Chip3

If you use a dremel you may want to consider using a fiber reinforced cut off wheel. If you are doing this to replace the hand guard with a free float rail, make sure you do not have to change out the barrel nut.

Make it easy

http://www.mcmaster.com/#shim-stock/=10unzj5 McMaster carries a wide range of shim stock. They have $20 kit similar to Brownells but with a lot more stock included. Also for the ultimate lightweight 3gun build they have titanium shim stock!

I have the 8up and it has worked well for me. I believe the instructions call out a top clip panel and bottom clip panel so not sure you can flip them with out someone having upside down or loose and tight shells. The cut outs compensate for the brass vs shell diameter? Their new style may be better for switching between 2 shooters. As mentioned above Tim is super nice and worth the call.

Did a mild port job to test out using a jig with a dremel. Have never ported a shotgun before and did not want the have the dremel get loose on me. Had a little bit of chatter with a tungsten bit and and it did not have enough reach on the front by the follower and left some material. A second top mount jig could allow a more complete cut there. I did a poor job of sanding that out but felt the jig helped a lot in keeping things even and under control. Missed the rear measurement/did not extend back to the trigger enough. Free handed the inside and nicked the receiver twice. 1/4" drums worked better than 1/2"in there. I wish I had removed the mag tube and should have taped inside as well. I will probably go back and take off a little more and clean things up on round 2. Main idea was just to post this if would help others who are trying to do this themselves. Thanks to Pat, Tom and others who have shared their port photos. They helped a ton. Tried to place this in the M3000 topic but could not add pictures there. Could possibly help with other guns as well.

Depending on your goals/parts you would like to design, inventor and solid works may be over kill. I have used and use both professionally as well as pro e. For quick and dirty work I am a fan of Rhino. It is cheap and works well for single parts and small asy's. It is not parametric but depending on what you are doing and your modeling techniques that may not really matter. Visual Mill is a simple cam package that works with it and is offered as plug in to run inside the Rhino environment. They used to have a basic free version as well. It is not as nice as master cam etc but it will get basic 3 axis jobs done. Both will run well on basic basic computers and the companies that produce the software are heck of a lot easier to deal with than autodesk.

Field and Stream has 2 3/4 tru ball slugs on sale now. The price at the display said $3.99 a box on sale and they rang up for $2.48 with a $2 mail in rebate. $10 max on the rebate. So if it works out that is 25 slugs for $2.40 without tax and rebate hassles. Sale is good for a few more days. Rebate is until the end of the year.

Pex from home depot works well. Attached to the pad on the upper part of the forearm with a left over tec lock screw and velcro. Countersunk back side of the forearm the front of the pex so everything was pretty flush. Holds the shell secure enough but is easy to drop into chamber. Only downside is the pex will close up some if a shell is not stored in it.

As mentioned, putting foams in under your muffs will help a lot. I have tried Decibullz and besides the lame name they are comfortable and work well. You can buy them direct or off of amazon.

Be who you are the day of the match. If you are laid back, be laid back. If you are hyper focused on details do that. What ever allows you to stay calm and focused when the buzzer goes off. The bulk of your your performance will be determined by your experience and practice. Having confidence in that and knowing your strengths and weaknesses goes along way in any sport.

The Taccom bolt and barrel are a good value. I put together an ar22 for my son. If you built a Taccom you could run the same hand guard etc if you chose.

As mentioned binoculars would probably work. Have used them in the past at shorter ranges. If you are feeling cheap http://www.harborfreight.com/20-60-x-60mm-spotting-scope-with-tripod-94555.htmlplus if you could add a 20% that would get you to 40. Have used one at a range before. It worked. It is not nice.

This is the local range I have shot at. I have only done a few 3 gun events ever and all here. Monthly matches seem to normally be shot on the pistol bays with a 50yd? max on the rifle. However if you look at old photos they have set up rifle stages on the the 600yd range behind the bays and there are also 100yd and 200yd rifles ranges as well. Really nice group of guys run the monthly matches. You guys should have great weather this week. Just checked their website and is says they will be using f (action pistol ranges), e (200 yd rifle), h (720yd rifle) and the shotgun range for 3gn nation this week.

I just started this year. This belt is not great but you can cut the tops off the mag holders and rotate them vertical and have a belt with two mag pouches for less than $15. A blackhawk sportster was $18 and add some chamber flags and that will get you to $35 and free shipping with amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tactical-Black-44-Inch-Waist/dp/B003MYJTYO/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1426961451&sr=1-1&keywords=Condor+Tactical+Belt Easy way to get going for less than the price of a lot of belts.

I have had good luck with LLbean clothing over the years. I used to be a cotton fan but for outdoor and sporting activities some of the newer synthetics out perform cotton by a mile. You could get a henley shirt in cotton but they button and no colar. 1/4 zips look to mostly be synthetic but you are not limited to polar fleece. Bean has a 1/4 zip light weight wool for $65 +10% off until wednesday. I think they are doing free or $5 shipping again as well and their warranty and return policy is great. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/512864?gnrefine=1*BRAND*L.L.Bean%5E

Used frog lube paste on the mag tube after cleaning it. Went heavy but figured it would work as a kind of a dry lube. The machining is pretty rough. Wondered if a nylon collar would work/help

If you are looking for the magazine, my local Books A Million carried it. They have a number of locations. http://www.booksamillion.com/storefinder?id=5885879217470 It is well written and well worth picking up. Stoeger also list distributors on their site as well. My go to shop ordered a 24" M3000 for me. Got it in a week. Did not have the choke wrench in the box but the shop pulled one for me when i went back asked about it. Gun looks solid for $450. I think this is the lowest price that distributors can offer. Cleaned the gun and put 2 boxes of federal target loads through it yesterday. Every shell loaded and chambered, 2 failed to fire the first time. Not sure why it failed to fire, but will give it time to break in. May run some high brass through it. Thanks to Patrick and the rest of you on the heads up about this gun. Didn't have a shotgun and looking to tryout some multigun matches this year. Much easier to start here than in the $1200+ range for an auto or close to this price for a pump.