Shotgun and Rifle in 3-Gun matches questions

[PoFF]

I've been wondering and searching about that for a while but never got a definitive answer.

In a 3 gun match (pistol, shotgun and rifle), do competitors using manual loading firearms (i.e. pump shotguns& rifles, or lever rifles, or even boltguns) have to load only 5+1 rounds to make things even with competitors using autoloaders, or are they allowed to use their magazines at full capacity?

 

[DrNick]

It depends. Generally speaking, manual repeating firearms are use their full magazine capacity. A match director can impose whatever conditions they like...so longs as it's within the rules of whatever discipline is being followed.

It's a tradeoff for competitors in Canada. They can have the extra speed of an autoloader but they do twice (or more) the number of mag changes.

In the shotgun arena, hi-capacity pumpguns (some can hold 14+ rounds) will generally do better than semis because loading, even with speedloaders, takes some time.

With rifles, the game is a little closer. Someone with an AR or mini-14 can change mags pretty quickly if they practice at it....on the other hand, the 'new' 10 round-legal pistol calibre carbines are making their mark. They are light, handy, reloads are LIGHTNING fast and you only need to do them half as often as with a 'rifle.' Having said that, shooting a 9mm carbine at a paper target 200 yards away is less than fun....

My personal feeling: Go with a hi-cap pumpgun for shotgun and a pistol calibre carbine for rifle. If you shoot a Glock or 1911 for the pistol end of things you might consider a MechTech CCU. It uses your pistol's "lower" reciever so you use the same mags, same pouches and same trigger. Awesome.