Southwest Multigun

Warning. Loooong post.

The SWMG was a two day, 10 stage match run over Saturday and Sunday. Every stage required all 3 guns and most of them involved either obstacles or very tricky shots. Usually both. We did stuff I hadn't yet done like flying clays and shotgun slugs. A lot of the targets were pistol/shotgun optional but some were gun specific. Like the clay no shoots but I'll get to that in a moment. All the rifle targets were gun specific but then who wants to take a 320 yard pistol shot? Besides Jerry Miculek of course. Have I mentioned that I'm not Jerry Miculek?

I finished about where I figured, mid pack. I finished 22nd overall and 13th in Scoped Tactical. Since this was going to be an involved, tough and challenging match I decided to use it as much for training and finding my weaknesses as anything else. Finish is important but I'm keeping my eyes on the prize, the Hard As Hell match next December. This was a great chance to try out my gear and tactics under match conditions and to see if the Glock was the pistol answer. It isn't. Probably.

Anyway. We started off Day 1 with the shoot house and something...different. See that door I'm pointing my shotgun at? It has a strip of 1x2 across the jamb so we had to do a breach. It wasn't a tough barrier so a load of #7 1/2 at 1300 fps did a satisfying job. Then it was enter the house and clear it with shotgun and rifle then run back out the front door to the next bay and clear the pistol targets. We had to move forward and backward in the shoot house so muzzle discipline and a plan was paramount.

Obstacles and challenges we had in spades. Here we shot 125 yard steel from platform 1...

Sling the rifle and cross the static line...

And shoot more steel from platform 2. It was a blast. From there we ran across the road and shot some pistol including the spinner. I've had issues with the spinner but I think I've found a solution. A 40 caliber pistol shooting 180 grain bullets. I spun it easier than I ever did before with a 9. Food for thought?

Running the Stoeger. It worked flawlessly all day and my reloading practice is paying big dividends. I dropped exactly one shotgun shell in two days, 10 stages and a couple hundred shells. 

A nod to my sponsors. Just kidding, I have no sponsors unless somebody out there wants to jump in on the ground floor and sponsor an old, fat, bald beginner 3 Gunner? No? Just thought I'd ask. This is me running the Glock. Here's the thing on that pistol. It ran perfectly (though I'm pretty sure the rear sight needs adjusting I just never had the chanced to check it) and did most of what I wanted. If I focus on it it may be the gun for me. But. It just doesn't do it for me. I just don't really like it. I have to concentrate on running it as opposed to the Sig which seemed to be such a part of my hand. I'm not saying I won't choose it but I'm also not saying I will. Sigh. The search continues.

There was plenty of running...

And gunning. Some of the shooting positions were awkward. This stage required shotgun through ports. It was an easy stage to blow holes through walls and DQ if you weren't paying attention.

Of course some were just ridiculous. Since I don't really bend I was forced to shoot through the port one handed.

Did I mention awkward? "Are you ready? Stand by."

"Beep!" What the...? Old fat guys should not be subjected to such indignities.

More ports. This time it was pistol at some 50 yard steel before entering the rest of the stage through the Tyrannosaur's mouth. It's a fun range.

Finishing up the stage with some hilly shotgun. Targets were challenging and shooting positions required a little forethought.

By the time that we got here the wind was blowing with gusts up to 50 mph. Even 75 yard shots (on 10 inch steel plates) was...difficult. 

Ah. A job well done! Well, done at least.

Day Two started with the long range stage. Targets at 260, 280 and 320 yards followed by 14 shotgun (including our first clay flyers) and then some pistol out to 50 yards. I rocked this stage. I also did a lot of shotgun reloads here.

This is a good shot of a dump barrel. We started with the rifle, to shoot the long steel, with the shotgun staged in that trash can. Then dump the rifle in the same can, pick up the shotgun and get to shootin'. If you look really closely you can see a second can in the background to dump the shotgun in. Just to the left of that and a little behind is a black plate that guards the clay thrower with the activator popper next to it. Hit the popper and it throws the clay. Way up on top on that small knoll you can see one of the long pistol targets. From the shotgun dump barrel it was transition to the pistol. This is 3 Gun.

You can see how the weather had turned overnight by that sky. The previous night brought rain, thunder and lightning with very high winds. Every cardboard target had to be changed out early that morning. Ouch! You can see another type of dump station. My shotgun is staged in that barrel to my left and the rifle in that wooden contraption next to me. I picked it up there, shot and then dumped it back on the same dump station before moving on to the shotgun. Dumped the shotgun and ran the pistol. 3 Gun requires you to think about where and how you're going to transition between guns. This match even more so since so many targets were optional pistol/shotgun.

This was nearly the end of my match. In this shot I'm shooting paper targets on the ground but there's also some 125 yard steel at a higher elevation. After running the paper I started in on the steel. The wind was bothering me and I was missing. So. I stepped slightly to my right and back to get a better angle. As I did so I stepped off the small platform with my right foot. One minute I'm all fat and happy with my feet firmly planted. The next I'm stepping off into thin air which is notoriously poor at supporting fat men. I managed to catch my balance but I crashed heavily to the platform and did damage to my lower extremities. Nothing severe just bumps, bruises and general ouchies. I managed not to break the 180 and an immediate DQ and finished the stage. My time sucked but I was Ok and still in the match. Lesson learned. Don't stand below me when I'm shooting from a high platform. The RO below me nearly had a stroke when he thought he was going to have to try and catch me. Heh.

This was an interesting stage. Ok. First check out that white target to the right. It has 2 clays embedded. There were 5 more just like it on the left past that other white target you can see there. White is no shoots and if you put holes in them they cost you, to the tune of 5 seconds per. These were shot with the rifle at 17 and 7 yards. The 17 yard targets also had no shoots between the shooter and the targets resulting in a clear case of double jeopardy. You must know your mechanical offset (or holdoff). That is the height difference between your bore and your optic (or iron sights) for various ranges. I went clean here (and a few other stages where the same targets were used) because I know my holdoffs. Dialing up elevation changes for 300+ yard shots and then back to precision 7 yard shots on hostage targets is slow. Better to know your stadia line holdoffs and shoot it on the run. I also used this stage as an exercise in shotgun reloading. It had 2 flying birds and 12 shotgun/pistol optional steel. I decided to run them all with the shotgun for more match pressure shotgun reloading. My gear worked perfectly and my reloads were sure and pretty darn fast. I'm in front of the RO grabbing my shotgun out of the dump rack.

Of course this was the next stage. Up the slope, rope firmly in hand...

Across the top with Old Glory proudly displayed...

And down the far side. Note the slung rifle. We did a lot of that.

And on to yet another %$#@ing platform! Rifle out to 200 yards.

This was another first for me in a 3 Gun and proof a good 3 Gunner needs a wide variety of skills. After the rifle (and before another set of 50 yard pistol) we shot flying clays. On the top of the rail, near the left edge, was two activators. Push with the left hand and shoot the clays flying out from under the platform. 4 total and I went clean. Hurray!! From there it was the long pistol, then jump down (or climb painfully down as the case may be) and run the rest of the stage. This was the last stage of the day and match.

One of the things I liked best about this match was it was specifically set up to challenge your shooting skills and gear and make you do certain things that you don't normally do. Like the hostage targets, flying clays, 50 yard pistol and switches from long range to point blank with the rifle. It also made you think and make a solid plan with so many optional targets. All in all it was a fantastic match and I learned a ton. I have a much better training plan going forward.

This week Lu and I will finally finish that shower and then I'll be back out at the range with my training partner putting in the time and effort to try and improve. In June I also have a rifle class (with an as yet unnamed blogger coming out to shoot it with me. Hooray!) and I'm hoping to improve my long range and especially intermediate range offhand shooting. 125 yards standing offhand on 10 inch steel in wind under match pressure is...challenging.

Bring it on. The harder the better. All this is with one thing in mind. December 2014.
Six

I Am An American Gun Owner

I'm not going to link to the madness we all saw recently, The Ft. Hood shooting and the mass stabbing incident at the Pennsylvania high school, but I do want to talk about it because it will happen again.

Take a minute and read this open letter to Congress written by Lt. Patrick Cook, one of those who was terrorized by the Ft. Hood shooter and saw a fellow soldier die. It's riveting and the message inescapable.

The real question is when is it enough? How much innocent blood is sufficient for those who bathe in it and revel in deaths of the disarmed and helpless? Because Lt.Cook is absolutely right. It will happen again.

I'm not saying everyone should be armed. There are many who don't for their own personal reasons and those who just don't have what it takes to go around with a gun on their hip. I get that and have no issues with them because it's a choice. One that should be a part of every American's life. But to take away that choice from those of us who can and want to is to set us all up for more of the same. Death, tragedy and horror and all of it preventable.

Here's a clue for all those out there who clamor for more gun control and outright gun bans. Ready?

There is no such thing as a Gun Free Zone. Period.

Except in the minds of the delusional or those with visions of absolute statist control. There are only those areas where lawful carry by lawful citizens going about their lawful daily lives is unlawful and they may not possess the lawful means of protection for self and other citizens. You can call them Victim Disarmament Zones or Criminal Protection Zones or anything you like but the hard, cold truth is that there are simply no areas anywhere in these United States where you can guarantee that a criminal will never bring a gun or the means to kill or wound as many innocents as he can reach. It's not possible short of an absolute police state and not even then. Difficult does not equal impossible.

There are guns in the world and will be right up until either the Second Coming or the heat death of the world (depending on your religious views. I favor the first but that's just me). We can join hands and sing Kumbaya until the cows come home but it won't change a thing. And please spare me the whole "It has to start somewhere" nonsense. It doesn't have to start somewhere and preaching that idiocy is akin to lining up the entirety of the unarmed populace at the doors of the abattoir and saying 'so long and thanks for playing.'

Folks, there is evil in the world and that evil is armed. Asking the good, no, forcing the good to be at a constant disadvantage in the arms race is just another face of that evil. It is monstrous and intolerable. Those who champion universal disarmament are creating an underclass of people who are nothing more than potential statistics waiting for the inevitable.

We're seeing the proof literally every day. Those states that loosen the onus of personal defense carry are experiencing downturns in violent crime, especially murder, while the incidences of justifiable homicides by those otherwise at risk are rising. Look at Detroit and it's pro gun police chief if you doubt me. Women are the fastest growing segment of the shooting industry. Gee, I wonder why that is?

Gun Control advocates, and especially those who push the Gun Free Zone myth, are the very face of evil in this country. They have set the stage for every mass killing we experience and an unholy large number of murders and great bodily injury assaults. They have no excuses and deserve no mercy. It is not the gun in one's hand it is the evil in one's heart and those who would take away the means for the preservation of innocent life merit no less than those who committed the act. I detest them to the very depths of my soul and denounce them all as the murderous would be tyrants they are. Strong language? Yep. No less true for that.

I am a gun owner, a shooter and an American. I will not lay down my arms until the day I die. I know those on the anti gun side wish (and plan) for that occurrence but today is not that day. Today I will contemplate my role as protector, as champion for those who have voluntarily chosen not to take up arms or who, for whatever reason, cannot. For the weak and the innocent and the helpless. I will reaffirm my vow and my oath and I will see to my body and my weapons that I will ever be ready to preserve and defend. Because evil walks the face of the earth and no amount of hand wringing, laws or intentions will alter that in even the smallest way. I am an American Gun Owner.

I will remember the ones who died in the name of elitism and control and most especially those who set the stage for their untimely and horrific demise. Oh yes, I will remember. They have reset that stage over and over and over again. The next one is out there, right now, just waiting in the shadows like that great beast thirsting for blood and death and destruction. I reject him and all his works utterly and name his adherents as my bitter enemies.

And when it does I pray it happens within my reach because I am an American Gun Owner. The lives of my countrymen, indeed the life of America herself are within my purview. I am responsible for them and to them. No more innocent lives.

No. More.

Six

Miscellaneous

Suffered my first DQ today. I somehow managed to drop my unloaded pistol on the ground after I shot the stage and unloaded. Second stage of 6. Contained herein is my list of excuses. You are free to guess which one fits.
-The sun was in my eyes.
-Lu distracted me by looking so sexy in her 511s.
-It was those hateful Tea Partiers fault for being hating and hatey.
-I ate a whole stick of butter for breakfast and my hands were still a bit greasy.
-I did it on purpose. Occupy The Range! Because the government still won't pay for my trigger control!
-My holster had a hole in the bottom.
-It wasn't my fault. I swear! Fox News just hates me because Racist!
-The American People wanted me to drop my gun. They always have and always will.
-Ooooh! Shiny!
-I'm a moron
Only one answer is correct. Please choose carefully as absolutely nothing is on the line. Except for my dignity.

The bathroom goes slowly but it's going. Drywall and concrete backerboard are up and the main floor is tiled. Next week the shower pan, threshold, tile and wall finishing. We may have a working bathroom by Friday. Provided I'm not distracted by something shiny (see above).

It appears that America's word, in this administration, is completely worthless. In exchange for their nuclear weapons we and Great Britain guaranteed Ukraine's sovereignty. Now that the Russian Bear has begun devouring that country we are reduced to strongly worded warnings and not much else. I guess it's the Ukrainians fault. They trusted us. Putin appears to be actively nut slapping our president. Go figure.

I find myself edging toward hatred for those who constantly beat the "Tribal Bad but Me no Tribal so Me Good" drum. Please do everyone a favor. Stop preaching at us and STFU. Tribal is the default for the entirety of the human race. Always has been always will be. Deal with reality. We all have our biases and preferences. To say you're above such things is both untruthful and narcissistic. Spare me. Your Wookie suit isn't luxurious, it's Unicorn hair and just about as believable. Someone is gonna make me burn my libertarian card, I just know it.

I passed my final exam for my USPSA RO course. Now I are a certified Range Officer. Hooray! After I DQ'd today I stayed on and ran the rest of the shooters through the remaining stages. Good practice but I have a ton to learn. (I'd still have rather shot)

I still haven't received my Switchview from MGM that I won at the UPOA 3 Gun last month. I'll give it another week before sniveling at them and writing nasty posts here.

I'm selling my Sig 1911. I just can't get it to run reliably and shoot it half as well as my P226. I know that some work on the pistol would help as would a lot more practice on my part. The problem is I'm basically a lazy man and will choose the easiest path every time.

In that same vein Lu has added another firearm to her arsenal. My Glock 35. I hate the thing with the purity of a thousand flaming suns. I refuse to so much as touch it lest it infect me with it's unworthiness. Fortunately Lu likes it and wants to add a .40 to her options so at least it's going to a good home.

Two big matches upcoming. The Berry's Steel Challenge in April and the Southwest Multigun in May. Plus I've signed up for a 3 Gun carbine course in June. It's being put on by Tactical Performance Center right here at my home range. Keith Garcia is the lead instructor and since he's probably the top rifle shooter on the 3Gun circuit I anticipate a great learning opportunity.

I hope you're all having a great weekend. It's a bit wet here but it's all good. Except for some cabin fever in a certain black dog.....
Six

Federal Ammunition Ballistics Calculator

It's on Federal's website here. I haven't had a chance to run more than a few loads through it but it looks pretty good. It'll give me some good data to work with as I start working up some long range 3 Gun loads as the year proceeds.
Six

Multi Gun Match AAR - Budget 3 Gun

Well, it went off without a hitch. Mostly. I did have one failure to feed on a brand new 42 round P-Mag on the very first stage. After that we had no equipment malfunctions. I shot well and so did The Principal. He also had a blast and is even now planning his own 3 Gun On A Budget strategy. I think it's safe to say he's hooked. Of course this was only a 2 Gun but the term applies in this case.

Stage 1 was the Shoot House. Here I am shooting the outside targets and steel. I'd show some of me shooting inside but I was...well, inside where the DO (Official Multi Gun Photographer) couldn't get a shot.

The it was off to Stage 2 where we shot these

From this. Distance was about 125 yards.

Then it was jump down (or climb arthriticly down in my case) and run across the road

To where we again shot a slew of steel with a handgun. Not much sport, they just sit there acting all screw you guys and nonchalant and stuff. Good eating though. Tastes like chicken.

Stage 3 was the long range stage. The red steel is at 50, 75 and 100 yards. Way off in the upper center of the picture you can see three white and red swingers at 225, 260 and 280 yards.

But first some handgun 'cause you can't have a Multi Gun match without the Multi. The day started off cold but by this point both it and I were warming up and I'd started peeling off layers.

The intermediate shooting position where we engaged the 50, 75 and 100 yard steel. I decided to show off by shooting them all standing offhand unsupported where everyone else used the sandbags as a rest. Hit all 4 first time too. You can also see one of the aspects that make this kind of shooting so much fun. Prior to engaging the steel we had to shoot those 3 paper targets in the foreground at about 15 yards. Makes scope magnification selection both a challenge and something to plan for.

From there it was the 3 long shots. I paid for my arrogance on the earlier shots here. I'm still getting used to the new Vortex optic and it took me a few shots to figure out my corrections. I had to walk the short shot onto the target. Once I rang that bell the other 2 longer shots went down quickly though. I do love my new glass! It was worth every penny I paid for it.

Stage 4. If you read through my Hard As Hell write up you may recognize that contraption as the Slide For Life. We shot steel at about 100 yards. Then...

Down the slide we went. Note please the excellent muzzle discipline if not the execrable form.

We shot a few more targets with the rifle

Then grounded it and ran the rest with the pistol

And that was it for the day. We got on the range at 0800 and left just after 2. A long day but a pleasurable one. And one that saw a brand new participant and enthusiast, my brother in law, The Principal. I'm really psyched to have a new shooting partner. What worked? Really everything. The glass needs a little fine tuning and I can see a real need to free float the rifle barrel but overall I am both pleased and content. Everything worked as expected if not better.

The match was pretty simple and straight forward. A See it, Shoot it Kinda thing. My favorite. Afterwards we repaired to the Red Robin for a fine repast compleat with tales of derring do, obfuscations, fanciful excuses, enhancements and general ribald story telling. The serfs were not amused.

The best part of the day was that my daughter, grandchildren and MIL got to see us both compete. That was awesome. We'll be discussing it for days. To those who have a morbid streak of curiosity, no I did not win (really, who was expecting anything else? Hands? No one? Good, I see you've all been paying proper attention to the subject of these missives. Namely my own bumbling self). Nor did The Principal but we both finished respectably and had a ton of fun. At this point in my life those two things are exactly what I expect from my hobbies.

I'm scheduled for another match later this month, weather, health and disposable income allowing.


Six

Budget 3 Gun - Match Prep

I've got a Multi Gun match on Saturday. It's distinguished from 3 Gun in that we will run only rifle and pistol. No shotgun. I'm still going to prep like it's a 3 Gun anyway. Good practice and I got some new gear to preview.

First you'll need some good range/gear bags. Since I also shoot USPSA and 3GN tends to mimic it's rules I keep my gear and ammo in separate bags. They don't like you handling firearms and ammo together anyplace but on the line, ready to shoot. Here's mine.

Just some plain Jane range bags I picked up for next to nothing many years ago. They don't count against my total because of the "Just Sitting There" rule.

In that same vein I'm running a venerable and long owned Sig P226. One thing I've learned the hard way is that familiarity breeds comfort when it comes to handguns. It may not be a top tier choice but if Hard as Hell taught me anything it was that I shoot this gun very well and that's good enough. No addition to my start up costs.

Here's the lineup, ready to go. Each of the long guns has it's own case. I've also added 3 items that will count against my total but that were totally justified. Totally. I swear.

The first is a compensator. That's a Jerry Miculek. Him being who he is I was confident in the purchase. And it did make a difference. More on that in a minute but I will say it was money well spent. 40 dollars.

The next was a couple of new mags. The stockers are getting a bit long in the tooth and I needed some extra anyway. Sig brand mags are 40 to 50 bucks. Yikes. So I popped for some Pro Mags at 20 bucks apiece. I got 2 with 1 on back order so at the moment I'm in another 40. I like them. They are well built and worked without a hitch. Thumbs up.  I have 2 new mag carriers. The partially hidden one on the right is a Blackhawk that cost me 20 dollars. It's meh but works. The other one, center picture, was a freebie from Lu. It's the stocker that came with her XDm that she "loaned" me. Works slicker than Owl snot. I'm keeping it but don't tell Lu.

Lastly I bought an AP Customs 4x4 shotgun shell carrier. It holds 8 shotgun shells in 2 rows of 4. You just reach down, pull 4 shells out and reload. I've been practicing and it's pretty slick. I like it a lot. 50 bucks.

So, if my math is correct, we've added $150.00 to my budget bringing us to a grand total outlay of $1322.00. It's all important. I need the mags to run the Sig on the long stages. My shotgun reloading was a disaster. Follow up,shots with the rifle was slow. Most of the targets require 2 hits to count and the comp makes that a lot easier. I shot the rifle with the comp on it today and it's night and day different. It's not that the birdcage flash hider equipped rifle was a shoulder buster but the comp makes the thing shoot dead flat with virtually no rise and a much reduced recoil impulse. My second shots are tenths of a second quicker and, frankly, I need all the help I can get. Besides, all the cool guys have one....

I cleaned and oiled all the guns and took them out today for a short session, just to make sure everything is working. I set up my belt and tested the position of all my gear to make sure it's exactly where I want it and easily reached. Oh, the belt. It's a CR Speed with an inner belt, both with Velcro so they stick together. Yep, just sitting there but if you buy one they're just a hair over a hundred dollars. I got mine on a clearance sale at the end of Nationals for half that. Ok, add 50 to my total. $1372.00. I filled the ammo bag and checked the ammunition I'll be using to make as sure as I can I have enough of the right stuff to shoot the match.

I walked through some of the range bays and mentally rehearsed what I'll see and hear. Range commands, how and where to stage my guns, what I want to be focused on. Mental prep is very important for me. It calms my nerve and increases my confidence. If I've done it in my head I can replicate it when crunch time comes. Mostly.

After that I laid out what I want to wear. Comfort is really important but so is warmth this time of year. Since I know it will get warmer as the day wears on and my activity level rises I'll do the layered thing. Moisture wicking next to the skin with successive layers of cottons and thermals I can easily peel off. Lu will put together a food bag tomorrow. Hydration and calories are vital. We have an agreement; when she hands me a food item I eat it or drink it, no questions asked and no refusals allowed. By this time in our lives together she can read my physical state like a primary reader and I've learned to trust her on this stuff. Don't get on Boss Lady's bad side, that's my motto. Oh and good boots or running shoes. I tend toward boots now but when the temps creep back up it'll be shorts and good trail running shoes. Pants are 5-11s but jeans will do nicely. I usually pack along an extra pair of socks in the match is long or the weather is crappy.

Everything is ready and most Ricky Tick. I like to be totally prepped a day ahead of time so I can have a breather, forget about the coming stress and try to remember what I've forgotten. Or something like that. You know what I mean. CRS is exaggerated by stress. Speaking of which, The Principal is also preparing and fretting. I sent him a STOP STRESSING e-mail but I don't think it'll take. Sometimes you just have to hold your nose and jump into the deep end.

So, that's my match prep. It will undoubtedly change over time as I get more experience and different equipment but the basics will stay the same. Guns, gear, ammo, clothing and snivel items. I'll have a wrap up on the match with photos late Saturday (or maybe Monday depending on how bad I sucked). My expense total is creeping up just a bit but at the moment I am very close to where I expect to be by years end. We shall see but unless I lose my mind we're very close to final. I think. Maybe. Possibly. Crap.

Wish us luck 'cause we're going to need it!
Six

3 Gun On A Budget

In my ongoing attempt to master 3 Gun in the coming year I'm going to be running a series of posts on equipment and gear choices. In this first post I'll be covering starting out on a budget.

As you know my pump Remington 870 crapped out on me at my first match. I decided to upgrade to a semi and chose the modestly priced Stoeger M3500. 432 bucks out the door. But it's limited to 4 rounds in the tube plus one in the chamber. Insufficient. An extended magazine tube is really the only choice here. After doing some homework (no one makes an M3500 specific magazine tube extension) I found out that with some moderate work one for a Benelli Nova/Supernova would fit. I ordered one along with a reduced friction follower and barrel band from Nordic Components. 150 bucks total with shipping.

When you get the kit it comes with everything you'll need for the installation. For this application I had to take the shotgun down all the way. See that small unthreaded bit at the top there? That's the end of the stock magazine tube. According to the instructions I found that's supposed to be cut off. But I've learned. First I test fitted the tube extension and turns out it fit perfectly. No cutting or grinding required. Whew!

Screw the tube extension nut to the stock barrel. I test fit the new spring. There's a bit extra. They send a one size fits all spring and you must trim it for your specific application. Cool, I get to use tools after all!

Screw on the extension tube to the nut and put the spring in place. The instructions tell you to cut it off at 16 inches and then test fit it. Trim as needed.

Twasn't necessary in my case. The spring fit perfectly and it all went back together as advertised. I now have a 9 + 1 semi automatic 3 Gun shotgun. I'm into the entire thing 582 dollars. Not too shabby.

On to the rifle. I decided early on that some compromises were going to have to be made. Especially in the beginning as I'm first getting my feet on the ground. I have a 16 inch Bushmaster flattop carbine that I ran with a cheap 3x9. I've had it for years and I think I paid south of 600. Let's just call it 600 bucks for the sake of argument. Here's the before picture.

It's going to need a few things, starting with a new optic and a gas block with no front sight. At 3 power the front sight disappears but I'm going to be running a 1x4 and at 1 power it'll show. What to do? A new gas block is the obvious answer but we're running 3 Gun on a budget here. Let's get creative. That front sight has a gas system that runs under the A pillar front sight assembly. It doesn't reach upward into the sight base itself. Hmmmm...I wonder.... Yep, turns out you can "remove" the front sight without impinging on the gas system. Which leads to a decidedly redneck solution.

Yessir. Powertools and guns. Now follow my logic on this one. If I screw this up I was going to have to buy a new gas block anyway. If this works I can decide at any time to replace the gas block if I want to. The whole thing is nothing more than a gas block with a sight attached. I'm running an optic and if I decide I want back up irons I'll run some 45 degree offsets. The front sight in this configuration is superfluous. Screw it, off she comes.

You ever do something like this? It was invigorating. I cackled like a redneck mad scientist the whole time. Hey, in the end it's just a gas block. I hit it with the Dremel and a back magic marker (I did say on the cheap didn't I?) and we're defecating in lengthy cotton. I'll clean it up some more later on but for now she works just fine.

On to the optic. Remember when I mentioned that some compromises would have to be made? Here is the first. I'm a big believer in quality optics where and when you can. I went through a vast number of optic choices in the 1x4 category from Burris, Leupold, Bushnell, etc., ad infinitum. Everything I looked at was in the area of 300 to 500 dollars. I was decidedly in favor of the lower end until I got some of them in my hand and really looked at the reticles and glass quality. When I did that one scope stood out. The Vortex Viper PST. I got it in the MRAD reticle because I understand Mils and can convert them to distance in my head.

It's an illuminated second plane reticle. That means it doesn't change size as the magnification increases. You can only range with it in 1 power but for my purposes that's a non issue. I love the clarity of the glass and the overall quality of the materials and build. It's a 30 mm tube with finger adjustable windage and elevation knobs and a 10 setting illumination dial. At 500 dollars it's on the higher end of what I wanted to spend but compared to the top level scopes it's a bargain. The Burris Tac30 and Leupold were cheap by comparison and their reticles left a lot to be desired (My opinion only. No hate mail please). On this item being too cheap was contraindicated.

It needed a solid mount. I chose the P.E.P.R. one piece mount from Burris. It was 90 dollars. I looked at the Warne at $180 and decided it was a little better but not that much better.

The mount sets the optic at the perfect height for an AR. It came with 2 sets of ring caps, with a rail and without. My tactical ninja being curiously silent I went with the smooth, low profile caps. I went with the non QD mount because I hate QD scope mounts. Anything that can fail will do so at the most inopportune time. Plus it's an extra 30 bucks. Screw that, this is a Budget Build.

The end result. It still needs a longer, free float forearm and a compensator but for the time being she'll do nicely. It's a long way from what it was that's for certain. And cost effective. If you add in the price of the gun I already had we're at $1190. 600 + 500 + 90. Take away the gun that was just sitting around doing nothing and we're at $590. I'm going with that because, like I said, the gun was just sitting there.

My 3 Gun setup minus the handgun.

Grand total outlay is $582 for the shotgun and $590 for the rifle for a total to date of $1172. I anticipate spending a few hundred more on the rifle for the last few bits but I can run both right now, as they sit, and be competitive. If you take a look around at new 3 Gun specific firearms that's less than what one of each of these would run you. Makes me feel all warm inside. There may very well be new guns in my future but for now I'm satisfied.

Next up running in the new shotgun and addressing any feed issues with the new tube and sighting in the Vortex. I can't wait!

Six