DPMS Tri-Gun Challenge

DPMS founder Randy Luth thanks the participants, urges people to join the NRA and announces the winners.

The sport is open to everyone who can shoot a gun.

Competitors often must crawl, run and duck in order to engage targets. They must also be able to reload on the move. There were 10 stages in this year’s match; all of them presented varying challenges.

Proper shooting form is essential for recovering from recoil and getting back on target. Top competitors can fire a full magazine accurately and change it for a fresh one in seconds.

AR-15 platforms dominate the open classes because they are fast, accurate and easily modified with readily available accessories. Shown are three rifles from DPMS, along with variable-powered optics from Meopta.

Certain stages require shooters to hit the brown area of the target twice, with penalties resulting from hitting the black areas.

Professionals and novices analyze targets and help patch them up for the next shooter. Here three-gun veteran Dave Neth gives NRA-ILA’s Darren Lasorte some tips.

“The Jungle” stage sent competitors moving through the woods with their hi-capacity shotguns to shoot poppers and swinging clay pigeons.

Sure, they come for the shooting and to win prizes – this year’s match gave out nearly $250,000 in cash and prizes – but they also come for the camaraderie.

Shooting companies sponsor top shooters and teams to get their names out to other shooters who want the best equipment.

Carrying enough shotgun shells is a huge issue for matches that are shotgun heavy. For this, shooters get quite creative.

A shotgunner unleashes another shell before the steel popper has even fallen over.

Some targets are stationary, some slide down a track and some fly; you must be ready for anything.

After each shooter, targets are replaced and reset. Here a clay pigeon frame holds four targets. When a steel popper is shot, it triggers the frame, which slides quickly across the shooter’s line of vision.

Three-gun competition is extremely hard on guns: Remember to oil your gun often.

Jeff Johnston, American Hunter managing editor, strikes a popper with a Springfield XD M 9 mm.

Sandra Orvig aims a quick shot through a window with her AR-15. Penalties were given for hitting the white targets on this stage.

First time competitor Darren Lasorte chose to enter the “Heavy Metal” class and thus chose his open-sighted FN FAL .308 Win. for the rifle portions of the match.

Ammo is more fun to shoot than to load, but you must be adept at both. A last minute gun change prompted Adam Heggenstaller, Shooting Illustrated managing editor, and Hornady’s Steve Johnson to frantically load magazines.

Adam Heggestaller, Shooting Illustrated managing editor, levels his DPMS rifle and Trijicon Aimpoint at a target 200 yards away.

After each run, competitors sign their timecards. At the end of the match, all times are added together and tallied for penalties. The shooter with the best time and most points wins.

Army team shooter Daniel Horner is a champion of three gun shooting. He won this competition. Study his rifle shooting form.

Hornady’s Neil Davies engages five poppers offhand at 100 meters.

Sandra Orvig leans around a barrier to engage targets.

Top professional shooters together to watch the competition.

Three-gun competition is a hi-octane sport that is exciting for spectators. Here Dave Neth signs a future shooter’s cap.

After each day, competitors check their scores to see where they rank.

Squad 8 poses for a photo after the match. L. to R. Rick Porter, Dave Neth, Sandra Orvig, Jeff Cramblit, Neil Davies, Darren Lasorte, Steve Van Metre, Tate Moots, Jeff Johnston.