Does anyone do three gun competition? I just found out about it today and I am interested. Is it hard to get into besides all the gear? What are the registration fees like? Thanks!
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Three Gun Competition?
- Thread starter bsmith104
- Start date
Not hard to get into, just a bit expensive to start from scratch. Fees can range from $35 + depending on the quality of the course. You can check out a few outdoor ranges in your area to see when they offer a competition up.
It's very fun BUT very humbling. Anyone who thinks they are good with target acquisition, mag changes, accuracy, etc... Will be in for a rude awakening their first match.
There will be many others to provide input on here too!
It's very fun BUT very humbling. Anyone who thinks they are good with target acquisition, mag changes, accuracy, etc... Will be in for a rude awakening their first match.
There will be many others to provide input on here too!
I've done a few matches.
I would strongly suggest you shoot the Cherokee Gun Club "Tactical Rifle Match" before you sign up for the Noveske Atlanta 3-Gun matches. The reason is that you get most of the fun, without needing the expensive equipment. For the Atlanta 3-gun series, you won't be able to finish the stages without belt shotgun carriers-- you'll run out of time, and get dinged for everything you didn't shoot. (Guess how I know?) Which pretty much means an over/under belt, some belt shotgun shell carriers, holster, etc. Figure $200-$400 worth of gear that has zero use outside 3-gun competitions. It's a game-- you won't be learning defensive tactics, or buying equipment that can save your life. That money will be spent on playing the game, and the game alone.
The Cherokee matches are not shotgun-heavy, and that's why I'd suggest trying a Cherokee match first. If you enjoy it (and you probably will!), then consider spending the money. Oh yeah-- at Cherokee, you won't need a cart for all your crap. At South River (Atlanta 3-gun), you're going to want one. The ammo you'll be hauling alone-- 100 shotgun shells, 150 rifle rounds, 150 pistol rounds. Plus the guns. Water. Etc. Gets heavy quick.
The Cherokee match is a half day, five stages, and $15. The Noveske/Atlanta 3-Gun match is a looooonnnggg day, about 7 stages, and $35.
The Cherokee matches typically have 5-15 shotgun targets, total, over several stages. If you must load it on the clock, it won't be the overriding factor determining your score. In Atlanta 3-Gun-- it _will_. Really, you can shoot the Cherokee match without a shotgun-- just borrow one-- most anyone will loan you theirs, and probably give you shells.
For rifle optics, I'd recommend a good red dot sight. From what I've seen, the shots are never more than 100 yards, and at full-size metal silhouettes. That's easy with a red-dot. Most folks are running 1-4 power scopes, that work "both eyes open" at 1X, like a red-dot. Irons are slower for the up-close targets.
The Cherokee match is "defined round count". They tell you what to load in each mag, and if you miss, you miss. No make up shots; it's not a hose fest. The Atlanta 3-gun one is a hose fest-- they score your best hit, so you can keep shooting until you are sure you have the points.
Talk to everyone you can at a match. They're always friendly, and will show you their gear. You have some learning to do, about the various styles of shotgun shell holders and loading techniques. And the belt attachment systems. And so on.
Cherokee Tactical Match Link:
http://www.cherokeegunclub.org/tactical-rifle-matches
Atlanta 3-Gun:
http://atlanta3gun.com/?page_id=474
Next match May 31st. I would encourage you to read the rules, whether or not you sign up. Learn about the divisions and so on.
A typical Belt:
http://www.dawsonprecision.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=8000170D-1388518373
Shotgun Shell caddies:
http://www.3gunstuff.com/?page_id=104
These are good and easy to use, but they're not as fast as the newer style:
http://www.3gunstuff.com/?page_id=733
And there's even a newer variation on that, where people grab two stacks of two at once... ...the arms race continues.
Lots of good stuff about shotgun loading on YouTube.
This web site has a bunch of forums dedicated to multi-gun competitions.
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=86
Kuduman
I would strongly suggest you shoot the Cherokee Gun Club "Tactical Rifle Match" before you sign up for the Noveske Atlanta 3-Gun matches. The reason is that you get most of the fun, without needing the expensive equipment. For the Atlanta 3-gun series, you won't be able to finish the stages without belt shotgun carriers-- you'll run out of time, and get dinged for everything you didn't shoot. (Guess how I know?) Which pretty much means an over/under belt, some belt shotgun shell carriers, holster, etc. Figure $200-$400 worth of gear that has zero use outside 3-gun competitions. It's a game-- you won't be learning defensive tactics, or buying equipment that can save your life. That money will be spent on playing the game, and the game alone.
The Cherokee matches are not shotgun-heavy, and that's why I'd suggest trying a Cherokee match first. If you enjoy it (and you probably will!), then consider spending the money. Oh yeah-- at Cherokee, you won't need a cart for all your crap. At South River (Atlanta 3-gun), you're going to want one. The ammo you'll be hauling alone-- 100 shotgun shells, 150 rifle rounds, 150 pistol rounds. Plus the guns. Water. Etc. Gets heavy quick.
The Cherokee match is a half day, five stages, and $15. The Noveske/Atlanta 3-Gun match is a looooonnnggg day, about 7 stages, and $35.
The Cherokee matches typically have 5-15 shotgun targets, total, over several stages. If you must load it on the clock, it won't be the overriding factor determining your score. In Atlanta 3-Gun-- it _will_. Really, you can shoot the Cherokee match without a shotgun-- just borrow one-- most anyone will loan you theirs, and probably give you shells.
For rifle optics, I'd recommend a good red dot sight. From what I've seen, the shots are never more than 100 yards, and at full-size metal silhouettes. That's easy with a red-dot. Most folks are running 1-4 power scopes, that work "both eyes open" at 1X, like a red-dot. Irons are slower for the up-close targets.
The Cherokee match is "defined round count". They tell you what to load in each mag, and if you miss, you miss. No make up shots; it's not a hose fest. The Atlanta 3-gun one is a hose fest-- they score your best hit, so you can keep shooting until you are sure you have the points.
Talk to everyone you can at a match. They're always friendly, and will show you their gear. You have some learning to do, about the various styles of shotgun shell holders and loading techniques. And the belt attachment systems. And so on.
Cherokee Tactical Match Link:
http://www.cherokeegunclub.org/tactical-rifle-matches
Atlanta 3-Gun:
http://atlanta3gun.com/?page_id=474
Next match May 31st. I would encourage you to read the rules, whether or not you sign up. Learn about the divisions and so on.
A typical Belt:
http://www.dawsonprecision.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=8000170D-1388518373
Shotgun Shell caddies:
http://www.3gunstuff.com/?page_id=104
These are good and easy to use, but they're not as fast as the newer style:
http://www.3gunstuff.com/?page_id=733
And there's even a newer variation on that, where people grab two stacks of two at once... ...the arms race continues.
Lots of good stuff about shotgun loading on YouTube.
This web site has a bunch of forums dedicated to multi-gun competitions.
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=86
Kuduman
Last edited:
tag 4 later
This is why I love the ODT. Ask a question and there is almost always someone that can give you more than you asked for in knowledge. Good post Kuduman.
Wow! Thanks a lot for the info. I'll will absolutely be checking all this out and get out on the range!
Well thank you, WC1911guy. I'm new to 3-gun myself, and I figure I might as well share what I've learned. There's a lot to doing it well (and I'm not saying that I do it well...).
But I can shoot. And I see a lot of guys with good equipment, whipping me in speed with the rifle and shotgun, but doing a poor job with pistol. If there is one thing that will help time and scores, besides being in good shape and being able to rapidly load a shotgun, it's being able to shoot a pistol well, from what I've seen.
Most folks don't have access to a plate rack, or some other way to practice shooting a pistol with accuracy, at speed. So here's a suggestion. Go to the bowling pin shoots-- particularly the Thursday night one at Bullseye in Lawrenceville. $12, and you'll get about 10 runs at the table. 9 to 12 runs, lately, depending on how many show up. They have a "gun of the night"-- revolver night, .22 night, .45 night, etc.-- but you can shoot whatever you bring. If you aren't using the preferred firearm of the night, you just can't win the (small) money prize. Anyway, if you need to practice fast pistol shooting, that's a way to get some good practice and have a lot of fun. Once you can hit a 4" circle at 10 yards with some confidence, go to a bowling pin shoot. I think you get to shoot more at Bullseye than at any of the other local pin shoots, but someone correct me if I'm wrong. 7:30 to 9:30, every Thursday night.
You'll find knocking those pins down exciting and darned difficult. They're RIGHT THERE-- why won't they fall down? : ) Many great paper shooters can't get them off the table, when the pressure's on. It's a whole different skill, and directly relevant to 3-gun and all the other pistol-involved sports.
Anyway, it's good practice and a lot of fun. The Bullseye regulars are a nice bunch of folks, too.
Kuduman
