Thinking of getting an Optima Escort or Tactical for 3gun use as that is something I wanna get into eventually.. Since I know nothing about shotties, wanted to get your thoughts on those. A little worried about capacity and buckshot/slug use.Thanks in advance, guys.
Optima semi-auto for 3 gun?
- Thread starter TRaTSeRiF
- Start date
Thanks. How's the choke for projectiles that will knock down steel at a distance? BTW I really wish they could have made it external mag-fed and made extra mags available for purchase. Too bad we can't have Saigas.
I've put only cheap Federal No.6 through it just yet, but it was used on steel, and had no problems knocking em down (mind you, it was only 15-20 yards). I didn't use slugs for fear of damaging the mild steel targets we were using.
The next 3 gun match I know of in the GTA (ish) area is the Team Hoser match on June 1
https://sites.google.com/site/teamhosershooting/2012-upcoming-events/2013-th3gc
Contact them adn see if its ok to watch.
You'll be able to see at least 50 competitor's worth of equipment and ask questions.
You can have a better sample of what works and what doesn't and be in a better position to make your purchase.
I've never handled a Optima so I can't give an opinion on it.
https://sites.google.com/site/teamhosershooting/2012-upcoming-events/2013-th3gc
Contact them adn see if its ok to watch.
You'll be able to see at least 50 competitor's worth of equipment and ask questions.
You can have a better sample of what works and what doesn't and be in a better position to make your purchase.
I've never handled a Optima so I can't give an opinion on it.
THe trigger sucks and it is hard to do fast reloads as the loading gate stays locked until a release on the bottom loading gate is depressed. Its easy to fumble and not as smooth as my 870 or the mosbergs I tried. Finicky on ammo. Will not cycle reduced load buckshot. A necessity on action shooting as you will get beat up with full power loads. Its cheap but you get what you pay for. Save your money to get a benelli. Or a mossberg pump with a higher capacity mag. I gave up on the escort and regretted getting it.
Thanks for the heads up.. The other option I was considering was to just go with an 870 as it's the Honda Civic of shotties, higher capacity, well-known reliable platform, can be customized to suit my needs.. Put a decent red dot on it and go to town (or just stick with the ghostrings).
TRaTSeRiF... You really should research the game(s) of 3-gun first "if" that's what you intend to use your new shotgun in...
Capacity isn't the most important factor in a shotgun. As a match director/stage designer I can mitigate any advantage you think you might have with a high(er) capacity gun. ;-)
Just like many other games, 3-gun has divisions based upon the types of equipment used. Decide first what div. you want to shoot then choose your gear, If you don't care what div. you're going to put in then sure go out and buy everything, but don't cry when because on ONE little feature your gun has you get bump'd say... Into "OPEN".
For example... At a TH3G match if you had that red dot on your shotgun and your rifle had a scope... You'd be in "OPEN"
If only your rifle was scoped you'd be in Tactical Optics div.
As for ghost rings... Been there done that. 'Got rid of them.
There's a shotgun technical section over at the Enos forum dedicated to 3-gun shotgun. Check it out.
I think you'll notice there are one or two shotguns that dominate the 3-gun game. None have ghost rings, rails, breaching devices or other doo-dads bolted to 'em.
Thanks 667.. So by the looks of it it's 930 and M2? For a beginner, it looks like it would be better to be in the tactical optics division? While I can shoot with irons, I prefer scopes and already got one that should get me started with my rifle. I'm just looking to get in and not gonna do it this summer, planning for next, so slowly gearing up and familiarizing with the equipment.
The equipment is useless without practice.
'Most important accessory you can buy is.... AMMO.
Whatever gun(s) you choose you better know how to use 'em...
With the shotgun it's often not about being able to shoot it... That's easy.
You need to know how to reload that bee-atch quickly and on the move.
Practice is what I meant by "familiarizing".. Basically I wanna be able to shoot the firearms standing/kneeling/prone at stationary targets without moving and being comfortable with the controls, general handling, maintenance and mechanical quirks before I get into shooting on the move. The rifle I want is still a couple of months away from Canada (just got 1600rds of ammo for it, though lol), still undecided on the shotty, but based on your recommendation I may swing away from 870 to 930 and I'm not sure when I'll be buying a handgun, but leaning towards Shadow. I figured a couple of thousands of rounds each before I start thinking shooting on the move. May get away with a few less when it comes to rifles as I've racked up a bit of experience and a few thousands of rds with them (SKS and Mk II G), but my handgun experience is limited to 200-300rds of rimfire and maybe 100rds of centerfire and shotgun experience is about 15 target load slugs, No formal training on any of these platforms so there will be plenty of bad habits to iron out.
I've had most shotguns out there. If you want a semi for 3gun than the 930 is a good option. The m2 is great but more $. The Rem Versa Max looks good but i'm not a Rem shotgun fan. In Canada it makes more sense to use a pump for 3gun. I like the 20" Mossberg 590A1. A Benelli Supernova in 24" is also a great choice and is about the same price when all is said and done.
Thanks. Can you elaborate on more sense for pump-action? I'm just doing preliminary research, so I'm not well-versed in all the ins and outs of the available equipment.
sendmorebrains
Regular
Hmm trigger seems to work here. Cycles pretty good for lights loads that my guest at the range rapidly wasted. 95% of the ammo shot thru the MP-A is Winchester AA 2 3/4inch light target.( You can see the empty boxes on the picnic bench)
I now put hand loads with no7.5 shot 1 ounce with red dot powder and CCI primers @ 1125fps with no problem. Little recoil - cycles like it should.
The trigger set up is similar to the older style shotgun ( it pulls up )and the guest shooting has an interval time thats decent using that sucky trigger.
Loading the MP-A is different from loading an 870 which is different loading to a 930 which is different to a M4 etc. I know because I have to retrain myself on each of these shotguns or I will fumble my loads with any of these models.
Can't you also close the loading gate by slapping the bottom of the forend?
In response to my earlier post in ON the few 3guns we have seem to follow these rules. A pump can have 8 rounds in the tube, 1 in the chamber depending on the stage. A factory 20" 500/590 or 590A1 all can fit that. An 870 needs a tube extension. Mossbergs are easier to load and have dual extractors. I can go on but let's just say I think the Mossy is better designed. Do some 870 vs Mossberg reading perhaps too.
Semi's can only have 5 in the tube (I know all about the 6 or even 7 shells of less than 3" rule...) for the matches here. If you can't ghost load or have 1 in the chamber they take awhile to get going. I've had most semi's and for me I couldn't load them as fast or as smoothly as a pump. Others differ. Now if I have to shoot a stage where I get 8 rounds in a pump vs 5 rounds in a semi, i'll take the 8. Also, my 930, Hatsan, Kral, Benelli M4 all jammed at one time or another. I've seen M2's jam a ton and these were instructors guns that are built for competitive shooting. My Mossy 590A1 has jammed once ever and that was a fistful of mud covered shell shooting in the rain with a gun that was covered in mud.
Semi's can only have 5 in the tube (I know all about the 6 or even 7 shells of less than 3" rule...) for the matches here. If you can't ghost load or have 1 in the chamber they take awhile to get going. I've had most semi's and for me I couldn't load them as fast or as smoothly as a pump. Others differ. Now if I have to shoot a stage where I get 8 rounds in a pump vs 5 rounds in a semi, i'll take the 8. Also, my 930, Hatsan, Kral, Benelli M4 all jammed at one time or another. I've seen M2's jam a ton and these were instructors guns that are built for competitive shooting. My Mossy 590A1 has jammed once ever and that was a fistful of mud covered shell shooting in the rain with a gun that was covered in mud.
