Where are my 3 gunners at?

[021411]

Don’t know what a Death Star is. If it’s the same thing, we call them Texas Stars down here.
The last match I shot was a UML match and it had a good mixture of stuff. Nothing crazy but a few stages forced you to slow down just a bit and decide what you were going to do and how to attack it. It was a good change of pace and wasn’t a hose fest. But yeah I can see how matches in the same area by the same people can get stagnant or just unrealistic.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Agree 1,000% I didn’t get into 3 gun to go out to a match and engage 10 inch plates at 700m if I wanted to do that I’d go to a fucking PRS match. Nor do I care to drag around a skedco with a body in it, then climb a rope, jump over a wall. I want to shoot. I’m not opposed to those types of stages but they are getting out of hand like you stated. Would much rather focus on shooting and not fuckery

Good, it's not just me then. And to be clear, this isn't about the time a hard target molested me or made me its bitch. The best shooters won before the stupid targets and they are still winning.

 

[DaleGribble82]

Good, it's not just me then. And to be clear, this isn't about the time a hard target molested me or made me its bitch. The best shooters won before the stupid targets and they are still winning.

Yeah absolutely. I just don’t want to show up to a match and it be a circus like you said.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Don’t know what a Death Star is.

A death star is a texas star hanging like a pendulum. These are the kinds of stupid targets I'm talking about.


Oh and they're a bitch to reset and slow the whole stage down creating squad logjams.

I can live with texas stars, although I still don't see the point.

 

[DaleGribble82]

USPSA Falling Steel Challenge tonight

 

[TonyTheTiger]

USPSA Falling Steel Challenge tonight

Thats a lot of freaking steel!

 

[DaleGribble82]

Was that like an all steel USPSA match?

Yeah falling steel. Shoot it till it falls, any targets that aren’t designed to fall take 2 shots.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Yeah didn't see the text above the vids till after I posted.

Yeah falling steel. Shoot it till it falls, any targets that aren’t designed to fall take 2 shots.

 

[DaleGribble82]

Yeah didn't see the text above the vids till after I posted.

Yeah man it was a good time. ESS Eyepro was clutch tonight. Took a ricochet to the fucking face. Glasses took it like a champ.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I've been rolling ESS for a while now. I like them but the coating is starting to wear off the lenses. Time to go shopping.

 

[DaleGribble82]

I've been rolling ESS for a while now. I like them but the coating is starting to wear off the lenses. Time to go shopping.

Mine will last me awhile, found two brand new pairs still in the wrapper out in the garage a few weeks back.

 

[DaleGribble82]

A death star is a texas star hanging like a pendulum. These are the kinds of stupid targets I'm talking about.


Oh and they're a bitch to reset and slow the whole stage down creating squad logjams.

I can live with texas stars, although I still don't see the point.

Whoever the fuck designed these medieval contraptions is a fucking sadist.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Whoever the fuck designed these medieval contraptions is a fucking sadist.

For shooting them or resetting them? Because they suck both ways. They take 3-4 guys that have to form an operating procedure to do it efficiently. Then one of those guys is on deck and suddenly your whole reset system falls apart.

 

[DaleGribble82]

For shooting them or resetting them? Because they suck both ways. They take 3-4 guys that have to form an operating procedure to do it efficiently. Then one of those guys is on deck and suddenly your whole reset system falls apart.

Sounds really really stupid.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

They are. You guys haven't been flooded by these things yet?

 

[DaleGribble82]

They are. You guys haven't been flooded by these things yet?

Luckily I haven’t.

 

[021411]

A death star is a texas star hanging like a pendulum. These are the kinds of stupid targets I'm talking about.


Oh and they're a bitch to reset and slow the whole stage down creating squad logjams.

I can live with texas stars, although I still don't see the point.

Derp. Ok I know what they are now. Didn’t know the name. The range I’m a member at has one.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Derp. Ok I know what they are now. Didn’t know the name. The range I’m a member at has one.

So now that you know what I'm talking about, whats your thoughts on carnival targets and their effect on stages?

 

[021411]

So now that you know what I'm talking about, whats your thoughts on carnival targets and their effect on stages?

Eh I could do without them to be honest. Maybe once in a blue moon but looks like it’s a waste of time. I love shooting but I like stages to be efficient so folks can move through and be done. And yes they are a pain to reset.

 

[DaleGribble82]

I also am not a fan of elaborate setups and stages as it can be extremely discouraging to new shooters especially if they are squadded with a bunch of candy ass jackoffs and you know exactly what I’m talking about. I absolutely ducking despise those who are piss poor to new competitors. If it happens in a squad I’m in I will 100% lose my fucking mine every single time. I don’t tolerate that shit!

Serious talk, who has experienced somebody acting as described? How do you feel about it and what was your reaction? How do you integrate and encourage new shooters to get after it?

 

[ajwcotton]

I shot my first gun match last weekend. It was also my first time seeing a death star. Somehow that thing got to spinning so fast all I could do was wait for it to slow down. I took 60 seconds on 200+ FTE's that I didn't get to. I would been in the top 20% if it weren't for that one target. Anyway I had a blast and am heading to Nebraska for the zombie match in a week.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I also am not a fan of elaborate setups and stages as it can be extremely discouraging to new shooters especially if they are squadded with a bunch of candy ass jackoffs and you know exactly what I’m talking about. I absolutely ducking despise those who are piss poor to new competitors. If it happens in a squad I’m in I will 100% lose my fucking mine every single time. I don’t tolerate that shit!

Serious talk, who has experienced somebody acting as described? How do you feel about it and what was your reaction? How do you integrate and encourage new shooters to get after it?

I don't think I've ever seen that up close. Usually when a new person is on the squad a good percentage of the guys will introduce themselves, and one or more guys kinda decipher if the guy is a first timer or just new to us. If a first timer everyone keeps an eye on them because you never know what they'll do. Also someone tries to point out all the DQ hazards in a stage.

 

[021411]

Range session this morning to mess with The Answer and finally “tuned” it. I think I got it.
Caveat.. the scope I’m using was only zeroed off hand using a 50y 10y zero target. Windage is off but elevation is good. It’s still a place holder.

AE223 was 2579 FPS avg 10 shots via LabRadar. 10.3” BA Hanson 223 Wylde barrel.

I did double taps to see where I would hit with the tuning. Settled with what’s pictured for now.
The target full of holes were double taps at 25 yards.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Dang that things working!

 

[021411]

Dang that things working!

I’m sold on it. Takes a bit to tweak to your rifle but definitely worth the effort.

 

[021411]

For shits and grins and I ran the velocity out of my 10.3 through StrelokPro with the reticles I have available for 3 gun.
Pretty funny to say the least.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Thats not as bad as I would've guessed...

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Breaking news in 3 gun land.
My beloved boob supporting shotgun ammo has got new packaging:

I'll report after tomorrows match about the increased hit probability due to different box aesthetics.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Turns out the new box shows no appreciable advantages.

Had our local big match today, it went kinda rough for me, just nothing smooth or really awesome and my shotgun is showing the miles and starting to act weird. But I didn't completely screw the pooch anywhere and pulled out a division win and 2nd overall.

 

[021411]

^ Good shit. What choke were you using? Man I need a gas driven shotgun.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

What choke were you using?

On the stage I tanked? IC. I have this bad habit of always trying to get away with too little choke and its bit me a few times lately. Maybe I'll learn from it.
Or not.

My performance all day was kinda disappointing, just felt sluggish and I could feel myself wasting time and doing at least one dumb thing on every stage.

 

[021411]

Live and learn.. On my next match I'm going to try to stick with one choke. I've swapped here and there.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

On my next match I'm going to try to stick with one choke.

I used to always get away with that. I think I went a whole season with Cylinder once back in the days of falling steel or clays. That's probably the mindset that keeps screwing me with all the hinged steel.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Decided after all my shotgun hiccups Sunday it was time for some spring replacement. Most of the new springs were so much longer than the old that I thought maybe I got the wrong ones.
The recoil spring was the least drastic, only about 2" longer.

The trigger group is something I hope I never take apart again. So far the gun runs and hasn't puked all the parts back out so I must've done it right...

 

[021411]

Gear talk

I had a 2011 built a few years ago by Gan's Enterprise (Gan's Guns). If you've never heard of him, he can build you a 2011 from your box of parts in about 2 weeks. Won't be an heirloom piece though. I'm FINALLY sending it off to get refinished. I've been shooting it "in-the-white" for some time now and it has developed really light surface rust on certain areas. Actually looks kinda like a weird camo pattern.
I've decided to go with all nitride versus DLC. Why? I really don't care if this gun gets beat up.
So the plan is to have the frame and slide in black nitride and the barrel with controls in a rose gold/copper nitride. Should look pretty. Yes I said pretty.

 

[021411]

Got my bolt back from Middlebranch. Not as fancy as TiN but different. I like it.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

What coating is that?

 

[Feldrian]

TiCN?

Never really figured out the difference between TiCN and TiN. TiCN is supposedly harder but a little less slick.

 

[021411]

Yeah it’s TiCN. It’s a rose gold/purplish/copper color.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Box came in the mail today, more shotgun replacement parts, and yet another gamechanger! The Precision Armament Hypertap!

I've tried the latest and greatest brake enough times to be cautiously optimistic when I get a new one. But this is the first time a new brake has completely blown away all the others rather than the usual small incremental performance increase. They claim an 84% recoil reduction and I believe it. As if that wasn't cool enough, an hour worth of messing with drilling out tuning ports a little at a time got me a whole pile of 50yd doubles inside of 6" with some inside 3". Considering thats likely inside my unsupported shooting wobble zone while pounding triggers, I'd say thats pretty damn impressive.

Only two downsides, and I had to work hard to come up with them:
Now that its tuned for my normal aggresive stance/hold, if I really limp dick my stance it actually drives the muzzle down.
And I can feel a bit more blast on my hand, also evidenced by my dirty handguard, but noise/concussion seems no worse.

 

[021411]

I think I'm going to try the Hypertap but will run it as-is without drilling shit. I ain't got time for all that lol. Did you shoot it bone stock?

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Yeah I shot about 40 rounds before I started drilling. The recoil reduction was impressive but my pairs were pretty similarly spread to my Cobalt Kinetics brake. I started out drilling 1/16" holes but it really came alive when I went to 1/8".

 

[021411]

Wonder how it’ll stack up against The Answer.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I bet they're pretty similar. I think the recoil reduction aspect is well into the point of diminishing returns given the size limitations, so that leaves the tuning ports placed at the right place above the baffle surface as the real important feature for me.

 

[DaleGribble82]

I wish like hell this thing would keep me notified!!! Been doing a good bit of shooting lately and had some work done to my shotgun! It turned out great ?

 

[TonyTheTiger]

@DaleGribble82 with a nice looking port like that you'll be tossing quads in no time!

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Fresh back from a big weekend at the Nordic-Vortex TriGun in Forest Lake MN! Had a great time with shooting friends, great facility and an awesome match. Even managed a decent finish.
However I was also reminded why we can't have nice things in 3 gun.

My shotgun fiber optic is in a dump barrel apparently. Buddy happened to have a magnetic front sight in his bag that I made it through the last stage with.

Hard to see in the pic but my rifle and optic/mount are covered in belt rash from 3 stages of slung rifle with lots of movement.
Good thing I like the extra character a beat up gun has.

Full AAR and probably some video later.

 

[021411]

Hypertap came in. It's 2.5 oz less than the SJC Titan. I also swapped BCGs out. Put the Brownells LW one in and took the AIM LW one out. That saves 0.7 oz. That's 3.2 oz off of my rifle which is definitely noticeable.
My buddy and I will be doing some drills Fri so I'll give a report on what I think about the Hypertap without any drilling.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Here it is, the good, bad, and the ugly.

Started off with a disaster on stage 3, had enough make up shots that my whole stage plan fell apart.

Stage 4 I smoked with only a bit of stupidity with the pistol.

Stage 5 was like I was walking around the woods looking for rabbits, no sense of urgency because I was worried about forgetting targets.

Stage 6 was a reminder to look at my pistol sights.

Day 2, Stage 7 things start working properly other than going to war with a few partially covered pistol steels.

Stage 9 I smoked, looked good doing it too.

Day 3, Stage 1 I killed.

Stage 2 wasn't too shabby other than thinking I could get away with snap shooting the 85yd rifle steel.

But I'm pretty pumped to finish 12th in TacOptics in a stacked field at a big major. I did better than last year which was a main goal, next year I want a top 10 finish.

 

[TACC]

Great info and experiences, looking for more in the near future, just starting out in this "hobby".