SinistralRifleman

Sweet got a team assembled already. Should be fun.

Scores are posted: http://www.azcdl.org/2011July4scores.pdf Kelly Neal First Place Scoped and Overall. Mike Panone First Place Reflex and second overall. Russell Phagan First Place Trooper and fourth overall Grant M First Place Iron Ron A First Place Open Trooper was the most popular division with 20 competitors. http://www.azcdl.org/html/rifle_match.html

Great action and good selection of modern guns and equipment. I dunno if the acting was bad or the writing was bad. I felt all the dialogue outside of the battle scenes was contrived. Overall I enjoyed it.

Each tube only holds 4 shells then has to be manually rotated. These were at SHOT Show a few years ago. Not sure whatever happened to them since then. Probably a good option for LE/Mil if it works due to instant load selection, but the need for the tube to rotate every 4 shots limits the utility for competition shooting. Joe4D the Keltec has two tubes and they do not rotate, the shooter selects which tube they want to feed out of manually.

I think this is the first year they've held it...

I'm trying to get a junior shooter involved in multi-gun, and shotgun seems to be the biggest hurdle in doing so. I think a 20 gauge would be easier for her to use for her size and stature, but the shell carrier options are a lot more limited. I know some people here are using 20 gauges, what shell carriers are you using?

I'm using Mechanix gloves with the fingers cut off. It helps with holding hot barrels, but the main thing I'm liking about shooting with gloves on is that I feel I can get into and out of positions faster and more aggressively without hurting my hands.

They get in the way for supporting or bracing off barricades. Every time I see someone using one at multigun matches they run into situations where they would be better served by a smooth fore end on the bottom. I don't think most of the users even notice when its a detriment and its costing them a few seconds here or there because they aren't supporting as effectively.

Packing list has been updated, apparently it now requires that one of the team be a precision rifle shooter: http://www.survivaltrial.com/packlist.php

Good job Chuck! TROOPER POWER!!!

Complete write up here: http://sinistralrifleman.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/ironman-2011-after-action-report/

Coyote Tactical can make one of these sized for you/built to your specifications: http://sinistralrifleman.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/coyote-tactical-3-gun-vest/

All 10 stages are up in their entirety on my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/SinistralRifleman?feature=mhee

This was certainly the most logistically efficient and organized Ironman I've attended. We were done shooting by 6:30 the first two days, and scores/prizes were done rapidly the last day as well. I think a good balance has been struck between making stages longer and more challenging than most 3-gun matches, and still making it so everything runs on schedule. The stages presented a good mix of accuracy based shooting and hosing. I liked the stages that combined going from mowing down a bunch of targets rapidly to precision shots with tight no-shoots and small targets. I got POV footage of all the stages and will be uploading them in the following days. The level of competition in Trooper division has definitely been upped. I'm glad to see the division I helped create attract more shooters in general and more upper tier shooters. Congrats to Chuck on the win, and Ben proves that it isn't entirely an arms race in Trooper by finishing second with his Tac-Scope division gear. Anyone who finishes in Trooper at Ironman can consider that an accomplishment regardless of placement.

I saw on the youtube that a Glock 22 police trade in is the way to go. I am told they "totally shred".

From the match director:

You use both. People without a precision rifle just engage the bonuses with their normal rifles. I've gotten hits at 500 and 600 with my AR before. Unless you're really good with a precision rifle and you're going to bang out all the bonuses fast, its really not worth fixating on those few targets vs the time it takes to actually hit them. Bang out the required minimum rounds giving it an honest try and move on. People have discussed for Trooper division bringing a semi auto 7.62 precision rifle and using them for all the long range stages in trooper, and using either a 5.56mm carbine or subgun for the rifle targets on the close range stages. As of yet no one has actually done it.

I don't think it needs to be every stage, but presenting problems (such as roll over prone) where its an inconvenience or annoyance would be worthwhile in doing on a regular basis. I definitely shoot slower without one, but it is nicer even shooting regular prone on a sandy range not kicking up as much dirt.

If you could handle Tiger Valley last year, you could handle Ironman. Trooper up in 2012 ;-)

Chrome lined barrels last 20-40k, chrome moly and stainless barrels last 10-20k depending on how hard and fast you shoot them. Unless your barrel is at the end of its service life already I don't see that happenning. Even if you really screw up and shoot 3-4 mags rapidly on several stages, that doesn't wear out a barrel. I think some people might do it after the fact to feel better about not being able to hit anything at the match.

Why not just get an Aimpoint and shoot in Tac-Limited. Aimpoints are not cheap and in my opinion shooting a good variable is more fun because it allows you to use the rifle to its potential. A red dot is great for close stuff but you lose on long range targets. Pat When he said "training tool" I assume he meant something for shooting tactical rifle classes as well. The way his rifle is set up it looks like that is more his intent than 3-gun. Anything with limited eye relief will be limiting in different ways, we normally don't encounter in 3 Gun. Fortunately Tac-Limited/Tac-Iron now gives people with normal home defense/duty carbines a place to play and be competitive with red dots. Used aimpoints can be found for less than ~400 with mounts regularly.

Why not just get an Aimpoint and shoot in Tac-Limited.

Dot size is the only real disadvantage. Field of view isn't really an issue if you mount it all the way back. Read Erik Lund's "Inside the Ring" article.

California Comp works makes a MOLLE compatible style with UM84 attachment. The toober vest does not have MOLLE on the front though, it is purpose built to accept the UM84 style attachments with a 2.75" wide section of rigid nylon to attach them to.

It'd be nice if we more regularly had stages that showed the practical limitations of the equipment we use. The general lack of stages that show the disadvantages of comps, demonstrates yet again that equipment now drives stage design rather than stage design driving equipment. The important thing to learn here is, "is a comp something I really want on my rifle if I'm using it for anything other than matches?" or "what level of muzzle blast is acceptable to reduce muzzle climb at what other cost?" Sticking the muzzle past the barricade helps some. If you find yourself shooting competitions with awkward positions low to the ground regularly, you might decide a comp just isn't worth it.