Posted: 9/20/2012 8:56:42 AM EDT
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Hey guys, this is my first post here, so I apologize if I put this in the wrong forum. I have several questions relating to different aspects of the sport, so I figured the general forum would be the best place.
To start off, I am not new to shooting, I have shot several IDPA matches and one USPSA match. While I wasn't the fastest shooter, I kept my runs pretty clean. I have been shooting shotguns, mainly skeet, trap and hunting for 12 years (since age 8). As far as the rifle aspect goes, I have had an AR for 2 years, but have never done any "fast" shooting with it. My school has just started a 3-gun team, and I am excited to get started in the sport! The gear that I have right now: Rifle: Doublestar 16" M4 profile barrel, carbine length gas system, and iron sights. I know this is not a desired setup for 3 gun, so I ordered a Stag 3G upper. The stock trigger that I will be using (the one already in the Doublestar lower) is most definitely not a competition trigger, and I hope to replace it around Christmas time. I have several PMags, but will probably get a few more just to be safe. Pistol: Smith and Wesson M&P9. I have had this gun since December and I love it. I shoot it well, and my splits with it are fairly good (but not if you compare them to guys on the pro circuit  ). I have 3 magazines for it, all of which have been flawless, a bladetech holster, and a bladetech double mag holster.
Belt: I have a Wilderness Tactical belt that has been great so far......but I am already eyeing something like a Safariland ELS......(this sport is getting expensive....fast) Gear that I need (being a college kid, I would like to spend as little as possible, while not sacrificing too much on quality): As far as a shotgun goes, I was wanting to use my Beretta 390, but when I read through the rules, porting on shotguns was a no-go....Now my other option is a Beretta 3901.The barrel length seems a little long for the sport (28")... Do you guys think that it would work (at least until Christmas)? And do they make magazine tube extensions for it? I need a rifle magazine pouch. I need shotshell carriers.....and I just need some advice in general about other things that I will probably need. Also, for someone new to the sport, I was thinking of shooting the Limited Irons division (at least to start). Would that be a good idea, or would I be better off beginning in the Tactical Optics division? Sorry if these are stupid questions and for how long I have made this post....I just want to have a basic idea of what I am doing before I show up to a match. *I am going to watch a match on Saturday, so I'm sure I will get some ideas there as well. Thank you everyone for your help, I really appreciate it! |
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Choate or California comp works for shotshell caddies. Butt pocket on your pants is the ultimate AR mag carrier. Id get at least one mag extension for your pistol, 23 and a 17 round mag should get you through most stages. Maybe a Nordic +18 Pmags extension for a long rifle course. The ports on your shotgun will put you into open. Check the Nordic website and see if they make an extension for your shotgun. Get at least a 9 round tube, then you can put 9 in for an unloaded start.
That's kinda rambling but it'll get you a pretty good start. |
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Heck bro with what you got your 95% there already.
1. a ported shotgun barell will throw you into the open division. A 28" barrel non-ported is alittle long but is workable. I am sure beretta makes a shorter non-ported one for your model or somebody does just look around. 2. You might want to think about tactical irons or production class first intead of the optics divisions if you don't have one. 3. Check out Choate for a shotty mag ext they make good stuff and not real epensive. 4. As far a budget ammo carriers you might want to start with a couple of the elastic shot shell holders from uncle mike, put one on the stock and one on your forearm and some in your pocket, shell caddies are expensive in my book. As far as pmag holders stick a couple of them in your back pocket to start until you figure out what you want as far as mag holders go. Just some thoughts. |
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I'd suggest the Choate shotshell holders to get started. They aren't perfect, but they are the cheapest way to get started. $17.99 each at Midway. I actually like them better than the California Competition Works. I'm running one of each at the moment. Biggest downside is they usually leave a bruise on my belly if I do any bending over. Could be fixed by raising the mounting bracket on them. Just haven't taken the time. If I had to do it over again and had the money I'd go with the AP Customs 3x3 version. They cost alot more though.
Choate Shotshell Carrier I also added an extension tube to my Benelli so it holds 9+1 from Nordic components. Those are the only things I really bought after shooting my first match in March. I've shot every monthly match since and really feel like my equipment is just now starting to become a limiting factor. Mainly on the rifle side, because I'm shooting a vintage 16" carbine with iron sights. Brian |
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Quoted:
As far as a shotgun goes, I was wanting to use my Beretta 390, but when I read through the rules, porting on shotguns was a no-go....Now my other option is a Beretta 3901.The barrel length seems a little long for the sport (28")... Do you guys think that it would work (at least until Christmas)? And do they make magazine tube extensions for it? When I got serious about 3 gunning I sold my Teknys Gold AL 391 and turned it into a Benelli M2. If selling the Beretta isn't an option give Call Nordic Components a call and see if they make a tube that will fit on your Beretta then save up for that Benelli. I need a rifle magazine pouch. I need shotshell carriers.....and I just need some advice in general about other things that I will probably need. Bladetech makes a polymer mag pouch that is about $0. Fastest way to get one is through Brownell's My favorite Shotshell caddys are the Man Mountain Engineering Caddy The California Competiton Works caddys work well too. The "Dropping Dueces" loading method is gaining a lot of popularity for good cause. TAACOM and Carbon Arms make good caddys. |
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Jesse (or anyone), can you explain the "Dropping Deuces" method please? Is that using your strong hand to hold two shells, using the first to depress the elevator and then sending both rounds into the magazine tube with one push? That's it. It's called twins from carbon arms, load two from chameleon, not sure what mark Otto from Otto products calls it, two Up from TACCOM. I prefer dropping deuces cause its catchier! |
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Jesse (or anyone), can you explain the "Dropping Deuces" method please? Is that using your strong hand to hold two shells, using the first to depress the elevator and then sending both rounds into the magazine tube with one push? That's it. It's called twins from carbon arms, load two from chameleon, not sure what mark Otto from Otto products calls it, two Up from TACCOM. I prefer dropping deuces cause its catchier! I like that term more too, definitely catchy 
When you perform that type of reload, do you roll the stock upside down and onto your right shoulder? I saw this on a video somewhere and tried it this past weekend, and with a little practice I like it a lot. I didn't have a shell caddy that I could practice reloads with though so I couldn't compare the two different reloads... |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Jesse (or anyone), can you explain the "Dropping Deuces" method please? Is that using your strong hand to hold two shells, using the first to depress the elevator and then sending both rounds into the magazine tube with one push? That's it. It's called twins from carbon arms, load two from chameleon, not sure what mark Otto from Otto products calls it, two Up from TACCOM. I prefer dropping deuces cause its catchier! I like that term more too, definitely catchy
When you perform that type of reload, do you roll the stock upside down and onto your right shoulder? I saw this on a video somewhere and tried it this past weekend, and with a little practice I like it a lot. I didn't have a shell caddy that I could practice reloads with though so I couldn't compare the two different reloads... Some guy line to roll the gun over and keep their trigger hand in the gun and load Weakhand. Some guys like to roll the gun with their Weakhand and load with their trigger hand. I originally liked loading with the weak hand but I watched pat Kelley and James Darby load string hand and it appeared that the dismount and remount of the gun was faster by barely taking it off your shoulder then putting the stock up on the shoulder. Take my word for it it's a very fast technique. I have spent at least 40 hours practicing Weakhand loading. I am no the fastest but I'd race anybody out there. I spent less than 10 hours dropping dueces in practice and I can load 8 rounds 1 second or so faster than I have ever been able to do weak handed. Knowing what I know now I would go with the dropping dueces method starting out and work on the weakhand load as I progressed. Being able to do both is a good thing IMHO. |
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Some guy line to roll the gun over and keep their trigger hand in the gun and load Weakhand. Some guys like to roll the gun with their Weakhand and load with their trigger hand. I originally liked loading with the weak hand but I watched pat Kelley and James Darby load string hand and it appeared that the dismount and remount of the gun was faster by barely taking it off your shoulder then putting the stock up on the shoulder. Take my word for it it's a very fast technique. I have spent at least 40 hours practicing Weakhand loading. I am no the fastest but I'd race anybody out there. I spent less than 10 hours dropping dueces in practice and I can load 8 rounds 1 second or so faster than I have ever been able to do weak handed. Knowing what I know now I would go with the dropping dueces method starting out and work on the weakhand load as I progressed. Being able to do both is a good thing IMHO. That sounds like a plan, thanks for the help, it is definitely some of the best that I have gotten since deciding that I wanted to start shooting 3-gun! |
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Unless you have experience shooting iron sights, I strongly recommend getting an optic and shooting Tac Optic division UNLESS your local club's 3 gun is a short range affair. If you're shooting out to 100, sticking with the irons should be ok. I've seen SO many new shooters struggle on longer range courses with short radius iron sight rifles that I can't recommend it IF you have other options. But don't be afraid to run what you brung.
Take some sheet metal and hose clamp it over your shotgun ports and voila a Limited Shotgun! |
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Unless you have experience shooting iron sights, I strongly recommend getting an optic and shooting Tac Optic division UNLESS your local club's 3 gun is a short range affair. If you're shooting out to 100, sticking with the irons should be ok. I've seen SO many new shooters struggle on longer range courses with short radius iron sight rifles that I can't recommend it IF you have other options. But don't be afraid to run what you brung. Take some sheet metal and hose clamp it over your shotgun ports and voila a Limited Shotgun! Yea, the 3-gun match that our team will be running on a monthly basis will have targets out to 500 yards....I'm a young college guy...but my eyesight is not that good. I'm looking into a Burris Tac30, any thoughts? |
| I now have 4 or 5 Burris Tac30's. In fact every gun in my safe that isn't wear a Swarovski has one. The Tac30 is the best bang for the buck out there in a 1-4x IMHO. If your vision is bad like mine -5.25 & -5.50 with a mimd astigmatism you will enjoy a 6x much more than a 4X scope in anything past 200. The best looking price/quality I've seen is that new Leupold VX6 1-6x. Its Under a grand and the numbers it has for FOV etc are great. I looked through a German #4 reticle version of a buddy's and it was good to go. I'm sure it's not Swarovski glass but what is? |