- Join the Forums (Brian Enos, and AR15.com) there is a lot of information that is distributed through these two sites, and the ones that I watch not so much.
- Bring a folding chair. I was too worried about having too much stuff to haul all over the place I should have had one. The tailgate on the truck works but a chair would have been better.
- Don’t leave the Gatorade mix at home in the pantry. It doesn’t do any good there.
- Find a pre-start routine for all three weapons. I have a ritual / routine for pistol and it helps to settle and center me for a stage. I do not have that for the other weapons so for any stage without a pistol, I was just not in the right mental starting point.
- Take a deep breath and wiggle your toes before you tell the RO that you are ready.
- Shoot the shotgun, a lot. Learn aim points for close ranges. Learn how to shoot clays. Learn about chokes and how the pattern changes fit the different needs of the course of fire.
- Practice shotgun reloads.
- Practice shooting shotgun and rifle from both shoulders. Shooting from the driver’s side of a vehicle at a target that is ahead of you from your right shoulder… not a good idea and they did not allow you to shoot across the car from the passenger side like the pros did.
- Even if it is over 90 degrees outside, long pants can be a good thing.
- You can never have enough shotgun shells on you during a shotgun stage.
- 4WD is AWESOME.
- Suppressors are FANTASTIC and AWESOME.
- Night Vision….SUPER AWESOME.
- Make sure the hotel that you are staying in has a freezer. Re-freezable cooler ice packs are great if you have a freezer.
- Relax more.
- Don’t get fixated on a single target. If it isn’t going down after x number of shots, MOVE ON.
- Safariland ELS for 3 gunning…. Essential.
- Do more mental prep for each stage.
- Repeatability and consistency in your execution of a shot, in your equipment setup, and in your gear storage.
- Shotgun caddies are great but you really need to have other carrying alternatives too. Being able to load one or two is competitive advantage.
- Shoot on the move.
- Be aggressive.
- Don’t wait for the perfect site picture. On target, squeeze, repeat move. GO FAST.
- Have a plan and work the plan.
- Visualize the course of fire and how it flows, over and over and over.
- When you do your visualization, don’t leave out a target (standalone steel popper stage 3)
Rockcastle 3Gun 2012, it is an awesome event. There were a ton of competitors, and bunches of spectators as well. The parking and roads leave something to be improved upon but, it is a great event. I met some great people throughout my time there. I learned a lot about shooting, and competing and I improved through out the days of the event.
Will I do it next year? If I have the time and the means, absolutely.
*****End of Rockcastle 2012 series.*****
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