Posted: 11/21/2011 1:35:36 AM EDT
| What are some basic gear and tips to get started in 3Gun matches. I'd like,to start but am fairly intimidated. Can someone point me in the right direction. I'd like to get up and running so that in a few years my newborn daughter can compete also. Thanks! |
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First, get over the intimidation. You're not going to find nicer folks and folks willing to help out ANYONE with ANYTHING that they can.
So...because of some of the gear involved, I'd attend a match first. Find the match director and pick their brain as to what THEIR match entails. At the end of the day though, you basically need: - Reliable rifle, pistol & shotgun - Zeroed rifle, pistol and shotgun (you'd be surprised how many people don't know where anything ACTUALLY hits) - 2-4 pistol mags and pouches - 2-3 rifle mags (assuming an AR) and like 1 pouch - Some combination of things to carry your shotgun rounds * I'm partial to the Mountain Man Engineering shotshell carriers, but they can be pricey. California Competition Works has the originals and are much more affordable * Probably "need" like 4-5 of these for a "complete" setup, but again...talk to the MD about round counts Don't feel like you need to run out and spend a crap load of money. If you've got a good pistol (1911, Glock, etc.) roll with that. Any AR that'll shoot 2 MOA is good enough. Shotgun...ANYTHING is fine. You're starting out, so don't be intimidated. The folks that are good didn't become so overnight. After talking with the MD and a couple of the shooters, jump in to the pool and go from there. Anything I can do to help, just say the word. I get a lot of discounts and will happily pass them along. Rich |
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3 gun is a complicated sport, and since there is no one governing body with one rule set it really is best to go to the local match and gear up based on that. You will be shooting there the most often. I really strongly suggest you shoot several USPSA/IDPA/or IPSC matches before shooting 3gun. It will help your stage planing, and getting all the safety rules down. 3gun is 3 times the potential problems.
Check out this forum or Brian Enos. They are probably your best bet. You can spend a lot of time reading online like I did or go to your first match and let the match director know you just want to watch. Most of the time they will ask why and if it is because you don't have a shotgun they will let you borrow one. I know at the local club there is a fair amount of gun sharing going on. Lastly don't worry about getting the very best gear first. Start competing with what you have see how you like it, and as you move up and acquire new gear the old stuff can be used as backups or loaners for other new folks. |
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I would give a hard visit to Boomer Shooter. Some of the midwest's top shooters are regulars and there are enough new guys to 3-Gun for it to be very informative without the egos of some of the other forums.
Rich |
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What are some basic gear and tips to get started in 3Gun matches. I'd like,to start but am fairly intimidated. Can someone point me in the right direction. I'd like to get up and running so that in a few years my newborn daughter can compete also. Thanks! Hey - not sure where you are in TX, but I just entered my first multigun and had a blast. You should just go do it for fun. I was intimidated at first, but quickly found my groove. |
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3 Gunners are some of the nicest folks around. Must be a Texas thing then, because the first (and last) two 3gun events I went to were about as welcoming as standing in cold rain. Well, that's really unfortunate. What part of the country are you in? |
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Well, that's really unfortunate. What part of the country are you in? Michigan, yes it sucks. Thankfully I did find a group doing a 2gun thing (no shotguns, unless whoever sets up the match includes door breaching or something) that are far more friendly and about halfway closer to me (still costly, but not so much that its a once a year event for me). |
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Well, that's really unfortunate. What part of the country are you in? Michigan, yes it sucks. Thankfully I did find a group doing a 2gun thing (no shotguns, unless whoever sets up the match includes door breaching or something) that are far more friendly and about halfway closer to me (still costly, but not so much that its a once a year event for me). Well that's terrible. But 2 gun is a lot of fun as well (in some ways more fun) so just knock yourself out on that. Hopefully the other competitors are a bit more friendly as well. |