3-Gun Fun in VA ***PICS ! ! !***

[blackscot]

It's a little hard for me to get the total picture, but it appears that Blackwater holds USPSA matches on a regular monthly basis, along with intermittant IDPA matches. At least some of the USPSA matches appear to be 3-gun, but possibly not all. I also get the impression that different groups of people are organizing the two as separate venues.

Anyway, if you are used to CAS range rules and procedures then you are well positioned to jump into either USPSA and/or IDPA. There's obvious differences in equipment, probably along with stage design, scoring, etc., but it's still basically "shoot this, then move over here, now shoot this....", etc.

Both also have a "shoot to your personal best ability" culture. Nobody other than the very top-most dogs are really trying to beat anyone. The contest is more just between you, your gun, and the targets.

With of course safety remaining paramount.

I'm sure gotm4 could get you correctly steered, and that the folks down there would welcome a new participant.

BTW, there are additional venues in VA for both USPSA and IDPA if you're interested. Checkout their web sites and follow the links for match locations and dates. I have participated in various among them over the past several years, and could give you a little additional info if desired.

[Robb Jensen]

BC3G is Black Creek 3Gun and it is the 4th Saturday of the month. I've never been to Blackwater's match. Actually, Sunday is easier for me to make than Saturday. The only problem is that too many Sundays away pisses the wife off since it's my only day off.

Gotm4, I looked at the Blackwater site. What is the pistol classifier? I've only done the 3-gun at Black Creek once. Is the Blackwater shoot going to be too high speed, or can some newb to the game like myself go and not get too embarrassed or run off? I been shooting CAS for a few years, so I can be safe on the range w/loaded weapons, I just would probably be kinda slow, and since the local range doesn't allow high speed practice, miss a few pushing it.

A classifier for USPSA (it's only pistol/revolver) is a stage (1 of a few hundred possibilities) where your score and time are calculated. The numbers are run on a national average. Check out www.uspsa.com and then click on 'what is practical shooting' on the left side of the screen. As you get better and better your classifier scores are re-calculated to keep you current. When I started shooting competition in USPSA I started as a C class shooter and now I'm nearly an A class. Best to worst is Grandmaster(GM), Master, A, B, C and D.

In IDPA a classifier is an actual 90 round match (always the same), your score and times are calculated. Best to worst is Master, Expert, Sharpshooter, Novice. (I'm currently VERY close to Master now)

You are really only competing against yourself (there's no defense in these 'games'). Sunday we had 2 older guys (both senior citizens) who are much more experienced competition shooters on our squad who didn't run between shooting positions, they walked (I've shot with both before and they are very cool guys). One of them even told me that they have a guy that occasionally comes out to shoot USPSA and uses a cane. He props the cane in his pocket when shooting then grabs it with his weakhand when he has to move.

I hope that when I'm in my 50s-60's that I'm still out shooting too. They don't try to win the match, they just come out and have fun (safely of course).........that's all it's really about, having fun, making new friends.

I think this was the 1st ever 3gun match at Blackwater. There's a monthly USPSA match (pistol/revolver) usually 5-6 stages with an alternating every other month shotgun or rifle 'side match'. For non-members of their club it's $25. It's a great match. Usually twice are year there is a large sanctioned IDPA match at Blackwater (Blackwater Shootout). You do have to be a member of IDPA to shoot it (www.idpa.com) with a classification. Ron Reiner runs it (he was one of the older guys on my squad Sunday).

If you've got the bug now, come out and play both games, IDPA is a little more about procedure and tactics but other than that their both very fun.

If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it.

[blackscot]

......I hope that when I'm in my 50s-60's that I'm still out shooting too.....

Well I'm going to be 50 this Feb., and stopping shooting is definitely NOT in the plans.

.....an alternating every other month shotgun or rifle 'side match'.......

Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar.......

I should try to get to Blackwater sometime.

[Gunfixr]

Thanks, guys, I do appreciate all this info. The 3gun shoot at Black Creek I went to was very similar to CAS, just different guns and clothes and gear. Oh, and we get to have extra ammo, no extra at CAS, you either do it or not. I wasn't worried about winning a match, I was consistently around halfway up or just below in CAS as I'm just having fun. Plus, I figure being practiced at shooting at different scenarios with time pressure certainly won't hurt. Sounds like I would be ok.

Edited to add: I hope I'm still shooting in my 50-60s, too. Hell I'm 40 now so that's not too far away.

[Robb Jensen]

Well I'm going to be 50 this Feb., and stopping shooting is definitely NOT in the plans.



Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar.......

I should try to get to Blackwater sometime.

Well you look a very young 50 Randy !

Honestly I think both of the guys were early to mid 60's after talking to some friends of mine. Both really good shooters too!

[blackscot]

Well you look a very young 50 Randy ! ......

Thanks man, but I sure feel it at times.

Must be doing something right though. Match timers certainly boost one's adrenaline. Or perhaps gunsmoke has a preservative effect?

[CarlosDJackal]

I need to make some kind of change shotgun-wise before I can return to BC3G.

With birdshot only mandated for their steel (no 00 allowed), my 18-inch cylinder-choked Rem. 870 doesn't have a tight enough group to knock down some of the plates (such as the Texas star). Also the plain front-bead sight has never aligned properly with my natural mount on the gun, making the longer range slug shots rather hellish (more so than usual, that is......).

I'm having trouble deciding whether to get an improved cylinder barrel for the 870, versus springing the 2-3 times $$$ needed to replace altogether with some kind of semi-auto. This gun would be strictly for these matches (not planning any real-world self-defense application).

Maybe the issue warrants a post on the shotgun board.

Have you tried using heavier birdshot (IE: #6)? It'll be a lot cheaper. I have had good luck with this in my cyclinder bore 870 which has an 18.5-inch barrel.

[Robb Jensen]

Randy,
If you're barrel has 'enough meat' at the muzzle you could send if off for machining to accept choke tubes.

In my Benelli I use Briley extended Improved Cylinder and Light Modified choke tubes. My typical 'birdshot' load is a Winchester SuperSport #8s, #7 1/2s work well too.

[blackscot]

Thanks guys.

Well, BC3G this past Sat. was about as brutal as can be imagined, with the heat index at like ten thousand something.......

I failed to mention here that I had by then re-fitted the 870 with a 20-inch IC barrel with rifle sights. Was also using heavier field loads. Definitely got better knock-down on the steel. The rifle sights also enabled waaay better accuracy on the 80-yard slug shots.

Having the longer barrel, I also replaced the original 2-round mag extension with a 3-rounder, which gotm4 then wonderfully refinished to match the dark matte of the rest of the gun.

The whole set-up now looks a whole lot more professional. Still need to get a front swivel on the barrel clamp to mount a sling, and will then post some pics.

Lastly, I was readily able to sell the original 18-inch barrel and 2-round mag extension for what I thought was a fair price, and thereby defer part of the cost of upgrading my gun.

All-in-all a successful chapter.