How much ammo do you need

[Michael Brown]

How much ammo does one need to carry for IPSC or SOF 3 gunning?  Are the two different?

I realize that reloading is critical in 3 gunniing but are the shotgun courses high enough in terms of round count that one needs 24 shotshells on his person in addition to a loaded shotgun?

Michael Brown

[kellyn]

It completely depends on the stage whether it is SOF or IPSC.  I always carry roughly twice as much ammo on me that is required to complete the stage.  Two years ago at the 3 gun natl's, Todd Salmon needed about that much to finish a shotgun stage and few if any shoot a shotgun better than he does.  Like the Boy Scouts, my motto is be prepared.

I actually have enough shell holders to hold 66 rounds on my person and 10 on the shotgun - not that I've ever needed or carried that many.

[Michael Brown]

66 rounds?  You weren't kidding about that prepared thing!  how many do you typically carry?

Michael Brown

[Michael Brown]

In reference to my previous question, what's the most shells anyone's heard of being needed for a stage in a USPSA shotgun stage?  How about at the SOF match?

Michael Brown

[Les Snyder]

Michael... a comment on your question... at the NC Tactical match last year, I used 3 Choat trays on a 25 shot elastic loop belt.  My intent was to charge the gun inititially  from the loops, then quick reload off the Blackhawk 8shot arm band, then the trays, saving the remaining looped cartridges for emergency.  They had an 8foot wall you had to climb complete with a small diameter  pole on the top edge...the idea of dragging my large belly over the rough log with primers exposed in the elastic loops came to me after the walkthru...expecially thought provoking when you consider where the blast would have been aimed... this year I've done away with the looped belt and added a side saddle to the gun.  I think I can make North Carolina this year, and am considering altering my CamelBak to hold a small oxygen bottle, so I can run the 75yard shotgun courses.  regards Les

[ErikW]

"Typical" shotgun courses I've encountered are approximately 25 rounds. Assuming you start with 9 in a Limited gun, you'll need to carry 16. Then you need to add a few more for misses and steel that doesn't fall. Then you need to add a few more for dropped (fumbled) shells during reload attempts.

I shot with three Choates for a while but I had to get a fourth one.