Brian Payne

I am running a Nordic prototype on my Vinci, it is worth the wait.

A combination of Bryan 45 and kellyn match descriptions fits the bill for me. Oh yeah! having it in the state of Minnesota would also be nice.

I am mildly disturbed that someone would want to strike a target that simulates me, in the nuts. You guys are mean. I am starting to think my idea of having to ride a mechanical bull, while it is being hauled in the back of a moving pickup, might not be such a bad idea.

Mark, Just out of curiosity, does "US parts replaced" include mag spring, follower, barrel clamp, shell release, front sight, choke tubes, sling adaptors, recoil spring, magazine end cap, or anything like that? Or what parts are needed to replace. I hate to even comment on this as I think there is a drone cruising overhead the way it is.

Don't be afraid to hit up some local pawn shops and gun shops to look for a used Benelli M1. I have found many 24" barrel M1's in very good shape for under your $600.00 budget amount. Add a tube and get to shooting. I was in your same boat when I got started. I never listened to good advice (like Bondo's), and decided to go my own way and find out for myself. Buy once, cry once would have been far cheaper in the long run. I like the Benelli's (I have an M2, Vinci, and Nova pump all set up for 3-gun) but I have seen the Versamax and the new Browning doing well also. I can't form an opinion on the other brands as I have never used them. You make a comment in your last post about loaner shotguns, I bring my extra shotguns to matches just for this purpose. I don't want people staying away from their first 3-gun experience because they don't have a shotgun or because they don't know what to purchase. I offer up my loaners so people can get a taste of the sport, then make a more educated decision on their shotgun choice. Check around with your local shooters, a loaner for you to use for a couple of matches might be a possibility.

I started with 4 round caddies because I never thought there was anything different. I got to be reliable and for my skill level, pretty quick doing load four weakhand. For some reason I couldn't teach my strong hand to load 4 that way (like Daniel Horner does). I then wanted a second way to load shells using my strong hand for long shotgun stages where after 30 rounds my weak hand thumb had gotten tired. That lead me to the Qualoads from Taccom. With practice I became pretty good with these as well, so now I keep 4 rd shell caddies on my belt on the left side for weak hand, Qualoads on the right side for strong hand, and I have been known to strap on a sleeve of shells on my weak hand forearm as well. The sleeve works well, all you do is roll the shotgun over toward you, pluck the shells out one at a time, and stuff them in. Bennie Cooley, Bennie Hill, and Jeff Cramlit seem to use this method with great success. The old adage "there is no THE way to do it, but there are lots of A ways to do it". I say practice with them all and have a good time.

"Build it, they will come". We just need a facility that can handle a major, I think the people to run it and volunteers can be handled. I did a Dry Fire only 3-gun class at Arnzen Arms in the Twin Cities metro area last weekend. Below zero weather, snow and blowing snow caused a Winter Advisory, and still over 20 people showed up to do 3-gun without any bullets. Dedicated or Nuts would be a decision that has to be made by others.

GD64 I have a slightly shortened spring for the 10 rd tube (9+1) but leave the spring length as is for the 12 rd tube. I like the extra spring pressure because there is an awful lot of banging around going on inside that long tube length when recoil gets to rockin.

I use the Nordic tube/nut/endcap on both my M2 and Vinci. I have the 10 rd tube and the 12 rd tube that can just be screwed into the nut. Choose which tube you want for the match you are going to. I will say that with quad loading the 12 rd tube is my number one choice.

Jesse, Thanks for all the work on the earlier videos. They were fun to watch and it let those that couldn't make it at least get a taste of what it was like. Good job.

Payne is still in it! Not me though, just living vicariously.

My son and I both used Taccom Qualoads at the Blue Ridge Mountain 3-gun and neither of use lost a round from one of the carriers. This match had stages where you were climbing onto rooftops and going prone, lots of running and a big jump over a ditch, and shooting from unusual positions. Great match and the carriers held up well. The only thing I wouldn't do is attempt to slide head first into a shooting position. I also don't like to use them when shooting shotgun from inside of a vehicle because they tend to get in the way in confined areas. I blame the carriers but it probably has as much to do with my gerth.

I finally got out yesterday to try out my Nordic Components tube for my Vinci. I put the 12 rd tube on and the gun ran perfectly. Awesome tube that makes an already great shotgun even better. I can't wait for the first 3-gun match of the season.

Another option if the box is sturdy enough, go prone on top of the box. By that I mean you keep your feet on the ground, place your waist against the box, lean forward onto your elbows and rifle magazine just as if you were prone on the ground. Faster to get into than actual prone or kneeling, and easier to get up from as well. At least for older shooters. This would be highly dependent upon how high the top of the box was. If it is picnic table height it has worked well.

dchang0, Yep on #2, it has happened twice. The lowest power shell I will use in a match is the STS 1 1/8 oz 1200 fps stuff so it really isn't a big deal. I had tried some lighter stuff in practice once and found out the shotgun didn't like it. For some reason up here in MN I can find cases of the STS 1300 fps gold hull stuff very easily and that runs through this shotgun 100% and this is what I plan on using for next year. I will keep an eye on threads regarding the speed bolt, but I am in no hurry to change.

For you experts, do you see a difference between the M2 and the Vinci as to what power shells can be run through it? My Vinci won't run shells as light as the M2, but the M2 has thousands of rounds more through it. For the Vinci I use the 3 Dram (1200 fps) 1 1/8 oz. green hull Remington STS as the lightest shells I will run through it to get 100% reliability. Anything under the 1200 fps limit tends to have a glitch here and there. I don't think I have over 1000 rounds through the Vinci though.

I am really hoping to get out there again this year. Great sponsors overall but with JP heading the list you don't get any better than that, they really do a lot for the sport. Then with Denise supplying the endless energy and JJ supplying the muscle, they put out some of the best stages in the 3-gun world. The best for me though is the Whittington. It seems like every time I drive up the driveway it makes me feel five years younger.

My favorite was a tie between the stage that ended in the dump truck, and the one that ended with the long run up the hill. A close second was shooting from within the house that still had the A/C on. I didn't like the stage that started with shooting from the back of the suburban and then ended with running up the steps of a five story building (it seemed like anyway) but that is because I am old and not as firm as I used to be (aka - Fat).

Shooting 3-gun puts a lot of gear and extra weight on the belt. I use the loop that came with the belt, then four keepers from a law enforcement supply at the 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock positions around the waist.

Thanks for that information. I hadn't seen that one.

I had never played with shotgun much until I started 3-gun. I had read about "fit" and heard some very good shotgun shooters talking about making sure your shotgun properly fit you, but I didn't really understand what they meant until I picked up a Vinci. I have a decked out M2 and thought a Vinci would make a good backup shotgun. After shooting it once I was hooked. For the first time I could just look at a target and had the confidence to know I would hit it, where with the M2 I had to actually aim. I also felt less recoil with the Vinci using the same loads but I think it has more to do with the fit of the shotgun than any sort of inherent recoil reduction built into the gun.

I find the mid bead to be the ticket when shooting slugs at distance, don't notice it when shooting normal birdshot stages. Mine has gone missing and I need to find a place that has them in stock. Do any of you Benelli Pro's know of a good place or is it best to just order from Benelli? I have had an email in to them for over a week without a response and would prefer not to bother them with such a little part if there is another supplier that has some in stock.

Get up a couple of hours early and take a nice morning jog. The best "stimulant" I have found.

Also check out www.mn3gungroup.org we have a two gun shoot (rifle and pistol only) taking place at the Minnetonka Game and Fish Club near St. Francis coming up on Nov. 16th. Spectators are welcome and new shooters are put with a mentor to help guide them through their first match.

I agree with Bryan 45, the magwell does help with the reloads but it is more important for my large hands to help fit the grip.