At this point, it was lunchtime. I had a Cliff bar and headed over to Alan Samuel's machine-gun area. I rented a 16" M16, an MP5, an AK47, and I shot a 50-round belt through a German MG3. Rockin'.

Stage 4. "Afghanistan Hills." Rifle. This was the long-range rifle stage with 17 shots at plates from 200-310 yards. You ran a total of about 30 yards up a hill, and shot from defined positions (over the boulder, etc). I screwed up this stage by getting 3 misses and having a long time (218 seconds + penalties). The RO mentioned that he noticed my shots were all high and my muzzle was real close to the boulder in front and he thought maybe the blast was deflecting them up, because from other positions I had no problems on those same plates. Oh well. I also didn't practice at 300 yards, so...

Stage 5. "The Deer Hunter." Handgun and RM3G supplied rifle. In this stage, you start in a tiger cage with no weapon, no holsters, no nothing, during the "war of your choice." Upon the start signal, you push open the metal mesh wall, forward two steps, grab a crow bar, and smash the "guard's skull" (5 clay pigeons in a stack - failure to break all five results in penalties). Then you pick up "his" AK-47, and engage two close paper targets with the five loaded rounds. Then you drop the AK, and run forward about 5 yards and pick up your pistol which is at slide-lock on an empty mag. You pick up your mags and stick them in your pocked. Load pistol and engage four small plates at 15 yards. Then you basically run up this high and long hill engaging 13 paper targets and one stop plate at 15 yards as they become visible. I had a pretty good time at 60.69 seconds.

Team shoot on Sunday: A stage was set up for the team shoot on the long-range rifle stage. Each team was 3 people, one for each gun. I shot with Glenn Frank and George Murhpy. The pistol guy started on the LHS of a large boulder. Upon the buzzer, he engages 7 plates. Two of the plates were in the rear hidden behind the first set. When he's done, he safes his pistol and throws it down in a box. Then he runs 2 steps and picks up an ammo can and then taps the rifle shooter on the leg. The rifle shooter engages a 200y and a 255y plate. Once the second hit is made, the shotgun shooter who is about 15 yards up the hill starts shooting his array of 8 or 9 plates. Meanwhile, the pistol shooter is running up the hill with the can. Inside the can are one or more shotgun slugs. When the shotgun shooter is done with the plates, he gets one slug from the box carried by the pistol shooter and engages the 40y stop plate with it. We did it in 41 seconds. The best was like 23 seconds.

I am pretty pleased with my entire performance with the exception of Stage 4. I don't suck that bad at long-range rifle shooting.

After everything, when the scores came in, I was 35th out of 75 in the "tactical" class: in the top 50% makes me happy.

These big matches have prize tables. The prize table at this match contained $27500 worth of stuff.. including like 7 guns or something. I ended up with another Surefire flashlight (G2-OD), a holster for it, and 12 batteries. Not bad.

It was really impressive to see some of the best 3Gun shooters at this match.. and generally all my times were less than double their times.

With the possibilities at the W.C., this is going to become THE premier 3Gun event.

I also got to fondle a bunch of equipment. JP was the big match sponsor and had many of their rifles there. I am definitely going to buy one of these soon.

Pictures will be coming in a day or two.

Here's the gear I used:

Pistol: Dan Wesson Patriot Expert (single-stack 1911 .45ACP), with Simonich Gunner Grips and a rear adjustable sight slathered in "removable" lock-tite for a "fixed adjustable" sight. I used five 10-round Wilson mags and a couple 8-round mags. Holster was Milt Sparks NP-1 and mag pouches were from 3GunGear.com. Shot reloads at about 165 PF.

Shotgun: Benelli M1S90 with straight stock and ghost rings. Shot mainly Winchester #7.5 1 1/8oz loads (AA127), and reduced recoil Federal slugs. Shell carriers were from 3GunGear and I used a cheap shell belt I got from the local sportsmanwarehouse.