Posted: 9/11/2026 1:39:31 PM EDT
[Last Edit: gearjammer351][Edited]
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So, I made friends with a guy at the club a couple years ago and he invited me to come shoot with the 3-gun crew. I am not into shooting shotguns, and I am not particularly interested in competitions; I just thought it might be a fun thing to do on a weeknight and a chance to practice shooting differently. I did it for a while and stopped going. I want to get back into it. I already had all the guns, but little "gear" for it. On a tight budget, I gathered together some gear so I could play. I use a surplus MOLLE vest that I had as an emergency kit and rearranged the pouches a bit. I then bought a cheap gun belt (with inner/outer like a cop belt) and a used Safariland duty holster. That was enough for me to participate, though not ideal and it wouldn't be a great competition setup. I'm browsing for gear now, just to make some incremental changes to my not-great-but-usable stuff. Here's my issue/question: I'm not really into this to win competitions. I haven't even done one yet, and I may not ever. I just like shooting and the group has a barn full of cool shit to shoot at (like Texas stars and other fun reactive targets) that I don't have. I want my gear to be practical in the sense that if I needed to don it for a SHTF event, It will actually be 'real-world' functional, and not optimized just for gaming. Am I being dumb? I feel like my imagined scenarios where I have to take my gear and "use" it in a real scenario are kinda silly and really unlikely. OTOH, I feel like the idea of buying a bunch of game-specific gear that has no real use anywhere but on a competition range -ya know, stuff like open mag pouches and shell caddies that wouldn't be suitable for doing other stuff - could be equally silly. Also, if y'all do have some gear that you think is good for both purposes, or just some tips on gear that works for you, please share. |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
- Herodotus
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I really found over the years that a simple set up is often better. My belt consists of a pistol holster, 2 rifle mag pouches, 2 pistol pouches, an IFAK and a mag pouch mounted dump pouch. I've used my set up with a chest rig for a run and gun 5K and everything worked great other than my earbud type ear pro. For mag pouches I'll either use Esstac brand or Dynamic Principles with the kydex inserts. These type of pouches have never failed me in classes or matches. https://dynamicprinciples.us/collections/cantable-magazine-pouches https://esstac.com/laminate-single-5-56-shorty-kywi-pouch/ https://flatlinefiberco.com/product/the-mini-dump-pouch/ (these are a nice space saver on belts) |
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Originally Posted By Nobody69s: I really found over the years that a simple set up is often better. My belt consists of a pistol holster, 2 rifle mag pouches, 2 pistol pouches, an IFAK and a mag pouch mounted dump pouch. I've used my set up with a chest rig for a run and gun 5K and everything worked great other than my earbud type ear pro. For mag pouches I'll either use Esstac brand or Dynamic Principles with the kydex inserts. These type of pouches have never failed me in classes or matches. https://dynamicprinciples.us/collections/cantable-magazine-pouches https://esstac.com/laminate-single-5-56-shorty-kywi-pouch/ https://flatlinefiberco.com/product/the-mini-dump-pouch/ (these are a nice space saver on belts) Thanks! I really do need to upgrade my dump pouch. I got a cheapie online, and it's OK for mostly-static shooting, but when I move around too much shit flies out of it.  The other thing I have that's not useful at all is shell holders. I got some hunting style ones, and it takes way too long to reload from them. I was hesitant to get the kind I've seen others using, but I may have to. While I am not trying to win, I'm also not trying to look dumb (also, I'm trying to get better). I can shoot well enough that when we just do things like plate racks or dueling trees, I hold my own. It's running a full course with reloads and switching weapons that I'm getting bogged down. I know a lot of it is a need for practice, but some of it is crappy gear. |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
- Herodotus
| My philosophy is that if you have a gamer mindset and love it, great, go crazy. If not, I still highly recommend that anyone that’s able to go shoot at least one or two competitions with your HD/SHTF setup. Why? Because competition is a great way to induce stress, forces you to try to perform at speed, and often will make you try new positions/techniques that you’ve never had a chance to. It’s a great way to see if your setup actually works in reality. You might find that your LPVO needs to be mounted in a different spot, that your rifle is too cumbersome, etc. |
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Originally Posted By bluedog82: Because competition is a great way to induce stress. Totally disagree. Gun Games are NOT good training for real life. Games are training for Games. If you want real life training then do Force on Force. ONLY FoF gives you the "feel" of a Two Way range. Gun Games are just target shooting with enforced speed that might not be appropriate in real world incidents. |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Totally disagree. Gun Games are NOT good training for real life. Games are training for Games. If you want real life training then do Force on Force. ONLY FoF gives you the "feel" of a Two Way range. Gun Games are just target shooting with enforced speed that might not be appropriate in real world incidents. I don't think that's what we're implying. I'm not thinking that competition shooting is akin to combat training - just that it's something that pushes a shooter and their gear more, and introduces some factors into the shooting scenario that we might not have (or couldn't) on our own: things like shooting from awkward positions or at speed. As a casual shooter with no access to fancy training facilities or anything, competition practice has shown me some shortcomings in my techniques and guns/gear, and given me some ideas on better ways to practice when I'm shooting on my own. *Some* of those things can translate to real world use. |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
- Herodotus
| I see 3 gun as fun, pricey fun. You can test gear and weapons. You can get better and have fun. Gamer v shooter, well if you’re off the couch and slinging lead, it is better than nothing. |
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| There is a ton of cast off gear out there that may not be the current rage but certainly serviceable. I have HSGI Mag polymer pouches with pistol over rifle. Shotgun loading is certainly doable with old versions of belt carriers which are more “practical” than gamer gear. |
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: As a casual shooter with no access to fancy training facilities.... I hear that all the time; but its simply NOT true. You and a buddy can train in your back yard with airsoft guns. Wanna make it more complex toss some lawn furniture around as "cover". Airsoft is waaaaaay cheaper than playing gun games, it doesnt take you away from home for a weekend, so youll get a lot less complaints from your family. There are airsoft guns that are almost direct clones for most carry guns. All you need is a airsoft gun and a mask + BBs and a few CO2 cartridges |
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My advice was going to be bluedog's. There's two easy ways to go. Use whatever actual gear you want to use in the real world and take the hit on speed. Or buy some basic competition gear that can be pretty handy and go have fun. Either one works. I took the advice to use whatever I had when I started shooting USPSA. Used my 229 in 40 and shot out of IWB. I quickly figured out that I wanted gear a little better suited for the game so I got a Blade Tech holster and a couple double mag pouches that I used for quite a while until I switched to Limited which I basically shot with the same gear. For me it wasn't about being super competitive just making it a little easier for myself to shoot well. I never went off the deep end. Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Totally disagree. Gun Games are NOT good training for real life. Games are training for Games. If you want real life training then do Force on Force. ONLY FoF gives you the "feel" of a Two Way range. Gun Games are just target shooting with enforced speed that might not be appropriate in real world incidents. Get you killed in the streets am I right? |
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Get you killed in the streets am I right? Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Get you killed in the streets am I right? Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. A bunch of high level shooters from the mil and various LE disagree. There's a reason they compete and recruit high level competition shooters to train them. I found these in 5 minutes. I think former Delta guys are pretty good people to listen to on the subject. It's pretty well sorted out that competition can absolutely help your "tactical" skills.  Practical Shooting. Matt Pranka, Field Notes Ep. 64  NRA America’s Rifle Challenge: The Practical Benefits of Competition @ShootingUSA |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: A bunch of high level shooters from the mil and various LE disagree. There's a reason they compete and recruit high level competition shooters to train them. Hahaha Ive heard that all before. Look you wanna play gun games go ahead. You wanna believe its good tactical training, do that too; but its still just trigger time with ZERO experience (pain) of what happens when you make a mistake or even when you go everything perfect but the bad guy does too. |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. Dude - no one else here is talking about preparing for war. I'm not going to war. I have some tactical gear I bought for gaming. I'd also use some in a SHTF scenario. I'm just brainstorming how some of that type of stuff might get used for gun games. If you feel the need to prepare for war, go ahead, but that's not what we were talking about. Also, this is the competition shooting sub. Did you come in the forum just to try to start shit by talking smack about competition shooting? If so, I'm gonna have to politely ask you to fuck off. |
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: Dude - no one else here is talking about preparing for war. I'm not going to war. I have some tactical gear I bought for gaming. I'd also use some in a SHTF scenario. I'm just brainstorming how some of that type of stuff might get used for gun games. If you feel the need to prepare for war, go ahead, but that's not what we were talking about. Also, this is the competition shooting sub. Did you come in the forum just to try to start shit by talking smack about competition shooting? If so, I'm gonna have to politely ask you to fuck off. Im honestly NOT trying to cause shite; but you say youre trying to figure out how to set up your gear for games (and SHTF?), so you might consider my suggestions, which BTW you can do in your basement or backyard As afar as this being a competition forum, I cant see that. When I log into the website all I see are active and newest posts. If theres another way to navigate the site, Id love to know |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Im honestly NOT trying to cause shite; but you say youre trying to figure out how to set up your gear for games (and SHTF?), so you might consider my suggestions, which BTW you can do in your basement or backyard As afar as this being a competition forum, I cant see that. When I log into the website all I see are active and newest posts. If theres another way to navigate the site, Id love to know Yeah, I know my original post is lengthy. I'll try to be concise: I'm looking at stuff I have and might buy to improve my 3-gun setup. I'm just thinking I'd prefer things to be more broadly useful and not just game-focused. Oh - gotcha. I'll see if I can explain while not looking at it. I'm giving you the mobile version of this: top left - touching the button with the 3 horizontal lines opens a menu. From there, choose 'forums.' That'll show a list of the subs. Some even have another layer once you choose it. Yeah, this site has loads of sub forums covering many topics. |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
- Herodotus
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@PieterCoetzee The main list: Attached File Also, I highlighted here at the top where it'll show you what subforum you're looking at. Attached File |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: Yeah, I know my original post is lengthy. I'll try to be concise: I'm looking at stuff I have and might buy to improve my 3-gun setup. I'm just thinking I'd prefer things to be more broadly useful and not just game-focused. Oh - gotcha. I'll see if I can explain while not looking at it. I'm giving you the mobile version of this: top left - touching the button with the 3 horizontal lines opens a menu. From there, choose 'forums.' That'll show a list of the subs. Some even have another layer once you choose it. Yeah, this site has loads of sub forums covering many topics. I do apologize for the "drift" and Im NOT opposed to games just the mentality that its training for real world combat. I can appreciate wanting to assemble gear that "works" for you. I find Im always changing. Its my way of going to the shopping mall. I have set-ups for Shotguns, SMGs, Rifles. I change back and forth between Battle Belts and Chest rigs. It all depends on my mood Thanks also for the heads up on forum skills |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Hahaha Ive heard that all before. Look you wanna play gun games go ahead. You wanna believe its good tactical training, do that too; but its still just trigger time with ZERO experience (pain) of what happens when you make a mistake or even when you go everything perfect but the bad guy does too. Various kinds of competitive shooting absolutely has a place in developing good practical shooters This argument has been repeated enough that I made a whole video on it myself. It includes some advice for people in this conundrum, I will put some more direct advice in another post. |
Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case of the Greeks and Romans and must be that of every free state. -T Jefferson
https://everycitizenasoldier.blogspot.com/
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OP, I have run outlaw matches for almost 20 years. I've held the timer behind 1000s of shooters of all levels, from 100% noobs to Jerry Miculek. It started out as three gun, then after a break I switched to two gun. A modern "tactical" rig can be competitive with a lot of gamer gear, at least with rifle and pistol, until you get to the very high end shooters. Shotguns are an exception your old fighting 870 isn't gonna compete against a tuned Bennelli with a 12 shot tube and ammo caddies. I shoot competitions, carry professionally, and CCW the same pistol. My competition rig performs the same as my duty rig. (I'm in a bit of flux on that now as I just switched pistols) I've got several ARs that I use, all are built for HD/SHTF use. I've never did worse at a match because of them. As for gear, it sound like you started with some old, old gear. And that's okay. An old tac vest isn't a bad option because it's just there to hold your shit between stages. Building a good belt is the winner. An inner/outer with a rifle and couple of pistol reloads (ESSTAC) will get you there on that. If you're willing to reload shotgun from a dump pouch and take that loss it will still be okay. Kinda depends on round count too, especially with shotgun. One bit of practical knowledge you're going to gain is how that shit feels over a few hours. Most people w "tactical gear" never experience that. My match has two primary divisions, armored and open. I wear a belt as I describe and a PC w a few reloads. Note: the tactical rig will have a BOK on it. Most competitive rigs don't. If you're ever wondering about a piece of gear, imagine wearing it for a few hours. Get in and out of your car with it. Do some grass drills and box jumps. Let me know if this helps. Attached File |
Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case of the Greeks and Romans and must be that of every free state. -T Jefferson
https://everycitizenasoldier.blogspot.com/
https://everycitizenasoldier.blogspot.com/
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Originally Posted By bluedog82: My philosophy is that if you have a gamer mindset and love it, great, go crazy. If not, I still highly recommend that anyone that’s able to go shoot at least one or two competitions with your HD/SHTF setup. Why? Because competition is a great way to induce stress, forces you to try to perform at speed, and often will make you try new positions/techniques that you’ve never had a chance to. It’s a great way to see if your setup actually works in reality. You might find that your LPVO needs to be mounted in a different spot, that your rifle is too cumbersome, etc. This! Or if it’s a rather informal bunch or the venue is low numbers of shooters perhaps run the course twice, once with the gamer gear and the other with real gear. That’s one way to see what the gear does for you or doesn’t. |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Get you killed in the streets am I right? Guys like gun games, I get it, HAVE FUN; but I think its a mistake to think that is real training for anything other than the next GAME Being shot at (and hit) with simunitions or airsoft is the only training for a real world two way range without artificial time limits and game requirements to do "this" in "this" order then switch to "this" FoF puts you in a scenario and says solve it OR get shot and feel the pain of FKing Up. I think you’re being a little too militant in that stance. A bit of game shooting certainly exercises the motions of a draw, shoot and reload. I get that the use of cover, even if the game requires it is a bit more of a suggestion of cover versus truly using cover on a two way range. Now you want someone to grapple with you while you draw and shoot? I actually had a scenario like that in police in service training with a lot of caution and warning thrown in before the exercise. It’s all simulation until it isn’t, limited only by imagination, practicality and maybe money. |
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Originally Posted By PieterCoetzee: I do apologize for the "drift" and Im NOT opposed to games just the mentality that its training for real world combat. I can appreciate wanting to assemble gear that "works" for you. I find Im always changing. Its my way of going to the shopping mall. I have set-ups for Shotguns, SMGs, Rifles. I change back and forth between Battle Belts and Chest rigs. It all depends on my mood Thanks also for the heads up on forum skills No worries. I didn't realize you didn't know what you were posting in. 
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Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
- Herodotus
- Herodotus
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Originally Posted By Currahee: Let me know if this helps. Yes! That's very helpful, and exactly the sort of advice I was hoping for. Yes, the shotgun part was my weakest element. I have a Mossberg 500 and a dump pouch for extra shells. I just ordered a SA shotgun this week and I'm shopping around for shell holders. This is what I've been using. I have some more stuff for it, I'm just rearranging the stuff to figure out the best way. Attached File This is my gun belt, which is currently in my 'range plinking' configuration. When I'm practicing, I just have 1 holster and a dump pouch on it, since there are mag pouches on the vest. I'm considering just buying another one so I don't have to keep changing it around. Maybe a higher quality one for comp shooting and keep the cheap one for range fun days. Attached File |
Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.
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Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: I think you’re being a little too militant in that stance. A bit of game shooting certainly exercises the motions of a draw, shoot and reload. I get that the use of cover, even if the game requires it is a bit more of a suggestion of cover versus truly using cover on a two way range. Now you want someone to grapple with you while you draw and shoot? I actually had a scenario like that in police in service training with a lot of caution and warning thrown in before the exercise. It’s all simulation until it isn’t, limited only by imagination, practicality and maybe money. Perhaps we should take this to a different thread because Ive addressed my points and the points you are suggesting. To continue 'here' will only further dilute the OPs question |