I shot all the local Arizona matches this month using all the guns and gear I will be using for the MGM Targets Ironman 3 Gun June 5th-7th.   Whenever you are training up for a major match it is important to use all the guns and gear you will be using for that match leading up to it.  Everything has to work together as a system, not just as individual components.

If you only use things individually, you will not find the potential problems or conflicts it might have when using it all together.  Does your vest block access to pouches on your belt or hinder your draw from the holster?  Are the straps uncomfortable when worn all day long?  Does the buttstock of your long gun not seat properly when you’re wearing a vest?  You will never learn these things if you don’t use it as a total system.

I wore my Saiga shotgun mags at the ACTS match where no shotgun is required.  After low crawling through the dirt I found the shells in the center two pouches were totally jammed up from dirt/debris.  I’m glad I learned this at a match where I didn’t even need to use the shotgun rather than in the middle of a stage at Ironman (there has been low crawling portions before).  Now I know to carry them shells down if I encounter a stage with low crawling; a slower reload with a working mag beats malfunctioning mags.   I could also stage ammo down range if that’s an option for a particular course of fire.  I have mag cleaning brushes for my rifle and pistol magazines I keep in my range bag, but nothing for cleaning the big Saiga-12 mags.  The best option I found shopping for something to clean out my Saiga mags was a small nylon toilet brush-LOL.

Match videos and results for May 2011

Rio Salado Multigun 5-14-2011 13th/62 over all
Phoenix Rod and Gun 3 Gun 1st Open division

Rifle: Sabre Defence 16″ midlength with Trijicon TA-31DOC, Troy TRX Extreme rail, and CAV-MFG C2 stock.

Shotgun: Saiga-12 with AGP side folder, Aimpoint Comp M2 on KVAR mount, SGM Modified Choke, Krebs Iron Sights. AGP mags

Pistol: Glock 34 with Trijicon RMR and X200.

Vest: Trooper vest by Coyote Tactical

ACTS 5-21-2011 2nd/55 over all.  1st Open division

Rifle:
Gamma Designs 18″ intermediate gas system 3 Gun barrel
Aimpoint T1 Micro
Troy TRX Extreme Rail
CAV-MFG C2 stock

I’ll be bringing this upper with me to Ironman to use on close range stages and for back up; Trooper division allows me to reconfigure my guns as I see fit with anything I am carrying. I will be reviewing the Maxey Systems 3 Gun barrel in an upcoming blog.