How many Mags/Shotshells needed for 3 gun ??

john442

john442

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Been thinking about trying 3Gun for 2 years now and am finally getting rigged up to jump in this spring.
As an IPSC shooter, i normaly have 5 10rnd mags and a sti DVC limited in my CR-Speed belt.
But when i load it up with an additional 3x8rnd invictus caddies and 3 AR mag pouches
with 6 lar 10rnd coupled,,,,,Man is it heavy!...almost 13lbs.
(and I haven't added a dump pouch in the back yet.)
Just how many rounds do i need for a typical 3gun stage?
Will I ever need all of it for 1 stage or should just set it up WITH Tekloks to easily remove when not needed?

Or I'm thinking about putting shotshell caddy's on a chest rig.....What are most guys running?

Thanks for any input, Feel free you post pics of your rigs/setups.

John

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You’re going to have a lot of fun in 3 Gun!

Most 3 gun stages allow you to pre-load your SG, so you should be okay with 3x8 shell SG caddies, but might want to have an extra on hand in kit bag. You do have to many HG and rifle mag pouches though, especially if you’re running coupled Lar 15 mags. 3 HG and 2 rifle pouches will work fine 90%+ the time. But always a good idea to keep extras of everything in kit bag for the occasional long challenging stage that might need more.

Belt can be heavy on a long stage, so I also like to use 3-4 Velcro straps strategically placed around belt to keep it firmly in place.
 
I use:
6 pistol mags
3 double ended LAR mags (60 rounds)
3x8 shell caddies.

I never make it to my last mag.
Most of the time I run only 2x8 shell caddies unless it's a shotgun only stage.
 
I usually run 16 on my belt, but it's nice to have another 4 or 8 if you need slugs or just in case there's a really long shotgun stage.
 
It all depends where and when you shoot 3 gun.

We've had shotgun only stages with round counts in the high 30's. I've carried 60+ rounds in gun, chest rig, and belt caddies many times.
 
Modularity is key, when I started i set up to pack a lot of ammo, I learned quick that much weight when not needed was a poor choice. I have 4 8 round shotshell carriers, 4 ar mag pouches and 5 pistol pouches. The pistol pouches are bullets out DAA's to save space, but that makes them not modular, but i dont have to fill them. I also have a second belt set up without a holster or pistol pouches for stages where the pistol isnt needed.
 
Welcome to 3-gun, I hope you enjoy it. There is no magic right answer. Everyone is different and every club/MD is different. You'll probably do quite a bit of tweaking as you get used to the sport. I generally run a 12 shell caddy, 4 pistol mags, and 2 LAR-15 mags coupled on my belt, with a .40 mag in my pistol, 2 coupled Beo mags in my AR, and 8-11 rounds in my (pump)shotgun depending on the stage rules. If that's not enough for a stage I'll add components where I need them just for that stage.

You probably won't need all the ammo you can carry in your rig. I would drop a rifle and pistol pouch, and one of the 8rd caddies, but put them on techloks for the occasional heavy stage. Changing configs randomly is asking for trouble but if you keep the placement consistent and practice a bit you'll do fine.
 
Should also add those green tip steel core rounds in your rifle mags are no bueno at most matches I’ve attended. Many matches use steel rifle targets and a MD will justifiably totally lose it if you shoot up their steel with steel core.
 
Northaways said:
Should also add those green tip steel core rounds in your rifle mags are no bueno at most matches I’ve attended. Many matches use steel rifle targets and a MD will justifiably totally lose it if you shoot up their steel with steel core.
Click to expand...

That's good to know, I didn't realize green tip was steel core till just now when I put a magnet to it.

Thanks for all the good info in this thread.

Lastly , should I get a dump pouch? I am thinking I probably should.

Cheers
John
 
john442 said:
That's good to know, I didn't realize green tip was steel core till just now when I put a magnet to it.

Thanks for all the good info in this thread.

Lastly , should I get a dump pouch? I am thinking I probably should.

Cheers
John
Click to expand...

I usually keep a dump pouch in my kit bag. Most matches you can drop spent mags as you go, but dump pouch will come in handy in occasional IDPA ruled match where mags with rounds left need to be retained. Also use them for preload SG shells and or pistol / rifle mags where they want you to preload on the line. They also come in handy to retain your spent brass after match.

In hindsight if I had to start my 3G belt from scratch again, think I would give the safariland ELS system a serious look like ffgats has. Cost a bit more but belt looks stiffer and much easier to reconfigure for specific stages.
 
john442 said:
Lastly , should I get a dump pouch? I am thinking I probably should.

Cheers
John
Click to expand...

The ground is your dump pouch.
If you are taking the time on the clock to place your mags in a pouch rather than let them fall, your competition will thank you.
 
2 shotshell caddies on the belt + 1 in your bag for shotgun only stages. Dump pouch behind your pistol for quick pre-load or for when SHTF.

3 pistol mags on the belt + 1 in the gun.

3 LAR mags on the belt + 1 in the rifle or 2 LAR mags on the belt + 2 coupled LAR mags in the rifle.

This has worked well for me but YMMV.
 
There's no magical answer to this. Everyone has to experience what works best for them, and build off that. Key points though have been hit in the thread;

Be adaptable and modular. No stage is the same during an event, and you may need more of one caliber vs another. Don't run out of ammo, but don't carry 200 rounds.

Be efficient. Don't carry gear you don't need on a stage, it'll slow you down and lbs are seconds. As mentioned, the floor is your dump pouch. Use your pants pockets to carry your staging mags if you need to.

Compartmentalize. You're limited on space on your belt, maybe consider using your off leg for a set of double taco pouches or a chest rig of some sort. Use mag couplers, they save time on reloads and space, especially if you stage with that.

Make sure it all stays where it's supposed to. Worst thing when you're running and gunning is for #### to fall out, or swing on your belt.

and most important, keep it simple.
 
I use 5 handgun mags on my belt, 1 in my pants pocket for topping up when making ready,
I shoot PCC for rifle, so I can use the same caliber, so I have another 4 handgun mag pouches on my belt, one mag in the pocket.
Last I use a homemade chest rig that holds the shotgun caddies, usually holds 12, 3 sets of 4 quad loads.
Works really sell for me, but it is a very personal choice, find what works best for YOU.
 
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