of fire where you move and reload with the three guns mentioned, which need to be of the kind you would use in a tactical situation, such as 12 or 20 gauge shotgun, .223 or .308 rifle, 9mm or larger handgun. I've been to one at Arkansas City and one at Pittsburg, Kansas (bone creek). Fort Smith (Old Fort gun club) also has them, as does OKC Gun club. All these clubs have web sites.

 

[COOL]

3-GUN is a match where you will use rifle pistol and shotgun in varing combinations on
stages.

HE MAN is a match where you will use a 30 cal rifle, .45 cal. single stack, 12ga. pump shotgun.

TACTICAL/ACTION RIFLE you use only the rifle.

 

[Zak Smith]

This thread
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37394
contains a report of a large 3Gun match that took place in Raton, NM in Aug 2003, including pictures. The narrative report and the pictures should give you a good idea what 3Gun is about.

 

[Nando Aqui]

Thank you Zak,

Great narrative and related info. I haven't read it all yet, but it is what I was looking for. From what I have learned in the past couple of days though, this particular event appears to be the 'cadillac' of three-gun matches, would you agree?

One quick question (perhaps the answer is within your write up and I missed it): Who could enter this match? Are there any prerequisites? You see, I have read about other similar matches that require previous experience in other matches, such as IPSC.

thanks again,

Alex

 

[Zak Smith]

Nando,

I honestly cannot compare RM3G to the other large 3Gun events -- it was the first big one I've shot. From what more experienced 3Gun shooters have said, it's certainly one of the best. The terrain at the Whittington Center in Raton is excellent for 3Gun events.

As for requirements for entrance, I don't know if there are any formal requirements stated. It is a very good idea to shoot some local IPSC, IDPA, 3Gun, or other "action-type" matches beforehand to get you used to shooting safely in this style of match. This local practice will help practice the skills you need, which you won't get just informally plinking at the range. You also want to "sort out" your gear -- it really sucks to have guns and ammo that won't work in a big match.

There was a serious self-inflicted bullet wound at the International Tactical Rifleman Championships (ITRC) this year allegedly due to an inexperienced shooter trying to compete. He shot his foot/ankle with his AR-15.

regards
Zak

 

[MoNsTeR]

the pistol must be on the person during all stages of fire.

Is that really the case? There's a bunch of pictures from the 3-Gun Nationals in the latest Front Sight, and no one is wearing their pistol.

 

[Zak Smith]

Monster,

That's only true to WC3Gun, as far as I can tell, and WC3Gun is no more. It might be true for the ITRC also, but that's not really a regular 3Gun match.

-z

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

*shrug* the only match i've had direct experience with is the WC3-gun match.

It seems to me, though that (assuming you carry a pistol) anytime you're going to be in harms way that's not inside your home, you'll have your pistol with you, even if you have a rifle. Heck, Whenever i have a rifle with me anywhere i have a pistol.

I'm interested in shooting some other 3-gun matches, but they all seem to use those silly 2 hits or 1 a zone are counted the same rules.

 

[Zak Smith]

Andrew,

I heard that rules might be changed so that minor guns would require a C/D hit combination or better, or the single A. (Major PF could still get by with 2D's.) Makes it a little more interesting.

I kind of like that type of scoring because it gives you more ways to shoot the stage.

-z

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

Aye, i hear what you're saying, but the main thing it does is turn stages into hosefests. the number of rounds per target should be in the stage description, not the match rules.


another thing that urks me is that most "practical" matches only use one scoring system tfor the whole match, whether it's vickers or par time or whatever.


using different scoring systems allows the stage designer to stress whichever part of the DVC he wants to.

 

[Zak Smith]

Andrew,

the number of rounds per target should be in the stage description, not the match rules.

That'd be the number of A hits required.

With regard to multiple scoring schemes, how would they be combined for match results? Stage percentages, based on whatever method specified for the individual stages?

-z

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

the first place guy gets 100% (or points) per stage. and then base the points on the stage on percent of the top guy's score.


say jack does the best on stage one, with a score of 200 points.


jim was second, but he only got 100 points on the stage.


jim would get fifty match points, because he only scored half as many stage points as jack.

 

[lmccrock]

monster,

Is that really the case? There's a bunch of pictures from the 3-Gun Nationals in the latest Front Sight, and no one is wearing their pistol.

Front Sight is USPSA, which does not perform transitions between handgun and long gun. So shooters take off the handgun to get it out of the way while shooting long gun stages. Other (non-USPSA) matches usually have transitions, so check the rules to see if carrying the hangun is required at all times.

3-gun is great fun, even at the club level, even though I shoot a pump shotgun so I am at a serious disadvantage to the autos. And the last match I shot I used full-power slugs and buckshot. Having used that up, I now have reduced recoil and birdshot loads and will use the appropriate loads.

Lee

 

[Carnitas]

Lee,

Are you going to make it to the 3-gun hosted by NCPS down in Ione at the end of november?

 

[lmccrock]

Carnitas,

Ooops, forgot to change my profile. I no longer live in Grass Valley. But the Sac Valley Range at Ione is a good venue. Not nearly as bad a drive as going over the pass to Reno or Carson City.

I am on the road right now, but I am relocating to Texas. So matches at Austin Lone Star PPC are closer to home.

Thanks for asking.

As for another more 3-gun specific forum, try brianenos.com's forums over at Brian's Shooting Forums and scroll down to the 3-gun forums.

Lee

 

[Carnitas]

Good for you getting out of CA. Too bad we couldent hook up while you were still here.

Enjoy your newly found freedom.