3 Gun Match questions 18" or 26" on 870 et al...

[SteepandDeep]

Hey Ya'll,

Couple questions. Doing first 3 gun match this month. Shot IDPA for 3 years. Not the best but I try hard.

1. Should I use my 18" rifle sighted barrel or 26" duck barrel on a remington 870?

2. Do you guys use high brass 7.5 loads or the low brass target stuff?

3. No $$ for fancy mag carriers, carrying a rifle mag in the back pocket is cool?


And any other tips keep it smooth?

Thanks and I appreciate your time...

[TomMcC]

delete

[SteepandDeep]

Copy all that. Thanks. No interchangeable chokes on the 18" barrel. Just improved cylinder...

A little less maneuverability and a little tighter pattern and more downrange energy with the longer barrel is what I may end up doing.

Oh well.

Thanks for your reply...

[zk556x45]

Definitely go with the barrel you can choke. I've seen many new 3gunners with open choke shotguns hit the same piece of steel over and over again without knocking it down. Super frustrating!

I prefer a 21" barrel with an Improved Modified choke.

7 1/2 shot (1 1/8 oz. load) does the trick for me.

Have fun and get your hits!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Alaskapopo]

Hey Ya'll,

Couple questions. Doing first 3 gun match this month. Shot IDPA for 3 years. Not the best but I try hard.

1. Should I use my 18" rifle sighted barrel or 26" duck barrel on a remington 870?

2. Do you guys use high brass 7.5 loads or the low brass target stuff?

3. No $$ for fancy mag carriers, carrying a rifle mag in the back pocket is cool?


And any other tips keep it smooth?

Thanks and I appreciate your time...

A duck gun will work better as a three gun shotgun assuming you get a magazine extension than defensive shotgun with a short barrel and rifle sights with no choke.

The reasons being.
1. rifle sights suck on movers and you can shoot nearly as accurately with a vent rib and a fiber optic bead. Also you shoot a lot more bird shot than you do slugs in three gun.

2. You need to have chokes. An open chocked gun will suck on long range steel and on targets like the MGM spinner and Texas star. Seen a lot of frustrated shooters. If you do run an open choked gun get some high brass pheasant loads for these targets and pray. But with low brass ammo I can do fine with the right choke. I generally run light modified 90% of the time and occaisionally Improved modified for harder steel shots and some times cylinder bore for close in clay stages.

Rifle mag in back pocket is ok for now. I would get a coupled mag system however and also a kydex magazine pouch. As for shotgun ammo when your ready get a load 2 vest their so much faster and easier to learn.
Pat

[Jesse Tischauser]

A duck gun will work better as a three gun shotgun assuming you get a magazine extension than defensive shotgun with a short barrel and rifle sights with no choke.

The reasons being.
1. rifle sights suck on movers and you can shoot nearly as accurately with a vent rib and a fiber optic bead. Also you shoot a lot more bird shot than you do slugs in three gun.

2. You need to have chokes. An open chocked gun will suck on long range steel and on targets like the MGM spinner and Texas star. Seen a lot of frustrated shooters. If you do run an open choked gun get some high brass pheasant loads for these targets and pray. But with low brass ammo I can do fine with the right choke. I generally run light modified 90% of the time and occaisionally Improved modified for harder steel shots and some times cylinder bore for close in clay stages.

Rifle mag in back pocket is ok for now. I would get a coupled mag system however and also a kydex magazine pouch. As for shotgun ammo when your ready get a load 2 vest their so much faster and easier to learn.
Pat

This!

Rustin Bernskoetter uses 26" barrels on his Benelli and it never slows him down maneuvering around top 10 finished.

[TomMcC]

delete

[Alaskapopo]

Ok, let me explain why I recommended his 18". I have seen guys show up match day with their bird gun and find out it wasn't regulated properly to hit a half silhouette at 50yds with a slug. Just 2 weeks ago at the local 3gun a guy in my squad was running an M2 set up for 3gun but couldn't hit 8" flippers at 15yds consistently because he never regulated the barrel to his sights. All things being equal, I would prefer a 26 over an 18 also, but the OP is new to 3gun, I thought it would be easier for him to get a good sight in with the 18" rifle sights as long as he could choke down the barrel. Either way both guns need a mag extension.

I disagree I don't think its easier to get a good sight picture with a shorter barrel. In fact the opposite is true in my opinion. We shoot a lot more shot in the game than we do slugs so the slight disadvantage there is well worth it when it comes to the speed of a bead and a vent rib on non slug targets. Also once you practice you cans hoot darn well with slugs on a vent rib with a fiber optic bead.
Pat

[TomMcC]

delete

[Alaskapopo]

SteepandDeep, just shoot whatever gun you want, the one you shoot the best.

Not good advice if he has to go up against a spinner or a star. Seen guys blow so many rounds with improved cylinder 870's it makes you want to cry. If you must use a 18 inch gun bring some heavy phesant loads to the match #6 and as hot as you can find them in the store you will need them.
Pat

[shootist~]

Whichever one hits where you point it - and you won't know until you put it on paper with both slugs and shot (assuming your short barrel is actually IC). IC is not the same as a Cylinder choke - the latter having no constriction.

An IC choke is fine with premium ammo (better Trap/Sporting Clays loads in 7.5); not so good with promo/dove loads, where you need at least LM to compensate for soft/regular shot.

After you shoot a match or two you will be more able to make an informed decision.

I prefer around 21" with a vent rib, which can also get by on a clays field. For Sporting Clays - the ultimate in movers :) - it's 28" minimum for a smooth swing.