3 Stage Multi-Gun Design

[Jesse Tischauser]

I am helping setup a multi-gun match for a local organization/club. We are anticipating 45-60 shooters from within the organization. Most of the shooters will have never participated in any sort of action shooting competition. We will have 3 stages. Each stage will incorporate an individual weapon because the event staff is worried about safety during weapons transitions and transportation of multiple guns to and from the stages. I really want to get these guys a taste of all the different and exciting targets, barricades, ports, and obstacles that are used for 3 gun in order to get them excited about the sport and step out and join us for the bigger matches. I also want to make sure that we get enough round count to catch everyones attention and incorporate reloading. Lastly, I think a good introduction to 3 gun needs to incorporate some kneeling, prone, and movement.

First, I was wondering what software or website do you use for stage design? I have found www.gunracer.com and IPSC Draw but am not in love with either.

Second, How do you plan your timing when setting up a stage design? Is there a rough equation I can use for time/rounds fired so that each stage is similar in timing? I would like to shoot 30-50 rounds/stage since there is only one stage for each weapon. How long will it take to get 60 shooters/stage through?

Third, What targets, ports, obstacles and barricades are a must have in this match? texas star, plate rack, clam shell, barrels, walls???

Fourth, What type of shooting positions and movement should I incorporate and which types should I leave out for beginners? We plan to start out shooting form the low ready position with the weapons loaded for safety reasons.

Fifth, What scoring system is best for a match of this type? In the past the club has done a defensive pistol match or two and used IDPA scoring because it is simple and probably the only scoring they knew of.

Sixth, Is there anything I am missing and need to think about? I am a newbie myself having only shot IPSC 8 months and 1 3 gun match.

Thanks a bunch!

[Brian Payne]

I would keep it simple. I don't mean boring, just simple. Keeping in mind these are new shooters, let them get the experience of shooting all three guns, then intoduce them to the more difficult targets like the Handgun Texas Stars, 350 yrd flash targets, etc.. at a later shoot.

Handgun - Several paper targets on each side of a shooting lane (some no-shoots mixed in) that can be shot from stationary or give them a chance to shoot them on the move as you go forward to engage some poppers and a plate rack. They will become addicted to steal! Have enough targets to force a reload.

Shotgun - 15 - 25 round course involving poppers, activaters with clay launchers, and swinging clays. A Texas Star here would be excellent. Basically have the shooters start at either the right or left shooting box, move along a fault line toward the other shooting box (left hand and right hand neutral). Safe and easy to understand, but difficult enough that it should be fun. Even for shotgunners with no experience it would be fun course of fire.

Rifle - Flash targets at 125, 150, 200 yrds. Start from a low ready and have the shooter go prone for the three targets, then move to a table for rested kneeling position 25 yrds further up range, engage all three targets, then move uprange another 25 yrds to a barricade to engage the targets again. You could also put some 10 - 15 yrd paper targets to be engaged from the last position if you like. The shooters would learn shooting from diferent positions and the targets should be easy enough to keep iron shooters coming back for another match without feeling like they needed to purchase an optic.

Split the shooters into three squads and go round robin on the stages. If there is not as many shooters as anticipated you could let the shooters run the course a second time and try to show them where they could cut some time off of the course of fire - sort of a three gun training. If you actually do get 60 new shooters, then I would think you would be better off having six smaller courses of fire than three larger ones. If the range has the space two handgun, two rifle, and two shotgun courses of fire would be ideal.

A lot of the new 3-gunners I have seen have never shot any sort of competition at all. The safety rules are foreign to them and need to be addressed right away, including the holstering of handguns at a safety area and not in the parking lot. Then keep in mind that most of the new shooters have only shot a rifle off of a bench at bullseye type targets, and shotguns have only been used for hunting, trap shooting, or sporting clays.

[Jesse Tischauser]

Great advice, thanks!