Tell Me About Your Local Club 3 Gun Matches

[Correia]

Out of curiosity, what are your local 3 gun matches like? Specifically how often do you hold them? How many shooters on average? How many stages? Round count? Max rifle range?

I'm one of the match directors here in Utah. We put on a pretty intense match. (in my opinion, for what that is worth!)

We have a 3 gun once every quarter.

35-55 shooters. Depending on the weather.

10 Stages.

Round count: 100-150 rifle 100-150 pistol 40-60 shotgun

Longest rifle shot: 200 yards.

[George]

At our local club it works out to about 4 specialty matches a year, of which two are usually 3 gun, and the other two are rifle and shotgun respectively.

We have five 50 yard bays available and we also use our 200 yard High Power bay for dedicated rifle stages.

At the 3 gun matches we usually do 5 multi-gun stages (typically 2 with all 3 guns, and 3 with 2 guns), and one long distance rifle stage.

We have been using MGM flashers on the 200 yard bay for the dedicated long distance rifle course. We use bowling pins, MGM Lollipoppers, and MGM precision rifle targets on our short bays for rifle in addition to paper. We put the bowling pins on railroad ties about a foot apart and shoot them from about 40 yards.

For shotgun we use a mixture of poppers, plates, and stationary clays along with slugs on paper targets. We have also used pieces of 2x4 and bowling pins on occasion. I can't remember ever needing buckshot at any of our local matches.

We try to get the stages even in points, so we give 10 points a hit, and do lots of re-engagement of the flashers at the 200 yard range to get the points up above 250 on the long distance rifle stage. The multi gun stages typically run 15-25 rounds per gun on the 3 gun stages, and around 25-30 per gun on the dual gun stages so the point totals come out around 300 for most stages.

We usually use USPSA scoring, but have used the the IMGA neutralize the target or assess a time penalty method too. Safety rules follow USPSA guidlines, but we ignore all the rest of the crap about classes and target type to do things that we like, or want to do. We use USPSA open and limited class equipment criteria, and also recognize the "scoped tactical" class by allowing a single optic on rifle (no bipod) in conjunction with limited class pistol & shotgun gear. Heck, we'll even make a pump shotgun gun class if ya wanna bring one.

We have been getting from 12-25 shooters at the extreme ends, with 16-18 being a good showing at our specialty matches. Pistol only shooting has a larger attendance factor at our club. Not everyone has the gear (or got it in time because we are in the sovereign state of Kalifornia), or the motivation to haul that much crap around on a day off ;~)

Regards,

[Carlos]

About every other month, there is a unofficial, non-USPSA sanctioned 3gun indoor match at the NRA HQ off Rt. 66 just outside D.C. The range offers up to 50 yards and the organizers wisely prohibit pistol caliber carbines so that everyone simply uses their normal 3gun rifle. Otherwise, the match rules follow the USPSA handbook. There is always a mix of paper and steel (and sometimes pins) @ 50 yards for rifle; shotgun features some heavy steel that will fall w/ 5s or 6s (no buckshot stage) and there is usually a slug stage or two on paper. THere has been a weapon transition stage where a competitor empties the shotgun, places it on a table, action open, and procedes downrange to engage w/ handgun (DQ if you head downrange & shotgun not empty/locked open). Since its indoor, competitors often have the chance to go prone on at least one stage.

There are also official USPSA 3gun matches at York Isaac Walton near York PA. They have a 200 yard range but I have not seen it used for rifle - perhaps it has. Otherwise, rifles are shot under 40 yards and people do use pistol cal carbines as well as traditional 5.56. There was a grueling shotgun stage last year w/ 4 heavy tombstones requiring slugs at 75 yards or more and gobs of paper targets; few competitors got all 4 tombstones down and times for the stage were in the 1 min range. Challenges are good though. York also has a buckshot specific stage where they count the number of pellet hits on paper. In addition, they use a 2 arm windmill contraption set off by an activator. There is a clay bird on each arm that must be broken or perforated. Overall, an excellent match.

[glockster96]

When: Every 4th Saturday. We are primarily a 3-gun club, but we also have a seperate monthly steel match that is pistol only.

Attendance: 10-20 shooters. Usually closer to 10.

Stages: 5-6 stages. Previously we had multi-gun stages, but now we are doing 2 stages for each gun. Hopefully we will be back to multi-gun stages soon. We also had our first MOR stage last month. It was a hoot.

Round Count: Our generic round count is 125 pistol, 100 rifle, 40 shot, 15 slug.

Rifle range: Contact-375 yards. We also use rifle flash targets for the long range stuff. It speeds up the match tremendously.

We are a USPSA club, so we use their 3 gun rules.

Regards, and HTH.

[JohnL]

We hold a 3-gun the second Sunday of every month April to October. Ther are probably 25-40 shooters. Round count is about 20-25 shotgun, 40-60 rifle and the same for handgun. Our rifle range is 100 yards. We have 6 to 7 stages.

[lcambre]

also recognize the "scoped tactical" class by allowing a single optic on rifle (no bipod) in conjunction with limited class pistol & shotgun gear.

I shoot at the same club as George and we now allow bipods in tactical due to the change at the WC3G match. If I remember correctly we limit scope power to 4x. Those with a higher power variable are expected to max out at 4x. We also have stages that require all shooters to use a holster that will retain their pistol while in the prone position. When they are starting with any gun other than the pistol it is holstered empty with the hammer down.

Louis

[kurtm]

Rocky Mountain 3-Gun runs similer to the ArkCity club, usualy once a month but some times 2 a month. We run 4 stages usually 2-3 multi gun, and one pure pistol, or rifle, or shotgun. 100 rifle, 100 pistol, 50 shot, 15 slugs will usually do it. we usually get 30-40 shooters depending on time of year, and very seldom cancel due to weather. KURT