Why don't IPSC shooters like 3-gun?

Taran Butler. Enough said...

LOL. He got into 3 gun from one of the pistol shooting disciplines. He said he just treated the ar like a gigantic open gun and cleaned house. Most IPSC shooters I've seen at 3 gun matches are really fast. I don't know why there aren't more. I can tell when there's been an IPSC shooter design a 3 gun stage, as their stages tend to be a lot of fun! I wish more IPSC shooters would shoot 3 gun.

But I gotta say, I hate lugging around all of the gear to practice 3 gun. It is a lot to pack.
 
grimreefer said:
The cost argument. How much live fire practice do you need with your rifle to be proficient? It's point and pull the trigger...know your holds. Same with the shotgun. Practice loading with dummy rounds is practically free, and shooting isn't a big challenge. Rifle and shotgun do not require anywhere close to the amount of time practicing as pistol. The newbies at 3 gun matches always seem to do okay with rifle and shotgun (as long as their rifle is zeroed). Shotgun loading is slow...but the real issues show when it comes time to shoot steel with a pistol.

For the gear, you need a shell holder or two and a rifle mag pouch...tape a few LAR mags together. If you don't have a rifle already, maybe you're not interested in shooting one to begin with? Do you need a high end semi auto shotgun to be competitive? Here in Canada a pump has an advantage in that you can add a longer mag tube and start with more rounds ready to go. I am happy with my cheap pump with cheap mag extension and a dremeled out loading port, at least for local matches.
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It depends how good you want to be/what your goals are. I'd need to do the same amount of practice with my rifle and shotgun as I would with my pistol to be satisfied. At a significant cost increase for ammo (especially the rifle). That doesn't count the 3x the time to practice I would need to find somewhere.

grimreefer said:
Interesting perspective, thanks for that. If the stages were just one gun per stage do you think that would make it more appealing for you? Are 2-gun rifle/pistol matches more appealing?
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Probably not, it's not the number of guns that I don't like, it's the length of the stages. If you kept all the stages under 1 min then I would be more interested. I do watch the 3 gun shoot offs and if all 3 gun matches were just that then I would 100% be in. Granted those cut out reloads and movement so that mean's I need to practice less with the two new guns so I might actually be able to pull it off.
 
heavenIsAlie said:
I'd need to do the same amount of practice with my rifle and shotgun as I would with my pistol to be satisfied. At a significant cost increase for ammo (especially the rifle). That doesn't count the 3x the time to practice I would need to find somewhere.
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You might do that once before you realized it had greatly diminshed returns. You don't need 200 shotgun rounds downrange per week to stay fresh on that platform....there's just not that much to the shooting. Most of the challenge specific to rifle and shotgun is reloading and manipulation. You can do all of that in dryfire at home.
 
grimreefer said:
You might do that once before you realized it had greatly diminshed returns. You don't need 200 shotgun rounds downrange per week to stay fresh on that platform....there's just not that much to the shooting. Most of the challenge specific to rifle and shotgun is reloading and manipulation. You can do all of that in dryfire at home.
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Definitely. Busting static clays at 20 yards doesn't require a lot of trigger time. Loading and cycling only requires a dozen or so snap caps.
 
aogun said:
Wow - where is this place.? I shoot multi gun matche in ontario - BUT nothing like this ?
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Rock Castle Shooting Centre.
Park City Kentucky

We can't do anything like it in Ontario... Or even Canada.
'Put a lot of kms onbthe truck to shoot decent three gun
 
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grimreefer said:
You might do that once before you realized it had greatly diminshed returns. You don't need 200 shotgun rounds downrange per week to stay fresh on that platform....there's just not that much to the shooting. Most of the challenge specific to rifle and shotgun is reloading and manipulation. You can do all of that in dryfire at home.
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Yeah riflr is really easy to get good at again. I did a 2 gun match pistol and rifle. Came in 6/50 due to my skills with the pistol. Didn't touch my rifle for like 6 months before taking it out to rezero with my new scope.
 
I go to 3 Gun matches across the country (and beyond)..I see plenty of IPSC /USPSA / IDPA shooters at 3 gun matches.

And most of them beat me handily...
 
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DT741 said:
There is 4-5 3guns matches per year in Quebec City. Along with 3-4 CQB matches.

So yes there is 3guns matches in QC
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Really? They let you do that.. funny I shoot a lot of IPSC and if you want real matches, you have to hold them on federal land ( Valcartier) or are you talking about watered versions to satisfy our overlords...
 
Many good points already made: big expense, harder to find matches, lots of Gear to carry, fear or ego, physical limitations, disorganization.
I shoot and love both.
But one thing I think about a lot is The P in IPSC stands for PRACTICAL!!!!

Especially in Canada if there were a PRACTICAL use for a firearm it's likely going to be a rifle or shotgun. Seems like majority of Canadians have most of their firearm experience with one or the other. Some form of non restricted.
Managing a ton of gear, being winded and carrying a rifle is common place for hunters. Although 3gun doesn't mimic that it does somewhat seem more like a use of practical skills.

I have also noticed that most IPSC shooters who avoid 3Gun will also usually avoid IPSC shotgun and IPSC rifle matches as well. Likely for the same reasons.
 
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Oh? Complex? Mmm, not quite.
Challenging? Sure.
More difficult than mastering a pistol in competition? keep dreaming.
pauls said:
Simple minds, simple pleasures....

Practical shotgun is a complex sport, if you really get into it.
Plus the recoil is often more than what people want to deal with.
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heavenIsAlie said:
It depends how good you want to be/what your goals are. I'd need to do the same amount of practice with my rifle and shotgun as I would with my pistol to be satisfied. At a significant cost increase for ammo (especially the rifle). That doesn't count the 3x the time to practice I would need to find somewhere.



Probably not, it's not the number of guns that I don't like, it's the length of the stages. If you kept all the stages under 1 min then I would be more interested. I do watch the 3 gun shoot offs and if all 3 gun matches were just that then I would 100% be in. Granted those cut out reloads and movement so that mean's I need to practice less with the two new guns so I might actually be able to pull it off.
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Second biggest 3gun match in Canada this year, and only one of the eight stages was over 1 minute long (and it was under 2 minutes):
https://practiscore.com/results/html/c21e0c10-0f81-4d0b-b5c7-1cdaaa671fe5

The biggest 3gun match was mostly 60-70 second stages.
 
MikeyScuba said:
Really? I found it to be the cheapest training by far. Nobody is getting rich from BB training and giving up 3 weekend days? I wouldn't do it. Try a TDSA holster course for $300+ plus the non-member club fee for 6 hours. It was fun but not cheap.

The BB course is an easy way for clubs to weed out those who shouldn't be walking around with a loaded gun, it keeps them to the fixed ranges and everyone is safer because of it.
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Any holster course with a proficient and properly trained will weed out those who shouldn't be walking around with a loaded gun.teacher
 
I got suckered into trying an IPSC Shotgun match in Czech this year while over in Europe. Holy frack did I have fun. The shooting part was pretty easy, but reloading and remembering how many rounds were in the gun and how many I just put in, well, that was totally different than pistol. Especially in Europe where I was running 15 round pistol mags, or greater depending on the Division. I liked it so much I shot again in Germany a week later. First match was 60% of the world champ, next match was 67%. Reloading is what was costing me percentages.
Here though, in Canada, I can't jam as many rounds in the gun, and we are burdened with having to do more, awkward, reloads than even with our neutered pistols, I'm sure that is one reason you don't see people doing it as much here.
I've got zero interest in doing 3 gun type stuff, I prefer to just shoot one type of gun in a match, and out here on the wet coast we don't have many ranges that can host decent rifle matches.
But that's me
 
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