[FNH USA Midwest 3-Gun NEWS]

When its all said and done, I had a lot of pleasant shooters come through my stage and a lot of them who worked real hard to score and re-set and kept up the hustle for their whole squad. And the appriciative thanks that we got at the end of a few squads goes a long way to bring us back the next year.

The Minnesota crew is certainly looking forward to seeing you in the red shirts next year!

[FNH USA Midwest 3-Gun NEWS]

I had the worst luck in the world, timer malfunction on stage 3 (reshoot), shotgun malfunction on stage 4, loaded all my shotgun shells the wrong direction in the trays on stage 7, wind blew over the steel and launched the fliers on stage 9 (another reshoot and a case of Benelli thumb from my Winchester), primer fell into and locked up the trigger of the AR on stage 1.

With all of that I had an absolute blast. We had a great squad of people to shoot with, fun travel companions, excellent weather, RO's that cared about each and every shooter's experience, i could go on and on.

Edit to add: And even with all of that I still wasn't in the bottom 10 of the TI division so I gotta be happy with that.

[R&R Racings NEW target design!]

The only complaint I could see on these targets is that if you have a CHEATER WHO SHOOTS THE FRAME WITH HIS .308 AND KNOCKS DOWN ALL THREE PLATES WITH ONE SHOT!. (the last part in all caps to give kudos to the squad mate who did this. Next one is on me Merlin).

There are times when major PF in a rifle does pay dividends....

The look on your face was priceless when you prepped for a second shot and couldn't find a plate to shoot at.

I'll have to see if I got that on video.

[3rd Annual FNH-USA Midwest 3-Gun Championships]

Doc, gotta love ya, but it was just funny to see you go up under the sub & hear a katunk when you tried to break the tow hitch.

Glad to entertain. And for my next stunt......

[3rd Annual FNH-USA Midwest 3-Gun Championships]

I don't know but were you the competitor I saw with a large bloody scrape below one knee??? Ouch!!!

Craig

Might have been me, might have been cpty1, I chewed up my right shin pretty good. Now this morning I saw my foot is all kinds of colors from the blood gravitating down the leg.

Didn't get to see the trailer hitch knee drop move, but heard that may have been a two joint blow with the other knee injuring the bumper of the Suburban. Then there was Benelli2 ice skating down the mat on stage 6 until finally doing the rubber ball bounce down the rocks. Would have like to seen that one too! Misery loves company you know.

Yeah, both legs, I got the right shin and bone bruised the left patella. Hope you're feeling better.

[3rd Annual FNH-USA Midwest 3-Gun Championships]

Also, I loved all of the different props on the stages. It was fun to watch DrJRiddle knee drop the Suburban trailer hitch into submission on Stage #7. A unique and totally unexpected tactic in my opinion.

It's a move that requires a certain mix of inexperience, lack of agility, and mud. I don't think you could master it.

[3rd Annual FNH-USA Midwest 3-Gun Championships]

My suggestion for the future would be put a few of the nicer accessories (high end optics or uppers, etc.) in plain view and hide a few gun certificates in the grab bags. That should allow top finishers a choice and make a few of the new shooters completely giddy...Just a thought.

That's an awesome idea.

[FN SLP MK1]

The only issues I have heard of are with the spring on the magazine disconnect gets weak after a awhile, this lets it double feed. I have a new spring but have not needed to install it yet.

Mine has done that intermittently from day 1. I was told by Benny Hill this weekend to put a stronger spring in it but am not sure where to find one. What is the likelihood that just getting a new one would fix it? Do the FN name plated guns come with a stronger spring? I am also going to take it apart and see if it is hanging up at all and polish the area to see if that helps cuz its been doing it since it was new. Maybe mine just came with a bad new spring.

[One shell shell holder]

I went and bought one of those nylon shell belts that hold 20 or so shells. It was on sale for $2.99. I then cut it into strips. If you remove a couple of those elastic slots that hold the shells you can leave a long enough nylon strapping on either side of 6 shell slots to put some velcro on it and strap it around your foregrip. I also took another 4 shell section and had my wife sew it to the back of a glove.

[3rd Annual FNH-USA Midwest 3-Gun Championships]

I'm one of those middle of the road competitors that is going to disagree with you. You were at least respectful in your criticism so I am just going to address your comments one by one and tell you why I disagree.

My biggest gripe was the prize table distribution. The way prizes other than guns were displayed was kind of hokie. All prizes should have been available to view to allow the competitiors to pick in their order of finish. While I understand the intent to try and reward everyone........it should be done in order of finish and not by luck of the draw with hidden grab bags. I know for a fact some of the top finishers in TO would have taken a Larue upper certificate over a gun. I personally got hosed on my selection because I chose a bag of unknown content to which I was lead to believe was a healthy prize. Yeah.....I could have pulled a gun.....but personally I did not want one and would rather have pulled something of use to me rather than pull a gun and in turn have to sell it and turn it into cash. The whole prize table should have been laid out for inspection. I know some of the competitiors who finished below half way will disagree.

Competitors did get to pick in order of finish. And there were about 20 guns on the TO table. You chose to not take one and take your chances on the "Mystery bag" (which is what I have always heard them called.)

The way I look at it is that I spend alot of money in entry fees and travel to go to a match. I also spend countless hours practicing and preparing. I feel that a good finish should be rewarded and not left up to luck of the draw.

I also spent a lot of time, money, and effort on getting to the match. I am also at the stage of my shooting that I also have to still spend a lot of money on equipment which leaves less money for practice ammo. It is going to take me longer to get better until I can divert some of that equipment money into practice ammo money. If I don't stand a chance of winning something really cool I am not going to spend the entry fees, hotel, fuel, food, etc, etc, etc to go to the big matches. Neither are the other unclassified shooters that fill out the entry lists and make it worth it for the big sponsors to give as much of their advertising budgets to the matches as they do.

Why would they donate so much in prizes if only the top 30 or 40 shooters in the region or country were going to show up? Those shooters are pretty settled with their equipment, often even sponsored. If I am looking for an advertising opportunity for my business I look for high turnout, not limited participation.

In hindsight I should have pulled one of the FN shotguns and just dealt with selling it. I would have gotten a return on the match but instead chanced it hoping to get something I actually needed and would use and took a loss and continued to watch competitors 10-20 places behind me get Larue uppers,Eotechs,Trijicon scope certificates and other healthy usable prizes.

But all in all it was a good match and I'll attempt to return next year. I learn something or mutliple somethings at every match and grow on those experiences. I saw in the match book that internet forums would be monitred for constructive criticism and expect this to be taken as nothing more.

See you all next year.

The chance of winning something really cool is what brings us new shooters to the big matches. DPMS TGC has a waiting list for anyone who hasn't been to the match for at least 3 years prior. So a new shooter has to send in their money, wonder if they are going to get in, not being able to make travel plans and take vacation time until they find out and then if they do get in invest all the other time and money to do it.

With all that hassle if there is no chance of winning something really cool we'll just stay at our little $20 local matches and have just as much fun shooting paper and steel targets. And without large crowds, the sponsors for your big matches will go away.

Please be happy that new and young shooters are being given great incentives to join the sport and not being chased away by good shooters who just complain because they chose to pass up a gun that was put in front of them.

[Shotgun / Rifle Classes for 3 gun Competition]

I need a refresher - last year after the class I did great at the TGC (great for me, my first 3 gun match). This year after a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long winter I am back to early season form.

Count me in.

[Zeroing slugs in a Winchester SX-2]

I also have an SX2 that shoots high and left with slugs but perfectly with shot. It has shot that way with from day 1 before I got the mag extension and clamp as well as after.

I had a friend test it for me before my first match since I did not have time to do it. He told me it was off so I just trusted him and put the front sight on the lower right part of the paper and got 9 of 11 "A" hits from b/w 50 and 120 yards on the first stage.

I still just hold it low and right on slug targets. Some day I will try some different stuff but for now it is at least 100% consistent and I can work with it.