By Damien Baldwin, The Shooting Channel
Quick, what do you get when you combine 200 women, 600 firearms and over 120,000 rounds of ammunition?
History, my friends.
This weekend marked the first ever Brownells Ladies 3-gun Pro-Am, and to call it a success is an understatement.
First, for the uninitiated, myself included, 3-gun competition is not only real, but it’s a big deal. This type of shooting match has literally exploded (pun intended) since its introduction in the last 7-8 years.
A unique blend of obstacle course and target shooting, the 3-gun format challenges the competitors in the disciplines of targeting and accurately shooting pistols, rifles, and shotguns, as well as transitioning between firearms, target types, and shooting positions.
All of this on a timed closed course. In short, it’s a contest that challenges every technical skill a shooter hones on the range.
Which brings us back to the Brownell’s Ladies’ Pro-Am competition recently held this past weekend at the South River Gun Club in Covington, GA. This is the first all female 3-gun competition, ever. Talk about a big deal.
Annie Oakley, these women are not. This is down-and-dirty competition, not trick shooting. Regardless of their competition level, each one of these women are highly skilled and deeply passionate about their sport, and indeed, many of them call it ‘their’ sport.
All disciplines are employed in 3 gun competition.
For example, Christian Swann, a competitive 3-gun shooter with an impressive resume of experience and skill, is quick to state that by and large, the fastest growing segment of new shooters overall are women who have been introduced to shooting as an adult.
She points out that when the idea of an all female competition was first floated, it was met with trepidation and a sense of uncertainty. She is also more than pleased to observe that within 24 hours of open registration for the Brownell’s Ladies’ competition over 100 spots were reserved. That’s huge.
When I first introduced myself to Christian, I was quick to espouse that, as a hobby shooter myself, I was excited to speak with her due to my fascination that shooting sports is reaching a more diverse group than ever.
Marking the the hit
A quick YouTube search shows there are competitors from just about every age bracket and gender. You will find high school girls competitively shooting against, or even teamed with, 20-year shooting veterans.
To Christian, it was only a logical extension to see the creation of a competition to celebrate such growth and diversity.
I was eager to know as much as possible about the sport in the shortest amount of time. Christian was kind enough to talk about her daily training regimen. She starts with 2 or more hours at the range. Next, Christian practices the basic mechanics of an obstacle course in her back yard (she assures me no live ammo is used), which I assume was configured to mimic actual courses featured in the matches.
When I drilled down to some of the more elementary questions regarding mental acuity and physical readiness (breathing, trigger control, etc) that a participant needs to be successful she stops me short, “There has been plenty written about that,” she says. “What I really want to focus on is the history of this event.” Point taken.
I was curious to know what advice she had for others, particularly women, who may be interested in shooting but don’t know where to start.
Her first suggestion is to search for local ranges that offer basic safety instruction. Not only for the sake of learning basic safety and the fundamentals of shooting, but also these instructors probably have firsthand knowledge and advice on how to get started practicing and competing as quickly as possible.
There are many online resources available for both new and established shooters. A good place to start is A Girl and A Gun which provides information and support for female shooters of all levels.
Christian enthusiastically pointed out that the competitors have varying backgrounds and careers. Participants range from real estate professionals, doctors and lawyers to stay-at-home moms.
Their passion for the sport, and their pride in themselves and each other, brings them together in a cooperative-competitive spirit. Advice, encouragement and support are common with this group of shooters.
I grew up in a culture of outdoor sports and participated in my first small game hunt at the age of five. What I wasn’t ready for was the sticker shock of reentering the world of shooting as an adult. I was curious about the actual cost of getting started in 3-gun.
Christian acknowledged the importance and the support of her sponsors CORE 15 and Carolina Guns and Gear for helping fund her participation and noted most ranges have guns that can be borrowed or rented for a small fee so you can give it try shooting without a substantial investment.
Much like poker, which only requires a chip and a chair, 3-gun shooting is well within anyone’s reach. All that’s needed is passion, enthusiasm, a range and some ammo.
Actually, that’s nothing like poker at all, but the point is that anyone can start small and work their way up from that point.
With a little bit of time, practice and experience, a dedicated shooter will gradually accumulate the requisite gear and accessories as well as the joyful pride in showing off and practicing with each new acquisition.
And, for those that really want to step up their game, there are countless options for accessorizing. Limited only by form and function, each collection is a statement of its owner. In some cases, pink is the new black. But so is blue. And, of course, black.
So what is the payoff? Prize money? Prize money is a payoff, but far more importantly it’s about a sense of camaraderie, a group of women shooting enthusiasts braving cold weather to compete in badass gear, socialize, and compete some more.
To further emphasize the importance of community to these women, Christian shared an anecdote about how, when an online web chat was created to offer information, support and encouragement, at one point over half of the entrants were logged in and chatting together.
That excitement has grown to over 5600 likes on their Facebook page, attracted large sponsors such as Brownell’s Inc., Beretta, and Benelli USA, and has established this inaugural Brownell’s Ladies Pro-Am 3-gun competition as the standard which subsequent competitions will aim for. Pun intended.
Damien Baldwin is a writer for The Shooting Channel and for Motorsports Unplugged. Visit him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JediMasterDamien?fref=ts
Christian Swann is a contributor and competitor for The Shooting Channel.