Tactical Shotgun Match in Forest Lake - July 14th

[-=VILLY=-]

Forest Lake Sportsmen's Club is holding a Tactical Shotgun Match on Sunday July 14th. 8AM set-up and 10AM planned start time, but please come early to help with set up. Looking at 4-5 stages (possibly 6 if we get enough help for set-up) with a round count of about 150-175 shells, but always bring extra. Bring five slugs in case we could work in a slug target. No shotshells larger than 7.5.

For the basic rules of a Tactical Shotgun Match, check out the following link http://mn3gungroup.org/wordpress/wp-con ... _Rules.pdf

[gillerbd]

Any word on what the entry fee will be? I checked the Forest Lake Sportsmen's Club website and calendar, nothing posted there about entry fees.

[-=VILLY=-]

Ron, correct me if I'm wrong.

The match fee should be $20.

[jonahk]

If the points match on Saturday doesn't lead me to heavy drinking like GRRC did, I'll be there!

[Payne]

Nathan and I will be coming to this one. We will be at the restaurant just north of the range at about 0700 hrs. to get a bite before set up.

I have a Benelli Nova pump all set up if someone wants to borrow it. Just let me know in advance and I will bring it along.

[westberg]

The match fee is $20.00, thanks Villy for posting the match.

[-=VILLY=-]

26 people shot 5 fun and challenging stages today. Thanks to Ron for the great stages and for everyone who came early (myself NOT included) to help with the set-up.

The scores are done and have been forwarded to Ron. It'll also be up on the MN3GG website soon. http://www.mn3gungroup.org

[NPayne]

This was my first shotgun match, and I had a ton of fun! I was thoroughly impressed by the range at Forest Lake, and the match that Ron put on. He put together a collection of fun and challenging stages. I was also fortunate enough to be a part of an excellent squad, with some great shooters, and I would like to thank all of those guys (you know who you are) for making this match even that much more enjoyable. I would love to come down to Forest Lake and do this again as soon as possible.

[-=VILLY=-]

Results are up.

http://mn3gungroup.org/wordpress/wp-con ... _Match.pdf

[westberg]

Thank you all for Coming out today, it was a fun day.

Thank you Villy for doing the scoring.

[Payne]

I have to agree with Nathan. This was my first match at this venue and I came away very impressed. Very nice range, great stages that involved a lot of different shooting skills, and a great squad to be shooting with. I have got to say that I was very impressed with some of the shooting skills I got to see yesterday. I am hoping a bunch of those shooters signed up for the Nordic Tactical Shotgun match coming up in two weeks. Minnesota would be well represented for sure.

[rugersol]

I made the comment the other day, that I was surprised more folks don't shoot these shotgun matches ... all ya need is a shotgun, shells, and a way to carry em on your body!

Granted, most of the top guys use fairly expensive "caddies" of one sort er nother ...

... but, I shot with a '97 Winchester pump and pulled 99% of my shells from a leather shell-belt around my waist ... and I still beat a few semi-auto's on a couple stages!

IMO, all ya really need to show up is a basic shell pouch 'er two!

A couple other observations ... regarding Forest Lk. ... while most of the shots are probly inside 10yd, a few get a little longer! ... I shot most of 'em with AA Featherlights, and had little trouble ... but on "the tower", ya probly want at least 3 dr/eq shells and at least a mod choke! ... my '97 is fixed cylinder, so I left about a half-dozen standing ... after makin em real nervous!

Also, while the round count might be 100rd er 120rd, there's usually more than a few make-up's ... so I'd plan on bringin at least a150rd!

Villy took 6th overall with a pump! ... and two of the guys ahead of him were shootin Open ... and two more were Payne's! ... so, in this universe, that's like 2nd overall ... with a pump!

Besides all that, if anyone keeps a shotgun behind the door at home, this is an excellent way to find out what you n yer shotgun might be like, together, when ya really need it! ... maybe bring a box of tissues, too!

[-=VILLY=-]

Villy took 6th overall with a pump! ... and two of the guys ahead of him were shootin Open ... and two more were Payne's! ... so, in this universe, that's like 2nd overall ... with a pump!

Of course I would do that well, I am the score keeper after all.

... but, I shot with a '97 Winchester pump and pulled 99% of my shells from a leather shell-belt around my waist ... and I still beat a few semi-auto's on a couple stages!

That was some very impressive shooting Travis. I've only seen videos of someone breech loading one of those shotguns shot after shot, but they were never as fast as you were going at it. I was glad I stayed behind to help your squad get through your last stage or I would have otherwise missed seeing you shoot that classic.

[-=VILLY=-]

I want to throw out there that Ron, Dawn, and the Forest Lake Sportsmens Club has done an outstanding job with getting into the action shooting. The facility they have is very impressive. They are a big supporter of the Minnesota 3-Gun Group and our upcoming Nordic Components Tactical Shotgun Championship. Ron and Dawn have both volunteered to be RO's for that match and they also loaned us those steel pipe targets to use.

The next tactical shotgun match in Forest Lake is not until September, but we are looking into turning that one event into the club's first 3-gun match. More info to follow on that later.

[jonahk]

That was a a serious amount of fun! Great variety of stages, broad range of challenges, and that jungle run stage was just a damn riot.

I learned that loading a shotgun is a perishable skill, and that not touching my SLP for over a month really hurt me. I've got some things to practice before Nordic, but I'm looking forward to shooting with this group again in a few weeks.

It was extremely humbling to be on squad one. You guys are doing things with shotguns at speeds I can't even imagine at this point. It's very inspiring and gives me something to work towards.

Thanks Ron/Dawn, Jomar, MN3GG, and everyone else who helped run the day. Can't wait for the next one!