shakman

Absolutely keep the +4 extension on there. You start with no more than 9 in the gun, but once the buzzer goes off, GAME ON! There are many occasions that as soon as that buzzer goes off, I stuff 4 more on the tube.

Indeed! I know exactly what it's like to organize a big event and it's not a task for the faint-hearted. I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for taking all the time out of your personal time to put this together.

+1 for AMP37 plugs. I've been a Hear-Pro customer for a couple years now. I started out with their custom-molded non-electronic plugs that I bought while Brad was at the 2013 Fallen Brethren 3-gun match. Great plugs, and I highly recommend them also. Now that I've graduated to the AMP37, they still get used, but only at work in the stupid-loud computer datacenter I sometimes work in. Hear-Pro customer service is second-to-none. Brad recently went way beyond the extra mile for me when I had an issue with one of my AMP37 plugs. Not only was the problem resolved to my complete satisfaction, it was done EXTREMELY quickly and professionally. That alone gives them my vote for any future hearing protection product purchases.

You should be OK.

FYI, Federal Prairie Storm #6 2.75" shells spins those things around with 1 shot on the bottom plate.

DOH! My apologies...getting old/blind sucks. Just went and looked at the holster again. It's a 6395, not a 6895.

I've currently got this one -> http://www.amazon.com/Voodoo-Tactical-Caliber-Rifle-Drag/dp/B005JDY644 It's not bad, and I like the fact that it's got padded shoulder straps for longer-distance carry. The pocket configuration isn't ideal though, but it's all I could find at the time. Hogue is making a FANTASTIC bag now that will accommodate the longer unicorn-type shotguns we use in 3-gun. My buddy has one, and it's built like a tank. The only downside is that it doesn't include the backpack-type shoulder straps. They're apparently working on developing it, but last I heard, they're not there yet. http://www.hogueinc.com/store/products/hogue-gear-extra-large-double-rifle-bag-w-front-pocket-and-handles-black-10-tall-52-long/8502

I've got a Shotmaxx timer that I really enjoy using for training. I'd like to take it a step further and start using it in conjunction with my iPhone to do actual drills and capturing the results of each string. I know there's the ability to download/import pre-defined drills, but I have yet to actually find any anywhere. Surely, I'm not the first/only person to be looking for this. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

A couple years back when I was heavy into MilSim airsoft (yeah, go ahead and laugh....it's ok) Evike was the #1 place to go IF you wanted a serious run-around. They were slow to ship, and their customer service was the pits. It was actually easier to order parts/guns/whatever from Hong Kong, pay the shipping rates, and be done than having to deal with Evike. I'm hoping they have gotten their act together in recent years, but until that's proven to me, Evike is off the list. If it helps, I used to get stuff from http://www.wgcshop.comand http://www.redwolfairsoft.com all the time. A stateside dealer of good repute is http://www.airsoftgi.com.

This is a current model.

I run an ALS for my 2011. However, Safariland doesn't make one specifically for the 2011. You need to get model/type 6895-56 which is made for the Springfield Operator specifically. You'll also need to have a Dremel and a heat gun handy to do some minor modifications to it. Here's what you have to do for sure: 1. Using a dremel, cut away some of the material on the holster to make room for the magazine release You don't need to do much here, but it will rub especially if you have an extended mag release of some type. 2. Using a heat gun or really hot hair dryer, heat up the holster where it comes in contact with the grip. The 2011 grip is wider than the Springfield, so it needs to be opened up slightly. Heat up the Kydex, insert the gun, and wiggle it around just a bit. This will open it up to accommodate the 2011 grip. I also recommend a couple additional modifications. They're not necessary, but make it easier to release gun on-the-clock: 1. The holster will have an anti-grab shield (not sure the exact terminology) that prevents someone from releasing the gun while facing you. It's held on by a couple screws to the side of the holster. Remove this as it will only get in the way. 2. There is a Kydex piece that covers the left-hand safety switch that (I assume) is to prevent the safety from being disengaged while the gun is holstered. It also makes it very difficult to get to the release when you're trying to draw the gun quickly. I cut this piece off and blended the edges into the rest of the holster. The release is much easier to actuate and it's easily shaved .5 seconds off my draw. Before making this change, I had to really concentrate on my grab/release otherwise, I'd try to pull the gun out, and it wouldn't budge. 3. This might be specific to my gun, but I had to GENTLY shave off a bit from the catch itself to make it easier to release the gun. The holster retains the gun by catching the slide on the edge of the ejection port. On my gun, this lip is pretty tall, so I really had to lever down on the release to get the gun out of the holster. I took the retention mechanism out (it's only held in by 1 screw on the top of the holster) and GENTLY filed the catch down a bit. Key word there is GENTLY. You don't want to take off too much otherwise, you lose retention entirely. Again, this may or may not apply to your gun, so use sound judgement for this step. There are probably other holsters better-suited to hold a 2011, but I'm used to an ALS and I want something that will absolutely hold the gun during typical 3-gun stage transitions. As with most things 3-gun-accessory related, your mileage may vary. Here's some pictures for y'alls consideration. I can take others if needed/requested.

I switched from an M&P Pro .40 5" to a custom Edge .40 sight tracker. I noticed a significant improvement in accuracy and in split times. I think the reasons are 1. Switched from factory ammo to a "powder-puff" load specifically made for the Edge chamber 2. Gun weight. The Edge is considerably heavier and when combined with the soft load, it almost doesn't move shot-to-shot. 3. Sight tracker barrel. 'Nuff said. The M&P is a great gun and I had really good success with it (for me.) However, the Edge is a completely different class IMHO and greatly improved my pistol performance overall. I'm even thinking about going with a custom 6" this summer to see where that gets me. If nothing else, it'll be fun.

Use the "contact us" link on the Hear-Pro site to send Brad an email asking that question. I honestly don't know if they would or not. http://hear-pro.com/contact/

The newest version of the Hear-Pro AMP37 plugs are a vast improvement over the previous versions. They've added a volume adjustment that works across all the programs, so you can fine-tune the volume level to your comfort level. The sound quality seems better also. Very much worth the investment. If anyone is interested, I can provide a coupon code that can be used online at the Hear-Pro website to get you 15% off a pair of AMP37 plugs. PM me for details.

I'll do cold (to a point.) I'll do rain. I don't do both together. Even then, it depends on the match.

The SWR Octane HD series is rated for subsonic 300BLK and can be disassembled. It's a fantastic can. http://www.silencershop.com/silencers/pistol/silencerco-octane-45-hd.html

That's a big question. It really depends on the stage (distance to targets, target types, moving targets, etc.) I find that most stages can be successfully shot with Improved Cylinder. For really close stuff, I'll open up to Cylinder, and for longer range (20+ yards on steel) I'll go as high as Improved Modified. I've never had to go any higher than that. You can probably get away with having only 3 tubes. C, IC, and M will probably do you for 90%+ of the stages out there. Your best bet would be to pick up some shotgun patterning targets from Midway and see what your shotgun does with your preferred shells with certain tubes at certain distances. It's a long process, but it will give you a much better idea of what your shotgun can really do for you.

Knowing your optic holdovers can make or break a match. Once you get those nailed-down, and can execute on them, you'll have a significant advantage over many people at local matches. There are 2 things in 3-gun matches that'll either propel you upwards or spiral you downwards in the standings; shotgun loading and long-range rifle. Generally, people that can excel at both of these will do well at matches.

Myself and several of my local shooting buddies use a 24" Benelli M2 with the +9 Nordic Components extension. Having the 28" barrel will make it slower to get in/out of ports and around tight corners, but it's an advantage for slug shots (longer barrel, longer sight radius, etc.) IIRC, the Vinci already has a great loading port for load-2/4 so you probably don't need anything there. My recommendation would be go get out to a match with it, give it a whirl, and see how it works out for you. I suspect you'll be happy with it.

Your best bet and source for information would be to hit up a local match in your area. I'd recommend just observing for the first go-around so you can see all the "stuff" that goes on during a typical match. It's also a great place to meet people and ask questions/get answers first-hand. These forums are a great source of info, but it will never beat hearing it directly from someone in-person. You'll also see great and wonderful ways to empty your wallet in short order with all the toys that'll be there.

Shane, I'll let you know shortly. I'm in the process of putting an Adams Arms kit onto my suppressed SBR and it has a low-mass BCG. I'm sure it'll be fine though.

100 yards on a steel D-zone with a Glock 19 and BigDot sights. Not sure how many shots it took (4-5 IIRC), but I eventually nailed it. Next furthest was a c-zone at ~75 yards on a down-slope at FB3G 2014 with my Edge. Nailed it first shot.

My 2 cents....take it as such.... Learning "load 2" is super easy. With about 30 minutes of practice in the garage with some dummy shells and the right caddies, you can have it pretty well sorted out. I've used both the AP customs and the Invictus Practical caddies. Either should suit you well and they both have load 2 and load 4 caddies available. I like the AP for ease of shell extraction, but the downside is they often pop out during vigorous movement during stages. The IP caddies are rock-solid and the owner stands behind his product 110%, but they are stiffer to extract the shells. They sure don't fall out though, so that's what I'm currently using on my kit. There are other options out there, but those are the ones I have first-hand experience with so that's what I can speak to.

Had a great time at this one. Only thing I would recommend is that the organizers stretch out the 6 minutes per-shooter per stage timeline if they're going to have longer stages like 5-8 were. It made for quite a bit of backup as the match went on. It would also be of benefit to make sure a match isn't scheduled without taking daylight savings/standard time changes into account. Kinda dark this past Sunday to start shooting at 0700. I didn't shoot as well as Ryan, but here's my stages for y'alls consideration.

I just recently purchased some of the MGM auto-poppers in the "speed plate" form factor. They've been an excellent training tool for 3-gun thusfar. They take a pounding, and keep on auto-resetting.