Im sure everyone is in full disagreement about which brands are the best so I just want to figure out what my priorities should be.  I bought my very first and ONLY firearm last month, a 9mm Pistol.  I read about 3 gunning and well I am taking the bait.  I don't have a shotgun or a rifle of any kind and I know one person who has an AR but I'd prefer to have my own equipment.  So which gun should I buy next if I wont be able to buy the other for a few months?  Rifle or shotgun?  I am leaning towards the rifle because who knows what looney politician will be in office next year.  Is that reasonable?

You should know the only answer you'll get is "get both" and rightfully so.

Depending on your budget, you can get both...

A used Remington 870 and a Budget AR you could be into for less than $1k.

While you are busy deciding which rifle and shotgun are in your future, start shooting some pistol matches. Check to see if there are any USPSA or IDPA matches near you and get a little match experience.

Also ask around and see if there are any two gun matches in your neighborhood.  If they shoot shotgun/pistol matches, then maybe the shotgun should be your next firearm.  Likewise, rifle/pistol matches may make the rifle your priority.

Bill

Good advice there.  Getting to understand the rules and safe gun handling in competition will go a long way.  I also think the pistol is hardest to master, so working on that will help a lot.

If you have never shot a match before, go shoot a Steel Challenge match. Best match to get your feet wet on, since not a lot of movement. Then shoot a few USPSA matches. Then you'll know if 3 gun is for you. 3 gun right from the get go can be very overwhelming.

Good advice to shoot pistol matches first - they will teach you all the fundamentals (safety rules, stage planning, gun handling, speed vs. accuracy, footwork etc.), yet the cost of entry and ongoing participation is far less, and likely there are many more competitive venues locally.

I agree that you can likely afford both a rifle and a shotgun now, but disagree with the advice to buy a pump shotgun... it is something you will likely grow out of VERY quickly, so money down the drain. There are a couple of reasonably priced semi-auto shotgun options nowadays (e.g. Stoeger M3000) that perform very well, yet cost less than even a budget AR15. If you do your homework and shop wisely, I bet you could get both a rifle with iron sights and a good solid semi-auto shotgun and still walk away with change from $1k. Now is a GREAT time to be buying/building an AR15.

Being that I'm just now getting into 3-gun (we still do not have local matches, but we are working on changing that), here are my suggestions/observations:
1. To start, bring what you got. Don't have it, borrow what you can to try it out. I started off running a typical mid-length home built AR and a Mossberg 500 8 shot. That is what I have.
2. I do agree with above, if you DON"T have anything yet...don't buy a pump to get started. Go ahead and get a semi-auto. It will definitely make a difference in time. I can run a pump pretty darn quick, but I still can't beat a cheap semi auto.
3. After watching a handful of 'out of the box' shotguns...get the Stoeger M3k or M3000. If you can afford it, go ahead and get a M2. You'll thank me later if you really get into 3gun.
4. Definitely go to the pistol matches and start shooting them. That will teach you the safety, the commands, and get you talking with others that may have already tried what you are thinking.
5. Don't be afraid to use someone else's gun, and if you have the firearms, lend them out.  Kind of like buying a car, it is always better to test shoot something then buy it and not like it. One 3-gun match I went to had about 5 guys sharing one M2.
6. If you can, go ahead and build your AR, or at least start buying parts. All I say is this... skip the A2 front sight post. I was being cheap when I built mine and I regret that now that I am looking at 3 gun.  I am still going to buy a semi-auto shotgun first before I replace my AR upper because I feel the shotgun is more limiting in my case.
7. Get a comp/brake for your AR. It makes a world of difference for <$100. Everyone has their favorite, and I haven't picked mine yet, but anything is better than the regular flash hider.

Go have fun. You won't be a pro the first match, so just enjoy it and watch your fellow shooters. Ask questions, there are a ton of know-it all's and some of them actually do!

If you have two gun matches (pistol and rifle) you the rifle will allow you start, the rifle is also upgradable.   On the shotgun there are handful of models that really work well and you have a in investment in the shell holders and such also.

dupe