What is 3 Gun NATION doing?

[P.E. Kelley]

NOTE to Moderators. I started this thread thinking that the existing one (Superstition Mtn 3Gun) has gone off track from

the Superstition match and became a thread about what 3 Gun Nation is doing with the Final event. Thanks PK

This 3-Gun Nation separate event seems at first blush kinda wacky, but I have been thinking about it so I will toss out my dos centavos.

Take what I say in the context that I have paid the price both financially ($$$) and in precious vacation time to make five of the six events.

I have had to change equipment divisions to play the game because not every match has Heavy Metal, or has enough shooters to qualify to make the shoot-offs.

It was my understanding that if I were to finish three events and have enough points for the main I was guaranteed a slot to shoot for the 25K.

Now reality sets in.

Wildcards, initially torque me off a little bit (a free ride after I already paid –thank Alanis) but after reading what Mr. Outzen wrote in the

Superstition thread I can see the value.

I don’t think the 3-Gun Nation guys ever said what the final event would be until very recently.

I bet many of us just assumed it would be another Man vs. Man shoot-off at the end of the USPSA 3G Nationals.

Could they have got 60 shooters through in a half a day?

If you need a whole day then maybe the thinking was why just have a shoot-off?

Having a 3-Gun Nation Match as the final, works well for TV and for the sponsors.

This is not the USPSA or RM3G or BRM or the XYZ match, it is a separate culminating event!

This year it will probably be the FNH-USA / Surefire 3GN Championships with $40,000 in cash on the line!!! When was the last time you saw that at a 3-gun event?

BIG MONEY + Good guys + good shooting = Good TV!!!

I am bummed that it is going to be Tactical Optics only for the 3GN match. Open classers will have to load shotshells by hand and not be able

to use their normal pistols. I will have to bring 6 bloody guns if I want a shot at the HM Nationals title AND shoot the 3GN event! That won't

be nearly as tough as trying to be good enough with both set of gear at the same time!!!

So why did they do this? Probably because it affects the least amount of shooters, maybe 3 to 5 Opens will make the cut 1 or 2 Limiteds

and 1 or 2 from Heavy Metal. So be it. I will just have to man up if I want to play!

Why do we have to pay??? I don’t know, I would guess people who are going to set-up and run the 3GN Championships need room and board and that’s OK with me.

Figure a range rental fee, targets, paint, water, cups, trash removal etc. in there too.

None of us has to shoot this match. No one twisted my arm to throw time and money chasing this brass ring.

If I had a reason, it goes like this…I ain’t getting younger or faster, or are my eyes or body getting better,

this may be my only opportunity to stake a small place in the history of the game that I love so much.

Years hence, I will at least be able to say, “I tried and perhaps I failed but damn it I was there!”

Therefore, if I could, I would ask you too just think of the bigger picture. This has the potential (cause it is on Versus)

to be the biggest shooting event ever on mainstream TV! Not just once or twice a year but every week for what…13 weeks?

No slight to Shooting USA and Scoutten’s excellent work, but this show will be casting a much wider viewership net!

More people in the game…maybe. More people exposed to first rate Americans enjoying their 2nd Amendment Freedoms…Absoforkingtivly!

More money in the game? We have more money right NOW and if this thing gets legs then we may not be NASCAR but we will be on the map!

Attention Match Directors!!!! If your event is part of the 3-Gun Nation series do not be surprised if sponsors solicit YOU! “Please let us sponsor your match.”

By TV show standards, sponsoring a match or two is cheap! An entry level TV show spot costs a bunch more than top billing at a 3-Gun event.

Perhaps entry fees could be reduced or could go toward paying (the all too hard working) Range Officers and match staff.

Maybe none of this is going to happen, but I know it will not happen if we do not meet the challenge.

And here it is.

Get the word out! Tell your friends, co-workers and neighbors to watch and or record the show and send in positive feedback to Versus and the Sponsors.

Sign-up and sign on at Versus and tell them you did because of 3-Gun Nation. Get this 3-Gun Nation info to other outdoor web forums.

Facebook it! Tweet it, My Space it, whathehellever it! You all have some method to help.

Do it for your sport!

I hope found this long post worth your time.

Patrick

[atomicferret]

I have always said, there is no reason 3 gun shouldn't be as watched as golf. I think it is a heck of a lot more exciting.

[Doug H.]

I agree with everything you said. I have will have shot all 5 matches by the time RM3G is over. As one of the Open shooters that hopes to make the finals, it would suck if there is alot of shotgun reloading due to my inferior skills. I've spent the last year and a half learning to do quick mag changes and figuring out how to shoot a dot and now I will need to practice loading individual shells and finding my iron sights on the pistol - how horrible. And as you said, if I want to shoot Open at the Nationals, I'll need to bring 5 different guns that weekend. But I have come this far and I want to finish it so I guess I'll pony up the $150 plus the extra night at the Orleans to see how this comes out. My luck I'll end up on the cutting room floor. It's Vegas so we must be gambling.

Doug

[gose]

<snip>

I hope found this long post worth your time.

Patrick

Definitely! (but I'm a pretty fast reader )

I wont be there for the Nationals, but I'll be there for the 3GN match.

Hope to see you, and everyone else there!

[LChico]

<snip>

I hope found this long post worth your time.

Patrick

Patrick, I cannot recall when you ever wrote anything on this forum that was not worth reading.

Linda Chico (L-2035)

Columbia SC

[Sterling White]

I'm still on the fence about the whole thing

Will hold any comments until after the conclusion of season 1.

[GentlemanJim]

Patrick

I cheered for you at SMMG till my throat was sore

You can bet money I will do it again

Wishing the very best luck to you!

Jim

[Mattog22]

Well said, too bad about the HM issues. I wish we could get a little more distribution of competitors in classes other than TO.

[P.E. Kelley]

Patrick

I cheered for you at SMMG till my throat was sore

You can bet money I will do it again

Wishing the very best luck to you!

Jim

That means a bunch to me Jim.

I am proud to have you in my corner.

Patrick

[P.E. Kelley]

<snip>

I hope found this long post worth your time.

Patrick

Patrick, I cannot recall when you ever wrote anything on this forum that was not worth reading.

Linda Chico (L-2035)

Columbia SC

Coming from you Linda..makes me.....(insert teary eyes emoticon).

Thank you ever so much.

Patrick

[Jesse Tischauser]

Great post Mr. Kelley!

I have taken your advice! Now if you will only teach me how to shoot.

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[P.E. Kelley]

Thank you Jesse!!!

Way to take the bull by the horns!

This is exactly the kind of response I was hoping for, well damn done my friend!

If I lived even remotely close to you a day or seven of free instruction would be on the docket!

However you are very fortunate to live next door to the the headquarters of "Redneck Tactical Training"

so it is just as well we do not live close as they would have to just undo the bad habits I would instill

Patrick

[DMAC]

I have always said, there is no reason 3 gun shouldn't be as watched as golf. I think it is a heck of a lot more exciting.

I agree, however I don't see 3 Gun Nation paying this kind of cash but I do like where we're headed!

Tiger Woods was the top paid US athlete in 2009 with about $70 million in earnings (which includes endorsements, etc.) and any idea who #2 was..........if you guess another golfer, Phil Mickelson (sp?) at $62 million IIRC then you guessed correct. I think I got this from a sports talk show on Versus. Floy Mayweather was third and Peyton Manning was the top paid NFL athlete, but he was way down the list at around $30 million.

Sorry for the thread drift. It's O.K. to dream.

Edited July 24, 2010 by DMAC

[P.E. Kelley]

I agree with everything you said. I have will have shot all 5 matches by the time RM3G is over. As one of the Open shooters that hopes to make the finals, it would suck if there is alot of shotgun reloading due to my inferior skills. I've spent the last year and a half learning to do quick mag changes and figuring out how to shoot a dot and now I will need to practice loading individual shells and finding my iron sights on the pistol - how horrible. And as you said, if I want to shoot Open at the Nationals, I'll need to bring 5 different guns that weekend. But I have come this far and I want to finish it so I guess I'll pony up the $150 plus the extra night at the Orleans to see how this comes out. My luck I'll end up on the cutting room floor. It's Vegas so we must be gambling.

Doug

I hope you make it Mr. H.

Have you NOT been an RO at any of the matches this year?

For as hard as you work and for all you give back making the final cut would be

a just reward!

See you soon

Patrick

[Doug H.]

I agree with everything you said. I have will have shot all 5 matches by the time RM3G is over. As one of the Open shooters that hopes to make the finals, it would suck if there is alot of shotgun reloading due to my inferior skills. I've spent the last year and a half learning to do quick mag changes and figuring out how to shoot a dot and now I will need to practice loading individual shells and finding my iron sights on the pistol - how horrible. And as you said, if I want to shoot Open at the Nationals, I'll need to bring 5 different guns that weekend. But I have come this far and I want to finish it so I guess I'll pony up the $150 plus the extra night at the Orleans to see how this comes out. My luck I'll end up on the cutting room floor. It's Vegas so we must be gambling.

Doug

I hope you make it Mr. H.

Have you NOT been an RO at any of the matches this year?

For as hard as you work and for all you give back making the final cut would be

a just reward!

See you soon

Patrick

I've gotten to play at all of the matches so far, but I will be working at the Rocky Mountain Match. Scott and I are shooting the Pan Am, driving 20 hours to shoot the RO match at Rocky Mtn then we get to run shooters the rest of the weekend. It's going to take 2 weeks and over 5000 miles of driving. At least my truck has airconditioning!

Doug

[boomfab]

I understand your frustration for the final event. Bringing five guns to a competition isn't easy.

However, they had push everyone to tac optics to equalize the equipment. Tac optics will disturb the least amount of shooters. They want ONE champion, not three or four or five (open, irons, heavy, heavy irons, tac optics).

The only other way they could do this would be to lend shooters SCARs, SLPs, and FN pistols. This would go over like ketchup on brownies. Shooter attendance would be sparse at best. There would be reshoots constantly due to malfs (real or induced).

So, that's my opinion of their reasoning.

[boomfab]

I just read that they are going to use USPSA scoring at the finals.....what a let down.

I thought 3gun Nation was all about outlaw 3 gunning at its finest.

IMGA scoring will be used, sweet.

Edited July 30, 2010 by boomfab

[keno34]

From the 3GunNation website:"However, scoring will follow IMGA rules, such as used as DPMS Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun." Looks like USPSA equipment rules but IMGA scoring.

[mike_pinto]

And good for us Patrick, you CAN use irons in tac-optic!

Edited July 31, 2010 by mike_pinto

[3GunNation]

Great article from Pat!

http://www.3gunnation.com/news/man_vs._man--the_shoot-off

[High Lord Gomer]

Well written! Thank God for DVRs...I'll get to watch it tonight.

[LandLord]

After talking with most of the open guys last weekend I don't think it's going to be much of a problem for them, most if not all said they will sit this one out. Getting 6 guns and ammo to Vegas and back (very expensive, paperwork hassles shipping them in and it may not be legal to transfer a pistol out of state even though you own it), $150 match fee and coming off three days of shooting open then switching gears to shoot guns we normally don't shoot. Wouldn’t be as big a deal if there was no shotgun loading, actually there is so little real difference other that the shotgun, that it wouldn’t matter. Getting knocked out of it quickly due to not being up to speed with tactical stuff that the guys who shoot tactical got to play with all weekend is just an exercise in futility and not worth the all the hassle and expense. Guess it comes down to who is best in one division (tactical), not who is the best 3-gun shooter.