Bruce Piatt's "3-Gun Equipment on a Budget
During the 2001 shooting season, Bagmaster Mfg. Inc. asked me to compile some “shooters tips” for their website visitors focusing on 3-gun shooting. For the established 3-gun competitor, I hope what I have to offer is a help to your progressive growth in the sport. For the newcomer, curious about what’s involved, all I have to say is it’s 3 times the fun. Shooters, in general, are gadget people who love to tinker with their equipment. Three gun shooting requires 3 times the equipment with 3 times the fun.
What I have outlined here applies to all types of 3-gun shooting. That means Rifle, Pistol, and Shotguns used for IPSC/USPSA matches, SOF/ Tactical type matches, IDPA matches and Defensive/Offensive applications for our CCW, Police, or Military shooters. Rules and requirements vary with each discipline and it is impossible for me to outline every rule in this article. I strongly suggest that you obtain official rulebooks from the hosting organization before you start building your equipment list. I’d hate for you to show up at a match saying “but Bruce Piatt said it was OK” when they tell you that your equipment is illegal
EQUIPMENT NEEDS……… ON A BUDGET.
I know of only a handful of people with an unlimited budget for guns and equipment for the occasional weekend of match shooting. What I’m going to do is outline some ideas that I’ve used myself to narrow down your equipment needs and make your guns multi-discipline legal.
RIFLE:
Scored Major/Minor for most disciplines, meaning larger caliber (.308, .30-06, etc.) gets higher values for peripheral hits on targets. Center hits score equally for any caliber. Even though major caliber scores higher on targets, the vast majority of shooters prefer .223. In fact, none of the major matches have been won with a major caliber rifle since the early ‘80’s. Just for the experience, I would love to attend the SOF with a .308 but I fear it would be too much of a handicap, taking me out of contention for the win. The decreased recoil, increased magazine capacity, speed of reloading, and flatness of trajectory, makes the M-16/AR-15 variants far superior at SOF. So what do you buy? Reviewing the rules will show you that you can assemble one rifle that will not only be legal, but very competitive at both SOF and USPSA.
Limited or Open, it’s your choice. A standard HBAR configuration with iron sights will be just fine for Limited Division in USPSA and IRON Division at any SOF/ Tactical match. In fact, this is the basic configuration I used to win all four of my SOF Championships. If you are in need of optical assistance, you want to run with any one of your compensated guns, or you want to expand your rifle for use at long range use, a flattop receiver is the way to go. An ACOG, ELCAN, LEUPOLD CQT, COLT, or US OPTICS scope are legal for SOF SCOPE Division. Switching to a Holosight or a standard optical scope will make you competitive in USPSA OPEN Division, and finally dropping a high power scope on the same gun will allow you to compete in Sniper competitions or just put a dent in your local Prairie Dog population. A word of caution that SOF has a total weight limitation and specific criteria for compensator size. Refer to official rules and regulations before ordering your parts.
SOF also has some stringent criteria for magazine pouches, requiring more protection and security than USPSA. Magazines feed lips must be protected and the magazine exposure can only be 2 inches for 20 round mags and 3 inches for magazines over 20 rounds. Similar rules apply for pistol magazines as well.
Most every hosting organization has similar rules prohibiting steel core or steel alloy jacketed ammunition. This ammunition does considerable damage to steel reactionary targets and are therefore prohibited. A word of caution to those of you buying surplus or bulk ‘bargain’ ammunition. Many of these sources, while not labeled as such, contain steel alloy in their jackets and are therefore prohibited. Simply check your ammunition with a common refrigerator magnet.
SHOTGUN:
All SOF shotguns must be 12 gauge buckshot and slugs. No optics, no barrel porting, no speed loaders, 22-inch max. barrel length, magazine tube cannot extend more than one inch beyond the barrel. That’s simple to comply with. A Remington 1100 Competition Master is specifically designed for the 3-gun competitor. If you already have an 1100 slug or turkey gun, add an 8 shot magazine tube and your done. The turkey gun comes with a 21” vent rib barrel with Rem-Chokes installed. Maybe install an E-Z Loader on your loading port so you don’t have to push the button and you have a very competitive gun for SOF, USPSA Limited Division. If you are planning on using light loads or tactical buckshot and slugs, you will probably have to enlarge the gas ports a bit. A simple job but you may want to have a professional gunsmith do this. Another option is the, ready to rock right out of the box, Benelli tactical guns. A little more expensive for the initial purchase, as well as any after market products but well worth it if you don’t want to tinker yourself. Just like Ford and Chevy, Remington and Benelli have the same type of loyal followings. Personally, I prefer the Remington for it’s lower cost, heavier weight, softer recoil, and availability of barrels and parts.
For those of you inclined to shoot USPSA Open division, take the same gun, install a longer magazine tube, speed loaders and maybe have Clark Custom install their scope mount on the barrel, flush with the vent rib and you’re all set for a red dot installation. If you are set on having barrel porting, either use a screw in choke-compensator or buy a second barrel and have it professionally ported.
Anyway you cut it, with the cost of extra barrels around $170, one shotgun can take you from the hunting field to any competition you choose.
Pistol:
Like the rifle, Pistol is scored Major/Minor giving additional points for a major’s peripheral hit. Center hits are scored equally Major or minor. SOF allows only stock pistols. 5” barrel for autos with a specific weight limit. Basically the same as a stock USPSA pistol with no extended magazines in the gun to start a course. For both disciplines, .40 caliber is the minimum allowed for Major scoring, however they differ in power factor. USPSA is now 165 PF while SOF is at their standard of 180 PF. (bullet speed x bullet weight)/1000= Power Factor. Because of their course design, round capacity at SOF is not too critical. Generally SOF courses contain a lot of steel knock down targets, giving little benefit to shooting major. However, when SOF have paper targets, accuracy is paramount. SOF scoring is usually set up as 1 point = 1 second. Misses score a 20 second penalty. On the other side of the coin, USPSA rewards speed but not accuracy, often allowing shooters to have multiple misses yet still win a match!! Go figure. For my 2000 SOF win, I shot my Caspian Wide Body in .38 Super Comp w/ Caspian Fiber-Optic front sight. Sierra 125 gr. JHP’s @ 1250 fps that scored minor. I was in the minority shooting minor but I shoot it better than my .40 and that’s what counts for me.
For USPSA Open division, any gizmo you can mount on a gun is legal. An optically sighted, high capacity, extended magazine, compensated race gun in .38 Super Major is the norm.
Holsters and magazine pouches differ from each discipline. SOF and IDPA are more restrictive than USPSA who allow any holster that holds the gun at belt level and covers the trigger guard. SOF and IDPA have guidelines written to basically have the shooter use holsters normally used for continuous carry, duty, or tactical use. Magazine pouches, likewise, require more security and protection than the standard skeletonized units used in USPSA. Details can be obtain from match officials.
Conclusion:
Whatever equipment you decide on, remember, Reliability is #1 paramount concern. #2 is that you are totally comfortable and confident with it and #3 that it be accurate enough to accomplish the task at hand. You can have the most accurate gun possible but if you mash the trigger, you’ll still have a miss. Most people can’t shoot above their equipment capabilities. Chances are you aren’t missing targets because your gun isn’t accurate enough, it’s because you didn’t do your part.
See you on the range.
http://www.brucepiatt.com/advice.htm
