The Cawthon Cartridge Club (Millican, TX) hosts the 2010 LaRue Tactical Multi-Gun Match this weekend, May 8-9. More than 220 shooters will compete in eight (8) stages of fire using pistol, rifle, and shotgun. This is action shooting, with lots of movement. Shooters negotiate obstacles, run to firing positions, and engage targets from multiple positions, often firing through ports or around barricades. Targets are placed at distances from a few yards (pistol) to 500 yards (rifle).
With stage names such as “House of Pain,” “Jungle Run,” and “Tunnel Rat,” this match will challenge the competitors’ shooting skills and physical abilities. With temperatures predicted to reach the 90s, competitors must battle the heat and the sometimes high winds as they run through stages and take long shots with their rifles. Pre-match favorites include Taran Butler, Kelly Neal, and Bennie Cooley, but there are many lesser-known shooters who could end up on the podium.
The video below shows Stage 8 from the 2009 LaRue 3-Gun Match, held at the Tiger Valley Tactical Institute range near Waco, TX.
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Texas retailer CDNN Investments often acquires large inventories of overstocked firearms and then offers them at close-to-wholesale prices. When CDNN comes out with a new catalog you know there will be some amazing deals that won’t last long. The latest 2010-2 CDNN catalog was recently released. CLICK HERE to download CDNN 2010-2 Catalog.
Listed below are some of the best long-gun deals we found in the new spring Catalog. There are also some amazing deals on HK, Sig Sauer, and Springfield Armory handguns with prices “too low to print”. You’ll need to call CDNN at (800) 588-9500 for details.
Ruger No.1 in .204 Ruger, 22″ or 26″ Barrel. $649.99 (MSRP $1147.00)
Winchester m70 Super Grade, .30-06 (24″ bbl) or 300 WM (26″ bbl), Fancy Walnut Stock, Engraved Receiver, $849.99.
FNH SLP Mark I Tactical Shotgun with 9-shot mag, scope rail, and fiber optic front sight. A great choice for 3-Gun competition, the FNH SLP was the 2009 NRA Shotgun of the Year. Call for Price.
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One of the nation’s major multi-gun competitions took place this weekend at the new Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Kentucky. The Sabre Defense Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun Championship attracted scores of top shooters, drawn by over $250,000 worth of gear and certificates on the prize table. The “Blue Ridge” is a hugely popular match — probably the biggest 3-gun event in the country.
This is the second year for the event at the Rockcastle Shooting Center, an impressive addition to the Park Mammoth Resort. With roughly 250 shooters this year, attendance was up over 42% since last year. One reason the Blue Ridge 3-Gun match is so popular is its unique terrain. Match Director Andy Horner explains: “The BRM3G has several characteristics for which it is known. First of all, being one of two major matches held over natural terrain, the match uses features of the land to create interesting and challenging courses of fire. Stage design also sets the BRM3G apart. The stages are physically demanding and have a higher-than-average round count. This is not a stand-and-shoot match. We strive to create stages that require competitors to get out of their comfort zone and have their abilities tested. This is accomplished through requiring significant movement, unusual shooting positions, unusual presentation of targets, and occasional longer shots.”
Despite rainy weather, the competitors fought through 10 stages over three days. On Sunday, among the top stage performers, 32 shooters were selected for the shoot-off. These 32 dueled in elimination matches until just two competitors were left: Taran Butler and Erik Lund. Erik and Taran then battled against the clock in a final stage run. When the dust settled, Taran Butler took the championship by a few seconds, earning a $5000.00 check from Leupold. As the Blue Ridge 3-Gun Champion, Butler earned a spot at the 3-Gun Nation Finals in September, which will be held in conjunction with the USPSA 3-Gun Nationals. Below are images from the 2009 Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun event.
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Want to become a pro shooter? Here’s your chance. Smith & Wesson is now soliciting new shooters interested in joining Team Smith & Wesson for the 2010-2011 competitive season. Applications, which will be accepted until April 30, 2010, are available online at Champions.smith-wesson.com. The selection process is open to all shooters interested in becoming a part of a winning team. You must have the “right stuff” of course.
To evaluate each applicant, Smith & Wesson has developed a cumulative point system to award sponsorships to prospective S&W Team members. Selection criteria includes, but is not limited to, match level, performance, experience and exposure. Over the course of last year’s season, the 20 members of Team Smith & Wesson won a total of 28 state, 31 regional, 9 national, 5 international and 18 world championship titles.
Julie Goloski — Captain of Team Smith & Wesson Womens’ Team.
Tom Kelly, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson states: “By becoming a member of Team Smith & Wesson, you will have the opportunity to showcase your skills in matches across the country while serving as a representative to one of the largest and most prestigious firearms manufacturers in America.” For more information regarding Team Smith & Wesson, including team member bios, match recaps and to access an application, visit www.smith-wesson.com and click on the Champions Icon on the left side of the homepage.
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Multi-Gun goes Hollywood. 3-Gun Nation, a new cable TV series, is set to launch in July 2010. Sponsored by FNH USA, 3-Gun Nation will cover a series of multi-gun matches hosted at venues nationwide. The first match runs March 25-28 at Superstition Mountain, Mesa, Arizona.
If you’re a 3-Gun shooter interested in competing, there is still time to sign up. You don’t even need guns and ammo. FNH provides all the firearms AND ammunition! To be eligible for the big money prizes, 3-Gun Nation shooters must compete in at least 3 out of the 5 qualifying events. The best three scores determine who qualifies for the FNH USA 3-Gun National Championship.
Overseen and run by the National 3-Gun Association (N3GA), 3-Gun Nation gives competitors a chance to win a $5,000 purse per event culminating in a championship prize of $25,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place, and $5,000 for third place. Each episode features a dramatic conclusion in which the top five competitors go head to head for the fastest stage time. Watch the video below to see 3-Gun Shooters in action.
The show will be hosted by country music star Mark Wills and American Rifleman magazine field editor Chad Adams. 3-Gun Nation will air on the Versus cable Network Mondays at 7:30 a.m. EST and Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. EST.
For more info, visit 3GunNation.com. There you’ll find the Event Description and Sign-Up Form. As soon as the matches start, 3GunNation.com will have news, feature stories, photos and professionally produced videos of the events and competitors.
2010 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Schedule
1: March 25-28, 2010 Superstition Mountain Mesa, AZ
2: April 23-25, 2010 Blue Ridge Mt – 3 Gun Park City, KY
3: May 21-23, 2010 FNH USA Midwest 3-Gun Fayette, MO
4: June 10-12, 2010 MGM IronMan Parma, ID
5: Aug. 5-7, 2010 Rocky Mountain Raton, NM
CHAMPIONSHIP: September 13, 2010 USPSA Nationals Boulder City, NV
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The U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) has announced the dates of its 2010 National Championships. Divided into four events, the Nationals are expected to draw more than 1,000 top shooters competing in a variety of divisions. Featured in the video below are “Women of USPSA” (including Team Glock’s Jessie Abbate) shooting at the 2009 USPSA Nationals. Be sure to watch this great video. Some very talented ladies demonstrate amazing shooting skills.
The first event on the calendar, the USPSA Single Stack Nationals, will take place April 28 through May 1 at the PASA Park ranges in Barry, Ill. In 2009 this event drew 270-plus devotees of the venerable 1911 pistol. Next on the schedule is USPSA’s MultiGun Nationals which will take place in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club ranges September 9 through 12. The MultiGun championship draws close to 150 shooters using pistol, rifle and shotgun in the Open, Tactical, Limited and Heavy Metal divisions.
The USPSA championship season will wrap up with back-to-back handgun championships also held in Las Vegas from October 8 through 16, 2010. With over 600 shooters participating, the USPSA back-to-back handgun championships represent the largest gathering of Practical Shooting competitors in the USA. In addition to America’s top guns, the match will also draw some of the best shooters from South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim.
USPSA National Championship dates
April 28 – May 1: Single Stack Nationals (PASA Park, Barry, IL)
Sept. 9 – 12: Multi-Gun Nat’ls (Desert Sportsman’s Range, Las Vegas, NV)
Oct. 8 – 12: Open & Limited-10 Nat’ls (Desert Sportsman’s Range, Las Vegas, NV)
Oct. 13 – 16 Limited, Production & Revolver Nat’ls (Desert Sportsman’s Range, Las Vegas, NV)
To learn more about the USPSA National Championships and other major matches on the 2010 schedule, visit www.uspsa.org or call (360) 855-2245.
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If you’re looking for an extremely high-quality, 100% reliable semi-auto rifle for defense, three-gun matches, or predator control, you should consider the Sig556. Based on the Sig 550-series rifles used by the Swiss Army, the Sig556 features a piston/op-rod upper for enhanced reliability. The bolt, bolt carrier, and other receiver internals stay much cleaner and cooler in the Sig556 than with a direct-impingement design such as the AR-15. The Sig556 also features ultra-reliable magazines and a true folding stock as an option.
Now through March 8, 2010, Sig Sauer is offering a $300 Rebate on all Sig556 rifles. Customers must purchase a Sig556 rifle from a Sig Sauer commercial dealer before March 8, 2010. NOTE: Rebate Forms must be received by March 22, 2010. Remember, if you wait ’til the last minute to buy, you only have two weeks to submit the Rebate Form.
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In a back and forth battle, Michael Voigt held off defending National Champion Jerry Miculek to win the Open title at the 2009 U.S. Practical Shooting Association’s (USPSA) Multi-Gun National Championships held October 22-25 in Boulder City, Nevada. During the 3-day match, Voigt and Miculek exchanged the lead seven times in one of the closest head-to-head duels in the history of Multi-Gun competition. At the Multi-Gun Nationals, 135 top shooters from around the country competed in a shooting format that utilizes rifle, shotgun, and pistol, demanding shooting speed and accuracy with all three weapons.
Team STI’s Voigt and Miculek of Team Smith & Wesson were neck and neck through 10 stages, exchanging the overall lead. After Miculek won Stage 10, the match turned in Voigt’s favor when Voigt won Stage 11, scoring 200 stage points, nearly 100 points better than Miculek. Miculek won the 12th and final stage of the match but it was not enough. Voigt finished with a final score of 2178.2303, placing him over 75 points ahead of Miculek, the 2008 champion.
Michael Voigt has been a force to be reckoned with in USPSA competition since 1979. He has served as USPSA President, and he has been the best in the world with pistol, rifle and shotgun ever since Multi-Gun Competition became a part of USPSA Matches. Voigt’s latest Open Class victory marks his ninth USPSA 3-Gun National Title.
Voigt Reveals Match-Winning Skills and Strategies
If you’re interested in three-gun competition and want to shoot like a champion, check out Michael Voigt’s “Pro Tips” on ShootingUSA.com. In six training sessions, Voigt explains and demonstrates the key skills needed for the multi-gun game. Voigt’s tips were broadcast as a regular part of Shooting USA’s Sighting In segments, and summaries are available online, complete with photos and Michael’s expert commentary.
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Here’s a new product for shooters who need to make rapid zoom changes with their optics. The MGM Switchview is a small, lightweight lever that clamps around the power adjustment ring of variable power scopes. Made from anodized 6061/T6 aluminum, the Switchview allows the user to quickly adjust the scope’s power setting with a push or pull of the lever, without taking your head off the gun. That should help 3-gun competitors who must rapidly switch from near to far targets and back again.
The MGM Switchview works with short, tactical optics as well as high-magnification long-range scopes. Only slightly taller than most target style turrets, the lever is easy to use, even while wearing gloves or in slippery or wet conditions. The manufacturer says that: “Whether you are glassing a large area for a target and then zooming in to make the shot without loosing your sight picture, or you need to transition from far targets to [close] targets in a hurry, the MGM Switchview will get to the magnification setting you need quickly and easily.”
The MGM Switchview is now available for a variety scopes, including the Burris XTR, Leupold CQT, Leupold Mark IV (illum. reticle), Millet 1-4x24DMS, and Nightforce NXS. And soon MGM plans to build Switchviews for the IOR Valdada 1-4 and 1.4-8, Leupold VXII and VXIII, and Nightforce NXS Compact.
MGM Switchview zoom levers cost $59.95 and come standard in anodized black. However, the levers can be special ordered in custom colors for an extra $12. (Add 3 weeks delivery time for custom color orders.)
For more info, visit MGMswitchview.com. To order, call 208-454-0555 or 888-767-7371 (toll free), or email travis [at] mgmtargets.com. You can also contact Mike Gibson Manufacturing, 17891 Karcher Rd., Caldwell, ID 83607 .
From October 22-25, the 2009 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals will be held at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club (BRPC) in Boulder City, Nevada. USPSA Multi-Gun matches are exciting events, with timed stages requiring shooters to engage multiple targets with pistol, rifle, and shotgun. Some stages involve all three weapons, while other stages may be for pistol only, shotgun only, rifle only, or two weapons, such as pistol and shotgun. All twelve stages in the 2009 event are illustrated in the USPSA Stage Map, a 12-page PDF file.
Shown below is Stage 10, “Dark Alley”, a Rifle + Shotgun + Handgun stage. Shooters fire 12 handgun rounds, 11 shotgun rounds, 18 rifle rounds plus 11 rounds shooters’ choice (pistol or shotgun) for a total possible score of 270 points. Fixed targets are: 12 Metric, 11 PP, 11 Clay Birds, and 6 Flashers. All targets must be engaged in a specified order, with a designated weapon (or shooter’s choice). As you can tell, these stage scenarios can be complicated, so it takes good planning and tactics to do well, in addition to accuracy and trigger-pulling speed.
Notes for Competitors
The round count is approximately 160 rounds of handgun, 110 rounds of rifle, 115 rounds of birdshot and 20 slugs. There are some targets that may be taken with your choice of firearms, be sure to bring some extra ammunition for each firearm for reshoots, extra shots, etc. Match directors have announced that BRPC will provide one of its 100-yard bays for sight-in on Thursday afternoon only from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Squad schedules are now complete. CLICK HERE to download PDF squad schedule.
The official Match Hotel is the Sunset Station Casino & Hotel in Henderson, NV. The reserved block of rooms at the Sunset Station appears to have been filled. However, if you need a room at the match hotel and have been informed that the block is full, please email Matt Pickhardt (matt@uspsa.org) or call Matt at 360-855-2245 and he’ll get a room added for you. At this point rooms must be added individually to avoid USPSA being charged for rooms not used.
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This week’s episode of ShootingUSA television features a recent Three-Gun Challenge Match at Fort Benning, Georgia. In this event, hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), both Army and civilian shooters compete with pistol, rifle, and shotguns in a multi-stage, timed course of fire. ShootingUSA airs Wednesdays on the Outdoor Channel at 4:30 pm, 8:30 pm, and 12:30 am, Eastern Time. Check local listings for show times in your area.
Stages Re-Create Medal of Honor Scenarios
Each of the 8 stages in the Three-Gun Match recalls the actions of a Medal of Honor recipient. Portions of each medal citation are read to competitors while explaining the course of fire.
This annual three-gun match helps advance the Army Marksmanship Unit’s mission of improving skills throughout the Army, according to AMU Commander, LTC Frank Muggio, “This type of competition is exactly what we want our soldiers to be able to do in the field. They identify a target, they choose the right weapon system to engage the target, and they take out the target, and not anything around the target.”
The helmet-cam video clip below (not from ShootingUSA), shows Zak Smith shooting Stage 7 at the 2008 Fort Benning Three-Gun Match. This is a shotgun, rifle, and pistol stage with rifle targets at about 140 yards. Wearing a helmet-mounted camera, Zak starts in the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and proceeds into a trench system to engage pistol targets. Zak has written feature articles and Bulletin reports for AccurateShooter.com. CLICK HERE to read about Zak’s 6.5×47 Lapua tactical rifle.
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Capitalizing on the strong consumer interest in AR15-style rifles, Remington Arms recently introduced its 597-VTR, a semi-automatic 22LR with AR-style ergonomics. Inside the matte black, slab-sided “upper” is the venerable Remington 597 receiver, updated with a nickel-Teflon® plated bolt, hammer and sear. On the outside, the 597-VTR features a AR-15 pistol grip, and AR collapsible stock, and a round AR-style float tube/handguard. On top of the receiver is a 1913 Picatinny-spec scope rail. Street price for the new rifle is about $450.00, complete with compact 10-round magazine. A standard Remington 597, without the tactical goodies and black paint, costs under $200.00.
Good for 3-Gun Cross-Training and Tactical Rimfire
While we snicker a bit at an older rimfire design tarted up in new tactical clothing, the 597-VTR makes sense for some users. Three-gun competitors should like this rifle. Most multi-gun match shooters use ARs for the rifle stages. With the 597-VTR, they can cross-train using inexpensive 22LR ammo, while maintaining the same basic ergonomics. For 3-gun shooters, who engage targets from a wide variety of shooting positions (often behind barriers), the collapsible stock has utility. It will allow the shooter to make his rifle more compact when practicing CQB or house-clearing stages.
With mods, the 597-VTR should also work well for the tactical rimfire discipline. The Picatinny rail makes it easy to swap over good optics from your centerfire gun. The tubular forearm should provide a strong mount for a bipod. However, for the tactical rimfire game, which is shot mostly prone, we don’t like the collapsible stock at all. Junk it. The LOP is too short, the bottom of the stock is terrible with sandbags, and the cheek weld is wrong. Tactical rimfire shooters would be wise to replace the collapsible stock with an upgraded design with longer length of pull and a proper cheekpiece. (The 597-VTR will accept most AR15 stocks). And, in reality, with a bedding job, a basic 597 in a laminated stock (see below) would probably work just as well.
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