Matt in TN

Another detail I've said before but probably haven't repeated enough: EYE AND EAR PROTECTION IS MANDATORY for the shooting stages. Yes, running in glasses and earpro sucks. Sorry. There are too many steel targets with ricochet chances, and we're shooting in a cave (?!?!?), so you've got to have them. The RO's won't let you shoot without them, and you'll zero the stage. Either figure out a way to wear them for the entire course, or put them on before you get to the shooting stages and take them off when you're done and back running (which will take up time). 3G4V will be selling ear and eye protection at the Lodge if you forget yours. You can support the vets and get your required equipment all at the same time.

I'm sending emails to all competitors tonight with match details, but in the spirit of "there's no such thing as over-communication" here's what you really need to know: Registration opens at 6:30am on Saturday morning and closes at 7:30am. You will sign a waiver, pay your $50 match fee, randomly draw your start time, and perform your "no gear" weigh-in if willing. IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED BY 7:30AM YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SLOT. I have several people staying at the Lodge and showing up Saturday morning in the hopes that someone cancels at the last minute. I will give them your slot at 7:30am if you are not there. At 7:30am we'll have a Shooters' Meeting, and then you are free to relax/sleep/eat/dryfire/stress until your run time. Please show up to the start line at least fifteen minutes before your scheduled run time. We'll do the "full gear" weigh-in, and then release you to begin at precisely your assigned time. If you are not there at your scheduled run time and ready to go, you could lose your slot and have to wait until we can work you in at our leisure. We might just make you do burpees until then. I also just learned that I have a limit to how many emails I can send every half-hour, so this might take awhile. I apologize if anyone gets multiple emails while I figure all this out! Below is the most current Course Map (course is the red line). Be sure to read over the Match Details and full Course of fire in the "About" section of the Facebook Event page, or in your email. See you soon!

Staff t-shirts are in! Big thanks to Eddie Gunks at http://www.bulletguy.com/ for sponsoring the shirts, and to my daughter https://www.facebook.com/penpaperink1/ for doing all the design work!

Don't do it. It's like dating a redhead - it'll make you crazy!

Received the prizes from 300 Below today: 5 certificates for either a free rifle or shotgun cryo treatment, or two free pistol cryo treatments, and a few great cleaning mats! Their cryo fixed a wandering zero issue on my FAL years ago. Check them out at www.300below.com and be sure to thank them for sponsoring this match! And NO, MY FAL IS NOT PART OF THE PRIZE TABLE!!!

Alright - we're less than two weeks out. For those of you who have trained your whole lives for something like this, this match will be awesome! You will finally have a place you can put all of your skills together in a match that plays to your strengths, and you'll feel like a thoroughbred finally set free to run. For those of you who have NEVER attempted anything like this, are intimidated by all of the crazy workouts posted on Facebook, and are having severe second thoughts lately - it will be even better. Whatever you do, JUST DON'T QUIT. The satisfaction and self-image you will get from just finishing this course will stay with you forever, and is something no one can ever take away from you. Many people have found matches like these to be a turning point in their lives, and in a year or two you may not even recognize the person you have become. Just remember - for every person you see pass you, there is someone behind you wishing they could keep up with you. And before ANYONE judges anyone else as being "too slow, too fat, or too lazy" - bite your tongue and listen to their story first. Across the country at matches like these we've had people recovering from recent strokes, heart attacks, cancer, pregnancy, amputations, and any other issue you can think of; just because "F#$K CANCER", that's why! Give them an encouraging word when you pass them - it really makes a difference. Even better - if you pass someone really struggling on the course: finish your race, set down your gear, and run back out to find that person. You can run beside them and offer them all the words of support and encouragement that you can think of - you just can't physically help them in any way. Let's do this.

To be clear - I don't like the fact that it's not a true 1x (it's a 1.4x on the low end) and that the center cross-hairs are so heavy. It's not "perfect", but you're not going to get perfect for $200. It has served me very well for several thousand rounds on a .308 gas gun, bounced on my back for three 10k biathlons, and survived countless barrel dumps and rough handling for years. I just bought another one for a different rifle, and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. The other bonus it has is that it is the lightest scope in this class I've ever seen: 8.1 oz.

I've used a Leupold VX-HOG 1-4 for years on a FAL. It's taken a beating and still tracks well. Glass is clear and has a lifetime warranty if anything should go wrong. Reticle is simple and fast to use, with BDC marks that work well - I've made hits out to 500yds. You can find them for $200 on sale if you're patient, or $300 if you're in a hurry.

I've been threatening to buy an AR-10 for years, but just recently a few things all came together at the same time and I broke down and ordered a "modern rifle" to see what I've been missing. Today was its first test run. When I was researching these, I couldn't find many good reviews - so maybe this will help the next guy thinking about buying one. In case you can't read it - that's 0.817" at 100yds with 155gr Nosler JHPBT bullets, and 0.644" with 175gr FGMM. Note that I've done absolutely NO load development yet (the 155gr load is my old FAL load), and I was shooting this with a 4x scope with heavy cross-hairs. Adjustable gas block, tuneable brake (I hate brakes, but the combination of these two made for a very soft and flat shooting rifle), free floated keymod handguard, Timney trigger, Raptor ambi charging handle, ambi selector, and adjustable Luth-AR stock - all straight out of the box. I did the barrel break-in, set the gas and tuned the brake and it was good to go. The only part I changed was the triggerguard - I put a Magpul on there because the stock one always digs into my middle finger. I then shot some VTAC drills from 100-300yds, and where I struggle with the FAL, with this thing hits were effortless and reliable. It really was like cheating. I only have about 75rds through it so far, but it ran like a sewing machine throughout - with 10rd, 20rd, and 25rd PMAGs. Next weekend I have a 3-gun match, so we'll see how it does with a little hard use. And we'll see if I can remember where the controls are on the clock! The bad news is that I have NEVER seen one of these in stock anywhere, so I ordered mine sight unseen after doing a bunch of research and hearing some good reviews from a couple shooters I trust. The good news is that "every dealer is an Armalite dealer" - go down to your local gun shop, have them call Armalite, and they can order one for you directly. Their website always shows out of stock for some reason - but mine came really quickly. https://armalite.com/shop/ar-10-3-gun-rifle/"]https://armalite.com/shop/ar-10-3-gun-rifle/

Yoga is the beat overall exercise out there, and helps everything. Start now.

We just had a random and generous FAL guy donate the following: For the fastest (run/shoot score) Run-n-Gunner shooting a 7.62x51mm/.308win (or larger) battle rifle - 780 rounds of 145gr FMJ BT Privi Partisan .308 Winchester: For the fastest (run/shoot score) Female Run-n-Gunner - 780 Rounds of 55gr XP193 PMC-Tac 5.56x45mm: And yes, he's saying only women shoot 5.56. You expect any less from a FAL guy??? :-)

And more from our title sponsor: http://www.3gun4vets.com/ Raffle Package 1 A $5 Raffle Ticket purchased on site of the 3G4V Run n’ Gun 5k can win you any one of these items signed by John “Tig” Tiegen and help 3G4V offer free training to combat vets not already participating in practical shooting sports. John “Tig” Tiegen -– Former Marine Sergeant from 3rd Battalion 7th Marines India Company, Infantry Squad Leader from Colorado. Spent several years as a security contractor for Blackwater working for the company on missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq before going to work for the CIA’s Global Response Staff, with over 40 deployments conducting low profile security in high threat environment throughout the world. Quiet and precise, the married father of twins was the most experienced Annex Security Team member in the city. In the midst of his third trip to Benghazi, Libya for the CIA's GRS when the attack of September 11, 2012 occurred and was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US Special Mission. Tig directly saved the lives of many on his team, also was paramount in saving over 2 dozen lives while fighting off terrorists from the US Special Mission and the CIA Annex for over 13 hours. Tig received the Award For Heroism and Valor in recognition of his bravery. He is the co-author of 13 Hours along with members of the Annex Security team and NYT's best-selling author, Mitchell Zuckoff. He also consulted on the movie 13 Hours The Secret Solders of Benghazi, and helped with the set design and the movie script.

OK - last one for today. If you've never shot the cave at the Rock, there are some things you might want to know ahead of time. Here's a preview of Stage 3: Tunnel Rat, sponsored by 300° Below (http://www.300below.com/)

There have been lots of questions about the mud pits. The good(?) news is that the pits were completely dry yesterday when I ran the course, so there should be no worries about unsafe conditions or bore obstructions. We'll be knocking down some of the cockleburrs and briars before match day, and adding a rope to assist in the all-but-impossible climb up the inside of a smooth slippery tube set at a 30° upward angle. Guys with large packs may have some more trouble than those travelling light, for a few different reasons. And NO - you cannot climb over the top of the tubes - I tried that too and it was much too easy. :-) No promises yet about the barbed wire. Here's a video to give you a better idea - excuse the water drops on the lens, as it was raining (of course!).

Be warned: Kentucky has hills! Here's an elevation map of the course:

Just FYI, from our title sponsor: Get yourself a cool shirt at the 3G4V Run N Gun Presented By Rockcastle (5k Biathlon) on March 18th and support our Veterans and your sport at the same time! All inventory of shirts and hats will be on site for purchase. If you wear it during this match and tag us in a post, you will be put in a special drawing during the prize ceremony. http://www.3gun4vets.com/3g4v-swag-store

I am honored to announce a new title sponsor: 3GUN4VETS. This is an amazing company that helps our returning vets learn of a new brotherhood through 3-Gun. You'll be seeing some picture and name changes in the near future as I update various sites with their info, but in the mean time please check out their website and give them your support. Their generous sponsors will also be adding a significant load to our prize table! http://www.3gun4vets.com/3g4v-run-gun-presented-by-rockcastle

All but the cave will be scored time only. You have no more than three minutes to load your rifle (on a rifle stage) and hit all the targets. The person who completes that stage the fastest will get 100 points. Everyone slower than him will get a percentage of 100 points based on how much slower they were. If you don't hit all the targets in 3 minutes you get zero points for the stage - so it's kind of all or nothing. The cave is a little more complicated because of some logistical challenges. You still have three minutes to complete the course, but there are ten IDPA targets throughout that require two hits in the -0 zone to "clean". If you have one hit in the center and one hit in the -1 zone we'll add one second to your stage time. If you have one hit in the center and one hit in the -3 zone we'll add 3 seconds to your stage time - and so on. If you don't hit a target at all we'll add 10 seconds to your time. Fastest shooter with all penalties applied will get 100 points for the stage, with the same pro-rata point assignments for everyone else. So all stages combined have a possible 500 points. The fastest runner (minus the wait times) will get 500 points, and everyone slower will get a percentage of 500 points based on their run time. So your total score is half run time and half shoot time. Confused yet? ;-)

It is a 2 gun - rifle and pistol. Rifle must shoot rifle rounds and pistol must shoot pistol rounds, so no 9mm long guns or .223 handguns. Everything else is up to you.

Thanks, and great idea on a package for the youngest! I'll have to see what all we get donated, but I like that idea and will see if we can make that work. As for next year, all of your great ideas are already in motion. Let's get through this year first in a farily simple fashion - but next year is definitely looking bigger, longer, more complex, more competitors, etc.

I had someone not even attending the match send me a couple mag pouches they were no longer using as a donation for the prize table yesterday. Which got me thinking - I have a whole bunch of that kind of stuff I've tried over the years that for whatever reason I'm not using any more and really isn't worth selling, so I'm going to put it on the prize table too. I'd encourage eveyone to dig through their "MOLLE drawer" and bring with them anything they'd like to donate. You can clear out your junk drawer and give newer folks a chance to try perfectly good gear without having to spend a ton. Please don't bring actual "junk", but Run N Gun related items - mag pouches, holsters, belts, harnesses, chest rigs, etc. We'll do a random draw prize table so the newer competitors will have a good chance to look through gear and get something they can really put to use. And if you have a $3,000 rifle you aren't using that you want to donate, we'll take that too of course! ;-) Thanks for your consideration!

The silly little Lee powder measure is the best thing out there for Varget. Its "wiper" system deal with the large sticks better than anything else out there.

I've had mine for awhile now, and the only problem I've found is that they can't take max OAL ammo without binding. If you load to 1.150" or shorter you'll be fine. Factory Glock mags don't have this issue and can take the max OAL fine.

A true ninja would just wear a blindfold!

I am thrilled to announce we picked up another stage sponsor! Carolina Smoke and Guns will be sponsoring Stage 5: Make the Shot When It Counts. They are donating a few Aero Precision lowers and possibly a pistol for the prize table. Be sure to visit and like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/S2FCLLC/?hc_location=ufi or their webpage at http://starttofinishllc.com/ , thank them for their support, and give them a hard look if you're in the market for firearms, class III stuff, suppressors, holsters, accessories, or training! We still have three other stages available to be sponsored, and several obstacles. There's also some serious talk about a new obstacle that will be the most challenging yet: The Siren's song: 2/3 - 3/4 of the way through the course, when everyone is exhausted and really questioning why they do this to themselves (probably near the top of the big hill coming out of the cave), have a group of guys and pretty girls sitting around drinking beer/coffee/hot chocolate - heckling the people running by and trying their best to get them to quit. "Why are you doing this to yourself? If you'll just stop, you can sit down here, have a beer, and then we'll give you a ride back to the lodge where you can have a nice hot shower and good meal." Remember: in response to any ugly heckling including the words "fat", "slow", or "old", I've given the shooters permission and encouragement to issue a buttstroke to the offender. The whole point here is to encourage the people to quit, not to make them feel bad about themselves. What do you think???