Howard762

The applications for the 2017 Invictus Practical Mid-Atlantic Multi-Gun Championship Applications are now available! Here is that link: http://tinyurl.com/2017-MAMGC-APP This match is unique in the world of major outlaw 3 gun matches in several respects; 1. You can shoot the whole match in one day. Either Saturday, or Sunday. 2. Prizes are all checks. This means you don't have to stick around for a prize table. If you shoot on Saturday you can go home Saturday night. 3. The prizes are generous. We pay out 50% of the gross. That is a lot of money. Nearly $10,000. Which isn't bad considering there are only 154 shooters. 4. We give prizes way down the list in Tac Ops. By using a modified Lewis class payout scheme if you pick your class correctly and shoot to the best of your ability you have a chance to win hundreds of dollars even if you are way towards the bottom. 5. We're about as far north and east as any major 3 gun. Only Topton's team 3 gun is farther north or east, and it's a great match but it's not for individuals. That's why we draw a lot of shooters from the northeast and Canada on a regular basis. 6. We keep our squads to a reasonable size and there's not a lot of standing around. We run our matches much more like USPSA than 3GN or typical outlaw matches. This 7 stage match will fill up quickly. Do not hesitate to sign up if you want your choice of days. If you have questions please comment and I will answer them here so everyone can see the answer. If you want to know others probably do too.

It was possible that some shooters shot 4 bay stages and one other, most shot only 4.. We've done it that way for years. This year we were just smart enough to schedule it that way in the book. It makes a big difference to the ROs to get done that hour and twenty minutes earlier Saturday. It also gives us time to get the results together and checked before the banquet. Even doing the one extra stage thing on Saturday I was there until 5:15 overseeing tear down. It would have helped if some of the bay stages were a little smaller and faster too. We're always learning. On the bright side there were no back-ups on stage 2 like year's past. If you don't understand the sacrifice the staff makes to run a match like this perhaps you should work a few. If you have then you shouldn't complain. Just say thank you. Thanks to all for coming out.

Not Rich, but I know there is. Get your apps in the mail. H-

Barricade stops have been allowed for years, and will be again for this match. Without size requirements, or limitations. It is possible that on stage 3 you will turn your gun and maybe your barricade will offer some support, but there is a wall there offering support as well. We will do an equipment inspection at the beginning of the first stage. If you have anything other than a rail "1/2 maximum height", QD mount "1/2 maximum height", or bipod stud "1/2 maximum height", on your gun you will be given a chance to remove it. After the walk-through of your first stage (at that stage or any subsequent stage) if you have it on your gun you will be moved to Open without warning.

No.

If the light is poor we will not shoot it until Saturday. You should blow right through the first 4 and I have a crack team of ROs working 2. I don't foresee a back up there this year.

No. They have been accepted for years. It is things being added to the bottom of the hand guard and magazines that are a growing problem.

Questions I answered today in an email. I want all to be able to see them. Stage 3 How narrow are the vertical slats? I am assuming shooting rifle horizontal to ground? Correct. Probably 3-4" inches. Stage 5 Says 4 gongs - diagram only shows 3? A mistake, it should say 3. Stage 10 What is the brown square? Is that a wall? A roof to shoot off of? Or a visual block? The Peacemaker house, which is something you cannot shoot, and targets will be placed so you won't. I also was asked about flashlights on pistols. They are weights and serve no other purpose. They will not be allowed in divisions other than open.

Nothing may be on a rifle in Tac Ops, Tac Lim and HM, that may be used for support. This includes monopods of any width. All ROs will be instructed and I expect consistent enforcement. I don't know of any instances where it was not last year. I do like your "nothing attached to handguard" idea and can see implementing that.

Yes, couplers are OK as long as they don't have wings. Even the MBX. There are no mag restrictions in Tac Ops or Tac Lim aside from only two mags coupled.

The new MBX AR mag coupler bases with wings are really cool, but we don't want an arms race a month before the match so this item is not up for discussion. This is my determination as Range Master and next year if you like we can revisit it. First, let me say all the stage descriptions say "Gun lying flat on table". Standing up on these things does not meet the "flat" requirement. The RO should not let you start like that but if for some reason you do the penalty is 60 seconds per rule 6.1.10.2 "If it is determined by the Range Master that a participant started a stage in a position other than that as stated in the stage description, a procedural penalty shall be applied and if the opinion of the range master a competitive advantage was gained a 60 second procedural penalty shall be applied. Either penalty shall be applied without consideration of the participant being given a reshoot." Second, while you are allowed to use a magazine or even a coupled mag for support, adding stabilizers is not in the intent of the tactical and heavy metal divisions. It will be OK in Open, but if you use it for support in any other division you will be moved to Open. The rules specifically forbid supporting devices in all divisions other than Open.

There are a lot of rumors about the FN Championship. I know Linda is commenting also, but let me dispel some of them: 1. Staff will be resetting the targets. We have 57 staff at this point. That's 5-6 per stage. The same as years' past. Some stages have more, some less depending on terrain etc. On average they are the best, most experienced staff we have had to date. As a whole I am extremely pleased with the quality of this year's staff and would put them up against any major in the country, in any sport. I am comfortable with 57. That being said, I always have room for high quality ROs. Always have, always will. 2. The prize table will still be the best in all of 3 gun. Dave is really doing well with this. He must have a ton of friends in the industry because even with the downturn in sales hitting the firearms market he is hitting balls out of the park on a consistent basis. 3. We will be having a banquet like year's past which is really heads above the other matches in the country. It is one of the things that separate this match from the others and this tradition continues. It will be the same place as last year. 4. The ladies from the church who did lunch last year will be doing it again this year. Yes, it's also the best match food in the country. 5. The match is full. It filled quickly and there are 50 people on the waiting list. If you're in, and you have any doubts just email Linda and someone else will be happy to take your spot. So far, I believe two things will change: 1. We will have less carnival type stuff. No weird shooting positions. No throwing things. Pure shooting tests. That's what we're into. 2. We are looking into doing the shooter meeting on the internet. Dave is working on a power point presentation that shooters will be able to view on their devices ahead of time that addresses all of things we used to do in person. This will save may of you a hotel room for one night if you choose to do so. Particularly those who shoot an afternoon first. I am proud of this match. Linda, AJ, and I have 5 years of labor into making it one of the best matches in the country. One of the world's leading firearms manufacturers is still a driving force in this match. Dozens of past sponsors stand with us again. Some things have changed. Larry has moved on to other things. There have been other changes in the company and the industry. But with 75% of the original match staff intact and the addition of Dave, we believe we will at least be as great as we always were, and quite possibly better. I look forward to seeing you on the range. Howard C. Thompson Range Master 2016 FN Championship

FWIW I didn't like the boat stage either for all of the above reasons. I prefer shooting tests. I also tried to talk the MD out of the throwing the boat anchor thing. I expect to have a lot more pull this year. Howard Thompson RM/AMD 2016 FN Championship

I've got several thousand through my A5. Only thing I've ever replaced was a $6 Carrier Latch Spring. My lifter is not welded. No reason to. I run mine lubed but not soaking wet ( Iike FP-10). Never rusted inside or out. I prefer 1200 fps 1.125 oz shot and Remington reduced recoil slugs. 100% reliable. I've owned Remingtons, FNs, and Benellis. I wouldn't go back to any of them.

Yes

Yes, two.

I'm still taking applications for staff. So far, I've got an all-star crew. Maybe the best ever assembled.

Sunday is filled. There are still a few slots open for Saturday.

There are a few Saturday slots left, H-

Iggy 42 - I would think previous shooters will have an advantage. Linda is in charge and once she gets something in her system that works she sticks with it. Nickoli - Generally we start registration for non-staff on April 1. Jadeslade - You got the only speeding ticket we've ever issued. We're actually very lenient. I didn't like that boat stage either. That was all Larry. I would expect very little of that kind of stuff this year.

I believe they will. I'm going to ask them for sure.

I'm sure Mike will answer this, but York only has 200 yards max. I'm pretty sure Mike is running a classifier on the rifle range that is similar to the shoot-off, where it has 8" plates on a 50 yard plate rack. So, yes 1x should be fine. I'd be willing to bet Mike will be shooting a 1x in Practical.

Dave Sevigny is the guy from FN in charge of this match. Technically, I guess he's the Match Director and I am the Range Master, although I'll do some of each. Linda is back to do registration and stats. Titles aren't as important as getting it done right. If you paid attention over the last few years you could tell it was always kind of nebulous exactly who wore what hat, but we all worked to make the match run smoothly and fairly. AJ Williams is our QM again and I expect most of our staff to return again this year. I'm happy to have already heard from tons of them. I think they're the best in the business. For the most part we are just going to follow the path that Larry and I blazed over the last 5 years. I'm confident that the quality of the match will be on par with it's reputation. I'm sure it will have the same half day format and scheduling as year's past. Although since we always shoot 4 stages Thursday afternoon we may just schedule it that way from the start, which will ease confusion. We're looking at 10 stages again. That worked out well last year. The entry fee is going from $295 to an even $300. I had no idea Ken was no longer with FN. Larry has moved on to bigger and better things. I'm sure both of them will excel wherever they end up, and continue to do great things for the shooting sports. They are both great guys, and were a pleasure to work with. Both of them were integral to getting this match started, but the show must go on, and it will.

Staff applications are now available for the 2016 FN 3 Gun Championship. Staff will shoot on August 30th and 31st, and work on September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This is a great match to work. If you're interested email me at hkbrt@verizon.net and I'll email you the staff application. Contact me if you have any questions. I don't know when competitor applications will be available, but typically we start accepting them April 1st. Howard C. Thompson Range Master 2016 FN 3 Gun Championship

There are still slots available for both days. We're getting a lot of response and expect to fill up, but so far it's been perfectly even between Saturday and Sunday. I don't think choice of days will last forever though.