Turned off to 3 gun

gnut

New member
I have been thinking of doing some 3 gun competition for a couple of years now. I got enough equip together to go to a match and got in touch with the dirctor of a local match. He asked me if I had ever done any gun competitions before. I told him yes but it was shotguns like skeet, trap, and some sporting clays. He told me come on out but leave my puke shotgun buddies at home. I didn't go to the 3 gun match. My question is, is there a beef between 3 gunners and other gun competitions and if so why? I have alot of puke shotgun buddies. They are good people. Maybe 3 gunning isn't for me.
 
I am going with the assumtion this guy was having a bad day. With all the talk about fuds (which most shotgunners are) the past couple of weeks made me start wondering if there was some type of rif going on. Let me tell though, I have asked several questions concerning 3 gun comp on TFL with great results saving me quite a bit of money. Other than this one guy everybody has been very helpful. But, none of the folks that helped me new I was a fud, or a shotgunner.
Here is my thinking. I don't care in your a collecter, hunter, competition shooter, plinker, just have weapons for self protection, or just like guns. We all need to be in the same camp per say , to protect our rights as American.
And no I am not running for office. That kind of sounds like something a politician would say. Difference is, I mean it.
 
The guy is a jerk, but there is an element of truth to what he says.
All gun owners SHOULD be on the same side, but there are an unfortunate number of elitists who think it is all right for YOUR guns to be restricted because they do not think theirs will be included. I know of more than one shotgunner, one very highly placed target rifle shooter, and some hunters who are very down on private ownership of things like military rifles, riot guns, and pistols.
Consider the recent scandal that cost elk guru Jim Zumbo his place at Outdoor Life.

By the way, I think 3-gun is kind of jumping in at the deep end; sort of like shooting Sporting Clays without some prior experience at Trap & Skeet.
Are you reasonably proficient with pistol and rifle?
 
Go shoot the match, the other 99.995% of people you meet at action shooting events will more than make up for one guy with cranial-rectal inversion. I have been heavily involved in many shooting sports over the years, including trap, skeet, and sporting. Action shooters are a cut above, and several cuts above the average attendance at a registered trap shoot. The elitist mentality Jim mentions is one of the big reasons I no longer shoot shotguns competitively. Don't get me wrong, I met some really fantastic people when I was shotgunning heavily and I am better for the experience, but action shooters are just amazing people. I miss the skeet shooters, more or less an eclectic bunch that had more fun messing with each other than shooting until something was on the line, then they went into double time messing with each other:D :D
 
With all the talk about fuds (which most shotgunners are)

With this kind of attitude, is there any wonder why some of them might not care for 3 gunners of any other non-shotgunner?
 
Deadin, I don't understand your question. Most of the shotgunners I know are avid hunters which, I assume is a fud, which, is not offensive to me at all. So I didn't mean it in an offensive way. Its kind of like calling me a good lookin fat guy. The truths the truth.
 
It could also be club politics at work. Most clubs with which I'm familiar, have some sort of bias on the BoD, and it is often a struggle between the skeet/trap/clays crowd, and the "practical" shooters, over how club resources will be spent. If the guy feels he's being oppressed by the expensive import double crowd, then he might not have anything good to say about them. It could also be, that he doesn't like the comparatively lax gunhandling displayed on most shotgun ranges. I see trap shooters awaiting their turn to shoot with the muzzle resting on their foot, or shooters walking around the range, sweeping everyone with their muzzles; either will get you sent home at a 3-gun, or any other, practical shooting match.
 
3 Gun

I have attended several 3 gun matches in the Area 6 competition. They have always been fun. Don't let one bad apple spoil you day. Most shooters will go out of their way to help you. They will let you use their equipment and even give you ammo. Go to some of the matches and look around,check out what everyone is doing. You will be glad you went.
I use a Rem. 1100,Bushmaster AR and a 40S&W pistol.
 
It could also be club politics at work. Most clubs with which I'm familiar, have some sort of bias on the BoD, and it is often a struggle between the skeet/trap/clays crowd, and the "practical" shooters, over how club resources will be spent. If the guy feels he's being oppressed by the expensive import double crowd, then he might not have anything good to say about them. It could also be, that he doesn't like the comparatively lax gunhandling displayed on most shotgun ranges. I see trap shooters awaiting their turn to shoot with the muzzle resting on their foot, or shooters walking around the range, sweeping everyone with their muzzles; either will get you sent home at a 3-gun, or any other, practical shooting match.

You don't belong to my club do you? That sounds exactly like everything that goes on! The BoD AND the lax gun handling, though they have been a little better recently, the shotgunners are still kind of swing happy.

I know at my club we Highpower shooters used to have trouble practicing when the trap range was going. Seems the power and blast of our rifles would trigger their trap mics and it made it hard for them to hear each other. (What to they do at the Grand National?)

The trap shooters also got one of our shade trees chopped down because it threw a shadow across one of the trap ranges late in the day. Funny how it never bothered the Highpower guys with any funny lighting. :rolleyes:

Don't get me started on guys discussing set triggers and special stocks when they're averaging 85/100!

And I agree with the "go shoot 3-gun anyway" crowd. You might like it and make lots of friends while doing it.
 
At the range I shoot at it's the trapshooters that seem to have to have that attitude. I take it for what it's worth. Now since all my firearms beg equal attention, you'll find me on all the ranges...trap, low power, high power, and pistol.
 
gnut
Don't let the idiots scare you away from a fun sport. The shooting sports are full of those with big egos to compensate for other shortcomings. They are also full of way too much testosterone and machismo. Too many of the club administrators don't understand. They are caught up in their own little world and won't look outside their window. Go to a match or two, tell people you are a new shooter and you will find someone who will help you. If you don't then you don't want to belong to that club - trust me.
 
A second, third, fourth or whatever on going out to shoot with the shooters. Ditto on the posturing guys of frail ego who will invariably be a part of each shooting group. Veer away from those who disdain others. In almost any club there will be nice, helpful experts. If not, you found one of the somewhat rare completely poisoned clubs.

I have seen this pattern with trap, ISPS, high-power, sailing, agricultural and sports car clubs. Dodge the idiots. After a while, you will find that most folks who have been in the club a while are dodging him too.
 
Throwing lead down range is fun. If you do it any and everyway you can, you will find at least one that's "just right" for you.
 
So, I guess the Fudds are shotgunners and the mall ninjas shoot 3 gun, IDPA, IPSC? :barf: :D The name calling is childish and unnecessary. We are all gun owners and need to stick together not cause divides.

Personally, I own shotguns, rifles and handguns and enjoy shooting all three. I also enjoy bowhunting. Some of the people on archery forums look down on gun hunters which I think is ridiculous and uncalled for. But, some of their stories do make gun hunters look bad (primarily deer hunters).
 
I don't want to hijack this thread but could some of you Georgians drop me an e-mail with some info on 3-gun in Georgia?? You could PM me as well.
 
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