3 Gun Nation: Why Not? My Thoughts

3 Gun Nation: Why Not? My Thoughts



The 2016 Southwest Regional was my first full experience with a 3-Gun Nation match. Last year I went and spent both days at the match with Jay Carillo, so I got to see a match, but there is a pretty big difference in seeing and shooting a match. I joined 3-Gun Nation in winter 2014, when I was thinking about getting into 3-Gun. I did not know a ton about the organization, but I thought it was kind of like a USPSA of the 3-Gun crowd. When it comes to pistol, I've seen IDPA matches, and USPSA matches, but I don't see many "outlaw" matches other than some Pro-AM events that pop up for cash prizes from time to time. My point being, most pistol seems to affiliate with an organization that provides rules, and some basic structure, so in theory a match you shoot in South Carolina has the same rules as Illinois, as Texas and so on. I did not realize that much of 3-Gun in fact operates under and "outlaw" structure, with there being all different set's of rules. As it turns out, I like some of the other set's rules a little better, especially in terms of scoring, but I had a very unpleasant experience this weekend, that has me really considering if I'll ever spend another dollar on 3-Gun Nation membership, or on one of their matches, or if I'll just go shoot outlaw matches.


While I complimented the way 3-Gun Nation was able to handle all the shooters who were there on Sunday, especially down three stages. In the past, I've talked to other people who have felt that 3-Gun Nation gave preference or special treatment to certain Pro Shooters, but I dismissed an awful lot of that. This weekend changed my mind, and not in a good way.


On Saturday, I chose not to shoot my first stage, and I fully expected to zero it, and I was willing to take that, because safety comes first. When we made our way to shoot our 2nd stage, and I was the last shooter wrapping up around 8:30ish in the dark, and taking a bad score in some part because I could not see painted black steel targets, and long, low targets in the dark. (Not the only reasons, but it did not help) I left the range disappointed, as the e-mail's from 3-Gun Nation started to come in, they let us know 3 Stages had to be pulled, they sent an adjusted schedule, and finally a new squad matrix. For some reason, we were assigned to the same stage we finished on, and I was convinced it was a mistake. Rather, I was convinced it was a mistake until I realized that 10 of the 13 shooters ran it on Saturday night, but 3 Pro Shooters never even came to the stage, they chose to leave the range after they shot the first stage.  My impression was that it seemed like they were picking and choosing when they would shoot, and under what conditions, and that thought did not make me a happy camper.

Part of that was shooting order, our squad had elected to go alphabetical by first letter of first name. Conveniently, B.J., Jansen, and Andy all come before, Linda, Luke, and Ursula (who happened to be the last 3 shooters that night, and suffered the most from darkness. In fact had those 3 shown up, they would have shot, and Linda, Ursula, and I would not have been allowed to shoot, we would have been able to shoot the stage the next day, with a full night for the range to dry, and having the benefit of daylight.) When I realized what had happened, I changed my mind about Stage 7, and suddenly I was not willing to take a zero on it, if pro shooters can pick and choose when they are going to shoot, why not me? Or aren't the rules applied equally to everyone?

On Sunday morning, I approached Charles Sole, who is the 3-Gun Nation Club Series Director. I wanted to ask for a couple of things, I wanted a re-shoot of Stage 1 because of darkness, and I wanted to be able to shoot Stage 7. I realized I would not get both, so I decided to insure that I would be allowed to shoot Stage 7, so that's how I tailored my approach. I asked him why we were assigned to Stage 1 since our squad had shot it the night before, and was that perhaps a mistake. He told me that not everyone in our squad had scores, so it was correct, and I told him that everyone who showed up for the stage did in fact shoot it, and I asked why the other folks never showed up. He did not directly answer, just told me that we were on Stage 1. At that point I told him that I did not shoot stage 7, because I slipped on walk thru and did not feel safe the night before. After a bit of a debate, where I asked why pro shooters were able to choose to not shoot an assigned stage in sub optimal shooting conditions (they were obviously good enough for 10 of us to shoot) and why I was not able to shoot a stage I opted to not shoot for safety reasons were different, he relented, and agreed that after I completed my morning stages, they would work me into the afternoon rotation on Stage 7.

When I left, I felt like it was a minor victory of sorts, and I headed off to Stage 1, with the rest of my squad. When we arrived, there were 10 of on the stage who had shot the night before, and we arrived to see a full squad (13 shooters) plus our 3 Pro Shooters who were getting to shoot it. It was extremely obvious that we were not needed to help reset that stage. We looked down range to Stage 4, which was our next stage, and saw 5 shooters, and as a group we decided would could grab our gear, head there, and help them reset, so they could get going faster, and by the time our 3 Pro's were done, we'd all be ready and able to shoot the stage.

We walked down the hill, Charles Sole pulled up in his truck and accosted us. (If you don't know the word, look it up, and you would find it perfectly defined his attitude towards us.) He asked us where we were scheduled to be, and we explained the situation, 16 people up there, we were headed to help at the next stage, and he told us that we immediately needed to go back to where we were scheduled to be, and had he left it there, it would have been abrupt, but I'd have been okay with it. Instead, he closed his statement with "or else we can settle this another way." That bothered me, so I asked him if he could clearly spell out exactly what he meant to us, so we knew, and he said "if you don't go where you are supposed to be, you can go right out off the range, and leave the match." Mind you, this was not just to be, there were several squad mates who were all part of the conversation, and I think we were all shocked he would take that tone.

Don't get me wrong, he could have said "we need you up there just because it keeps squads together", or anything at all like that, but instead he took the aggressive, confrontational attitude, and he followed it up by saying that we could leave. That's about as unprofessional a stance as I can possibly imagine, especially for the key guy in the organization. Sure, they had a ton going on, lost stages, finding ways to shuffle shooters thru all the stages, I get that, bigger issues, but telling us we could just leave? That's the choice to handle the situation?

We walked back to Stage 1, pissed off, and it was a hot topic with us, and from us to other squads for awhile, I had three other shooters (and not one I'm related to) say that they don't think they will spend another dime on a 3-Gun Nation match after that display. I had one shooter I highly respect tell me that he would certainly consider it, because he felt it was not the way you treat the people who pay the fee to shoot the match.

Once we got to Stage 6, where things were backed up, I saw the RM, and I asked him about going to Stage 7, or waiting, and bless his heart, he told me to follow him up there, and he would get me shuffled in, so I'd be back to shoot 6 with my squad. That was damn near enough for me to think that I had the organization wrong, at least until he finished making the arrangement and left Stage 7. The Range Officer up there told me, that he caught heat the night before from Charles about not letting me shoot, and he wanted to know what ruling the RO had made. Apparently I should have gotten a zero score, and not been allowed to come back. I suggest that had that happened, I would have risen a stink because the exact same rule should have applied to the Pro's, for choosing not to shoot Stage 1. The Range Officer said he did not make the call, and left it to Charles, and my impression was that had Charles known before we left the range on Saturday night, he would have had the discussion and told me that night I was zeroed. It's not fair anyone should take an ounce of heat for me, and I owe the RO an apology for putting him in the line of fire.

Look, match and organization sponsor's give hundreds of thousands of dollars to 3-Gun Nation, or are at least approached for that level of support, for the magazines, matches, television and so on. I get it, they are the ones who keep the lights on, it's not the shooters, and it's not the match fees, but I'd also suggest that if you piss off enough little guy shooters like me, then all of a sudden sponsors are less likely to sponsors something that people are not shooting, and they are more apt to sponsor the outlaw events.

There are all sorts of considerations I'd have no issues with those pro sponsored, and "star" shooters could get, but when you don't apply the rules equally across the board to every shooter, and you make special exceptions, you impugn the integrity of your brand. Suddenly I understand what the buzz is that I've started to hear over the past 12-14 months, on how 3-Gun Nation has a habit of taking care of some at the expense of others, and surprisingly I got to see it first hand. So it's my choice, I'll share the experience with other shooters, and I don't expect it to sway anyone, people are going to choose to shoot what they want to shoot. Evidently, I'm not alone with that realization, because the match here did not appear to be a sell-out. Maybe it was, but the premier matches, seems to sell out in days, this one either didn't, or did not until right near the end.

Part of me can attribute the bad attitude to the weather, and the added stress of having to deal with it, and the stages that were lost, and it makes me wonder if I should give them a break, and another chance. The other part of me says that with limited shooting dollars  I have to make choices. With plenty of good outlaw options, it's just as easy for me to consider spending my dollars there instead.

The icing on the top, was that on Monday morning, I second hand got word from a Range Officer from the match, that he was one of the staff who did not get to finish shooting on Thursday/Friday, and there was a significant amount of staff who that happened to. That's a thankless job, the first 2 days they shot, and were doing a Range Officer class, and then they had to work for 2 days. In any case, with the match running late, and prizes not starting until about 10pm (instead of the scheduled 7pm) those RO's who did not get the benefit of finishing shooting, asked if they would walk the prize table AFTER all competitors. Mind you, because it was late, many people did not stick around, and apparently there were plenty of prizes left. Those RO's were told "no", and that the remaining prizes would be packed up and handed out at the next match. It's tough enough to find RO's, and typically they are allowed to shoot for free, since they work the match, and they get a separate RO only prize table. Considering the match is the big part, I was shocked (maybe I should not be) that since RO's could not finish shooting, that they could not get that little extra token of thanks. Those are the people who worked their butt's off, they make a match, and I honestly wonder if 3-Gun Nation will easily be able to staff their next match out here.

If you made it thru the rant, I apologize. I don't expect 3-Gun Nation to apologize, and I don't think I'll influence anyone else, but for me, what happened was enough to make me consider where I want to spend my dollars going forward. I know others have had some good experiences, more power to them. I know the organization is going to have some fans, hell, some folks still think IDPA is a good organization......either or, enjoy what you are shooting.