International Multi-Gun Rules Question - Shotgun Mag Tube Length

[Craig Westerman]

Ref: http://www.3gunrules...-basicrules.pdf

6.6 Shotgun - Tactical Class
6.6.1 Shotguns must be of a factory configuration (see Rule 5.3)
6.6.2 Barrel length may not be changed for the duration of the match.
6.6.3 Barrel length may not exceed 22 inches.
6.6.4 Internal modifications are allowed providing the modifications do not alter the original factory
configuration of the shotgun.
6.6.5 No electronic or optical sights are allowed on shotguns in this class.
6.6.6 No shotgun supporting devices (i.e. bipods, etc.) are allowed in this class.
6.6.7 No compensators or porting on barrels allowed in this class.
6.6.8 Magazine tubes may not exceed 23 inches in length.
6.6.9 No shotgun speed loaders are allowed in this class.

I'm going to order a longer extension for my Benelli. Is tube length considered the total of the gun's tube plus the extension or just the extension's length? Does USSA and OKC 3 gun matches use IMGA rules for gun configuration and scoring or just scoring?

I don't want to buy a tube I can't use. They way I read the above rules. My mag tube would be just 2" past my 21" barrel?

Is this legal for Tactical class at USSA and OKC?

 

[jtischauser]

Those rules are old school. I don't know of a match that uses any of that stuff anymore. The big thing that is still used from IMGA is the scoring.

 

[Chambers]

The original IMGA rules also specify exact models of allowed scopes...Lots of it are outdated.

 

[Craig Westerman]

Good news. Thanks guys.

 

[KurtM]

Ok kids gather round, Uncle Kurt is about to lay down the low down on this here deal! Back in the pre-dawn of 3-gun there was only ONE 3-Gun match and that was the Soldier Of Fortune World Championship 3_Gun match. Their rules stated 22" barrel, mag tube 1" past. In 1995 an upstart named Dan Furbe who owned the rights to International Multigun Association started a little match known as Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun. He closely followed the EQUIPMENT rules of S.O.F. Which caused your kind and friendly Uncle to silver solder in a 1" light modified choke tube into his trusty Benelli M1 so he could run a shotgun that could accept 11 rounds ( Dan said a choke tube wasn't part of the barrel therefore the solder).

Fast forward to 2003 the first Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Championships. After Uncle Kurt ran the last two S.O.F. 3-Gun Matches and Bob Browbn from S.O.F. decided to throw in the towel. He and 3 other guys (Eric Miller, Jimmy Holdsworth, Blain West) decided to keep a god thing going. One of the rule changes your "Uncle" decided was I ain't going to gage any more shotgun tubes SO as long as you only have 9 rounds in the gun at the start....I DON'T CARE HOW LONG YOUR TUBE IS!!! (only 8 rounds for an empty chamber start), and after the beep you can do what ever you want in reguards to loading a LOOOOONG Tube! IN 2004 SMM3G followed suit! They also followed suit by offering a He-Man Division, which has since been basterdized into heavy metal. Eddie Rohdes was the father of He-Man and RM3G under the above 4 guys where the very first to offer it!

Flash forward to today. Many folks get confused on this small little detail WITHOUT ever looking at the date of the rules they are quoting! In todays Tactical classes in IMGA, ANY tube length is fine as long as you only load 9 at the start! Kay story time is over and your kindly uncle is going to hit the jug! KurtM

 

[jtischauser]

Ok kids gather round, Uncle Kurt is about to lay down the low down on this here deal! Back in the pre-dawn of 3-gun there was only ONE 3-Gun match and that was the Soldier Of Fortune World Championship 3_Gun match. Their rules stated 22" barrel, mag tube 1" past. In 1995 an upstart named Dan Furbe who owned the rights to International Multigun Association started a little match known as Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun. He closely followed the EQUIPMENT rules of S.O.F. Which caused your kind and friendly Uncle to silver solder in a 1" light modified choke tube into his trusty Benelli M1 so he could run a shotgun that could accept 11 rounds ( Dan said a choke tube wasn't part of the barrel therefore the solder).

Fast forward to 2003 the first Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Championships. After Uncle Kurt ran the last two S.O.F. 3-Gun Matches and Bob Browbn from S.O.F. decided to throw in the towel. He and 3 other guys (Eric Miller, Jimmy Holdsworth, Blain West) decided to keep a god thing going. One of the rule changes your "Uncle" decided was I ain't going to gage any more shotgun tubes SO as long as you only have 9 rounds in the gun at the start....I DON'T CARE HOW LONG YOUR TUBE IS!!! (only 8 rounds for an empty chamber start), and after the beep you can do what ever you want in reguards to loading a LOOOOONG Tube! IN 2004 SMM3G followed suit! They also followed suit by offering a He-Man Division, which has since been basterdized into heavy metal. Eddie Rohdes was the father of He-Man and RM3G under the above 4 guys where the very first to offer it!

Flash forward to today. Many folks get confused on this small little detail WITHOUT ever looking at the date of the rules they are quoting! In todays Tactical classes in IMGA, ANY tube length is fine as long as you only load 9 at the start! Kay story time is over and your kindly uncle is going to hit the jug! KurtM

Great story Uncle Kurt! Can you pass the jug?

 

[Craig Westerman]

Flash forward to today. Many folks get confused on this small little detail WITHOUT ever looking at the date of the rules they are quoting!

Thanks for the explanation Kurt. I saw the date on the rules. I posted the LATEST IMGA rules that were given on the www.3gunrules.com website. Where can I find the CURRENT IMGA rules?

 

[Chambers]

Which caused your kind and friendly Uncle to silver solder in a 1" light modified choke tube into his trusty Benelli M1 so he could run a shotgun that could accept 11 rounds ( Dan said a choke tube wasn't part of the barrel therefore the solder).

@#$*in GAMER!!

Hmm...in 1995, I was in first grade...and Jesse had a mullet??

 

[KurtM]

Well Dan Furbe STILL holds the rights to the IMGA....so I would look at the most currenty Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun rules! After all it is the orriginal IMGA and they are his rules! Kurt.

BTW if you all want to know how stuff came about...I....like Forrest Gump was there, and as the match director of the S.O.F 3-gun and father of RM3G I got a good clue as to how this all jams together. KurtM.

 

[taymoor]

okay. I have a question for you. How long has benelli been the most ubiquitous shotgun in the game? What was the original "THE" shotgun in the game?

 

[KurtM]

Cool question, and one which I can answer. In 1979, the first S.O.F. 3-Gun World Championship had many 870s and 1100s, but the run away most reliable shotgun of the day was the H&K 121-M1 (made by Benelli). It came with usable sights a cylinder bore (back in the day it was ALL buckshot and slugs) and a factory 7 round tube. As things progressed the M1 super 90 became the king with ghost ring sights. In the early 1990s, by the time the assault weapons ban hit, the Benelli M1 Super 90 represented at least 80% of the fielded shotguns.....remember there was NO open....mean while in USPSA ther were many 1100s because they were easy to make into open guns...but I digress... in outlaw 3-gun, since it's inception, Benelli has always ruled! they don't break, they are reliable, they don't need a bunch of cleaning, and they can be easily fit to the shooter. KurtM

 

[Craig Westerman]

BTW if you all want to know how stuff came about...I....like Forrest Gump was there, and as the match director of the S.O.F 3-gun and father of RM3G I got a good clue as to how this all jams together. KurtM.

I remember reading that some of the steel targets used in the SOF matches were the MRW droppers. Plans were published in SOF or some other shooting mag, I forget. I still have some I made up back in the 90s. They are cheaper and easier to build than a pepper popper. Were they in fact used in the SOF matches? Was there some safety issue that caused them to fade away from mainstream use? What does MRW stand for?

--

What was the first and last year for the SOF 3 gun match?

Thanks

 

[KurtM]

No safety issue with the "Michael R. Weidalich" target (one of the two main guys who put S.O.F. on when it was in Las Vegas, the other one was Michael Horn who you can thank for Kydex being used to make holsters). The problem was the bail on the back would break where it was welded on after a while and you needed a bunch as spares over the course of an entire match. However look for their return at the OKCGC if I can get hooked up with Range Master Rowdy. There was also a great ground plate designed by Michael R. that was the face plate of the droper, with no bail, and it sat on a round pipe section with a bent steel rod up the back, might see thos again as well. First year was 1979, last year was 2002 KurtM

 

[Wall]

This has by far turned into one of the coolest threads on BS.

Thanks Uncle Kurt.

 

[Deathtrap]

I'm a little disappointed I haven't heard "walk up hill both ways in the snow" yet. And I'm waiting on the worthers original's to be handed out. But seriously lot of cool info here..... Most of witch took place when was 5

 

[jtischauser]

The only thing that would make this thread better would be if it was taking place in Kurts garage with cold beers in our hands.

Seriously Kurt needs to wrote a book on the origin of 3 gun. I bet there are some hilarious stories to be told.

 

[Wall]

The only thing that would make this thread better would be if it was taking place in Kurts garage with cold beers in our hands.

that would effin rock!!!!!

 

[Cajun0007]

Kurt wouldn't it be an advantange to shooters to have the longest tube possible? Why don't more of the top shooters run + 8 tubes?

Jesse obviously it has been very successful for you with the long tube. Do you recommend all of use to do the same?

Thanks,
James

 

[KurtM]

James, if it were an advantage more of the top shooters WOULD run them, but as you can see, outside of Jesse, no one does. I don't, Taran doesn't, Daniel Horner doesn't, Kelly Neal doesn't, Chris Sechiatano doesn't, No one on team Benelli does....etc. Don't base the world on what one person does.

Sometimes at the start it is nice to be able to add a shell, but if you add much more than that, it is a flat footed reload, cause you can only start with 9 rounds in the gun. The worst thing you can do is a stationary reload with a shotgun, but your mileage amy varry. I know Jesse likes it but he isn't "running away" from the rest of us in shotgun stages now is he. This is not to say he doesn't do really well, it is just to show all that tube isn't an advantage. KurtM

 

[Wall]

I could be wrong, but I don't know that I've seen him actually fill that thing up during a stage.