3-gun

[westberg]

I had a problem with the Winchester Value Pack at the Adam Arms Ozark 3-gun on two different stages, go with the Federal. The bases ripped off the hulls. My son ran about the same number of Federal in the same gun and no problem.

[Rem700]

Regarding the rifle I havnt much options, All I have is a carbine AR with a cheap 3X9 that I used for coyote hunting would I be better off with the scope or putting the carry handle back on and use the open sights.
Thinking the 3x might be to much for close range shooting and the open sights not being able to hit anything at the longer ranges.

[Keith]

Regarding the rifle I havnt much options, All I have is a carbine AR with a cheap 3X9 that I used for coyote hunting would I be better off with the scope or putting the carry handle back on and use the open sights.
Thinking the 3x might be to much for close range shooting and the open sights not being able to hit anything at the longer ranges.

If you're used to the scope, I would say to run with it.

For what it's worth, I use a 4X ACOG for everything near and far.

[1911fan]

Ok, I have seen a lot about these written up, but never a course of fire description, your description of the shotgun part is most info I have seen, can someone write up what the 3 gun would be like?

[Keith]

Ok, I have seen a lot about these written up, but never a course of fire description, your description of the shotgun part is most info I have seen, can someone write up what the 3 gun would be like?

At Del-tone scoring is time plus penalties. You need either one "A" zone hit on the IPSC target, or any two hits on the target. Or one hit in the head. If you only have one "C" hit on the target it is scored as a "failure to neutralize" which adds 5 or 10 seconds. If the steel is set to fall it must fall to score. Steel flash targets are usually utilized for long range rifle to speed up resetting the range and the RO will call hits, but it's usually pretty obvious.

The pistol portions are more like IPSC than IDPA. Run and gun. No power factory. Just .38 special or 9mm or larger. You'll get a combo of paper and steel targets, or an all steel stage. Some stages you will draw from the holster and some stages the handgun will be picked up and shot.

Rifle can be 3-5 yards out to 200 and everything in between. A good way to look at it is to be able to make headshots (although the steel targets are bigger than a head) out to 200 yards from prone, kneeling, crouching, standing, on your side, from inside the bucket of a front-end loader, to whatever else they can think of. Typically they use cardboard IPSC targets inside of 100 yards with various hardcover and no-shoots to make it difficult.

The shotgun stages may require up to 30-35 rounds. You need a way to carry shells and be able to get them in the gun. A trap shooting bag will work. Lots of knock over steel for the birdshot and a few clays, both static and flying. Slugs are on IPSC targets and usually only take one hit on target to neutralize but he has made some pretty difficult slug targets in the past. You may have to do both slugs and birdshot on the same stage. He usually doesn't do this at Del-tone but don't get them mixed up as a slug on steel is usually grounds for a DQ and birdshot on a slug target is a miss.

You will have some stages where you only use the one gun and then you will have multi-gun stages. On the multi-gun stages you will start with one of the guns loaded and the other guns will be staged somewhere else on the range, chamber empty but the mags may be in the gun or the shotgun tube only may be loaded. At the start signal you engage the required targets with the 1st gun, when you are done with that you clear it safely, take mag out and clear the chamber and set/dump the gun in the dump box, pick up the next gun, charge it and engage the required targets with that gun, and so on until you run out of guns and targets. If you leave behind a loaded gun in a dump box it is a DQ. You will probably have to reload all of these guns somewhere along the way so you may need to haul mags/ammo for each gun, too.

I'm sure I forgot lots of stuff so any more questions, ask away.

[Keith]

This is a pretty typical rifle/pistol stage.



This shotgun stage is a little more elaborate than you will see at a regular Sunday match but shows some pretty normal targets that we shoot.

[Payne]

From what I have seen the Federal bulk packs from Walmart work the best for the "cheap" shells, I switch to the Win AA's or Remington STS for the major matches I go to.

The video's Keith put up show good examples of the types of targets you may be required to shoot, just keep in mind the shooters you see in the video are some of the best in the world. Keith and my son Tyler can keep up with those guys, but the rest of the shooters you will find at Del-Tone-Luth mini 3-guns are not quite so advanced or are brand new to the sport. There will be several very experienced 3-gunners that can help walk everyone through their first match.

Just be forwarned - you might find it cheaper and less addicting to just get hooked on crack or heroine

[JJ]

How many total rounds will i need roughly for each stage? I think I'm gonna head out and shoot with one of my buddies setups.

[Keith]

How many total rounds will i need roughly for each stage? I think I'm gonna head out and shoot with one of my buddies setups.

Every stage is different and you don't know what they'll be like till you actually see them but I would say to be prepared to shoot 20-30 rounds for each gun per stage. Sometimes more. Sometimes less. We've done 45+ round rifle stages before. The more you miss, the more ammo you use up.


The weather's lookin alright so far but if I don't end up working on Sunday it'll be the first day off I've had in two weeks. Don't know if I'll feel like shooting all day. We shall see.

[Payne]

JJH

For the rifle if you have a 30 rd mag in the gun and a second one on your person you "should" be good for that course of fire but I would bring a third just in case. For handgun - if you have hi-cap mags, one in the gun and two more on the belt "should" be good, single stack I would have one in the gun and a bunch of spares. Shotgun might see up to a 30 round course total but that would be a long one. Figure 9 in the gun and around 20 more shells on your person either in shell caddies, bandoleer, or pockets.

I have seen a shooter use three hi-cap mags to clean a plate rack that had six plates on it, and he still could have used more ammo. If you don't jerk the trigger, and always make clean shots, you will use a lot less ammo., but I wouldn't count on it. Something about steel targets that cause you to burn a lot of ammo.

[Keith]

JJH

For the rifle if you have a 30 rd mag in the gun and a second one on your person you "should" be good for that course of fire but I would bring a third just in case. For handgun - if you have hi-cap mags, one in the gun and two more on the belt "should" be good, single stack I would have one in the gun and a bunch of spares. Shotgun might see up to a 30 round course total but that would be a long one. Figure 9 in the gun and around 20 more shells on your person either in shell caddies, bandoleer, or pockets.

I have seen a shooter use three hi-cap mags to clean a plate rack that had six plates on it, and he still could have used more ammo. If you don't jerk the trigger, and always make clean shots, you will use a lot less ammo., but I wouldn't count on it. Something about steel targets that cause you to burn a lot of ammo.

The Payne's correct. Always have more ammo on you than you think you will need.
I remember a long range rifle stage last year where I started with my Nordic/P-mag 48 rounder in the gun and thought, no problem. Luckily, I had a spare 30 rounder on me when I felt the gun lock open.


Lots of times they will let you stage mags/ammo around the range so you don't have to carry too much around.

[JJ]

I have plenty of pistol and rifle ammo on hand just trying to figure out what I need for shotgun, I should have mentioned that. All bird shot? Or am I going to need some slugs as well? Also whats the cost?

[Keith]

I have plenty of pistol and rifle ammo on hand just trying to figure out what I need for shotgun, I should have mentioned that. All bird shot? Or am I going to need some slugs as well? Also whats the cost?

They always say to bring 100 rounds of pistol, rifle, and birdshot and you will take plenty home at the end of the day. Also, bring at least 10 slugs, just in case. Sometimes we use them, sometimes not. Usually we do, though.

Maybe we'll get to shoot up the house again sometime this year with the shotgun!
That was too much fun.

[JJ]

Looks like my buddy is backing out. My bolt action rifle, revolver and pump shotty probably won't do me much good in this format so I guess I will wait till next time he's headed up there.

[tacticalninja32]

too bad is a sunday