Brazos

Popo, One thing to remember...if this match is like the last two, you will have only 1-3 targets past 400 yards...total. Most of the long range stage targets are scattered from 150 to 375. Last year one target was at about 525 and two others where between 400 and 500. Dont kill yourself with a zero to hit the long stuff that slows you down too much on the easier closer targets. I would suggest a 200 yard zero, its most useful for what you will see a lot of... And know how to adjust quickly to a 450 and that will solve the other targets downrange.

WooHoo I am in too! Nothing like being able to sleep in my own bed AND shoot the best 3 Gun of the year! I have a 1000 yard range less than 30 minutes from the match site and I will be hosting a little warm-up shooting on Friday before the match and we will have a few LaRue targets along with some other toys...

I was one of the RO's on that stage and spent most of my time handling the ACR. We had two early rifles that where both marked Dallas, TX. Serials where 00056 and 00031. I was told by the AMU folks that these two had been Proving Ground rifles...and they showed it. We put plenty of rounds thru each rifle at the end of every day. Overall I was impressed. I liked the Ergos overall and it handled well. Much better balanced than I expected. The charging handle was well placed, as was the mag release. I didnt care for the stock LOP adjustment, it was pretty rough and hard to adjust, but it was sturdy once positioned. Becuase of the piston system, the sights seemed higher, with more off-set than an AR. The trigger was very good, particularly on FA. Speaking of FA...it was very fast cycling. Too fast...the first half of the RO's that shot the stage did so with the gas setting on "U" for un-suppressed. With the can on and the gas system open it ran like a scalded cat. Still was fast on the "S" setting, but was very easy to control. Supressed OK, but no way of knowing how many rounds the M4-1000's mounted on the two rifles had had thru them. At the end of the match on Sunday I tried to remove the cans...no go. They had so much carbon build up that they wouldnt budge. Several have mentioned jamming. The first day both rifles where having issues with the supplied P-mags. After the switch to standard GI 30's one ran fine, the other would still hang up. That rifle would mostly jam a round that was only halfway free of the mag...all were feeding issues. I do recall a couple of dry gun jams on the other that we ran almost exclusively (and one round-over-bolt...glad I took learned the drill for that!). We really pushed the rifle we ran (the one that didnt jam) and only gave it a squirt or two of CLP once a day. Thats a lot of rounds in a dirty gun with very few issues.

Are any additional staff needed for this match? B

Does anyone have a pic, or a link to a pic, of a breaching door that can be used in a match? I know I have seen one recently...maybe in Frontsight. The door is a barricade frame that has a stick holding the door closed...shoot the stick to "breach" the door. Thanks, B

As the presient of our local USPSA club and an active 3 Gunner, I think this is an excellent concept. I can see tremendous potential for this to bring new folks and a new attitude from the LE community to the shooting sports as a whole. I will agree that enticing LE out to shoot is one of the most difficult and challenging aspects of running a club. That said, I think offering them a venue to compete where they are comfortable is great idea. If you have a match in Texas I will volunteer my time as RO or staff. B

I'm not Taking Shots. Just making observations. If I have mis-understood the rules to define opinion as purgorative, then I shall desist. R-Shooter, re-read my posts above. Words mean things. Secondly, I'm not going to debate you point by point because I think its clear we are coming at this from two different angles...you are focused on rules that standardize equipment (becuase you think equipment wins) and that minimizes expense for the shooter. If you are looking for a sport that wont cost much, this aint it. My point is: the rules (equipment AND scoring) should allow the best shooter to rise to the top given a set of equipment rules that are reasonable in application and that allow the shooter to solve the Stage-problem in a free-style fashion that makes the best use of his/her skills. You asked above if two like skill level shooters match up, would equipment not make the difference? Your view is that it is the best STUFF that wins...it's not. The best shooter wins. And that folks, is why we are at the match: To find the best shooter. I'm glad we all get to shoot different matches with different rules. It adds spice to the game we would be the lessor for it if one set of rules pre-dominated. I've never been one to sit around and make my business complaining...I prefer solutions. Not everyone feels that way, thats what makes being an MD so much fun! B

$50 B

I don't see it. How can you be in the IMGA camp? Each IMGA match has it's own rules. There is a lack of consistency between the matches. Where can you wear your pistol mag pouches in Tac Iron/Scope? There is no universal rule with the IMGA based matches. How many shells can you load in Tac Iron/Scope shotgun? Again... There is no universal rule with the IMGA based matches. etc. What's so great with the IMGA equipment rules? What exactly does it have over the USPSA equipment rules? With USPSA there is one... ONE set of rules. With IMGA? How many differing equipment rules do the IMGA matches have? Thanks for making my point for me. I dont really care where you carry your mag pouches...put them on a string around your neck or on the back of your hat, I dont give a damn and the rules shouldnt either. IMGA rules are beauty in thier simplicity when it comes to rules. There are five or six points of eqiupment that could be easily hashed out with the shotgun capacity being the most debated. But if the rules where 9 in the gun and an MD didnt think that was fair he could stipulate only 5 or 6 or 7 or 1 loaded to start. An experienced MD can make the stage force the shooter to do what he wants him to do. If the shooter does what the MD didnt want...then he should have drawn the stage better. How may different rules do IMGA matches have equipment wise? A few, but I've read most of them and there is very little difference between them that could'nt be accounted for by MD preference. The difference in equipment rules at IMGA events does not bother me. I wont win or lose because my SX2 only holds 8 rounds and another guy has 9 to start. Neither will you beat me JUST because you have a Beta...bring it, I aint skeered. The scoring system will, and has, created havoc; thats the part I think we could do better. It suprises me that some here seem to think the solution should also be easy. I dont get that (although in this case it mostly is easy...), if we are in this to please the lowest common denominator then maybe everyone should use bolt guns. B

How long has the San Angelo method been in the rulebook? 2-3 years? Can you honestly say that it has been widely adopted by the clubs nationwide? I daresay that it hasn't caught on. Nobody in So Cal is using it. Probably in all of Kalifornia only Richmond uses it. I'm sure there are a couple of clubs in Texas that use it. And maybe 5-10 or so more in other states. It doesn't strike me as being succesful. I mean if San Angelo is the "hands down the best for ease of use and functionality" why would the BOD OK time plus? USPSA should allow a unified power factor. A unified power factor allows MG to be scored just like a regular USPSA pistol match (with enhanced valuation on certain targets) and you are rewarding power (unlike time plus). I never said it was widely adopted by anyone. However, if you use it you will see that it works. And it works well. Since I am in Texas, I dont really care what they do in California (and frankly alot of whats done in California we can all do without...), but I do think that the SA method has shown remarkable growth in such a short time. Is it easy for a novice to use? No. But I dont see many novices running 3 Gun matches either... The BOD may have blessed time plus becuase there are so many people out there that cant or wont give a little effort to understanding how to run the program. Time plus is easy. A no brainer. Maybe thats why it appeals to IDPA. (OK, sorry...but we all know its true.) As far as RO's that cant score a stage becuase they are not Professional RO's...thats pretty lame. Take a lesson in score card writting or take a few minutes to make everyone understand how it works. If us Texas Rednecks can figure it out, the rest of the Nation shouldnt have any trouble. For the record, I dont think anyone should be FORCED to do anything. But some ways are more right than others... B

As a USPSA club president, scoring officer, 3 Gun competitor, 3 Gun Match director, and having shot SMM3G, RM3G, Benning, Tx State3 Gun, etc.. I'll allow that IDPA/Time Plus scoring does reward accuracy. But so does USPSA scoring, while AT THE SAME TIME allowing for the correct handicapping of major and minor PF weapons. Even in the same stage. I think the most important benefit of this is that it allows the shooter to retain the concept of FREE-STYLE shooting. Want to slow down and make perfect hits? Do so, and reap the benefits. Think you can run it fast and take some C hits? Go for it and see what the timer says. You are robbed of this by any other scoring regime. Dont underestimate the value of Power Factor scoring either... I know many top level competitors that shoot a minor PF gun (with greater mag capacity and lower recoil) at IMG rules matches and a major PF gun at USPSA scored matches. Thats great for them, but it puts the rest of us at a disadvantage. I like spending money on guns too, dont get me wrong. But PF scoring levels the field back to shooting ability, not the size of your wallet. That is why we do this right? The San Angelo method is hands down the best for ease of use and functionality, IMHO. Many experienced folks have responded to this thread, but I suspect that many more here have never scored a match. Get a copy of EZ-Win Score and try it out. Go volunteer at a match to do some scoring and then let me know what you think. As far as equipment rules go...I'm in the IMGA camp there. USPSA has some work to do on that end... B

Kevin, Glad that the 2.5 of you will be able to make it Saturday evening - the place is recommended by the local folks and their website looks pretty good too - lots and lots of meat!! Are you shooting your 9mm SBR or a .223 for this? Doug 9mm with a CompM. Should be fun. I hope there's no prone...I'll have to shoot laying on my side! B

I'll be there along with Mia (and 4/9th's). Great idea Doug. B

I dont care for the lottery either. Plus, if I cant shoot against the best shooters in the country instead of just the one's lucky enough to get drawn, then that's just one more reason for me not to go. Now, Relgious Shooter, I dont know you or who you are, but all this excuse making about the old system versus the new really doesnt impress me all that much. Take a look at Ft. Benning 3 Gun. They had a mail-in policy, NO over-night excepted (so no $30), the match was as big as SMM3G and they had notices out to the shooters accepted within a few days of receipt of application. Not that hard. Is their system perfect? No. But it does seem that some folks out there can do what SMM3G does...WITHOUT a lotto. I wont be back. Too bad, it was a fun match. B

I have a Millet DMS-1 with over 1000 rounds fired from under it with no issues. In fact, I have another that I bought for my 6.8 that I take to matches as a back-up. Anything can break, I suppose...but for less than one of the Meopta's (40% less) I have two DMS-1's. YMMV. B