3 Gun Intro Questions/Advice

[Townhall90 0]

Hey all, I am looking to get into 3 gun this spring and have a couple equipment/training questions.

First, the rifle/optic:
I got a blazing deal on an LWRCI-DI Competition rifle, but now need an optic, preferably one to match the quality of the rifle so I am not looking to upgrade later. I know I am most comfortable with FFP optics, as I am coming from a precision rifle background, but there are a lot of LPVOs out there and I am not sure what will work best.

1) What max magnification should I be looking for? 6,8,10?
2) (related to above) What distances will I be looking at with NC/SC/VA competitions?

Shotgun:

I currently have a Mossberg 590 20" with the 10 round magazine setup. I know semi-auto is much preferred, but how far behind the curve will I be with a pump? I'll invest in a semi later if I catch the bug for 3 gun, but for now would like to stick with the 590 since its what I have.

Pistol:
I have an M9A4 that I was going to use, but have recently decided to offload my PPQ .45 and, once I do, was thinking about an FN509 or P320 variant. Would these be better choices over the M9 on a technical level? The obvious answer here is "whatever you shoot better and are more comfortable with".

Overall questions:

1) Are there any good outdoor ranges within maybe 45 mins of Raleigh that provide a good training environment?
2) What are the best ways to train in each of the three disciplines?
3) Any commonly overlooked items/facets of the sport that would prove beneficial?
4) Is there any chance that I am able to train enough to be halfway (or quarter) decent in my first match?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Getting into competition seems to be a daunting task, but I am really looking forward to it!

[louu 399]

9 hours ago, Townhall90 said:

Hey all, I am looking to get into 3 gun this spring and have a couple equipment/training questions.

First, the rifle/optic:
I got a blazing deal on an LWRCI-DI Competition rifle, but now need an optic, preferably one to match the quality of the rifle so I am not looking to upgrade later. I know I am most comfortable with FFP optics, as I am coming from a precision rifle background, but there are a lot of LPVOs out there and I am not sure what will work best.

1) What max magnification should I be looking for? 6,8,10?
2) (related to above) What distances will I be looking at with NC/SC/VA competitions?

Shotgun:

I currently have a Mossberg 590 20" with the 10 round magazine setup. I know semi-auto is much preferred, but how far behind the curve will I be with a pump? I'll invest in a semi later if I catch the bug for 3 gun, but for now would like to stick with the 590 since its what I have.

Pistol:
I have an M9A4 that I was going to use, but have recently decided to offload my PPQ .45 and, once I do, was thinking about an FN509 or P320 variant. Would these be better choices over the M9 on a technical level? The obvious answer here is "whatever you shoot better and are more comfortable with".

Overall questions:

1) Are there any good outdoor ranges within maybe 45 mins of Raleigh that provide a good training environment?
2) What are the best ways to train in each of the three disciplines?
3) Any commonly overlooked items/facets of the sport that would prove beneficial?
4) Is there any chance that I am able to train enough to be halfway (or quarter) decent in my first match?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Getting into competition seems to be a daunting task, but I am really looking forward to it!

You should really check out and join Brian enos forum (it's free). It's all about uspsa, 3 gun, ipsc, idpa etc. This is a forum just for new jersey and all the competition shooters left long ago. 

To answer a couple of questions though, scopes are a personal thing dependent on what your a fan of but more than half of the shooters at a level 2 will have the Vortex razor HD gen 2 1-6 with the JM reticle. Yes it is 2nd FP but you don't want FFP for 3 gun, FFP is slower for this type of shooting. I can go wayy into it but I'm not so just take my word for it and everyone else that makes the top sixty percent of every match. No one uses FFP. 

As far as your other guns they are fine to get started with. Go shoot some matches, see how stuff is working for everyone else and what you think would work best for you before you start wasting money. The most important thing for your first matches is to have fun and be safe. Be 100 percent aware of muzzle direction at all times. I've seen dozens and dozens of new guys come out for their first match and get DQed for breaking the 180, especially with the shotgun, get upset and never come back. It's part of the game, everyone gets DQed eventually if not their first match. 

Make sure your comfortable with your surroundings at the match. If the RO is an arrogant old asshole you can request a different RO. 

It's not as daunting as think, just run what you have now. People at the match will be extremely helpful and loan you anything you might need. 

Do you know about practiscore.com? That's where to find matches. When your at the match, network, that's how to find more matches.

[YankeeSC 1,204]

Welcome to the forum.

I think you meant to post this over in https://www.njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/forum/74-competitive-amp-fun-shoot-discussion/.

9 hours ago, Townhall90 said:

2) (related to above) What distances will I be looking at with NC/SC/VA competitions?

...

1) Are there any good outdoor ranges within maybe 45 mins of Raleigh that provide a good training environment?

You do realize this is the New Jersey gun forums?

Anyway, you ask a lot of great detailed questions.  In my 3-gun experience, 6x or 8x is more than adequate.  I don't think I've shot a match in NJ that was over 200 yards.

As for pump shotgun, yes that will slow you down.

9 hours ago, Townhall90 said:

4) Is there any chance that I am able to train enough to be halfway (or quarter) decent in my first match?

I guess some chance, but I would say certainly don't expect to be near the top.  You'll likely be near the bottom but probably not last.  When I started out I looked at it more as competing against myself at first, looking to get better each match, versus trying to compete against the more experienced shooters.

Have you shot any USPSA/IDPA type competition before?  Simple advice to start is have a plan of attack for each stage, be deliberate and don't rush.  Speed will come with experience.

[raz-0 1,259]

On optics. 

1) Louu likes sfp, but his statement isn't true that nobody uses FFP. There are people rocking FFP in the top half. I can't fathom where he's getting the notion that one is faster or slower than the other. As typically with either, you are picking your maginification for the stage and either sticking with it, or smacking it to full power at some point. Or the opposite, picking your power and then smacking it to 1x for the up close stuff. I mean I KNOW there are people who finish real high up there nationally and were rocking S&B short dots, and those are FFP. 

But that bein said, FFP and SFP are really like 3rd or 4th in priority. A reticle you can aim with in bright daylight, and a forgiving eye box are king here. Which is why the vortex razor gen 2 HD is still so dominant. It has a daylight visible dot and a probably the best combo of glass and eyebox and power out there for under $3000. It being good is probably why you don't see FFP taking more of the top slots. 

Related, almost everyone I have seen get the vortex 1-10 has sold it on. It's too much magnification for the game really, and brings other negatives with it to get it. 

IMO, there's really only two consistent optics to get. The vortex mentioned above, or the trijicon 1-8x credo. The trijicon is FFP, a bit more magnification, a decent eye box, and probably most significantly goes on some sick sales. Like $900. 

2) Shotgun. Shotgun is a reloading game right up until you get faster at reloads. spend your money on shell holders and learn to load quads. Once you can load quads you'll definitely need a semi auto. But at most matches, your slow reloads will outweigh the delta between having a pump and a semi. When you go semi, the inertia guns rule, and it's for a reason. I don't miss gas gun problems one bit. 

3) ditching the m9. You can shoot anything, especially if you are slow. However, there is small advantage to a striker fired gun with no external safety when it comes to not screwing yourself when putting your pistol in a dump bucket. Slide mounted external safeties are the worst on that spectrum. It is not a huge thing though. Like generally half a second on a stage unless that one more thing toe remember is just too much for you brain. The 320 has more options to make it just right for you with a good trigger. 

I will add to louu's suggestion to shoot what you got. 

I'd check out shotshell caddies at your first match and buy once cry once. Like I have about $850 in a stoeger m3k, and about $500 in caddies. About $900 in caddies if you include my attempts to be cheap about it. 

 

 

[124gr9mm 859]

12 hours ago, Townhall90 said:

Hey all, I am looking to get into 3 gun this spring and have a couple equipment/training questions.

First, the rifle/optic:
I got a blazing deal on an LWRCI-DI Competition rifle, but now need an optic, preferably one to match the quality of the rifle so I am not looking to upgrade later. I know I am most comfortable with FFP optics, as I am coming from a precision rifle background, but there are a lot of LPVOs out there and I am not sure what will work best.

1) What max magnification should I be looking for? 6,8,10?
2) (related to above) What distances will I be looking at with NC/SC/VA competitions?

Shotgun:

I currently have a Mossberg 590 20" with the 10 round magazine setup. I know semi-auto is much preferred, but how far behind the curve will I be with a pump? I'll invest in a semi later if I catch the bug for 3 gun, but for now would like to stick with the 590 since its what I have.

Pistol:
I have an M9A4 that I was going to use, but have recently decided to offload my PPQ .45 and, once I do, was thinking about an FN509 or P320 variant. Would these be better choices over the M9 on a technical level? The obvious answer here is "whatever you shoot better and are more comfortable with".

Overall questions:

1) Are there any good outdoor ranges within maybe 45 mins of Raleigh that provide a good training environment?
2) What are the best ways to train in each of the three disciplines?
3) Any commonly overlooked items/facets of the sport that would prove beneficial?
4) Is there any chance that I am able to train enough to be halfway (or quarter) decent in my first match?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Getting into competition seems to be a daunting task, but I am really looking forward to it!

I think the others have already given great advice.

3 gun can get very expensive very quickly, so I agree that you should just run what you have until you decide that you're going to invest in the gear they use.

i think you should put notion of being "halfway decent' out of your mind.  You're not going to be.  Someone else may get DQ'd and there may be other new people, but otherwise you're going to finish dead last.  And if you do that without getting DQ'd yourself then it's a success.

You're trying a brand new game where you're learning the rules, how it operates, and what's required to run efficiently, so just set a goal of running the courses safely with as few mike's/misses as possible.

The only 'gear' recommendations I would add would be a competition belt (cheap one is fine like this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BR4T7G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), magazine holders for pistol mags, magazine holder for rifle mags, a dump pouch or shell holders for shotgun shells (I went with the pouch), and a wagon or old baby jogging stroller to haul your guns/ammo/gear from stage to stage.

Yes, the belt I listed is cheap, but if you upgrade you can setup the cheap one as a 'bump in the night' rig that you can throw on when you're only wearing pajamas (or not)...