Everyday Carry
Everyday carry is as personal as it gets. Beyond the universal staples we…
Everyday carry is as personal as it gets. Beyond the universal staples we…
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[dcs_fancy_header color=”#000000″ fweight=”bold”]The fact of the matter is, you can get started with guns you already have. I would bet most of you already have the guns to attend a local 3 gun match. If they’re not tucked away in your safe, then partner up with a buddy and pool your gear so you both can give 3-gunning a try. A rifle, pistol and shotgun is all you need. Let’s look at one gun at a time:[/dcs_fancy_header]
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A standard iron sighted AR-15, Mini-14, M-1A, etc., is all you need. In fact, I’ve won five SOF World Tactical Championships matches with just that, a 20” A2 configured AR-15. It started out as a box-stock AR-15. Over the years I slowly added or upgraded it with better triggers, sight blades, free floated fore-end and muzzle compensator but there’s nothing fancy about a winning gun.
With most 3-gun matches not requiring any special power factor, any 9 mm pistol is all you need. Standard 115- or 125-grain FMJ ammunition is more than sufficient and readily available at any gun store. Whether it be any one of the plastic frame striker-fired pistols on the market or a single stack 1911, if you have it, find a holster and join the fun. Naturally, if you have a hi-cap USPSA Limited gun, you’re ahead of the game, but don’t be afraid to jump in with whatever you have.
Time and time again I hear people complain that they can’t afford a tricked out shotgun that’s needed in 3-gun. I’ve been in this game for a long time. Up until just recently when Remington Defense gave me a VersaMax, all I used to win five SOF World Championships and two USPSA National 3-Gun Championships is a Remington 1100 I bought in a pawn shop for $350. That’s right, a pawn shop gun that I stuck a magazine extension on and installed a loading port button extension. Even if you have a pump shotgun you use for hunting, drop a magazine extension on and hit the range.
While 3-gunning may look complex, I’m here to tell you it’s nothing but applying the basics of marksmanship while negotiating the course of fire in the most efficient use of time. Usually the targets are not difficult but the pressure we put on ourselves to “be fast” is what makes things difficult.
“All I used to win five SOF World Championships and two USPSA National 3-Gun Championships is a Remington 1100 I bought in a pawn shop for $350.” – Bruce Piatt
Let’s assume that you are an average shooter in whatever discipline you may shoot. IDPA, USPSA, Steel Challenge, Bullseye, High Power—whatever it may be. Maybe you even travel to a couple of big matches throughout the year or are very successful in your particular discipline. You’re flipping the channels one day and what do you find … 3-Gun Nation Pro Series! They’re “runnin’ and gunnin,’ laughing and carrying on with each other, just having so much fun. How could any shooter not want to give it a try? For many, the hardest step to getting involved in a new shooting discipline is the first step, so I’m here to give you a hand and show you just how easy and affordable it can be.
Read the full story (Pg. 74) in the Nov/Dec issue of 3-Gun Nation Magazine >
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This article is proudly sponsored by 3-Gun Nation
The National 3-Gun Association promotes practical shooting by shining a light on amateur and professional shooters alike, as well as the guns, gear and lifestyle that define the high-octane sport of 3-gun competition. Learn more about 3-Gun Nation at http://3gunnation.com.
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