Lessons Learned from Arklatex Multigun Match Part II: Equipment

General Equipment Thoughts

The equipment I had worked, but other configurations might have been better optimized. For example, I used a Velocity Systems Jungle 5.56 pouch as my rifle magazine carrier, and I’ve practiced reloading with it without unlatching the Fastex buckle. However, slap two Esstac pistol magazine pouches on it and load that sucker, and it’s very heavy on one side of the belt.

Seeing as I never needed more than two rifle magazines on any one stage, limiting to one spare rifle magazine on my person would have been better than three. Likewise, I had four pistol magazines available to me, but used no more than three on any given stage (Stage 2 fumble included).

At the next match, I will likely scale back to two rifle and three pistol magazines carried.

The Brittac Hippo belt is perfectly comfortable for wearing all day, especially with an integrated patrol harness. However, I learned by Stage 3 that I hadn’t sized the harness appropriately for wearing two quarts of water. The belt ended up sitting much lower than I wanted, which I quickly remedied after the match.

The Spitfire is an awesome little day pack, and I found it integrated over my PC well; I felt perfectly comfortable moving around between stages with all my gear.

My PC, aside from reminding me I have weak core muscles, was comfortable if not hot (daytime highs were high 60s to low 70s). What I wore as Armored Trooper never bothered me until Stage 3, and only became painful at Stage 4.

Weapon Selection

My rifle and pistol worked well enough. I had two worries about the rifle going into the match: 1) The two lights and the DBAL would keep it from going through a VTAC barricade, and 2) I should’ve used a red dot sighting system.

The first worry quickly proved it wasn’t a problem, and I won’t have the answer to the second until I go back with a red dot. While my rifle performed adequately, seeing all the svelte 3-Gun ARs led me to believe I could be better served by a lighter if not better balanced and/or softer recoiling upper.

Weighing it after the fact, my rifle tipped the scales at 9lbs 4 oz (I removed the IR light not long after to shave 5 ounces); a full half pound heavier than I thought it was. As for my pistol, I have no complaints.

Optics

Everything worked. The 10 yard zero proved adequate for every pistol target presentation. About the 3x ACOG, I don’t believe the TA50’s eye relief hindered me more than my own skill deficiencies.

I also felt adequately served by the ACOG’s magnification power, though I wouldn’t mind having more. Moving forward, I might switch to a TA33, trading an ounce of weight for the extra eye relief. I might also swap the RMR to a Holosun 508T, as the 12 MOA dot doesn’t offer the precision of a 2 MOA dot.

For the next match, I’m going to take a red dot, and see how it serves me with the longer ranged targets. I’m contemplating a purpose built upper for future matches, and in the event I decide to build it, I will throw an LVPO on that.

Lessons Learned

As you might expect, I saw many improvements I need to make with my skills. At the top of the list: closed bolt reloads.

On Stage 1, I failed to verify the magazine had been seated, and it fell as I tried to charge the rifle. Reseating on an empty chamber also cost me a second or two.

On Stage 2, I lost grip on the magazine, and had to move to a second. This led me to open the slide on Stage 3 to ensure I had a good reload. Both my fumbled reloads occurred on closed bolts/slides, and I have ideas on how to fix it. Unfortunately don’t yet have the resources to duplicate those conditions to practice.

Likewise, I hadn’t done any kneeling pistol shooting, or engaged targets on a different plane. This I can certainly fit into my dry fire routine, but I never had expectation that I might need to do it.

I previously practiced one handed dry fire from both strong and weak side, which was helpful in Stage 4. Shooting pistol with the dot proved intuitive, and I can see how doing that might give you the impression your perceived skill with pistol might exceed reality.

From Stage 3 onward, I realized I needed far better stage planning. Reflecting on the match, I recognize I had the problem the whole time. While I did the walkthroughs, I see the need to up my planning game. Thorough use of the walkthrough could have given me better awareness of target locations and help me better locate ideal positions to maximize target engagement.

I don’t have a raw speed advantage, especially in Armored Trooper, so efficiency of engagement must be where I make up time.

Regarding “software” for the optics, I practiced a unique transition with the ACOG/RMR stack. I shot the ACOG with my right eye, but when I switched over to the RMR, I canted the rifle so that the RMR sat in front of my left eye. The movement isn’t all that different from going to an offset RMR in practice.

When I did it on the stages, it worked just fine, and avoided a chin weld. In the future, I need to train switching back. Additionally, I found myself getting caught up in reacting to the stage.

What do I mean? At one point on either Stage 3 or 4, while moving between firing positions, I found myself wondering if I had set my rifle to safe. I had, but the fact I even thought told me I had lost awareness of what I was doing and reacting to the targets on the stage. This, I think, goes back to planning, in that I had no plan, and was effectively reacting on autopilot.

To me, this is unsafe, but I believe that’s a training issue I can overcome.

Finally, there’s something to be said for having one of other competitors video my runs, since I lacked the ability to film them myself. Many of the other shooters had others follow them with phones, and at least one had a head-mounted GoPro. Writing this, I realize the value that having video records of my runs would help me not only explain what I did but assist me in recognizing what to do better. I intend to fix this either through a GoPro with an NVG mount or a MOHOC camera on top of an ACH.

Wrapping Up

Competing in Trooper will put you at a competitive disadvantage, as will being the most inexperienced competitor. Not to mention, the combination of a lingering cold and a PC left me feeling out of breath for an inordinate amount of time after my first run.

I don’t have a written total of how much extra weight I carried, but I felt a lot faster than I probably looked. However, this match was fun, and I’d gladly do it again (planning to go back in January), just maybe not in Armored if I feel like garbage the week of registration.

While competing with substandard equipment at face value, I believe what I had never held me back on any of the stages. Yes, it could be better, but I gained irreplaceable insight in that equipment by using it in this venue. Rather, my lack of experience, mediocre health and incomplete stage planning played larger roles in how I performed than any of my equipment.

Sure, a lighter rifle might transition between targets faster, but if I’m aiming at the wrong part of the target in the first place, no equipment can absolve me of that mistake.

I will note that this match, at its core, feels like 3-Gun, so not having the shotgun element may have added to my disadvantage. Bird shot from a semi-auto shotgun is probably just more forgiving against six-inch steel than a semi-auto pistol. Still, I had two goals going into this match: 1) Don’t DQ, and 2) Compete with what I have. I accomplished both, and while I wasn’t as competitive as a 2-Gun Trooper, the experience I gained will only make the next one that much better.

As one of my fellow competitors told me, “You will always walk away learning something you can do better.”