sapper

oops; correction to my last reply above; I said I can keep it inside the first ring at twenty meters; I meant twenty feet. I wish I were that good.

I am not a competition shooter but I do shoot and own many different handguns. I have to qualify in the military with the Berretta M9 which is the 92f. I purchased a Ruger LCR last year to carry in a fanny pack while running and made the mistake of letting my wife borrow it. When I tried to get it back she said she wanted to keep it and would let me purchase any handgun I wanted within reason. I went the next day and bought a Kimber Crimson Pro Carry II. I will not pretend it is in the same league as Wilson or Les Bear but it is extremely accurate and allot less expensive. I can consistently shoot inside the first ring at twenty meters; and when I don’t it is the shooter, not the gun. It was the first 45 had really ever shot and at first would get an occasional FTE. I took it to the shop that has a range and quickly learned from an old pro that it was my anticipation of the recoil or possibly limp wristing that was causing the issue; I was so used to the a low recoil of the 9mm and 40 that it took me some time to get used to shooting a cannon . Since then I have fired hundreds of rounds and had zero malfunctions. I have read many reviews that say the Kimber is not as well made as they used to be but I very happy with the gun I bought especially for the price. It shoots great and after I fixed the screw holding the trigger it has been flawless. I am currently deployed and have the opportunity to buy a commemorative Colt M1991A1 with a 5” barrel that is matte stainless steel with the unit patch. It looks great but I am not sure where it might stand when compared to the Kimber or other high end 45’s.

I think my barrel is 26" but I'm not sure about the choke. It is an all original out of the box 1100 Remington but the barrel seems a little thinner than some I have seen. I am only guessing but I think it was purchased around 1985 (does that sound right)? I go on leave in 6 days and will take a closer look when I get home. I agree about not using it too much and my wife has still agreed to buy a new gun for a welcome home present but that is not until April. I will have a chance to look around the WEB for used guns until then. I will definitely go to a few matches and get a firsthand look before I spend the money. As for the practice your right; my kids sent a picture of our back yard and it is now a skeet range with two throwers and a table. I think my leave plans have been made for me. Thanks again for of the advice. I can't wait to get home and get started.

Thanks; this all great advice; I did look on line for the Winchester X2 Practical but have not had allot of luck, and I’m not sure I would be fast enough with a pump; I struggle trying to hit double clay targets with one. I also looked at new barrels and magazine extension for the 1100 and looks like I can get this for around $300.00. I may use the 1100 until I get my feet wet, I just don’t want to abuse it too much as it was my dad’s. Also on another note; before I deployed my wife let me purchase an Elacn 1 to 4 specter sight. When going through the rifle section in a 3 gun event do you have to switch from close to far targets quickly or do you have a little time? I saw on a video an AR that had a scope on top and a CCO on the side. The shooter would just turn the rifle to side to fire at the close targets. The Elcan has a lever that allows you to switch from 1 to 4x in a split second. Is the Elcan a good site for 3 gun and is it legal. I have not read anything about the Elcan or other similar sites being used. Also thanks again for everyone’s advice. You guys are like having a big brother that knows everything. Your advice will keep me from making a mistake and learning a lesson the hard way.

Thanks; I have been thinking about it and will probably try a match or two with my 1100 or the Franchi, I don't mind a little hard use but since both are special I really don't want to modify them or over use them. I am not sure how handicapped I will be with the short magazine tube but it's just for fun. I live north of Gainesville so there should be plenty of opportunity in the area. I also travel around Ft Benning allot and I see matches are common in the Columbus area. I am blessed that I have family property and get to shoot all I want so I really think this will be a good activity to keep my boys interested as they get a little older. I really want them exposed to other shooters and techniques; anything to keep them interested and not get bored or complacent. I have a 9 and 11 year old and both are pretty good but more importantly they are both very safe. I have not seen any posts about youth 3 gun. Is this something that is not really appropriate or just not caught on. My wife says that the kids can't stop watching all of the you tube videos about 3 gun competitions.

Hi; thanks everyone for the advice. I can't wait to get home and get started. After looking through the forums I am really getting the fever. I agree that maybe I need to visit a few matches and see what everyone else is doing. I just don’t want to wait too long to buy the new shotgun since my wife may change her mind and not buy it. I will be home in December for two weeks of R&R leave. I will look at some of the suggested sites and see if any 3 Guns competitions are in the area and go from there.

Hi; I am new to the site as well as new to posting on a forum. I hope I am in the right area. I will be home from Afghanistan in April and want to try 3 gun. I have several handguns and 1 AR. I also have a 48 Franchi and 1100 Remington that are both inherited. I really don't want to expose them to the abuse of 3 gun. For a redeployment gift my wife has agreed to by me a new shotgun. It looks like the 1100 and m2 or m4 Benelli are great but by the time they are ready it would be more than I can spend. I have now looked at a 3500 Stoegher but can't find an extended magazine. It appears the FNH MK1 is next in the price range and it comes with the long magazine. Does anyone have advice on my best choice for under $1000 ready to use? And also is there 3 gun for youth age 11? I live in north Georgia if there are any clubs. Thanks in advance for the advice!!