L9X25 Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I am gearing up for 2007 3-gun fun and do not have any magazines over 30 rounds. At a recent match I saw a few Beta-c (100 rds), a snail (90 rds?), DPMS (45 rds) and Sterling (40 rds). How much capacity is necessary at your average match to be competitive? The beta obviously has enough capacity to cover any situation but sure makes the rifle bulky to handle. All comments are appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 more is always better. however, i think you can get by with 40 rounders with no problem. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Religious Shooter Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Average match... 40 or 45 rd mags suffice. But I would still recommend getting a Beta for those 38/40 rd stages where I would want a cushion. Certain stages also make the Beta's profile easier to monopod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baa Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I just bought a DPMS 45 rounder and plan to get a beta mag later in the year for the reasons religious shooter mentions. That said, I think the 45 round mags will get us through 90% of the rifle stages we will encounter in the SE US matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I've seen matches lost because one guy had to do a mag change and the other did not. I'd have a 40 round one at a minimum. The beta is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 (edited) Here again is where fair and well though out course design plays a HUGE factor... If I put up a 35 round course knowing it will make everyone without a 45 rounder change mags, I should at least have the common sense to put in a decent spot for a load about mid-way. It's like the Open guys putting up 24 round all paper "no space for reload" courses because they need to put up better times than the Limited guys. They used to do it down South a lot, knowing we had 17 or 18 rounders in Standard, they would put up a quick 20 round hoser course. Edited January 10, 2007 by dirtypool40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I learned to carry a "six pack" mag carrier in my rifle gear. Three 40's, 2 30's, and 2 20's. And a Beta. That mix took care of everything that came up Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L9X25 Posted January 10, 2007 Author Share Posted January 10, 2007 (edited) Here again is where fair and well though out course design plays a HUGE factor...If I put up a 35 round course knowing it will make everyone without a 45 rounder change mags, I should at least have the common sense to put in a decent spot for a load about mid-way. It's like the Open guys putting up 24 round all paper "no space for reload" courses because they need to put up better times than the Limited guys. They used to do it down South a lot, knowing we had 17 or 18 rounders in Standard, they would put up a quick 20 round hoser course. I know that you did not stay around and play but that is precisely what happened at the CFRP 3-gun match about 2 weeks ago. We had a nearly 40 round hoser course with targets at 10 to 20 feet where you could shoot continuously, with no opportunity to reload off the clock. Thankfully my "rifle" reloads far faster than anybody else's and I did not lose too much to the big mag guys. Leo Edited January 10, 2007 by L9X25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 more is always better. however, i think you can get by with 40 rounders with no problem.lynn the extra 40 I have came in handy at both of the last 2 Mason/Dixon 3gun rifle portions. Might be handy to have a dual 40 setup that was reliable- if just for mono-pod use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I carry the following: 2 - 40's; 4-30's, 2-20's. That's it. The biggest thing is that they're reliable. Very rarely can I think of instance of where doing a reload 'cost' me anything. I'll probably pick up 1-2 of the DPMS 45's, but that's it. I'm pretty anti-Beta mag as I think it's not necessary and if a stage really necessitated that many rounds, well then there's time to reload too. That and I can sleep well "losing" to a guy with a Beta 'cause he can't reload. I take comfort in knowing that I can manipulate my rifle 'better'. It's a personal thing though. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I know that you did not stay around and play but that is precisely what happened at the CFRP 3-gun match about 2 weeks ago. We had a nearly 40 round hoser course with targets at 10 to 20 feet where you could shoot continuously, with no opportunity to reload off the clock. Thankfully my "rifle" reloads far faster than anybody else's and I did not lose too much to the big mag guys. Leo I glad you had the fix, it's always nice to see technique win out over poor course design and those who try to hide in it. My buddy and I in Standard down in Bolivia used to routinely beat up on the Open guys. When they got tired of us winning with cheaper guns (only the truly elite may garner proper Open guns there) they started with the big stick hoser courses, and even went so far as to put a con 2 or 3 start in their "medium" courses to try and force a standing reload on us. Yes, they were that desparate for a stage win. Know what??? Didn't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2ipsc Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 30 rnd CP mag - $15... 45 rnd DPMS mag - $90 100 rnd Beta that gives hoplophobes the vapors - priceless There are some things a reload can buy...for everything else, there's Beta C... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 30 rnd CP mag - $15...45 rnd DPMS mag - $90 100 rnd Beta that gives hoplophobes the vapors - priceless There are some things a reload can buy...for everything else, there's Beta C... I think a Beta C is my next buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I am happily laughing my a## off!! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I don't bother worrying about anything like this and just carry 30's in the amount needed to get the job done. I have seldom seen a stage where you were disadvantaged IF you know how to reload quickly while doing whatever movement is involved in the stage. I find 20's really handy to have around for certain prone scenarios and fast mag drops for mandatory reload standards type things. 20's and 30's all the way for me. I guess I'm old school, but I really don't see it as a big enough issue to lose sleep over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.40AET Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Thanks George. I never gave any thought to bringing a 20 rounder to a match. Both are good reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 George, considering the times that you put up posts, I would think that you are losing sleep over something.( all wee hours in ther A.M.) The only reason I get up after midnight is to shoot someone, or the alarm tone tells me I have to make a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Trapr, I work in the staging and live event industry and I sometimes don't get home from work until 1-2 am, if at all. Other times I have to report to at 5am so I am up at 3:30 to excercise and get my morning Forum dosage. Occasionally I get home at 1-2am and then have to report back at 6am ;-) We call that short-turn and it means DoubleTime all day long, woo-hoo ;-) Every once in a while I feel the need to practice this type of schedule and will play around in my loading/computer/music/video room in the wee hours just to keep my "professional" edge up ;-) I can sleep when I die, in the meantime I think another cup-o-coffee is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineshootah Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 30 rnd CP mag - $15...45 rnd DPMS mag - $90 100 rnd Beta that gives hoplophobes the vapors - priceless There are some things a reload can buy...for everything else, there's Beta C... +1 It all depends on the match. Here on the east coast, a 40 round mag will get you through most stages. However, out to Ironman... a Beta is a "must" have, with several stages last year up around the 60-70 rounds of rifle (after the 55 rounds of pistol and before the 45 rounds of shotgun..). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIC Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 When i don't miss a lot, my 40 rounder gets me through 95% of the time. I do recall a couple of times the 45 rounder came in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpowe Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 At the Tiger Valley 3 Gun, on the Tank stage, about 45-48 rounds at about 75 yards. Started with a Beta C mag... rifle went single shot after just a few rounds. Dumped the Beta and switched to two cinched 30 rounders, dang thing stayed single shot, emptied one 30 and part of the other. As I remember, my time was around 70-75 seconds. The stage winner was around 45 seconds. Sure wish I'd changed the seal rings BEFORE the stage! bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory_k Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I take a few 20's, 30's and my Beta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Live by the BETA, Die by the BETA...... Get some good 30's and maybe a good 40 and practice your reloads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 and practice your reloadsAnd THAT is the best AR mag capacity advice here ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 20s all the way!!!! I've never had my straight 20s fail. I have a magpouch that makes it load like a pistol. At last years TX 3 gun I ran a stage in 25 or 26 seconds that most were running in the 30s. It took 30 rounds..I used two 20s. Long live the 20s but if I can find a beta...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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