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Old November 2, 2010, 01:27 PM   #1
BombthePeasants
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I've been watching 3GunNation and...

seeing as how I could never afford those super expensive auto shotguns, plastic wonder rifles, and FN pistols, how could a poor guy like myself ever compete in a 3-gun competition?

I imagine it would look odd for a guy to roll out an M1 Garand, 1911, and a pump-action shotgun I'd have to borrow...

It's fun to watch those shooters, but I can see that it's definitely a rich man's sport.
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Old November 2, 2010, 04:22 PM   #2
g.willikers
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There's divisions for regular shootin' irons, too.
Check the rules at 3gunnation.com.
And also in the multi gun section at brianenos.com
Most of the top guys, the ones on tv, have sponsors and use the fancy stuff.
Lots of competitors can't and don't.
The guns that you mentioned would be in the Heavy Metal division.
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Old November 2, 2010, 09:24 PM   #3
bullspotter
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its not a rich mans sport at all. My local area has several 3 gun matches, lots of guys shooting pump shotguns. Factory ARs and production pistols.

I got to shoot the MGM Iron man this year, My ist real year for 3 gunnin. Shot a factory stock R-15, (limited division) remington 1100 tactical and a glock 17. I shot with the F&N group. Im pretty sure they are not as good as they are because of the guns they have, although quility stuff wont hurt, They are great shooters, they shoot alot, and have been doing this for a long time. They know how to shoot the stages. they were awsome to shoot with, I learned more by watching them shoot then what i would gain by having the most expensive equipment period!!!

Dont let the show fool you, I think their were 185 or so total shooters at the iron man, Their were the high end sponcer shooters, some military shooters, and lots of average joe shooters with basic equipment like myself. Im willing to bet I had as much fun as Dave did shooting, I however didnt get the 5k check, but he didnt win it because he had the most $$$$ tied up in guns, he won cause hes awsom at what he dose with the guns!!! It was amizing to watch him shoot some of the stages.

I say grab your stuff, borrow that shot gun and go give it a try!!!
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Old November 3, 2010, 09:59 AM   #4
kraigwy
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Quote:
I imagine it would look odd for a guy to roll out an M1 Garand, 1911, and a pump-action shotgun I'd have to borrow...
Do it and stand proud.

I shot a two gun match with a M1 Carbine & 1911A1. I didn't win, but I was respectable, and I had fun.

I shoot ICORE with a as issued Model 64 and my old HOYT holster I carried in LE. Except for loading (no moon clips) it shot as good as any.

I even shot ICORE with my 642 pocket revolver, drawing from my pants pocket. Couldn't compete with the fancy revolvers and moon clips but I learned a bit more about my SD carry revolver.

I've shot steel matches with my 870, it shoots and is reliable, but of course these are timed matches and I couldn't compete with some guy with a drum mag on his FN shotgun. I also has no jams, couldn't say that for most of the fancy shotguns out there.

Consider you are shooting against yourself, beating your last match's scores.

I'm kind of moving away from high power and more to the CMP GSM Vintage Military Rifle, shooting as issue Garands, Carbine's and Mosins.

Remember the main purpose of these shooting games is to have fun, I have more fun shooting these old pieces of history.
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Old November 3, 2010, 10:21 AM   #5
Chris W
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I shot 3-gun matches in North Carolina for two years with a revolver (I was shooting stock service revo in IDPA at the same club), a Remington 870 and a Marlin lever-action .357. I had a blast, never got any guff or sidelong glances that I noticed, and honestly think I earned some respect.
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Old November 3, 2010, 11:06 AM   #6
RickB
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I shot USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals a few years ago with a single stack .45, Mossberg pump, and M1 Carbine, and won my class. Substituting a Garand for the Carbine is a pretty slick set-up for what is now apparently called "Heavy Iron" division? I generally compete with what I have, rather than gear-up to the limits of the rules, and it hasn't reduced the fun.
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Old November 3, 2010, 12:11 PM   #7
BombthePeasants
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I see. I guess the biggest problem w/ that show is that they only show the elite guys, who have the best, most expensive gear. You don't see the regular Joes, shooting the stuff out of their closets. THANKS GUYS!!
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Old November 3, 2010, 12:39 PM   #8
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I find the repetitiveness of the show to be its greatest weakness. The shootoffs are sponsored by FNH, so everyone is shooting their products. The shootoff format is always the same; it's a good test of skill, but I get bored with seeing the same format over and over. And, the top shooters at any given match are likely to be the same bunch of guys, so you do see a limited number of competitors. Especially since the competitors are often the same from one episode to the next, they need to come up with some varied shooting challenges.
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Old November 3, 2010, 01:31 PM   #9
BombthePeasants
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I concur with that. I mainly fast forward to the parts where they show the stages that have props and stuff. That's fun. Otherwise, the show is kind of BLEH!
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Old November 3, 2010, 02:04 PM   #10
g.willikers
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Yeah, especially since the attraction of the run-n-gun style matches, including 3
Gun, is that the stages are never the same.
To have the exact identical stages, each and every show, kInd of goes against the grain, don't it?
And the guys who get to be on the show more than once know how to run it.
And probably practice it to death at home.
What were they thinking?
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Old November 15, 2010, 03:50 PM   #11
KSFreeman
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Quote:
I imagine it would look odd for a guy to roll out an M1 Garand, 1911
Ummm, yeah, have you checked the prices of M1 Garands and quality 1911s recently?
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Old November 15, 2010, 05:46 PM   #12
BombthePeasants
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it's what I have. And I wouldn't sell them for a million bucks. well, maybe a million...
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Old November 15, 2010, 05:57 PM   #13
Wag
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In the biker world, it's always the rider, not the bike.

Sometimes, I wonder if the same might be possibly true of the gun world

"It ain't the gun, it's the shooter."

Just sayin'!



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