Slings technique and WHY!?!?

[Vlad]

Nah, just not understanding your anger.

[openclassterror]

I shoot 3gun matches of all types, and several of the 3GN regionals per year. At the local club level, we are 3GN affiliated, which means we shoot classifiers fairly regularly, but are free to build any kind of stages we want as long as we use 3GN rule set when we advertise as a 3GN match. We do long stages, burner stages, USPSA type stages, Outlaw type obstacle courses. Whatever the match director decides. At the regional level, again, there are usually a few hoser stages, one or two classifiers, and some long stages, just not like Ironman long. The flavor of the match is determined by the match director's style, and feedback from shooters at previous matches. Most people (shooters) liked the slung stages at the Western Regional last weekend, as it added an extra challenge and made for some interesting stages. If all the matches were the same 5 stages over and over again, I would get bored post-haste.

[Ming the Merciless]

Nah, just not understanding your anger.

I'm not angry, disappointed, but not angry. You won't have any problem telling when I'm angry.

As I said before, when you see Formula One racing on TV and decide you want to try the same thing, but show up for the event and it's Baja 1000 off-road racing, it's disappointing.

I shoot lots of different types of competition and as has been pointed out in other posts, variety is good and I'm tired of the usual outlaw and USPSA multigun matches. If the pro series style of matches aren't available to the regular shmoo shooter, then I'll drop my membership and won't be shooting at anymore pizza boxes.

[Vlad]

Nah, just not understanding your anger.

As I said before, when you see Formula One racing on TV and decide you want to try the same thing, but show up for the event and it's Baja 1000 off-road racing, it's disappointing.

Well if you watched F1 and showed up and wanted to race, you would probably be asked to write a $5mil check and go race in Formula 3 for a while.

I do understand your point, but I'll point out that nothing stops a regional match from doing exactly what you want, its just that I suspect that is not what most shooters want from it. I know it isn't what I'd want.

[wgj3]

Back to OP...

Another sling to consider is the Proctor sling which is kindof like a v-tac lite. Has the quick adjust and it works great but without all the extra bits and pieces. Simple and still quick adjust. Very handy for 3-gun that requires a sling.

Edited February 25, 2015 by wgj3

[openclassterror]

Nah, just not understanding your anger.

I'm not angry, disappointed, but not angry. You won't have any problem telling when I'm angry.

As I said before, when you see Formula One racing on TV and decide you want to try the same thing, but show up for the event and it's Baja 1000 off-road racing, it's disappointing.

I shoot lots of different types of competition and as has been pointed out in other posts, variety is good and I'm tired of the usual outlaw and USPSA multigun matches. If the pro series style of matches aren't available to the regular shmoo shooter, then I'll drop my membership and won't be shooting at anymore pizza boxes.

The 3GN Regional events do not claim to be "Pro-style". High school and college basketball are different from the pros as well. When you post high enough classifier scores to get an invite to the Pro qualifier (I did this year but health kept me from going) You, too, can start hosing pro stages if you get picked in the "draft". Until then, we live with a 40 second shot clock and a three point line 3 feet closer to the basket.

[Stlhead]

. But at the 3 gun nation regional, a match put on by 3gn staff at a location of their choosing I expect more drag racing style stages, and certainly not slings.

I think you might be confusing 3GN with 3GN made for TV pro series.

Wow, silly me! I see a product/event/sport/etc advertised on TV, then buy/go/participate and the product/event/sport/etc is completely different?

I joined 3 Gun Nation because that was the type of event I would like to shoot. If that is only available to the pro series, then I will be dropping my membership. There are plenty of conventional outlaw 3 gun matches available to shoot.

OK, so you watched the 3gn pro series on TV, then signed up for a regional match thinking that you would be participating in the pro series? That seems a little absurd. There was plenty of info out there saying that the regional events where not going to be anything like the pro series. Different rules, different stage design, different competitors. Drop your membership, I do not think that you will be missed. Far more people are going to want to shoot 3gn if they make the stages good and fix the silly penalties than will be turned away from the differences from the pro series. Also if you think there is plenty of opportunity to shoot good 3 gun you are sadly mistaken, we need all the good matches we can get.

Reading is fundamental.

[davsco]

I'm not a fan of having all three guns on you while shooting (eg pistol holstered, rifle slung, shooting shottie). One, there's a distraction / ergonomics factor (stuff in the way of each other, stuff relocating/rebalancing) that could lead to safety issues. And two, increases the odds that your nice gear gets all beat up rubbing against each other or walls, props, etc. While Kyle in Amer Sniper slung his precision rifle and cleared rooms with his AR and holstered handgun (and even then he didn't also have a bunch of shell caddies getting in the way), not sure how practical that is for the rest of us.

Slung rifle while shooting pistol, sure (one is none, two is one...), but when that gets super-sized to three guns it seems a bit much.

[Flatland Shooter]

I shoot lots of different types of competition and as has been pointed out in other posts, variety is good and I'm tired of the usual outlaw and USPSA multigun matches. If the pro series style of matches aren't available to the regular shmoo shooter, then I'll drop my membership and won't be shooting at anymore pizza boxes.

Don't complain, get involved. Contact the MD at your local club and tell them you would like one of the matches to mirror the stages you see on TV. Tell him/her that you will spearhead the match including preparing the WSB and assist with setup of the match.

Once you've done that, others may like what you've done and it could become a regular thing.

Bill

Edited February 26, 2015 by Flatland Shooter

[Dewberry]

This whole thread is about slings. Not the style of stages. I personally like all kinda of stages from 8 second burn them down to 3 min to run over 200 yards shoot out to 500. I just don't like slings, in any kind of stage. I don't see what a sling add to any style stage over a pickup off a table and IMO it take away in make ways.

[Vlad]

This whole thread is about slings. Not the style of stages. I personally like all kinda of stages from 8 second burn them down to 3 min to run over 200 yards shoot out to 500. I just don't like slings, in any kind of stage. I don't see what a sling add to any style stage over a pickup off a table and IMO it take away in make ways.

It adds a challenge in how you handle your firearms, it requires an additional skill set in weapon manipulation, it means you rifle can't be entirely a space gun it is going to need something you can hook up to, etc. We keep waving the word practical around these shooting sports and (god forgive me saying the following words) "in the real world" there aren't rifles on random tables. I'm not overly fond of the all 3 guns on you stages, but asking to have a slung long gun while using a handgun doesn't seem all that crazy to me.

[gerritm]

I have shot the match that Dewberry and Langenator are talking about since the first one 2 or 3 years ago. It started out as a mostly long range-- long distance movement type match run by a masochist (just kidding) that was not for everyone. Rifle portion was all long range steel with no hoser stages out to 500 yards. You shot off from every type of rest from tree limbs to barrels, barricades, platforms, and offhand shots. Slinging a rifle was the only practical way of staging it when your movement might be 100 plus yards with all 3 weapons. Sometimes you started with your rifle and sometimes you ended with it. When you ended with it slings were necessary. Taught my son and I how to shoot long distance from a practical standpoint out to 500yards. I am grateful to him for his instruction.

The match has now become more 3-gun Nation and is very popular with great mix of hoser, classifiers, long range, and 3-gun Nation type stages.

To have a sling just for the sake of putting it on is not for me. It has to have a reason.

gerritm

[Dewberry]

I have shot the match that Dewberry and Langenator are talking about since the first one 2 or 3 years ago. It started out as a mostly long range-- long distance movement type match run by a masochist (just kidding) that was not for everyone. Rifle portion was all long range steel with no hoser stages out to 500 yards. You shot off from every type of rest from tree limbs to barrels, barricades, platforms, and offhand shots. Slinging a rifle was the only practical way of staging it when your movement might be 100 plus yards with all 3 weapons. Sometimes you started with your rifle and sometimes you ended with it. When you ended with it slings were necessary. Taught my son and I how to shoot long distance from a practical standpoint out to 500yards. I am grateful to him for his instruction.

The match has now become more 3-gun Nation and is very popular with great mix of hoser, classifiers, long range, and 3-gun Nation type stages.

To have a sling just for the sake of putting it on is not for me. It has to have a reason.

gerritm

At that match it was easier to sling the rifle than to hike 1/4 mile up hill to stage it. Which cut the reset time in half. I don't see us running such a long stage at the regional match and therefore don't see a need for sling.

On a side note that be of the best monthly matches in Texas IMO.

[Flatland Shooter]

At that match it was easier to sling the rifle than to hike 1/4 mile up hill to stage it.

On a side note that be of the best monthly matches in Texas IMO.

Is the 1/4 mile hike part of the new match or is Mike and Lan including it in the new matches?

[Dewberry]

At that match it was easier to sling the rifle than to hike 1/4 mile up hill to stage it.

On a side note that be of the best monthly matches in Texas IMO.

Is the 1/4 mile hike part of the new match or is Mike and Lan including it in the new matches?

No that was back when Fred ran it.

[gerritm]

Don't give them any bright ideas. They are doing fine with designing the stages. I am getting too old for those 1/4 runs/walks.

gerritm

[Flatland Shooter]

At that match it was easier to sling the rifle than to hike 1/4 mile up hill to stage it.

On a side note that be of the best monthly matches in Texas IMO.

Is the 1/4 mile hike part of the new match or is Mike and Lan including it in the new matches?

No that was back when Fred ran it.

Good to know. A somewhat younger friend went to one of Fred's matches. He's never been the same.

[SonOfSpartans]

Well, not 3Gun so much, but I have been shooting USCA 2 Gun matches recently. The rifle "must be slung at all times in such a way that if you let go with both hands it will stay on you" during the stage. Depending on the stage I may use a single point sling or a two point sling. Fast burner stage or going to a position with support for the longer targets?....I use a single point. Unsupported long range targets? Two point with the ability to tension the rifle for added stability. Same thing in DMR matches.

Learning to use one is a work in progress but they are actually good once it starts to click. Even a single point sling can add stability and form. IMO.

Know the rules and how to sling. For example. How is the muzzle of the rifle handles for control during the stage? If your rifle is slung behind you will you sweep (even with an empty rifle) and get a DQ? If you are running a section of stage with your pistol, will your rifle stay in place or will it shift position and create a sweep condition on the move? Is it a DQ? Just things to think about and work out before match day.

[Flatland Shooter]

When I made mine, I took some tubular webbing sewed some velcro to it and ran some aluminum stock through it so I could bend it to shape very similar to this one https://www.tacticalassaultgearstore.com/index.php/molle-weapons-catch.htmlalthough mine wasnt anywhere as pretty

Thanks for the links. I'm still trying to get my head around how this works. You use it with a two point sling, right? You run the sling under your strong side arm and over the opposite shoulder, right? The opening on the catch is towards your back, also right.

Then I think I know how to work it.

[Nebwake]

Yep or a single point works well with that set up as well.

[jtielke]

Nah, just not understanding your anger.

I'm not angry, disappointed, but not angry. You won't have any problem telling when I'm angry.

As I said before, when you see Formula One racing on TV and decide you want to try the same thing, but show up for the event and it's Baja 1000 off-road racing, it's disappointing.

I shoot lots of different types of competition and as has been pointed out in other posts, variety is good and I'm tired of the usual outlaw and USPSA multigun matches. If the pro series style of matches aren't available to the regular shmoo shooter, then I'll drop my membership and won't be shooting at anymore pizza boxes.

3 Gun Nation is having a National Championship in Tulsa in October. It will be open to qualifying 3GN members and I assume it will be the same style as the Pro Series as it will also be the Pro Championship and Semi-Pro qualifier.

http://3gunnation.com/news/details/artmid/509/articleid/628678/3gn-nationals-to-debut-in-2015

[aquaticvisions]

I don't mind slings. Makes for cooler video. Here's a story though - at 3GN Western Regionals one of the pros was running the trench stage, rifle slung muzzle down. Along the way, a rock got lodged in one of the baffles of the comp. When the rifle fired, that rock came out like a shot straight out to the side.

[alma]

If slings are too complicated for shooters then they should take up a sport that does not involve the use of firearms. Slings are the equivalent to holsters.

well done

Aren't the slings generally added as stage requirements specifically to increase complexity?

[MarkCO]

The vast majority of the time, slinging a long gun is required to reduce the time per shooter. Technically, they allow longer and more complex stages then we could have without them.

Typo corrected.

Edited February 28, 2015 by MarkCO

[Nebwake]

I love slung long smoker stages . I am a far better athelete than shooter so i really like the equalizer matches for all the times the good shooters beat the pants off me!