3-Gun 101

One of the many seminars given at the 143rd Annual Meeting was a quick synopsis of the sport of 3-Gun.

Travis Gibson, a competitive 3-Gun shooter, was brought in by Cabela's to give attendees an overview of the sport. He provided a rough idea what a 3-gun course of fire looks like in local, regional, and national matches, as well as tips on where to find matches.

A good number of people attended the seminar, between 50 and 75 folks ranging from new shooters to experienced 3-gunners looking to pick up tips on their sport. Numerous seminars with similar overviews are offered all three days of the NRA's Annual Meeting.

Gibson gave a quick but thorough overview of the general feel for a standard 3-Gun match. Targets can be as near as 3 yards, and as far out as 200 yards. He ran through a brief discussion of gear needed, allowing novices to get an idea what might be needed should they be thinking about participating.

Another important aspect Gibson touched on was how matches are scored.Matches are scored using "Time Plus" scoring. The competitor is timed on the entire run, with shot timers pick up shot time. Overall time needed to complete the stage, plus penalties or bonuses (penalties add time, bonuses subtract), contributes to the shooter's final time.

For those thinking about attending a 3-Gun match, this seminar provided valuable information. Even for experienced shooters there are tips that can be gleaned from other shooters. It's worth taking a moment of your morning or afternoon to sit in on these informative lessons.