Getting Started in 3-Gun

T

Tucker 1371

New member
There's a club nearby that hosts 3GN matches and I'd like to get started. I'd like to get started competing, mostly just for added training but winning would be cool too.

One thing I'm a little nervous about is the plethora of rules, it seems like it'd be really easy to screw up and get DQ'd for being a safety violator.

How welcoming are they to rookies and how well do they typically go over rules and procedures before a match? How often to people get DQ'd?
 
I don't know of any club who shoots 3-gun or any other combination that doesn't have a safety briefing prior to the start of a match.

You have 4 basic safety rules, that will cover all the safety rules you need.

Main thing, during the briefing, if you have a question, ASK.

Tell the people running the match that you are new. They want new shooters, they will work with you and make sure you have a safe and enjoyable experience.

Remember the 4 basic safety rules, that will mean you wont commit the safety violations you have by keeping your finger off the trigger while moving (or anytime when not actually firing, don't sweep your or anyone else's body, and obey the 180 degree rule.

Don't push for speed right away. Concentrate on safety and technique. Speed will come.

Again, if you have a question ask. They want you back, they want you to have a safe and enjoyable experience which will cause you to bring your shootings to the next match.

Don't go buy a bunch of crap until you shoot a while and figure out your goals.
 
Depending on club policy, a new shooter might get a 10 min "safety briefing" or a full day of serious instruction. More likely the former.

Find out if your club goes by 3GN or other sanctioning body rules or if they just made stuff up. Either way, you need to know and abide by them.

The main safety rule found in three gun and not seen in single gun shooting or general training is what to do with each gun as you finish with it. Most places have "dump boxes" for you to put a used gun in as you transition to the next piece. There are rules on what condition it should be in when you abandon it. Empty for sure, probably with the action open, but you should know before you shoot.

Are you a proficient competitive pistol, rifle, and shotgun shooter to start with?
If not, it is going to be tough learning three guns all at the same time.
 
Be aware that there is not one set of rules that every club follows. My home club, which held its third-ever Three Gun match last weekend, follows the Three Gun Nation Rules.

I've been a cowboy action shooter since early 2010 but I'm a Three Gun beginner. The Three Gunners I have met have been pretty friendly folks but there is an assumption that people who show up for matches have made an effort to understand the rules, the rules governing safe gun handling particularly. Not that you will be given a written exam when you show up but I would recommend downloading the rules and reading through them.

There are some YouTube videos and podcasts out there that you could peruse as well.
 
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