Three Gun, school me.

[whitewolf001]

I have recently been introduced to the world of competetive shooting and LOVE IT! I want to break into three gun but am unsure as to what equipment will be needed, do I just need to attend one and go from there or are there some baseline pieces that I'll need to see me through? Please give me any intel you can as to what I'd need.

[Guest Nutts&Bolts]

Attend one...equipment will vary according to where you'll be shooting...distances vary range to range..
And class you'd like to try also got'a be figured in

[Guest Travtastik]

Brianenos.com has a lot of info for all kinds of competitive shooting. Lots of info on gear and gun choices.

I just showed up for my first ever with way I had and found the match director. Told him I was new and what I had and he placed with a squad that had plenty of people who were happy to help out a new guy. I had equipment for shooting IDPA but as for the shotshells I just put them in my pockets, same thing with the AR mag. I had watched enough YouTube videos that I knew it would drive me crazy to watch all day. It was a great time and I learned a lot about what worked for me and what kind of gear I wanted to invest in.

If your near Cleveland TN there is a match this Saturday. I can get you in contact with the MD and you can get started.

[Jonnin]

I have recently been introduced to the world of competetive shooting and LOVE IT! I want to break into three gun but am unsure as to what equipment will be needed, do I just need to attend one and go from there or are there some baseline pieces that I'll need to see me through? Please give me any intel you can as to what I'd need.

 

You can *do* the sport with a standard medium capacity (15 rounds is standard medium cap) semi auto pistol, a shotgun (5+shots pump or semi auto), and a rifle (any semi-automatic will do, most use an AR or AK type).  Typically you would have at least a red dot on the rifle, if not a scope.  You want at least 3 magazines for the pistol and rifle (more for low capacity guns like 10 round pistols or 20 round rifles).  Of course you need standard hearing protection and eyewear.   You need holster (most use OWB) on a belt for the pistol and it really helps to have slings on the rifle and shotgun as you see fit. 

 

Everything else is extra.  Some extras are very handy, like a bipod on the rifle.  Some are not so critical, like having 2 optics on one gun or dedicated shotgun shell holders hanging off every square inch of your waist.

 

The cleveland club is casual and a great place to start, 22 rifles are often used by new shooters, and they will not likely fuss over any gear you use unless it creates a safety concern or significant rule violation.   Light handguns (380 and below) cannot knock over some targets and would ruin the score for the shooter and are not recommended but are allowed for new shooters to get a feel for the sport if its all you have.      Be sure to bring at least 10 slugs for the shotgun, its the most often forgotten item.  Most of the rest you can do with a couple of boxes of regular ammo --- typical goes might use 50+ pistol, 30ish rifle, and 25ish shotgun on the average.  I advise carrying about double that just to be sure you have enough.  You need more if you shoot fast and double tap, less if you go for one hit kills, keep that in mind too.  2 hits or 1 hit in the center ring are scored the same so your approach determines how much ammo you need....

 

Anyway, go to one with just these basics and observe others using their gear.  After a bit you may say to yourself "I gotta have one of THOSE".   Or you may see that some items are of little value.  But start small and add what you like as you go, while getting a feel for it with just the basic equipment. 

[whitewolf001]

Brianenos.com has a lot of info for all kinds of competitive shooting. Lots of info on gear and gun choices.

I just showed up for my first ever with way I had and found the match director. Told him I was new and what I had and he placed with a squad that had plenty of people who were happy to help out a new guy. I had equipment for shooting IDPA but as for the shotshells I just put them in my pockets, same thing with the AR mag. I had watched enough YouTube videos that I knew it would drive me crazy to watch all day. It was a great time and I learned a lot about what worked for me and what kind of gear I wanted to invest in.

If your near Cleveland TN there is a match this Saturday. I can get you in contact with the MD and you can get started.

Sure, I'll have to plan for a day down there. Which day is it usually held on?

 

You can *do* the sport with a standard medium capacity (15 rounds is standard medium cap) semi auto pistol, a shotgun (5+shots pump or semi auto), and a rifle (any semi-automatic will do, most use an AR or AK type).  Typically you would have at least a red dot on the rifle, if not a scope.  You want at least 3 magazines for the pistol and rifle (more for low capacity guns like 10 round pistols or 20 round rifles).  Of course you need standard hearing protection and eyewear.   You need holster (most use OWB) on a belt for the pistol and it really helps to have slings on the rifle and shotgun as you see fit. 

 

Everything else is extra.  Some extras are very handy, like a bipod on the rifle.  Some are not so critical, like having 2 optics on one gun or dedicated shotgun shell holders hanging off every square inch of your waist.

 

The cleveland club is casual and a great place to start, 22 rifles are often used by new shooters, and they will not likely fuss over any gear you use unless it creates a safety concern or significant rule violation.   Light handguns (380 and below) cannot knock over some targets and would ruin the score for the shooter and are not recommended but are allowed for new shooters to get a feel for the sport if its all you have.      Be sure to bring at least 10 slugs for the shotgun, its the most often forgotten item.  Most of the rest you can do with a couple of boxes of regular ammo --- typical goes might use 50+ pistol, 30ish rifle, and 25ish shotgun on the average.  I advise carrying about double that just to be sure you have enough.  You need more if you shoot fast and double tap, less if you go for one hit kills, keep that in mind too.  2 hits or 1 hit in the center ring are scored the same so your approach determines how much ammo you need....

 

Anyway, go to one with just these basics and observe others using their gear.  After a bit you may say to yourself "I gotta have one of THOSE".   Or you may see that some items are of little value.  But start small and add what you like as you go, while getting a feel for it with just the basic equipment. 

The weapons and mags I'm good on(with the exception of the 870's capacity), it's the 9mm and .223 ammo I'm really concerned about as I have SOME, do they restrict the rifle ammo? I only have irons on my carbine ST-15(Red Dot soon...) and am in the middle of piecing together a BCM Mid-16 for this very kind of thing that is going to have a variable power Weaver scope for mid-range.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I hope to see y'all soon!

Edited April 9, 2013 by whitewolf001

[2Alpha]

We run a monthly match in Oak Ridge that less than an hour and half from you. Go to ORSAAP.com for more details.  Next match is Sunday, April 21.  You are welcome to come watch but it costs only $15 to shoot the match.  You can get by and have fun without a red dot - longest shots are less than 100 yards.  Your 870 will also be fine for your first match, you will just get some reloading practice.  You can always get a mag extension for it in the future.

[Jonnin]

Sure, I'll have to plan for a day down there. Which day is it usually held on?

 

The weapons and mags I'm good on(with the exception of the 870's capacity), it's the 9mm and .223 ammo I'm really concerned about as I have SOME, do they restrict the rifle ammo? I only have irons on my carbine ST-15(Red Dot soon...) and am in the middle of piecing together a BCM Mid-16 for this very kind of thing that is going to have a variable power Weaver scope for mid-range.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I hope to see y'all soon!

 

I stopped going for now, even with reloads I am not wasting 223.  The last emails I read carefully said they would reduce the rifle target count until further notice.

[2006Blackpearl931]

I shot in Cleveland last month. We shot about 60-70 rifle rounds. Anyhow, as others have posted, take your gear and go to a match.  You will see stuff and can ask about it before investing tons of money into guns and gear and then changing it later down the road. You won't be the fastest guy on the clock digging shot shells out of your pocket, but then again, you're not going to be the fastest guy your first match anyhow. Word of caution....it is very very addictive. and I second brianenos.com for good info

[Guest Nutts&Bolts]

Word of caution..a bi-pod puts you in Open class.
Great class but you'll spend more $ to get the nice'r toys...

ranges shoot different distances.....we shoot out to 300yds....

[Spiffy]

I watched you tube for 3 gun stuff..........seems like an awful lot of stuffing shells in a shotgun to me.

[Jonnin]

I watched you tube for 3 gun stuff..........seems like an awful lot of stuffing shells in a shotgun to me.

 

It can be.  Capacity is limited for some divisions (all but open?? I forget) so those guys reload their shotgun 2-3+ times on some stages.   You also have to manage your slugs, so you hit the proper target with the proper ammo type.    The more advanced shooters either use a mag fed shotgun or have a device to load them very rapidly.  The casual shooters stuff them in the regular way.   The shotgun reloads are a big factor if you care about your score, and as you said, it can be a big part of the game and is one of the most limiting factors for a shooter with only basic equipment.

[Mechanic_X]

I don't shoot it but the best description of skills you need is;

Shoot your rifle accurately,

Shoot your pistol quickly,

Load your shotgun very fast.

[RWF]

shotgun is key, get good one to start with ! and yes practice reload, reload shotgun. FN, M2 Versa Max, for out of the box shotgun's. the VM is what i have now. if you do not have a AR and will be getting one, get the mid or rifle length gas system (recoil). pistol hi cap 9

check Rockcastle's schedule, just outside bowling green. they do a lot BIG 3 gun matches, to see for yourself what they use and test equipment.

the 3 nation pro/am is in Augest, the international 3 gun championship in oct.

they just had the shotgun championship