3G4V Run N Gun, Presented by Rockcastle: March 18, 2017

[Matt in TN]

One last reminder - registration opens tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:00am at the above link.  Get in while you can!

[Matt in TN]

Registration is now open - go get 'em!

https://practiscore.com/rockcastle-run-n-gun-5k-2017/register

[Vindicare]

I'm in!!!

 

[Matt in TN]

Wow - sold out in twenty minutes. I am humbled and will do my best to do this right for all of you. I guess we have proven that there is demand for this kind of match on this side of the US. Now to see if I can really do all that bull$hit I said I could...

 

[Matt in TN]

Reposting from the Facebook Event Page just to be sure everyone sees this:

There will be FOUR trophies for this match: First, second, and third overall - and the "Mule" trophy for the person who carries the most weight (as a percentage of their bodyweight) and FINISHES the course. Run time and shooting score do not matter to the Mule, just the raw determination to NOT QUIT no matter how hard it is.

In Oklahoma I saw a guy run the course in full SWAT gear, including balaclava. Another guy did it with a full plate carrier just to see if he could. And a third did it with what I would call a "bug out bag" on his back, with everything you could think of INCLUDING a grappling hook. They were not the fastest, and not all of them even finished the match - but that's not why they were out there.
So I wanted to have some way to recognize the craziest of those folks. The "Mule" trophy was the best I could come up with.

We don't have many sponsors since this is the first match of its kind, and I'm spending 99.99% of my time making sure the match goes well and 0.01% of my time chasing sponsors - so the prize table will be small. At the moment I'm thinking we'll give away what prizes we do have by random draw, but that may change if we suddenly have a huge growth in prizes. Everyone feel free to contact me at mstennett@twlakes.net if you'd like to sponsor the match or donate anything to the prize table.

[Matt in TN]

And I take this for granted so I forgot to make it clear - but NO M855/SS109 green tip, or any other "penetrator" type ammo will be allowed at this match.  We will be using lots of steel targets and don't want to damage them.  If a magnet sticks to your bullet or you have any doubt, don't bring it.

[Matt in TN]

I am thrilled to announce we picked up another stage sponsor! Carolina Smoke and Guns will be sponsoring Stage 5: Make the Shot When It Counts. They are donating a few Aero Precision lowers and possibly a pistol for the prize table. Be sure to visit and like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/S2FCLLC/?hc_location=ufi or their webpage at http://starttofinishllc.com/ , thank them for their support, and give them a hard look if you're in the market for firearms, class III stuff, suppressors, holsters, accessories, or training!

We still have three other stages available to be sponsored, and several obstacles. There's also some serious talk about a new obstacle that will be the most challenging yet:  

The Siren's song:

2/3 - 3/4 of the way through the course, when everyone is exhausted and really questioning why they do this to themselves (probably near the top of the big hill coming out of the cave), have a group of guys and pretty girls sitting around drinking beer/coffee/hot chocolate - heckling the people running by and trying their best to get them to quit.

"Why are you doing this to yourself? If you'll just stop, you can sit down here, have a beer, and then we'll give you a ride back to the lodge where you can have a nice hot shower and good meal."

Remember: in response to any ugly heckling including the words "fat", "slow", or "old", I've given the shooters permission and encouragement to issue a buttstroke to the offender. The whole point here is to encourage the people to quit, not to make them feel bad about themselves.

What do you think???

[Matt in TN]

I had someone not even attending the match send me a couple mag pouches they were no longer using as a donation for the prize table yesterday. Which got me thinking - I have a whole bunch of that kind of stuff I've tried over the years that for whatever reason I'm not using any more and really isn't worth selling, so I'm going to put it on the prize table too. I'd encourage eveyone to dig through their "MOLLE drawer" and bring with them anything they'd like to donate. You can clear out your junk drawer and give newer folks a chance to try perfectly good gear without having to spend a ton.

Please don't bring actual "junk", but Run N Gun related items - mag pouches, holsters, belts, harnesses, chest rigs, etc. We'll do a random draw prize table so the newer competitors will have a good chance to look through gear and get something they can really put to use. And if you have a $3,000 rifle you aren't using that you want to donate, we'll take that too of course!  ;-)

Thanks for your consideration!

[ARO Matt]

I don't suppose you've had any dropouts yet that have opened up any slots?  Just saw this and would really love to attend!

EDIT: I went ahead and registered in the hope the waitlist opens up...

Edited January 18, 2017 by ARO Matt

[Matt in TN]

Sorry man - not yet!

[Matt in TN]

I am honored to announce a new title sponsor: 3GUN4VETS. This is an amazing company that helps our returning vets learn of a new brotherhood through 3-Gun. You'll be seeing some picture and name changes in the near future as I update various sites with their info, but in the mean time please check out their website and give them your support. Their generous sponsors will also be adding a significant load to our prize table!

http://www.3gun4vets.com/3g4v-run-gun-presented-by-rockcastle

[Dave Keenom]

Would love to shoot this but will be at All Army during this time.

In past years we had to run 1.5 miles with weapon at this event.

I found the best way for me to carry A4 is in a eberlestock gunslinger pack that is stripped.

[Vindicare]

Matt, what is the total hit count for the course?
I have counted 38 rifle, 11 pistol and 5 with the AK. Does that seem accurate?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Matt in TN]

38 rifle and 33 pistol.  The AK ammo will be provided.

[Matt in TN]

Just FYI:

Get yourself a cool shirt at the 3G4V Run N Gun Presented By Rockcastle (5k Biathlon) on March 18th and support our Veterans and your sport at the same time! All inventory of shirts and hats will be on site for purchase. If you wear it during this match and tag us in a post, you will be put in a special drawing during the prize ceremony.

http://www.3gun4vets.com/3g4v-swag-store

[Matt in TN]

Be warned:  Kentucky has hills!  Here's an elevation map of the course:

[Matt in TN]

There have been lots of questions about the mud pits. The good(?) news is that the pits were completely dry yesterday when I ran the course, so there should be no worries about unsafe conditions or bore obstructions. We'll be knocking down some of the cockleburrs and briars before match day, and adding a rope to assist in the all-but-impossible climb up the inside of a smooth slippery tube set at a 30° upward angle. Guys with large packs may have some more trouble than those travelling light, for a few different reasons. And NO - you cannot climb over the top of the tubes - I tried that too and it was much too easy. :-)
 
No promises yet about the barbed wire. Here's a video to give you a better idea - excuse the water drops on the lens, as it was raining (of course!).

 

[Matt in TN]

OK - last one for today. If you've never shot the cave at the Rock, there are some things you might want to know ahead of time. Here's a preview of Stage 3: Tunnel Rat, sponsored by 300° Below (http://www.300below.com/)

 

[ARO Matt]

Wish I would have seen the signup earlier...very fun!

[Matt in TN]

And more from our title sponsor: http://www.3gun4vets.com/

Raffle Package 1

A $5 Raffle Ticket purchased on site of the 3G4V Run n’ Gun 5k can win you any one of these items signed by John “Tig” Tiegen and help 3G4V offer free training to combat vets not already participating in practical shooting sports.

John “Tig” Tiegen -– Former Marine Sergeant from 3rd Battalion 7th Marines India Company, Infantry Squad Leader from Colorado. Spent several years as a security contractor for Blackwater working for the company on missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq before going to work for the CIA’s Global Response Staff, with over 40 deployments conducting low profile security in high threat environment throughout the world.

Quiet and precise, the married father of twins was the most experienced Annex Security Team member in the city. In the midst of his third trip to Benghazi, Libya for the CIA's GRS when the attack of September 11, 2012 occurred and was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US Special Mission. Tig directly saved the lives of many on his team, also was paramount in saving over 2 dozen lives while fighting off terrorists from the US Special Mission and the CIA Annex for over 13 hours. Tig received the Award For Heroism and Valor in recognition of his bravery.

He is the co-author of 13 Hours along with members of the Annex Security team and NYT's best-selling author, Mitchell Zuckoff.

He also consulted on the movie 13 Hours The Secret Solders of Benghazi, and helped with the set design and the movie script.

 

[Matt in TN]

I just had a random and generous FAL guy donate the following to the prize table:

For the fastest (run/shoot score) Run-n-Gunner shooting a 7.62x51mm/.308win (or larger) battle rifle - 780 rounds of 145gr FMJ BT Privi Partisan .308 Winchester:

For the fastest (run/shoot score) Female Run-n-Gunner - 780 Rounds of 55gr XP193 PMC-Tac 5.56x45mm:

And yes - he's implying only women shoot 5.56.  You expect any less from a FAL guy???  :-)

[Matt in TN]

Alright - we're less than two weeks out.

For those of you who have trained your whole lives for something like this, this match will be awesome! You will finally have a place you can put all of your skills together in a match that plays to your strengths, and you'll feel like a thoroughbred finally set free to run.

For those of you who have NEVER attempted anything like this, are intimidated by all of the crazy workouts posted on Facebook, and are having severe second thoughts lately - it will be even better. Whatever you do, JUST DON'T QUIT. The satisfaction and self-image you will get from just finishing this course will stay with you forever, and is something no one can ever take away from you. Many people have found matches like these to be a turning point in their lives, and in a year or two you may not even recognize the person you have become. Just remember - for every person you see pass you, there is someone behind you wishing they could keep up with you.

And before ANYONE judges anyone else as being "too slow, too fat, or too lazy" - bite your tongue and listen to their story first. Across the country at matches like these we've had people recovering from recent strokes, heart attacks, cancer, pregnancy, amputations, and any other issue you can think of; just because "F#$K CANCER", that's why! Give them an encouraging word when you pass them - it really makes a difference.

Even better - if you pass someone really struggling on the course: finish your race, set down your gear, and run back out to find that person. You can run beside them and offer them all the words of support and encouragement that you can think of - you just can't physically help them in any way.

Let's do this.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Matt in TN

[Matt in TN]

Received the prizes from 300 Below today: 5 certificates for either a free rifle or shotgun cryo treatment, or two free pistol cryo treatments, and a few great cleaning mats! Their cryo fixed a wandering zero issue on my FAL years ago. Check them out at www.300below.com and be sure to thank them for sponsoring this match!

 

And NO, MY FAL IS NOT PART OF THE PRIZE TABLE!!!

 

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Matt in TN

[Matt in TN]

Staff t-shirts are in! Big thanks to Eddie Gunks at http://www.bulletguy.com/ for sponsoring the shirts, and to my daughter https://www.facebook.com/penpaperink1/ for doing all the design work!

Edited March 9, 2017 by Matt in TN

[Matt in TN]

I'm sending emails to all competitors tonight with match details, but in the spirit of "there's no such thing as over-communication" here's what you really need to know:

Registration opens at 6:30am on Saturday morning and closes at 7:30am. You will sign a waiver, pay your $50 match fee, randomly draw your start time, and perform your "no gear" weigh-in if willing. IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED BY 7:30AM YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SLOT. I have several people staying at the Lodge and showing up Saturday morning in the hopes that someone cancels at the last minute. I will give them your slot at 7:30am if you are not there. At 7:30am we'll have a Shooters' Meeting, and then you are free to relax/sleep/eat/dryfire/stress until your run time.

Please show up to the start line at least fifteen minutes before your scheduled run time. We'll do the "full gear" weigh-in, and then release you to begin at precisely your assigned time. If you are not there at your scheduled run time and ready to go, you could lose your slot and have to wait until we can work you in at our leisure. We might just make you do burpees until then.

I also just learned that I have a limit to how many emails I can send every half-hour, so this might take awhile. I apologize if anyone gets multiple emails while I figure all this out!

Below is the most current Course Map (course is the red line). Be sure to read over the Match Details and full Course of fire in the "About" section of the Facebook Event page, or in your email. See you soon!