heavy metal rifle minimums

[co-exprs]

To get 300 aac up to 7.62 nato power factor, you would need to push a 125gr bullet at about 2900fps. If you could get there, you would get a single shot out of your cases. That would put your shot cost some where in the ball park of $.90 per. 200 rds load work up and another 500 just to get familiar with your holds puts you up to over $600 just to get to your first match. In this area 300 won't fly, but I guess you can check with your match director to see if he/she will let you run it. If you can afford to run 300 in volume, then you can afford to get a man's gun and leave the cheater gun at home.

[mike.45]

dispite what many newer shooters think, 3GN is not the driving force in 3gun/multigun. economics, stage design, and risk reward are especially when it comes to any HM division. The 1x/iron divisions are losing out to stages designed for optic shooters, ie, smaller targets, unpainted targets, longer distances. economics hurts HM simply in cost and availablility of usable product. risk reward hurts HM/iron divisions by having lame prize tables for match winners and dropping off substantially for second third and fourth. essentially from what I have seen lately for the smaller participated divisions, first place is equal to 10th in TO, second place equal to 20th TO and so on. Primarily economics seems to have the greatest hurdle to overcome for the masses.

But then this really isn't inline with the topic title, merely a note on what someone else has stated as why HM is faltering,..............HM has always been a small division, its just had really good competitors in it, the same can be said for 1x/irons!!!!

[barrysuperhawk]

Heavy Metal in 3 gun is the same basic idea as Single Stack in USPSA. It's about as close to a spec class as you can get. I get so tired of the "but I want to run XXXX in Heavy Metal" requests. My response is always the same, in fact, I am not even a fan of 10 round mags in HM, I think it should stay 8 round Single Stack 45 ACP. A few years ago when someone had the bright idea of letting non-magnified optics into HM, I argued until I was blue in the face, and nobody listened... What a difference a couple years makes, eh?

Anyway, if you have enough ALL BRASS x39 that you can shoot a 3 gun match, just shoot tac irons. Be careful though, the magnet test will get you tossed out of most matches if you fail.

<snip> risk reward hurts HM/iron divisions by having lame prize tables for match winners and dropping off substantially for second third and fourth. essentially from what I have seen lately for the smaller participated divisions, first place is equal to 10th in TO, second place equal to 20th TO and so on. Primarily economics seems to have the greatest hurdle to overcome for the masses.<snip>

Aint that the truth. This year at CMMG, 1st HM got a gun, 2nd place HM was worth $250. You had to go well below 20th in TO to get to that level. 5 years ago 13th place netted me almost $1k worth of stuff at the same match. I know prize tables are dwindling everywhere but damn. I am lucky I went to shoot and have fun instead of counting on my "winnings" to make it worth it....

Edited June 17, 2013 by barrysuperhawk

[Liferlance]

My interest in HM is that it seems more fun, and more skill based. The other classes all seem to rely heavily on fancy hand loads, speed loaders, expensive as all hell guns and massive magazines. I'm not discounting skill, but from experience, I know that learning to shoot fast and accurate with a .223 is much easier than with a .308.

[Liferlance]

Also, in reference to my last post. I did the math wrong in my head. Sorry about the bad post.

[co-exprs]

The games are different for sure. HM is usually viewed as earthy and simplified. What I have found is that like single stack, it is far more technical than most realize. With limited rounds counts, limited belt space, more recoil and irons, there are considerably more details to master in HM than any other division. I honestly like all of the divisions and some day would like to say that I was very competitive in all of them. I am a Single Stacker at heart because I enjoy mastering all of the technical details. Sort of gives me more problems to solve. HM offeres the same game with way more to deal with than any other division. It aint just a bunch of old farts clinging to their antiquated battle rifles. The top HM shooters are amongst the best, all round trigger pullers in the world. They might not be the fastest at 3G Nation games, but they can hold their own anywhere. Honestly though... the title is the biggest draw. I just love shooting heavier caliber guns. I have alwasy prefered my 45ss to my 40STI. As fantastic as my autoloader shoots, I still enjoy shooting my pump gun more. As smooth, fast and accurate as my 223 is... nothing compares to the thump you feel in your chest when you run a 308 (especially on a close fast course). I hate burning the expensive ammo on those close courses, but the smiles on peoples faces when you walk off is pretty fun.