Vlad

So the contention here is that one way of measuring an angle is somehow dramatically better then another way of measuring an angle? Interesting.

I'd say at whatever distance your BDC reticle says it should be zero'ed at in the manual, then find/pick/load an ammo that actually matches it. With a Razor 1-6, I zero at 200 and 68gr bullets moving 2850 match the BDC or so close as to not matter.

I use the dillon one for .223

I give up, perhaps you should only shoot matches where the scoring is exactly what you want to be.

Pick whatever numbers you want, would you prefer 42, 100101000101, and C? As long as you pick the same numeric base with valid relative values it doesn't matter. I think you are stuck on something that doesn't make sense to the rest of us. Counting targets is also pretty dumb, because 3 paper targets at 10ft and 3 targets at 450 yards are not equal.

Eh? Are you saying that experienced match directors can't look at a stage and guess how long it would take? Look at the results, they got it right, it isn't subjective that a stage that has you running up and down the hills will take longer that a stand and shoot.

FNH does it that way, they assign different point values to various stages based on their relative "length", they had 3x125pt stages, 3x100pt and 4x75pt. Worked out pretty well I think.

Well for example you might a different type of crimp that the Lee crimp die which can cut into plated or moly/plastic bullets. You might want a micrometer adjustable sitting die either because you are loading different bullet profiles or length and you want to change often, or maybe because you don't like how consistent the Lee sitter is with your chosen bullet profile. There is nothing wrong with buying a set of lee dies, making a few thousand rounds, then looking back back and asking yourself what you wish would work differently and then looking for the individual dies that do what you want. Its kinda like buying a set of kitchen knives and silverware, go buy the "new homeowner" set at Walmart, and then add and replace as you know what you prefer.

Sure, there are a number of things that do, some car racing for example where each race or leg earns you points, instead of adding your total time at the end. It is far from the only example, and a pretty good matching to stages as a part of a match

I don't think I use a single die "set" for any caliber. Maybe my 45 set is actually a full Lee set. For everything else I use a mixture of dies depending on what I need/like. For example in 40 I use lee sizing die, dillon powder die, redding (I think?) sitting die, and a Dillon crimp die. For .223 I'm even worse, RBCS x-die sizer, Forster sitting die, Lee crimp. So you can certainly just buy a set and use it, and Lee's dies work, but don't be surprised if you keep changing them out for that "perfect" combo.

Well NJ mag limit is 15, and by USPSA rules it means that Open and Limited are also automatically limited to 15.

Yep, there are like 3-4 USPSA matches within an hour, a couple of IDPA ones, steel, etc. Its just that our laws suck, but shooting sports are well and alive.

I just use a Maxpedition Jumbo Versapack. Big enough to hold mags, water, ammo, and a gun, not big enough so I can fill it with crap I don't need until it develops its own gravitational pull and and you can place mags around it an a stable satellite orbit

Didn't help me any

I for one would like to see less rule sets, specially when they vary a lot. For example, I wish we all agreed on how many guns we can dump in a barrel, or what counts as a loaded gun when abandoned. Differences in rules end up with people going home early if they forgot which particular set of rules applies here or there. For that I welcome the notion of using an existing rule set in use by other matches.

I was listening to a podcast (and now I don't remember which one, Ben Stoeger's maybe?) which at some point addressed this issue, the "first stage jitters". This was an interesting one to me, because I get them at every major match at the first stage, stomach flutters, heart racing, shaky knees, etc. The podcast had a brilliant insight, or at least I thought it was brilliant. What you are experiencing is your body getting into fight or flight mode. Your body is trying to shut off functions not needed for a fight, turning up your heart rate and breathing to get you pumped up and ready for what is coming, blood is being pumped into the muscles, etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response Once I started thinking of it this way, I decided to embrace it. My body is trying to get me ready to go faster, stronger, further. Sure, some of its choices might be poor (damn it, I don't need you to loosen my bowels and bladder right now, that might work on the savanna but its embarrassing on the range), some of the loss of fine motor control and the shaking aren't going to come in handy, but just being aware that this is what is going on means you can stop fighting it and adjust your reactions to it. I now welcome it, while still dreading it a bit. Better knowing what is going on, means I can work on accepting the positives and mitigating the negatives.

Actually that is what I have a slight issue with. Just because the 3 guns can be used for many things, it doesn't mean they need to be used that way in 3gun. We are wondering off topic here, because really I think the match was awesome so this not a complaint about it, but I think we shouldn't start having 1000 yard shots because rifles could do that, or starting having complex on report multi clay presentations because shotguns could do that or 25 yard minuscule pistol targets because pistols could do that. It is a game, but it is a "practical/tactical" type game, so at some point it becomes something else that isn't that. If I wanted to shoot clays, I could shoot clays instead of 3gun matches. Everything in moderation.

Please don't Jim!

Tom, I'm sure you've heard all the advice in the world so I won't try to give you any. But I'll tell you this, you build good guns, and you made a difference to me because I now actually enjoy shooting shotgun. The gun you built me has had ZERO failures this entire season. You owe me nothing but I owe a lot of fun I've had with it, so know that there people across the country that give a shit weather you are a live or not. You make a difference to the shooting sports and from I sit that matters.

That's what I assumed, I like them as shotgun targets but it seems to me that they would remove some of the options in how to approach a stage.

Hmm ... I assume those are not pistol safe or are they tough enough?

As long as possible because I think it gives me options on where I can rest my rifle, and I have long arms. Also CF and aluminum are light enough that a few extra inches won't make a big difference to balance.

For some reason I can't visualize what you guys mean by pipe or angle iron. Can you point me to a picture?

Yes. Not that the Razor is not a great scope this one just has more to offer at the same price. Hmm. ok. I guess to me exposed turrets and mils are a downside not a plus side, and personally I don't like the large donut, but I can understand why someone else would.

To be fair though, for me the presentation was consistent, I just know a number of people were complaining about issues when they ran the stage.