If any of you are interested, the original run n gun is in Pecos, TX Sept. 19. The event is full but the waiting list is only at 5 currently.
If any of you are interested, the original run n gun is in Pecos, TX Sept. 19. The event is full but the waiting list is only at 5 currently.
I'm reviving this thread to provide an AAR on the 14th Annual Run and Gun Biathlon held in Pecos, TX on 18, 19 Sept 2016. Here's a link to the website and COF: http://pecosrunandgun.com/COF/2015-COF-final.shtml
LOCATION and GENERAL INFO: Pecos, TX is in West Texas, maybe 150 miles north of the Mexico border. Desolate country with scrub brush and fine, powder-like soil. The roundtrip was 1300+ miles. They changed the location this year to an alternate ranch so the round count and run course both got shorter. I believe there were just over 100 competitors total.
PHYSICAL TRAINING LEADING UP TO EVENT: Like before, I focused on cardio and did ZERO weight training. Run days consisted of loaded pack runs in a pasture during the heat of the day if possible. I was experiencing some aches so I limited the runs to 2 miles most of the time. Every other day I hit the heavy bag for 5 - 5 minute rounds. Heavy Cardio and NO lifting. About once a week I'd do a circuit of pull-ups, ab exercises, fast roping, etc. for about 30 minutes.
RUN COURSE: According to the producer, the length of the course was a little under 5 miles. Course was mostly flat but the deep powder made running much harder than it would have been on a hard pan soil. The thorny branches of the scrub bushes were everywhere and left several scratches on my legs. I thought this was a much easier run than the Pawnee, OK event. My conditioning allowed me to run 99% of the time. I completed the entire course (including shooting stages and 6 minutes of wait time) in 71 minutes as opposed to 150 minutes at Pawnee. I must point out that when I ran the temperature was only 90 degrees so that made it easier than the day before when the temps were around 110. Those guys had it rough.
SHOOTING COURSE: The stages were much easier than Pawnee IMO, but I still took way too long. Round count was less than 1/2 of Pawnee's. Rifle stages were between 100-200 yards and the pistol stages around 15 yards. I had been practicing unsupported shots so the rifle stages weren't too bad. They had a stage where you had to low crawl in the powder that was the cause of many malfunction stories throughout the day, especially for the guys sporting chest rigs and a few running 1911's. I cleared all the stages in 1/2 the allotted time but I imagine the guys with real game were much faster than I was. I focused on speed so I missed a lot, but follow up shots were quick. We'll see how that strategy worked when the results come in.
WEAPONS: G 17 worked out good for me, it didn't mind the dirt. I'm still not real good with it, but I'm improving. Prior to the event I bought a new Colt 7920LE and it worked flawlessly even in the dusty conditions. Best thing I did was add a Geiselle 2 stage trigger, that thing is night and day better than the mil-spec trigger. My scope was a Nikon P223 3x32, it's not the best but it gets me through. Eventually, I'll buy a good 1x4 or 1x6 scope.
GEAR AND CLOTHING: Tru-Spec tactical shorts, UA compression shirt, lightweight wool hiking socks, Kenetrek hiking shoes. Again I used the Eberlestock Gunrunner... I love this pack, makes the run so much easier. Only modification I made was to swap out the flimsy waist belt for a Hazard 4 battle belt which made it much easier to carry mags.
SUMMARY: Course wasn't easy but doable. Competition seemed to be pretty salty. For example, the guy camped beside me was active duty from Fort Campbell I believe and had been through Ranger School and was in an Airborne unit. He was tall and lean and looked like he could run like a deer. The Corp of Cadets Marksmanship Unit from Texas A&M attended as well. I didn't see a ton of pot-bellied guys there. At age 43, it's hard to compete with guys 1/2 your age but it just makes me train harder.
The event was very professionally ran, each stage had 5 RO's and wait times were minimal.
Overall it was a ton of fun. The results aren't posted but I'll publicly say my goal is to finish in the top 25% of the run portion and top 50% of the shooting portion. As I get more shooting competitions under my belt, my goals will be set higher but for now, that's where I am and I refuse to slow my run time down just to make the shooting easier so I'll keep practicing at shooting when tired and exhausted.
NOTE: The winter Run n Gun in Pawnee, OK is scheduled for 30 Jan 2016, registration should be open very soon. Hope to see some of you there.
FOG
Man, I wish that had been around when I was in the Corps.Originally Posted by FOG
This thread has sort of gotten me interested in this. I might have to try a match next year.
Sounds like great fun. I'd love to go up to the Pawnee one if I'm healed up from the Houston Marathon by then, and if I can get my rifle skills up to par. I'd probably have an easier time shooting pistol only with my skillset.
Have you considered something along the lines of the Eberlestck GS2? http://www.eberlestock.com/G2%20Gunslinger%20II.htm
http://www.eberlestock.com/miva/merc...tegory_Code=BP
Last edited by Stone; 09-22-2015 at 03:20 PM.
It looks like the Winter OK Gun 'n' Run is up. My question is, how large is the "full-size torso target" for the 500 yard hit? I ask because I would really like to run the event with my 10.5" with a red dot and magnifier, but 500 yards is pretty damn far for a 10.5"...
Its approx. 20" so you need to be 4 MOA or better. Buddy of mine cleared the stage with a cheap red dot and I did it with a fixed 3x BDC scope.
Signups start tomorrow. It'll fill up pretty fast.
Maybe we need an official P-F.com team!
--Josh
“Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.” - Tacitus.
I plan on attending the January race. July was great but revealed some deficits in my level of fitness. I intend to do better this time around.
So, smaller than a full-size IPSC target (so more E Silhouette size)? Or is the 20" in reference to the width, and not height? Just trying to see what size target I should be practicing on/getting dope for. According to Hornady's ballistic calculator (2700 FPS, .243 coefficient & 55 gr. for XM193, 3.1 inches height over bore for sight, 109 yard zero), at 500 yards, my shot's are going to be ~80 inches low if I use my SBR; might have to dial for elevation there (if I even have that much adjustment, does anyone know?). Worse comes to worse, I suppose I could use my 14.5" and maybe borrow a variable, I guess, but that just like CDI, you know?
Last edited by Default.mp3; 10-08-2015 at 11:55 PM.
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