MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010   ■   COMPETITIONS

MGM Ironman 3-Gun Competition June 10-12

The time is coming closer for the 11th year of the MGM Ironman 3 Gun Competition. On June 10-12 over 100 of the best shooters from across the country will take part in this 3 Gun Nation competition. This MGM Sponsored event is the highlight of many shooters as it offers such a wide variety of firing positions, distances, and a very fast pace. Mike Gibson, President of 'MGM and match founder said, "We came up with the idea for the match because we like to shoot a lot. And we like all of our guns, and we like to shoot all of them every chance we get."

"Most stages at any 3-gun in the country are over in less than two minutes, some in less than 40 seconds," Gibson said. "We have an eight-minute-per time limit on each stage and fun and crazy stages. Shooting from the back of a moving pickup, shooting 32 birds launched from a trap house, shooting your pistol and shotgun while you are driving a golf cart, shooting your pistol while you are sliding down a 285-foot zip line, shooting your rifle from a 20-foot tower, shooting two match-furnished full-auto guns on a stage (in addition to the three guns that you brought with you), shooting bonus shots at 700 yards, honest to goodness home cooked meals included in the match fee, a surprise stage that includes a 200-yard run, shooting three pepper poppers in a row with a shotgun, each of which launches two clay birds 30-feet in the air (so you have six birds in the air all at once), shooting 75-100 slugs, out to 100 yards have all been features of previous matches. Everyone will shoot at least 900 rounds at this match, assuming that they hit every target with the first shot."

This challenging, brutal, on the clock, exhausting event is a tough competition for even the hardiest shooter. Shooting over 900 rounds from various positions using various weapons and situations has heads turning in our military. "Last year we had five soldiers from the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group, from Ft. Campbell, Ky., come out and compete," Gibson said. "The sergeant major is right now on his 11th deployment. They said this match was some of the best training they ever had. This year, 13 soldiers from the Oregon National Guard, who are being deployed this Fall, are coming to shoot, using this match as one more component of their training. I don't think any of the other matches in the country are perceived to provide any significant training value to the military or law enforcement communities." Warne Scope Mounts covered the entry fee and some of the expenses for the Oregon National Guard. A big thank you goes out to them. A tribute not only to 3 Gun Nation and MGM but also to the benefits it has to offer our military men and women.

What sets this event apart is MGM's wicked idea of what a competitor must endure to really compete. The winner of this event earns the respect of all of his competition.