2014 Bushmaster Tarheel 3 Gun Challenge, New Hill NC

[CJW]

# 6 birdshot max

15 slugs (minimum)

Thanks!

[springy]

rolling!

[csole]

Click pic above or direct link: http://tarheel3gun.com/t3gn/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014-Tarheel-Booklet-Final-1.pdf

[Mberry]

Looking good, Charles! See you this evening.

Did you get rid of the shooters meeting at 0630 on Saturday? If so, I need to pack more booze.

[amccallister]

Just made it back home after the match. Thanks to all the great sponsors, and the staff that made the whole thing happen. Great match, great squad (#9). I look forward to shooting this again next year!

[mark dye]

Great match despite my performance and equipment problems! Other match directors should take notes...rifle targets that require a rifle (not pistol targets to be shot with a rifle), shotgun reloads didn't decide the match, and a good mix of challenging stages with all three guns. Charles and crew did an excellent job as usual!

[Blueridge]

The results show the majority of the competitors were in the Tactical Optics division, with less than 7 people each in Open or Limited Divisions.

I was a bit surprised to see the participation in the divisions spread the way that they were, but it looked to be a strong match. I think that I might try my hand next year after getting a few other 3-gun matches under my belt.

Edited April 7, 2014 by Blueridge

[Mberry]

Great match, great atmosphere and great prize table. Well done!

Watching Matt Sweeney shoot was impressive. He didn't just win the match, he dominated it.

A big thank-you to all the sponsors, RO's and staff that made this match a huge success.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Mberry

[TISCHLJ]

Thanks to Charles Sole, Steve Wall and all the RO's, SPONSORS, and ALL who helped make this event the great time it was.

The match hotel staff was great, and really seemed to enjoy the crew that showed up there with all the TONS of gear goingin and out all the time.

This was my first "big" 3G event . . . and I will certainly be back.

Lots of good camraderie, as well as nice people to meet and see . . .

Stages were well thought out and gave lots of options for firing solutions . . . especially #3!

If you have not shot a TH3G monthly, . . BM or VM, you need to try this out!

It has been said, " the monthly match is like shooting a major match each month."

Cheers to all who helped make this event happen!

Thanks again to the "hands on" SPONSORS, who attended and shot the match. Very nice meeting you all.

[KPIC24]

The monthly match 2 weeks ago was 7 big stages, awesome as always. Charles and Steve do a great job and Woody's is a great place to shoot

[Moltke]

Good match, good planning & organization. Thanks to the Range Officers because without you this wouldn't have happened and thanks to Charles Sole & Steve Wall.

Good job on the stage designs and allowing competitors to decide to shoot a variety of things with either their rifle / pistol / shotgun or whatever was good for them.

And good job on the long range rifle stages! 4 MOA and bright, easy to see targets is the way to go!

Looking forward to the next one!

Edited April 8, 2014 by Moltke

[cheryl]

To all the iron sight shooters (including me) who have complained about not being able to see the targets, this was the match for you. Kirk & Trapr, you would have been very happy.

I had an amazing time. All the stages were well thought out and the range officers & staff were very helpful. Hope to be able to shoot it next year as well.

The scores on Practiscore show overall results. Is there a way to set it up to pull by Division?

Thank you again for a great match.

[amccallister]

They have posted the by division results on tarheel3gun.com under the results tab.

[GM2B]

Great match great stage design excellent RO's. I must say they were very professional and nice. They even seemed happy! I had a blast and learned that 1911's extractor tension is very important I was sure my powder charges were off causing my pistol to short stroke. Nope it was lack of extractor tension. CHECK YOURS NOW if you haven't! Lesson learned!

THANK YOU again for putting on a fun match! I loved the long range but why ORANGE targets! Colorblind people cant see those things especially stage 3 with no white backers!

[cheryl]

They have posted the by division results on tarheel3gun.com under the results tab.

Thank you

[csole]

First I would like to thank my staff....you folks are the BEST in this sport! I am honored to work with you.

Next the folks at Bushmaster, not only did they put MANY MANY MANY items on the prize table..they were vested in this match...their sponsored shooters and company folks participated in so many other ways....I can't say enough about having a relationship with Bushmaster....awesome job, Shane, Carlos, Mitch, Raven, Aaron and Rob....you guys are a class act!

Last but NEVER the least.... the competitors, you all get an A+++, I saw smiles, I saw intense and determined efforts, I saw you folks helping each other , teaching each other but most of all you where GREAT sportsmanship and a true respect for this sport...thus is what the sport of 3 gun is dependent on to survive and to thrive.

That is what motivates me to keep building a better match experience for the sport of 3gun.

Please take a minute a read this wonder article written by Karla....it sum up.... A match experience with Tarheel3gun

http://gunsandbarbells.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/tarheel-3-gun-challenge/

[csole]

Oh I must add, this is the best statement I have heard regarding Tarheel3gun's "match flavor"....

"But the good thing about the challenge of the Tarheel 3-Gun Challenge was that the challenge came from the shooting itself, not from crazy starting positions, or unfamiliar prop guns, or poor target presentations. Starting positions were consistently from high port or hands at sides. There was only one prop gun, and you were only required to shoot 4 shots at targets 10 yards away. Rifle targets were clearly painted bright orange for every squad, and were sometimes backed with berms that helped you determine where you were missing. The match directors did everything they could to set the shooters up for success; the challenge was small or large based on the shooter’s ability only"....well said Karla!

[TISCHLJ]

The pic of the 3 gals in the Porta- Potty is a real gas!

Good read.

[Mberry]

Here's a little montage video from the One Team One Fight side match. Charles and Steve have been extremely gracious to the charity, we can't thank them enough for their support.

For more information on One Team One Fight, please visit:

http://oneteamonefight.org/

[csole]

Oh I must add, this is the best statement I have heard regarding Tarheel3gun's "match flavor"....

"But the good thing about the challenge of the Tarheel 3-Gun Challenge was that the challenge came from the shooting itself, not from crazy starting positions, or unfamiliar prop guns, or poor target presentations. Starting positions were consistently from high port or hands at sides. There was only one prop gun, and you were only required to shoot 4 shots at targets 10 yards away. Rifle targets were clearly painted bright orange for every squad, and were sometimes backed with berms that helped you determine where you were missing. The match directors did everything they could to set the shooters up for success; the challenge was small or large based on the shooter’s ability only"....well said Karla!

By Karla Herdzik, Team FNH USA

I shot the Tarheel 3-Gun Challenge at Woody’s Hunt and Rifle Club in New Hill, NC (recently). In just its 3rd year in existence, this match has quickly become one of my favorite major matches. It should definitely be on your “must-attend” list next year. Here’s why:

Half-Day Format

Adopted from the example of FNH USA 3-Gun Championship, half-day format means you get in, you shoot, and you get out without spending 12 hours on the range. Morning squads started at 0730 and were scheduled to be done around 1230 (although some squads did run later, depending on which stages they shot). Afternoon squads started at 1230 and were scheduled to be done around 1830. You shot 4 stages each day, back-to-back, instead of the more traditional on-of-on-off shooting format. This meant you had plenty of extra time to sleep in, get lunch, shoot side matches, observe other squads, or hang out with friends. I’m a fan!

Side Matches and Vendor Booths

Speaking of that extra half day, Tarheel offered several things to do with your spare time. Remington had a booth where shooters could test out the Versa Max shotgun. DPMS had their new GII .308 rifle out for shooters to test drive. And One Team One Fight ran a side match to raise money for the Navy Seal Foundation and Travis Manion Foundation. There was a tomahawk involved; who doesn’t want to throw a tomahawk? A number of other vendor booths were around for you to check out products from Hiperfire, Spectre Targets, Freedom Munitions, Lancer, and HearPro.

Challenging Stages

It’s in the match name…duh. The Tarheel stages offered shooters a fair amount of options regarding what targets to shoot with which gun, and in what order. But the real challenge came from the rifle targets. In a sport that’s increasingly morphing towards shorter-faster-burn-em-down stages, Tarheel stands out as a distinctly rifle match. Of the 8 stages, 5 had targets at least 200 yards away; most of those had targets nearly out to 300. There was off-hand rifle shooting at distances to 100 yards on 3 stages. And not to be forgotten, some stages did offer options to shoot rifle instead of pistol at close-range targets.

But the good thing about the challenge of the Tarheel 3-Gun Challenge was that the challenge came from the shooting itself, not from crazy starting positions, or unfamiliar prop guns, or poor target presentations. Starting positions were consistently from high port or hands at sides. There was only one prop gun, and you were only required to shoot 4 shots at targets 10 yards away. Rifle targets were clearly painted bright orange for every squad, and were sometimes backed with berms that helped you determine where you were missing. The match directors did everything they could to set the shooters up for success; the challenge was small or large based on the shooter’s ability only.

Experienced ROs

While the sport of 3-gun lacks a range officer certification body like other practical shooting sports, the ROs at Tarheel are as close to professional as you’ll see in the sport. The guys (and gals) ROing this match are out there repeatedly for Tarheel’s regular monthly match. Tarheel has been running a 100-person monthly match for several years now, so their ROs have had plenty of practice, know the rules, and run a tight ship.

Easy Registration, Squadding, and Scoring

Tarheel 3-Gun uses an online registration process with payment via PayPal. Squadding is done via Squad Signup, and you get to choose who you want to squad with. Scoring is done via PractiScore and was updated regularly throughout the match. There was even a wifi hotspot at the match, by which you could sync your phone to the real-time scores using the PractiScore app. Tarheel’s embrace of technology means all of the match administration process is easy from the shooter’s perspective, and resulted in faster scores, a quicker prize table, and everyone getting on the road sooner. That’s an all-around win.

Prevalent Sponsor Presence

There are few matches that have such a strong sponsor presence as Tarheel 3-Gun. Title sponsor Bushmaster was out in full force, with several execs shooting the match and participating in the shooter’s meeting and prize table. Strong sponsor presence means strong support for the sport – and an opportunity for you as a shooter to thank those sponsors in person! The RO shirts were covered in Bushmaster logos, and there were banners everywhere. Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, Bushmaster raffled off a BA 50 rifle to one random winner. They even donated an M4 for a random draw of those who were disqualified from the match.

North Carolina Spring Weather

Anyone who’s been to the Rockcastle Shooting Center in August knows how miserable HOT, humid weather can be on the range. North Carolina offers low humidity and moderate temps in April, making the match a much more enjoyable experience. And after a long, cold winter, the sunshine is a welcome change.

BONUS: Women’s Only Bathroom!

This one is for my ladies! Tarheel provided a women’s only porta-potty this year (complete with a combo lock to keep the guys out). So rather than sharing with 250 men, we had our own (CLEAN) place to use the restroom. While most matches probably don’t have enough female shooters to justify the cost of doing this, I know the 15 lady shooters and other female spectators really appreciated the thoughtfulness of the Tarheel crew! As for the rest of the porta-potties, they were all clean and there was one on every stage.

In just a few short years, Tarheel 3-Gun has taken 3-gun from the grassroots level, to a regular monthly match that people travel up to 200 miles for, to a yearly Challenge match that rivals other major matches. Head on over to www.tarheel3gun.com and sign up for email updates; that way you’ll be the first to know when next year’s registration opens up! You won’t want to miss it.

Eds. Note: Tarheel 3-Gun is one of the original 3GN Club Series participants, and Charles Sole, match director for Tarheel 3-Gun, is the 3GN Club Series co-Director, with Tennille Chidester.

[Hippocampus]

I've been meaning to post about the 2014 Bushmaster Tarheel 3-Gun Challenge... life has finally slowed down enough for me gather my thoughts!

The match was beautifully ran, the ROs were professional (and looked great in their match shirts and Vertx pants), the two-day format was smooth and stress-free, and the stages were dynamic enough to keep an experienced shooter on their toes but also straightforward enough to nourish a new shooter's learning curve. At every Tarheel match that I've shot, I've always had the same thought when I first see the stages..."So clean." The stages are just that: clean and well-planned. There is no deciphering a hot mess of a stage with questionable fault lines and 180s, and the long range steel is repainted between squads (this saved me with my last minute decision to shoot TI). The prize table and awards ceremony were top-notch! The sponsors of Tarheel 3-Gun were very well represented throughout the match (on stages and on roadways) and during awards. After walking the prize table, I have a whole new list of "Wants"...many of the guns I just wanted to touch and hold and make them mine!...hahaha

I am honored to have Tarheel 3-Gun as a sponsor who, not only puts on amazing matches, but also continues to support the growth of 3-gun through other avenues. Those avenues are resources to competitors and industry stakeholders.

Karla's blog post that Charles shared above is spot on!

HUGE thanks to: Charles and Steve for putting on such a great match, the ROs and staff who made the match a great success, the sponsors who covered the prize table in guns/gear and gave away firearms to the staff and for random drawings (the big one was the Bushmaster BA 50 BMG!), and to Damon and Dana Woodall who welcome the masses to shoot on their property (Woody's Hunt and Rifle Club).

[TISCHLJ]

Yep, and Yep!

And Yep!!

Thanks again to all who made this fine event the fine event it was!

[CJW]

I'd like to add that, while I really liked the decision to have all the scoring updates available on WiFi for Practiscore syncing, I noted that a lot of folks were unable to connect successfully on Sunday evening after shooting was over. Since the announcement had been made that this was how we were supposed to review our scores and identify any discrepancies, it was a bit frustrating. Mind you, I did bad enough that any mistakes in my own scores probably would have only helped, but I talked to a bunch of other people who couldn't connect either.

Anyway, it is a great idea and maybe the only thing needed was a couple more access points to split the load or provide enough assignable IP addresses for everybody's iThingies. I'd certainly like to see that system working and adopted by other matches.

[davehorn]

It seemed like everyone with iphones could get on, but us droid users could not. I had a good signal, just never could get connected. I just borrowed someone's iphone to look at them.

[Langenator]

Has anyone seen any announcement for the 2015 edition?