EaZeNuTZ33

I can get you an accurate count on the number of matches shot this year and in what divisions (I have two of these barrels in different uppers for different divisions), but can tell you that I shot lots of local matches and several major matches, finishing with some solid placements at the end of the year. In TacIrons, I shot a couple club matches and Generation III Gun with the 16" mid gas Evo UltraLite barrel. The round count is a LOT lower than my other barrel, but no issues have been seen. With my 16.25" Lancer octagon carbon fiber handguard, the extra 1/2" of the other barrel is nice to have, but it JUST barely clears and work with the Taccom ultra lightweight comp on there. In TacOps, I shot LOTS of local matches, LOTS of range practice on my private range, and a decent number (7) of major matches with this rifle in TacOps (6) or Open (1). Round count is in the 6-7000rd range with about 65-75% 69gr SMK handloads and 25-35% factory 55gr. I shot the 3GunNation Midwest Regional, Rockcastle ProAm, Fallen Brethren (540yds), 3GunNation Southwest Regional, Arkansas Section Multigun, Missouri Area 3 USPSA Multigun, and Surefire World Multigun Championships (485yards on biggest "ironman" stage, went with only a couple dropped shots on the long range when shooting them AFTER paper and rifle spinner). I never once thought my barrel gave up anything at a match.

As for total time vs stage points.....I'm mixed. If this match were stage points, the little 3GN bays would have been worth the same amount as the giant ironman stage, meaning each individual of the 20 targets on one short stage are each worth more than the plethora of targets on big stage with tons of targets and targets out to distance. If you weight the stages, I don't think you really change it much from total time because the big stage is still worth more than the little one. With total time, you could be hanging top 5-10 in the match on all of the small stages and fall apart on the ironman stage, potentially adding 245 seconds plus penalties to the raw time I had on that stage. The nice thing about it being total time is that i could write my stage times down and tally them up at the end of the match without ever looking online at the match website and know what my total time should be, make a quick comparison to the official results at the end, and know if they are right or not. With the way everyone was shooting similar stages each day, it would be easy to know where you were placing compared to your friends too. I personally either had a cellphone on airplane mode, or dead, the entire match, so I never had a chance to check anything other than "how'd you do on stage X" then compare my time to that shooter's.

Looking over the penalties assessed in the match, it appears to me that the most consistent spread of penalties are on stage 7, with stage 9 close behind for TacOps. I would venture to bet that a big chunk of those stage 9 penalties were due to the pistol spinner. For stage 7, I don't think it would have mattered if it was the first stage of the first day or the last stage of the last day when you have rifle targets pushing 500 yards, a rifle spinner, offhand rifle plate rack, flipped clays, 24 birdshot and 4 slugs, a bunch of rifle and pistol paper, and instructions on shooting pistol steel challenge gongs different than how we shot everywhere else. It was big, complex, and you had several opportunities to forget something or drop a shot. I incurred 50 seconds in penalties there...10 for a missed clay and 40 for not shooting the pistol plates twice each. The first 10sec was taking a chance and I had all four flipped clays in the air at one time....the last 40 seconds was simply forgetting a step at the end of a good run. I do see some 30-60 second penalties assessed on other stages, but not consistently across the board like stages 7 and 9. A squib, running past targets, forgetting a clay behind a barrel,....those penalties are common at any match.

We've been at different matches. I've won multiple local matches and placed slightly higher at some big matches due simply to Versamax malfunctions. Strangely enough, I've had the same experience where I came out a smidge ahead due to Glock malfunctions and no one ever admits to malfunctions with them either!

Pistols have sights? ;-P

You've got it allllll wrong Kurt. I LOVE when other people shoot a Versamax, especially after I get an FTN or something....they're malfunction clearing allows me time to catch back up and beat them!

I used a dremel and cut a V shaped groove into the back of my vent rib.....works good for me with a HiViz TriComp front sight

I may still end up with a Proof barrel at the end of everything, and my Voodoo barrel only has about 5000 rds thru it right now and still shoots great. The added confidence in my head of having some wiggle room if that barrels touches something or gets hot may be enough for me. Hell....I paid to have an SVI sight tracker installed in my 9mm custom STI, because it might be better, but won't be any worse.

Light profile barrel doesn't scare me too much for a 3-Gun capacity stage. The ironman stage at Surefire last weekend, my raw time was 154 (I forgot to double tap the pistol steel vs. one hitting them for an added 40sec in penalties ), 2nd fastest raw time behind Horner in TO and 5th-6th compared to Open. My current barrel is a 16.5" rifle gas Voodoo Evo Ultralite barrel.....when I dumped the shotgun, I pulled the rifle, took a step right to hose the paper on the left side of the bay, shot the two paper on the right side of the bay, then shot the spinner before moving on to the long range out to almost 500 without many missed shots at all. I understand what you're saying, I just don't see it being as big of an issue in 3-gun. The Proof barrel would offer similar weight with hopefully a little reassurance on any potential stringing as the barrels heats up, and maybe a little more rigidity in case I accidently have the barrel touching a barricade instead of the handguard.

I've heard both arguments either way and understand the reasoning behind both. When it comes down to it, it won't be the deciding factor in whether I attend a match or not. In both methods, when I shoot well and shoot consistent, I place well with both scoring methods. That said....it would be interesting to see how the scores would be if done by 100pt stages, and how the standing would change.

I've looked at the Proof barrels a few times and had a little more information on them at the beginning of this year. I wasn't surprised to hear Horner was running one after all the info I received on the barrels. The $950 price tag has always kept me away....but honestly, when you start comparing in the world of $3500-5500 custom pistols, $2500 custom shotguns, and rifles that easily push $2500-3000 is anyone really surprised that the best of the best are running a $950 barrel? I'm not sure I'll have the budget for a Proof barrel for 2015, but I'm not prepared to rule it out at this time either!

total time

Plan was to have the top 3 from the smaller divisions and top 8 from TacOps to compete in a shootoff while the prize table was set up. With the weather delay, everyone was given the optin between shooting (and reshooting for some of us) or stopping and having the shoot off like planned. Almost everyone wanted to shoot the stages, so we opted to scrap the shootoff. I think the right decisions were made there. We all love shootoffs, whether in them or not, but with the stages that were there.......I'd rather watch shoot a couple great stages than to watch/shoot a shootoff.

The match was awesome! Definitely one of the best matches I shot this year.....not the best I have shot, but the match itself was awesome! It was unfortunate that we had to make changes for Sunday due to the weather, but two big things Pete did were awesome. 1: Pete obviously had some foresight in planning how we were going to shoot stages and how squads were set up, which allowed us all to shoot complete matches and only toss out stages the division as a whole had not shot yet....at least for us in TacOps. 2: Pete listened to the shooters when they were given options to shoot in conditions that made resetting and completing a course of fire without reshoots difficult, versus calling it and setting up a shootoff. We wanted to shoot in the wind, and we did, which took time.....I will always want to shoot! It was an experience shooting different disciplines in one match, that felt a little like a 3GN Regional with double the stages and some added styles tossed in. This was my first time shooting a 400sec par time "Ironman" type stage......and while my raw time was pretty solid at 154 (Horner was 121 raw), I got to learn about how important remembering what needs to be shot when and how many times when I forgot to shoot ALL 4 of the pistol gongs twice instead of once......a 40 sec lesson learned with a smile and "WOW, can I do that again?" The ROs and staff were some of the best I encountered for a big match yet.

Tek-Loks are in stock at taccom3g.com ....should be able to order them direct from Tim and only pay one shipping charge.

Like my Vortex 1-6....center red dot is almost like shooting my Aimpoint and the reticle lines work out well for me.

They are fast.....when Tim first sent them to me, I had 3.5 sec in about 20 minutes of practice. There is a 12min + video on using them, running them on a chest rig, and overall practice for quad loading I put together...it has some explanation there about the angled pull. The Double Deulin Deuces are what I run on my belt now......because..... I pushed Tim a little for something oriented more towards a chest rig....essentially 1/2 of the Double Deulin Deuces....the new Single Deulin Deuces. They showed up Friday, I built a brand new chest rig from unpackaging to finished product. http://youtu.be/mCr0VRByk0Y After the kids finally went to bed Friday, I got a little bit of time to practice with them before taking them to the range last weekend...which put me around this ballpark. I think with a little practice this winter, being well under 3 sec standing and around 3 sec moving should be doable and consistent. The angled pull is the cat's meow. Sorry to have spent more of your money....but not THAT sorry! ;-)

They carry a hefty price tag, but are awesome!

Constant email and Facebook updates have been awesome. Keep up the good work.

I have cable now for the first time in......almost ever I guess. Even with my 300 channels, I unfortunately do not get the channel that 3GunNation's TV show comes on. I have watched every episode that was listed online. I do not believe that live streaming the shootoff online would be as easily done as the episodes, knowing that shooting started early in the morning until late in the afternoon for the final shootoff. With Nascar you can get drunk, pass out, and wake up without missing too much.......but blink or take a bathroom break and your pick for the win gets eliminated! I would consider it a good idea to have an agreement with registered 3GN members to have the episodes available 1 day or 1 week after it airs when you log in to your 3GN account. You could possibly get some additional 3GN memberships if your contracts with the station carrying the show does not prevent it.

I understand your reasoning but for some cost is a factor. I am a sergeant with a Sheriff's Office in Southwest Florida and we do not make the money northern agencies do. I want to have a good rifle but do not have the extra time between work, kids, wife, practicing shooting, etc to load my own .223 ammo. I also do not have the funds to keep buying expensive match grade stuff. I was just looking for something when I go to three gun matches and I cannot get the really good stuff I will be able to hit targets at a distance. Hopefully some day I will be able to load my own .223 ammo but the cost and time are prohibiting me right now. I do load my 9mm ammo but that is on a Dillon SDB. I understand there will be limitations on distance shooting with the cheaper 55 grain stuff, but just wanted something that will hit the steel at a distance (with me doing my part) and not flying all over the place. Adam I think your thought process is off here. The CHEAP rack grade type barrel that was in my Doublestar upper years ago was well within 3-gun accuracy for what you need. If you can't afford good ammo or the time to load your own ammo, then why spend $2-300 more for a barrel that you never intend to use it's capabilities? Here is what many are going to (myself included), and something you should consider if you are going to spend the money on a good barrel: -69-77gr ammo in small quantities for those long range stages/targets, and sighted in at 200-300 yards -cheap 55gr ammo for everything in close....just needs to be within an inch or so of your 200-300 yards zero at 100 yards when comparing. This way you can get the potential out of your barrel for those long shots you take much less often, but still shoot the stuff you can afford to shoot and practice with, for everything else. This may mean taking no more than 30-50 rounds of the good stuff to each match, and maybe only shooting 10-15 rounds of it at each match. My point is...if you're going to spend $250-400 on a good barrel, give her what she likes, even if it's only a taste once in awhile. She can survive on ramen noodles the rest of the time.

You'll have to speak up a little. MATT, CAN YOU GET AN AARP CARD?

If you can't get a discount at Golden Corral, you aren't a senior. ;-P How much is your discount there Sterling?

To get my barrel running again, I had to get a brass chamber brush chucked in a drill and spun it at a slow-medium speed for 30-60 seconds until it finally started to shine back up like a chamber normally would by pulling a bore snake thru it one time. After that it ran fine and I shot the rest of that ammo and never bought more. Crap ammo poops in your gun.....quit pooping in your gun.

16.5 rifle gas voodoo barrel here. no issues to date and I've shot to 540yds in matches this year. I shoot 69gr handloads, but did break out some 55gr AE and Federal XM193 to see how it ran and hand no issues. I also have a lightweight Rubber City Armory BCG and Taccom ULW buffer system with Syrac Gen II gas block.....so I don't know how it would move with full weight internals and light bullets.