Folks with private ranges or permissive gun clubs can use a wide variety of reactive targets: milk jugs filled with water, tin cans, soda bottles, even old appliances can provide a target that provides feedback with every hit. Often, though, these targets can be messy and/or are disallowed in private gun clubs. A target that doesn’t make a mess or require extensive cleanup would make a lot of sense, and this is where steel targets excel. The instant feedback—the distinctive ting—of a hit immediately lets shooters know their shot found its mark.

I got a chance to talk to the folks at MGM Targets at the SHOT Show this past January. The Idaho-based company makes a wide variety of targets, both steel and cardboard, with many options available for moving and stationary targets. I saw its line of auto-resetting targets, known as the Auto-Poppers, which have a strong steel spring that immediately returns a struck plate back to the upright position. It’s a simple and elegant solution to the problem of resetting a steel plate—some units use a swinging or hanging plate to get around the need to reset, but these will take time to stop moving before a second shot can be taken.

MGM was kind enough to provide two different targets for testing, a .22 Rim Fire Auto-Popper and a Colt Speed Plate Auto-Popper. The rimfire plate is pretty self-explanatory, while the Colt Popper is designed with a larger 6-inch area for new shooters—just the thing needed to build the confidence of those being introduced to centerfire arms.

The rimfire popper works with .22 Short/Long/LR only, and for the centerfire plates, MGM recommends the following:

“For MGM 3/8-inch AR500 reactive targets, you can shoot pistol from 15 yards or more. Closer range risks frag bounce-back. Shoot rifle ammo up to 2,800fps/175-grain bullet, all steel/no steel or multi-core at 100 yards. While closer-range shooting is not recommended and may void warranty claims, if you want to shoot closer with a rifle, test two rounds then go look at target, minor pitting of the steel is common with some small-caliber, higher-velocity ammo. If you’re shooting high velocity–over 2,800 fps, like .300 Win. Mag., or .338 Lapua Mag., as you know, those are long range rounds, so we always recommend shooting at a distance reasonable for the rifle and ammo, in this case, 200 yards or more. MGM 3/16-inch AR400 reactive targets can be shot with rimfire ammo at range of 15 yards or more.”

The real test, of course, is in the shooting. Since we’re looking at these autopoppers from the perspective of a new shooter, some video was shot to show them in action:

The plates were set up at the 50-foot station at my gun club, to ensure we covered the MGM recommended minimum distance of 15 yards. More than 250 rounds of .22 LR and about the same in .45 ACP, 9 mm, and .38 Spl. were shot against the respective targets, with the paint being the only casualty. The poppers performed beautifully as shown in the video, springing back into place immediately, ready for a second (third, fourth, etc.) shot. Even under rapid fire, the only issues were with the shooter, not the speed plates—they bounced back quickly and cleanly every single time. These targets do start moving, which is to be expected, and I found I had to reposition each popper roughly every 100 rounds. A small price to pay for steel shooting goodness.

The targets held up very well—after several sessions and multiple hundreds of rounds, they may have lost a bit of paint, but were otherwise in excellent shape and still ready for more. No pitting of any kind was observed, even with jacketed-hollow-point .357 Mag. rounds fired out of an 8 3/8-inch Smith & Wesson N-frame. Lead splatter from the rounds was quite evident in the wood block holding the .22 LR Auto-Popper and on the steel base of the centerfire popper, but other than cosmetic paint removal, these targets are 100-percent ready for the next set of shooters. Grab a can of white spray paint and they’ll be good as new.

For new shooters—and experienced shooters, too—the instant feedback and immediate gratification of a reactive target is hard to beat. When building good firearm handling skills and developing proficiency on the range, it’s very helpful to have a target that’s easy to hit, provides instantaneous and audible confirmation and doesn’t leave a mess. Steel targets fulfill all of these requirements, and the Auto-Popper line from MGM Targets has the additional benefit of not requiring folks to stop shooting to reset their targets. That’s very useful when maintaining a new shooter’s interest during their first trip to the range.

We also had a live auction for an all stainless Shrike and raised $3500 for Paws and Stripes!

Pistol Details:

Wilson Combat Aluminum Tactical Rail Frame
4″ Stainless Steel Slide with cocking serrations, top serrations and fluting
Custom LSF Engraving
Ambi-Safeties
Predator Tac-Well
Crimson Trace Master Series Laser Grips

Rifle Details:
FNH SCAR in .556
Vortex Scope
Warne Tactical Scope Mount
Crimson Trace Green Laser Fore Grip
Rifle Case
10 Magpul Magazines

Shotgun Details:
FNH SLP 12 gauge
CarbonArms.us TWinS Shotgun Loading System

Additional Prizes:
Custom Matched AR Billet Upper/Lower from Sun Devil Mfg
$250 in MGM Steel Targets
Lifetime membership to Rangelog.com
ESS Glasses
Shooters Connection Tournament Series PRO Range Bag
One day of private training with Matt Burkett in Arizona
Complete set of training DVDs and Apparel from Predator Tactical.
8 week dog training course from Partners Dog Training
2,000 Rounds of Ammunition from Freedom Munitions
Training from Khyber Interactive Associates
Training from www.riflesonly.com
$1000 Benchmade Mark Lee Glory Knife
$100 Gift Certificate from Dale Fricke Holsters

Predator Tactical LLC provides innovative firearms, accessories, instructional videos, and professional firearms training throughout the world.

The best 3-gun stage designers have a bit of evil in their souls. They always find a way to make even the most common targets difficult to hit. However, the numbers and types of targets are not infinite, and some of the same ones show up again and again in matches. Designers may find a way to make them unique and difficult, but the basics remain.

To learn which targets to look out for, I conducted an informal poll of about a dozen of the top shooters. I also enlisted the help of Mike and Travis Gibson of MGM Targets, both keen competitors and the guys who make a lot of steel targets that habitually frustrate so many 3-gun shooters. In addition, I put the question up on a few Internet forums frequented by avid 3-gunners.

Everybody had a favorite target to hate, but a clear pattern emerged as to what are some of the toughest. I called upon top shooters for advice on how to handle the situations these targets present. Even if you don’t compete in 3-gun matches, this info from the pros can help you become a better shot with any of your self-defense and tactical firearms.

Double Spinner

They may look easy, but double spinners are among the hardest handgun targets.

The Target

The Double Spinner is without a doubt the most talked about handgun target in 3-gun shooting. Many of the responses I received about this target ended with “it didn’t go well” or “it wasn’t pretty.” Team FNH USA’s Tasha Hanish simply said, “It is an ego-destroyer.”

It’s a simple target: two plates on a long arm with a pivot in the middle. One plate is larger and heavier than the other, so it’s at the bottom. The idea is to get the thing rocking and then build momentum
until the arm makes a complete revolution around the pivot. Easy enough—at least in theory.

The Strategy

It’s all about timing. Hit the bottom plate and the top swings forward; when it reverses, hit the top plate. Alternate your hits, watching the target to gauge the timing. The problem is, watching the target takes your eye off the front sight, which leads to misses. Or you get target panic due to the timing issue and yank the trigger, which also leads to misses.

There is a tendency to shoot at the bottom plate only, since it’s a bigger target. But, that doesn’t work. The key is shooting both plates so you don’t lose too much time waiting for a plate to get into position.

Frustration sets in when you just need one more hit to close the deal and the target loses momentum with a miss. What’s really maddening is to get to the climax and run out of ammo. The time it takes to perform a mag change erases all your hard work.

Timing is more important than speed on this ego-destroying target, according to the experts, and they suggest shooting the bottom plate, then the top plate, until a complete revolution is obtained.

Another common mistake occurs when the target is almost ready to go over and you shoot the backside of a plate. If the target needs only a slight push to spin, this works. But, if you misjudge the timing and the plate has already started toward you, a bullet smacking against its movement destroys momentum and you’re back to square one.

The experts’ secret? Simple, really. Start with a fresh mag if possible. Be very aware of the timing—this is not about speed, it’s about hitting a plate at exactly the right moment. That’s why this target frustrates speed shooters.

If this target’s rocking, you better come knocking! Shoot the bottom, then the top, then the bottom, and so on. Make sure your timing is right so you get maximum energy transfer from the bullet strike. This directs energy to moving the target, not fighting it. If you are very good, you can double tap the plates.

I watched Dave Neth absolutely destroy one of these in the 2010 MGM Targets Ironman match by hitting the bottom plate four times and the top plate three. He spun the target in about 3 seconds, which is darn close to a record. But, he is the master of this target and one of the best 3-gun shooters who’s ever been in the game.

Finally, don’t miss—ever.

Whirly-Gig or Texas Star

It’s easy to get caught chasing the plates on the Whirly-Gig.

The Target

This is a five-armed star with a pivot in the center. Each arm has a plate target that will fall off when hit. As the weight distribution changes with the falling plates, gravity starts the target spinning. Speed and direction will vary every time you knock off another plate.

The Strategy

I remember approaching a stage with two of these targets side-by-side at the DPMS/Brownells Tri-Gun Challenge in Minnesota a few years back. Bruce Piatt was standing beside me as I waited my turn.

Piatt is the master of shooting steel with a handgun, so of course I picked his brain. He explained in detail a winning strategy. I went in with full confidence and hit the first target with my first shot. But then I missed the next one and panicked. I started chasing the targets and yanking the trigger. It wasn’t long before I had a pile of empty magazines under my feet and a laughing crowd behind me (at least in my mind they were laughing). I didn’t time out, but it was close. Bruce was shaking his head as I walked back to the line. He grinned and said, “Maybe I forgot to mention it, but part of the strategy is to actually hit the target.” No kidding!

When responding to my questions, Piatt wrote about missing: “One miss and the timing is all thrown off, the fact that the target is moving attracts your eyes off your sights and onto the target, leading to more misses and the crucial timing aspect is all thrown off.”

I am sure he was remembering my performance when he wrote that.

Starting at the top and working your way down, crossing from side to side, can result in hits without much movement of the axis. If this strategy fails, concentrate on the plate as it reaches its peak, where it will momentarily pause.

That’s the key with this target—hitting it. I know, that’s the key with any target, but with this one, a miss is a very big game changer. There are two basic strategies and both depend on timing and on hitting every shot.

The first and most-common strategy is to simply start at the top and then work down, zigzagging back and forth on each side. The idea is to change the balance as little as possible and then quickly counteract that change with the next target. Done, well and fast, the target will barely move. But, miss or shoot too slow, and it’s all over.

The other strategy is to shoot your way down one side, then pause at the bottom and wait for the targets to swing into your sights and pick them off as they pass. With both methods, if you miss, new strategies will come into play.

James Darst suggests this approach after a miss: “Quickly analyze the direction and shoot a plate that will negate the spin direction, this is hard and it takes a lot of self-control to leave a plate that you think you can hit but will only cause the spin to increase in speed.”

Finally, when all else fails, concentrate on the plate as it reaches its peak of movement. There will be a slight pause when you can shoot. Or, try to get ahead of the moving plate with a little lead. Do not chase after them, spraying and praying. I know from experience that God doesn’t answer those prayers.

Swinger with Multiple Clays

Hitting the trip target activates the swinger, sending the clays into motion.

The Target

This target is tripped by shooting a trigger, usually a plate or a popper. This allows the swinger to activate, with the targets swinging back and forth.

The Strategy

If you have a full range of motion, the key is to shoot one target as it pauses momentarily to switch directions. Then pick up the other at the other end of the swing. But, it’s often complicated by using hard cover to block each end of the arc, the place where it’s easiest to shoot the target. In that case, you must take the moving targets in the center of their travel, which is tougher.

Again, don’t try to chase the targets—especially if you have a no-shoot hard cover, because you will hit it every time and those penalty points add up.

The author suggests pushing the gun to where the target is heading and pulling the trigger, rather than more common methods for clays like sustained lead.

Point shooting—that is stabbing the gun at where the target is headed and pulling the trigger—works best for me and seems to be the preferred method of the better shooters. Sustained-lead or pass-through shooting does not work well with this target. Don’t look at your sights or the bead. Focus on the target and let the computer in your head do the calculations. If you are thinking about the shot, you will miss.

When the competition includes moving targets like this or flying birds from trap machines, many shooters really struggle. According to almost everyone who responded, the key to getting better at moving targets is to spend some time with your competition shotgun on the sporting clays, skeet or 5-stand range. You might get some snide remarks about the gun from some of the stuffier shooters, but you will also likely get some very good advice from many others.

Popper with a Clay Flipper

The Target

This is a very common target in 3-gun. It’s a simple popper that hits an arm that throws one or two clay targets into the air as it falls. As a stand-alone, it’s an easy target. You simply shoot the popper and wait for the clay target to reach its apex, where it pauses momentarily, and you break it. The trick is when there are multiple targets, often mixed in with standard poppers.

The Strategy

The problem is the popper takes time to fall, and if you simply wait for it to topple and launch the clay target, you will rack up too many seconds on the scorecard. Most shooters will run multiple popper targets and then come back and pick up the clay birds in the air. The best can run up to five targets and have five or more clay birds in the air at once. But, how many targets you knock over will depend on factors like the wind and how the clays are flying. At the 2010 Ironman, the wind was blowing so hard the clays were flying back over some shooters’ heads before they could get on them. The key here was to shoot one popper and pick up the clay targets before going on to the next. Because the poppers were close to the shooting line I also backed up to give me both more time on the clays and a larger pattern. I would like to claim credit for the idea, but I watched Neth do it first and copied him.

While it seems simple, the delay between hitting the popper and its fall—which launches the clay—takes time and can kill scores.

It’s all a matter of strategy here: Think about how this is going to play out. Make sure you have enough ammo. There is nothing more embarrassing than having clay birds in the air and an empty shotgun. Trust me, I know, because I did it on camera while filming a TV show.

With multiple targets in the air you will need to shoot the clay targets as they are falling, which is a tricky shot. The key is to push the shotgun below the falling target, which is hard. A lot of practice on the springing teal stage on a 5-stand range will help.

Usually you should start with the target from the first popper because it’s been in the air the longest, and then shoot them in order. But, be aware that sometimes these poppers can launch clay targets in an odd and unexpected way. So, be ready to switch it up depending on what the targets are doing.

Do it fast, do it smooth and count your shells.

MGM Precision Rifle and Auto Popper

The Target

The MGM Precision Rifle target has an opening you shoot through to open a door behind, often for bonus points. It measures roughly 1 inch wide on the edges. The MGM Auto Popper has a 4-inch circle in the center, while the top is only 2 inches wide.

The Strategy

The number-one issue with rifles, one that came up with just about every expert, is to know where your bullet will hit at every distance. It’s surprising how many shooters don’t have a clue. They zero at 100 yards and guess at the rest.

With a rifle, it’s often precision that builds points. How are you going to slip a bullet through a 1-inch opening at 200 yards if you don’t understand your trajectory? The larger center opening on the MGM Precision Rifle Target is easy to hit and open the door. But often, shutting it is another bonus. You will have a 1-inch-wide target to close the door. One inch is very small at 300 or even 200 yards. The bottom line is, how are you going to hit any small target at long distance if you don’t know where your bullet will impact?

Beyond shooting an accurate rifle, knowing the trajectory of your preferred bullet is vital to hitting precision targets.

It’s also important to have an accurate rifle with good ammo and a good trigger. Many of the rifle targets you encounter will require precision shooting. Good luck trying to hit the Auto Popper’s 4-inch center at 300 yards with a rifle that’s barely capable of 5-inch groups at that distance and a trigger that takes an NFL defensive lineman to pull.

Any Target that Requires Shooting from an Awkward Position

The Target

The other thing everybody stressed over is that stage designers are coming up with very awkward positions from which to shoot. At the Tri-Gun Challenge last year, we had to shoot while lying on our sides in the bucket of a front-end loader. It wasn’t pretty.

The Strategy

To a man, my consulting team stressed practicing rifle shooting from odd positions. Also, learn to shoot while you are short of breath. Time and again I have looked at a stage, thinking it’s going to be easy, but I forget the physical challenge that comes before it. I don’t care how good shape you’re in, sooner or later you will need to shoot while breathing hard. You can’t afford the time to wait for normal breathing to return, so learn how to shoot between gasps.

The two stages that took my lunch money at the 2010 Ironman both had long-range rifle targets engaged from awkward positions. I shot the rifle part clean on both, but took so long because of the positions, I timed out before finishing the rest.

One popular prop is a slanted incline intended to represent a roof. It looks easy, until you try it the first time. You will probably find your 30-round magazine is so long it hits the roof and you can’t get the gun steady. One tip from Neth: Use a coupler with two 30-round mags. The wider bottom is more stable. Many shooters use a Beta Mag for the same reason or shoot a shorter 20-round mag.

Practicing from awkward stances can help you deal with the difficult positions in 3-gun.

Another problem is you can’t seem to be able to hold yourself in position and you keep sliding down the roof. You’ve got to figure that one out on your own—Velcro kneepads maybe?

Practice for these targets and you will have a leg up at the next match. At least until the stage designer finds another new way to torture, torment and challenge you, which of course, they will!

FOOTNOTE
Towsley would never hit any targets if it weren’t for the help of the following shooters, who also gave advice in putting together this article: Matt Burkett, Carl Carbon, James Darst, Matt Foster, Mike and Travis Gibson, Mark and Tasha Hanish, Tony Holmes, Randy Luth, Charles “Tate” Moots, Scott McGregor, Dave Neth, Travis Noteboom, Vu Pham and Bruce Piatt.

Guns

I shot a borrowed rifle during the sniper stage. Next year, I am bringing my own gun. It’s a DPMS LR308 chambered in .308 Win. with a 24-inch bull barrel.

My .223 Rem. competition rifle is also a DPMS model, with an 18-inch, 1:8-inch twist barrel. For most of the match, I used a DPMS 45-round magazine. In stages where I had to shoot prone, I used two Brownells 30-round magazines with a Safariland coupler.

The Ironman is unique in that a Scoped Class rifle can have two optics. I used a prototype of Safariland’s new AR-15 scope mount, which allows the use of a scope on top and a reflex, red-dot on the side. I made a mistake by using a 1-4X scope, which was not enough magnification, as this match has a lot of long-range precision targets. Next year I’ll have a 3-9X or larger scope. The use of a reflex sight for the close targets helps you go fast. Turn the gun, and it aligns perfectly with your eye and maintains a good cheek weld on the stock. Keep both eyes open and “hose them down.”

This was the first match where I used the Benelli M2 shotgun. It was also the first match I competed in without a shotgun malfunction. You would have to beat me with a big club to get me to give it up.

For the record, I never cleaned any of my guns during the match. I would like to say it was an experiment to test their reliability, but the truth is I was too damn tired by the time I got to the hotel at night. All I did was give them a squirt of CLP now and then and, with that magic juice, they all ran without a problem.

The new custom handgun I ordered was not finished in time for this match, so I brought my Glock Model 34. It’s a fine handgun, but the 9 mm is light for the spinner targets. The top guys use them, but my skill level doesn’t match theirs. I want some insurance, so next year I am bringing a pistol chambered in .40 S&W for more smack on those evil targets!

My holster, mag holders and belt were all from Safariland. They even have left-handed pistol magazine holders for those of us who use the correct hand to shoot our pistols. The competition holster used the company’s new QLS quick-release system, which allows the holster to be clipped on and off the belt in seconds. It permits the gun to be safely removed with the holster and replaced in seconds. The QLS also provides for easy removal of the holster for those stages where it’s not needed, getting it out of the way and off the crowded belt. This modular system also allows switching from a belt-mounted holster to a thigh rig in seconds. The versatility of this design is incredible, not just for 3-gun, but also for carry and duty use.

My inside sources tell me Safariland will be expanding this system to include magazine holders so you can customize what’s on your shooting belt for each stage.

Ammo

I shipped my ammo ahead and, as I have in most of my important matches, I used Federal factory-loaded fodder. In this match I had a couple of notable exceptions to that rule, which cost me dearly.

The “Obama Inspired Ammunition Sales Stimulus Program” was in full swing when I was preparing for this match. Because of the demand, 9 mm ammo was as scarce as an honest congressman and I was unable to find any factory loads, or any primers. I did have a few thousand lightly loaded practice handloads that Matt Foster and I shared. But they simply didn’t have enough power to turn the spinner targets. Next year I plan to bring full-power, 180-grain Federal factory loads for the .40 S&W. Or maybe a .454 Casull!

I shot American Eagle 62-grain FMJ ammo in my .223 rifle. I think next year I’ll also include a few boxes of Federal Gold Metal Match, 77-grain ammo for the long-range targets.

My Benelli shoots Federal TruBall slugs best, but they were sold out, too. I settled for another brand of Foster-style slugs we found at a big-box store in Idaho. On the 100-yard precision targets, these slugs shot groups larger than the targets! Very disappointing. I am already hording TruBall ammo for next year.

I used Federal Gold Metal 1 1/8-ounce target loads for the rest of the shotgun stuff. It’s simply the most reliable shotshell ammo I have tried for 3-gun.

An orange line flashed through my peripheral vision as a disjointed voice screamed, “load!” After I realized I was probably not going to die in the next couple of minutes, my brain jumped out of gridlock and I scrambled to slam a magazine into my pistol. The first targets were under me before I was ready. I knew there was no second chance with them, so I more or less lined up the sights and started pulling the trigger. Those two targets were gone in a blink, but a bunch more were coming up fast as I screamed down the zip line and tried to double tap those on the left as they flew under me. I think I got most of them before I reached the belly in the cable and stopped moving forward.

Suddenly I was sliding backward, retracing my path and, remembering my planned strategy, I started working on the right-hand line of targets below me. Then I tried to steady my bouncing sights on the bonus-plate rack 50 yards away. But, two shots later I realized it was pointless and cleared my pistol.

By the time they pulled up the portable stairs and I climbed back to the ground I was grinning ear to ear and begging to try it again. Playing James Bond proved the Ironman might just be the most exciting 3-gun match in the country.

The promoters, MGM Targets, claim it’s the toughest 3-gun match on shooters and equipment in existence. As far as I can tell, nobody has ever disputed that. MGM owner Mike Gibson likes to say, “this match isn’t for weenies or crybabies.” Just to prove his point, Gibson, who is 55 years old, competed in the Trooper Class this year, in which the shooters are required to carry their gear at all times and walk everywhere they go. Considering this range is stretched out over a lot of Idaho desert, that’s a serious undertaking.

The match includes 10 stages and has an official 1,100-shot-round count. That’s only if the shooter doesn’t miss, ever, and if he can turn a complete rotation on the “Double Swinger” spinner targets with a single shot. In my never humble opinion, the “spinner” is an evil target created by a sadist and not even God could turn one with a single shot.

The smart shooters double the round count when packing ammo for this match. For me, even that was not enough! I ran out and had to buy more. All that shooting doesn’t count the ammo fired from machine guns and other staged guns throughout the match. You can probably add another hundred or so rounds of OPA (Other People’s Ammo) that you will fire.

Every stage requires the use of all three guns. There is a 10-minute per-stage time limit and the average shooter takes seven. In all my years of shooting various competitions, I don’t recall ever timing out on a stage. But, I timed out four times in my first Ironman match—usually because of the spinner targets and my obsession to beat them. More than once I heard time called as I looked at a pile of empty magazines by my feet, realizing I had more targets but no ammo and no time left. I also got disqualified on one stage, something I have only done once before in my shooting life. No doubt about it, this is a tough match!

During a three-day match, participants will shoot while driving a golf cart, from the top of a 20-foot tower and while running and carrying a 90-pound dummy. They also shoot while riding a zip line, while standing on a moving platform and after escaping from a handcuffed, hostage situation. You will be required to ride a giant slide while holding your rifle and to shoot at targets as far away as 720 yards. You will run, jump, climb, dodge, scramble, belly crawl and pull the trigger until you puke. You will even fire machine guns for score, shoot clay targets from the air and fight Somali bandits with your pistol, an AK-47 and a machine gun.

What you won’t do is sleep much. For three days we started shooting as soon as it was light enough to see our sights and didn’t stop until dark. The heat, dust and blowing sand all took their toll on shooters and guns. A lot of guns and more than a few shooters simply screeched to a stop, seized up, broke and were unable to continue. I remember one shotgun that seemed to go in three different directions at once as the barrel flew off, spewing shells, springs and other parts in all directions while leaving the shooter with a buttstock and a puzzled look.

Several of my shooting buddies who, like me, are in their 50s, will not compete in this match. It’s definitely not for the timid and the sight of the ambulance taking “casualties” to the hospital was pretty common.
I remember as we approached stage three, “The Sullivan Slide,” one of the guys on my squad commented matter of factly that he didn’t finish this one last year.

“What happened,” I asked. “Were you disqualified?”

“Naw, nothing like that. I broke my leg in two places and they took me off on a stretcher with the bone sticking out. I have been waiting a year for a rematch.”

Like Gibson said, this is no match for sissies. I figure it must have taken some gonads for that guy to climb that tower and come down the slide again.

When my turn came I climbed up the ladder to the 20-foot high tower and tried to stay focused. In spite of spending a decade as a telephone lineman, I don’t like heights and that had me off my game a bit. I engaged the rifle targets and was happy with my performance. I cleared the rifle and headed down the giant playground slide to terra firma, where I was a much happier man. At the bottom I reloaded and engaged the targets again with my rifle. Still happy with my performance so far, I transitioned to the sniper rifle. I was shooting a borrowed rifle and this was the first time I had laid my hands on it. With a 10-inch plate at 550 yards, a 2-foot-square plate at 720 yards and a stiff Idaho breeze blowing, my satisfaction level crashed as I missed more shots than I hit.

From there I ran down the hill and engaged the pistol targets poorly, due to some confusion about where to start. Then I ran to the shotgun area, picked up my Benelli and finished with a decent showing. The “official” round count for this stage was 104 shots. I had probably pushed that past 150, which made it a pretty typical stage. I had also run (in my mind) about the same distance as covered by my left-wing neighbor chasing after her cause of the week. Only I did it at full speed, usually while carrying a gun or two, while she lopes at a leisurely pace carrying only a folded ribbon and a water bottle!

I had fired four guns more than 100 times at targets from 5 to 720 yards. All this on a stage that has a reputation for sending shooters to the hospital if they screw up. Yup, it was a pretty typical Ironman stage.

Speaking of running, stage five had us running a half-marathon. It starts with a rifle as you run down the outside of a “building,” shooting through the many windows and double tapping all the targets, which takes 22 rounds if you don’t miss.

I emptied a 45-round mag and left unsure—I got them all as it turns out. After clearing the rifle you must run out of this shooting area, around a big sand berm and up to the next shooting location. It felt like five miles, but was probably only about 100 yards. Needless to say, you arrive out of breath—at least this old, fat guy did. The choice is to start with either of the two machine guns or with your shotgun. I picked the shotgun and fired the fast, close stuff first, then hoped my breathing had calmed enough for the long-range slug shooting. It had not. There is a lot of precision slug work in the Iron Man, including some very challenging targets. But, these were closer and a bit bigger than on other stages and I cleaned the targets by shooting between the gasps.

Then I picked up an MP5 submachine gun and cleaned the plate rack before dumping the rest of the magazine into the bonus target. So far, so good. The gun beside it was a full-auto Tommy Gun, and it was used to turn another dreaded spinner target. Every time it went around earned bonus points and I had watched a bunch of shooters, including my buddy Matt Foster, spin it like an airplane propeller. But, it wasn’t for me. Once more the spinner curse got me and I wound up emptying the magazine without turning the cursed target.

I cleared the guns, dumped them in the safe box and ran down the length of the second shooting pit (26.45 miles as I recall) where, again out of breath, I engaged the multiple pistol targets, including another ##*%$&&& spinner! Without the spinners it was a good run. With them, which is kinda of what they required on the score sheet, I sucked!

The official round count was only 76 shots, but that doesn’t count the machine guns with OPA, misses, spinners or the “insurance” shots I put in the paper targets to make sure there were at least two scoring holes. I would guess I dumped close to 200 rounds in this big stage.

At stage two we stood on a big platform suspended by cables. Every time you moved, it moved. Every time you breathed, it moved. In fact, even thinking made it move. Couple that with the fact it was covered with empty brass and shotgun hulls, and it was a tough place to stand, let alone run back and forth to shoot. Remember the games when you were a kid where you spun around and around until you were too dizzy to stand and then you tried to run? Same effect!

You shoot a steel popper and when it falls it pulls a cardboard IPSC target from the ground in an arch, so it flashes up and over to lie on the ground again, pointing in the opposite direction. This happens in about one trillionth of a second. So, you must hit the popper with your pistol and then double tap the following target when it flashes past, all while standing on a platform that is about as secure as a politician’s promise and do it so fast your mind can’t keep up with your trigger finger. Nothing to it!

One more note on the following target. Stage 10 had three lined up in a row. The trick was that the middle one was a white “no-shoot.” I was in the “Super Squad” with some of the best shooters in the world—guys like Bennie Coolie, Tate Moots, Dave Neth, Randy Luth and others. I was also the only shooter on our squad who did not shoot the no-shoot target. So, I can brag I was better than the best in the world on one target!

Stage seven was one of the most interesting. It’s a “blind” stage where there is no walk through before shooting. Actually it’s a “blind” stage in several ways. You start at a door where you surrender your unloaded pistol, close your eyes and then are guided through the door. Once inside, a bag is pulled over your head, your hands are handcuffed and you are instructed to sit in a chair. The scenario is that you have been captured and beaten. At the buzzer you must get out of the handcuffs, pull the bag off your head, find your pistol and then fight your way down several halls and corridors. Along the way other guns, including an AK-47 and an SKS, are staged and you must use them to engage targets. Once outside the “building” you will find one of your buddies, unconscious, (well actually it’s a dummy, a term that describes a few of my non-shooting buddies too!) and you must carry it with you as you continue to shoot your way out of the terrorist compound. This ends at the top of a hill where you dump the dummy beside an MG42 machine gun that you use to hit a steel target and stop the timer.

These were just some of my favorites, but all 10 stages were as challenging. In the Ironman match you will shoot more bullets, run more miles, skin more knees and scare the hell out of yourself more times than in any other 3-gun match in the world. You will end up dirty, tired, sore, out of ammo and wondering how you can possibly endure the long year’s wait until the next one.