Rocky Mountain 3-Gun
Match Rules
Based on:
International Multi-Gun Association
Revised December 2015, (January 2024)
- Safety Rules
a. Safety is the primary concern of all competitive shooting.
b. Our match is run on a cold range: Competitor’s firearms will remain unloaded at the
match site except under the direction of a match official.
c. You may handle unloaded firearms in any marked Safety area or within the confines of
your vehicle. No ammunition may be handled in the safety area.
d. In addition, any available NRA Whittington Center IPSC berms may be used for the
handling and/or displaying of firearms. These areas and other open NRAWC ranges may
also be used for test firing and practice, subject to the NRAWC rules and daily fee
requirements.
e. Competitors may only handle their guns on a stage with the permission of or under
the direction of the range officer.
f. Long guns must be cased or carried with muzzle up or down, actions open, and
removable magazines removed.
g. Handguns must be cased or in the holster during transport outside of vehicles.
h. No participants or spectators shall consume or be under the influence of alcohol or nonprescription
drugs at the match site. Any participant found to be impaired and deemed
unsafe as a result of legitimate prescription drugs may be directed to stop shooting and
requested to leave the range.
i. Eye protection is mandatory for participants, spectators & range personnel at the match
site.
j. Ear protection is mandatory for participants, spectators & range personnel while on or
near a stage of fire.
k. When abandoning a gun during the course of a stage, the muzzle must be pointed in a
safe direction, with the safety on or completely empty. (Muzzle down in the barrel or
bucket provided is a safe direction.)
l. All competitor’s guns must be semi-automatics or manually operated. No more than one
round per trigger pull. - Disqualifications
a. Match disqualifications and/or stage disqualifications will be decided by the Match
Director.
b. A negligent discharge is a DQ. It is defined as a discharge of a firearm in an unsafe
direction AND/OR in which the projectile (bullet) strikes the ground within 3 meters of the
competitor or range officer or outside the confines of the backstop.
c. A person shall be disqualified for dropping a loaded firearm or dropping a firearm while in
the loading/unloading process.
d. A participant shall be disqualified for allowing the muzzle of his/her firearm to break the
180 degree Safety Plane (except while holstering, drawing, re-holstering a pistol, or
slinging/unslinging an empty long gun).
e. A participant shall be disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct which includes, but is not
limited to cheating, such as: altering targets, scoresheets, changing firearms
configurations, or pre-meditatively failing to engage targets to gain an advantage.
f. A participant shall be disqualified for unsafe gun-handling. This includes, but is
not limited to: handling a gun while people are downrange, handling a gun on a
stage without permission of the range officer, abandoning a gun in an unsafe
direction or in an unsafe manner, pointing a gun in an unsafe direction, or
discharging a gun during the load and make ready or preloading process.
g. ALL disqualifications and re-shoots will be issued by the Match Director. - Sportmanship & Conduct
a. Participants and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous,
sportsman-like manner at all times. Disputes will be handled promptly and fairly by the
Match Director.
b. Violation of magazine/ammunition limitations in Tactical and He-Man Classes will result in
the shooter being placed in the most restricted class the equipment fits for the entire
match or Match Disqualification, at the discretion of the Match Director.
c. RO’s will assess additional “unsportsmanlike conduct” penalties to competitors that
intentionally fail to make a good faith effort to engage AND HIT targets in order to gain
advantage.
d. Coaching by other competitors is discouraged and spotting is NOT allowed and is
considered “unsportsmanlike conduct.
e. Changing the course of fire to gain an unfair advantage, including, but not limited to:
placing markers within the stage, having photographers call out signals, stacking or
moving rocks as signals, breaking branches to get a different view is not allowed.
Penalties may be assessed for “unsportsmanlike conduct” and for repeat offenses a
stage or match DQ is possible.
f. The Match Director shall be the final arbiter of any such penalties.
g. For any controversy not precisely described in these rules, the “spirit of the rules” will be
applied to settle the matter. The “spirit of the rules” is a fair and equitable opportunity for
all the competitors to demonstrate their skills. In the Spirit of 3-Gun, we ask all
competitors to apply the “Spirit of the Rules” to their conduct and shooting plans as well. - Equipment
a. All firearms used by competitors should be serviceable and safe. If a competitor’s firearm
becomes unserviceable during competition, he may replace his/her firearm with approval
of the Match director or designee.
b. A “firearm” system consists of a specific caliber, receiver, barrel, and stock and sighting
system combination. The same firearm system, for each gun, must be used during the
entire match.
c. The shotgun barrel and magazine tube shall not be changed for the entire match.
d. Firearms must be of a design available to the general public and not experimental,
e. Tracer, armor piercing or steel jacketed (even partially) ammunition is not allowed. Your
projectiles must NOT stick to a magnet!
f. Minimum requirements are: rifle .223 Remington (5.56 NATO), pistol 9mm Luger,
shotgun 20 gauge
g. Handgun holster must be capable of retaining the handgun during the vigorous
movement that may be required or otherwise encountered during the course of fire. It
must allow the competitor to safely draw and re-holster the handgun without causing the
muzzle to point in an unsafe direction at any time. It must completely cover and protect
the handgun’s trigger guard. The competitor shall use the same handgun holster for the
duration of the match.
h. Spare ammunition, magazines, speed loaders and other equipment must be secured in
pouches, pockets and/or carriers on the competitor’s person or firearm.
i. The competitor may not abandon any equipment during the course of fire except
detachable magazines, speed loaders or ammunition clips.
j. Any competitor in any class may use/may be required to use a sling.
Classifications - Open Class – There is no limit on accessories.
a. Shotgun speed loaders must have the primer relief cut. - Limited Classes
a. Pistols with custom or factory installed electronic sights, optical sights, extended
sights, compensators or barrel porting are NOT allowed in this class. Pistol
magazines shall not exceed 170mm overall length for single stacks, and shall not
exceed 140mm OAL for staggered magazines.
b. No rifle external supporting devices are allowed in this class. (i.e. bipods, vertical
foregrips that are rested on ground or props, cinched mags or mag
pads/additions designed to enlarge the footprint of a single mag that are rested
on the ground or props)
There are NO “beta/C” or drum mags allowed in this class. Only traditional
double stack mags allowed. (Cinched mags must be offset a minimum of 2
inches to avoid being considered an external supporting device.)
There are no muzzle devices bigger than 1” in diameter and 3” long (muzzle to
end of comp) allowed in this class.
Limited Scope – may have one optical(glass) sight.
Limited Iron – MAY have a 1X ONLY sight as long as there is only one sighting
plane on the gun. i.e. 1X and backup irons on the top, no offset irons or 1X.
Variable power scopes are NOT allowed in this class.
c. No electronic or optical(glass) sights are allowed on shotguns in this class.
No shotgun supporting devices (i.e. bipods) are allowed in this class.
No compensators or porting on barrels are allowed on shotguns in this class.
No shotgun speed loaders, or removable mags are allowed on shotguns in this
class.
No shotgun in limited class may start a stage with more than 9 rounds total in the
shotgun; no more than 8 rounds for an empty chamber start. - Modified Class
The rules for the modified division are the same as Limited Scope with the exception of,
a. Slide mounted optic allowed on the pistol. The optic has to be attached directly to the slide and the ejection port. It cannot be attached to the frame.
b. A non-magnifying optic is allowed on the shotgun.
c. Rifles may use a supporting device but the supporting device must be attached to the rifle and stay with the rifle throughout the stage. - He-Man Class
a. All firearms in this class must meet the limited rules with the following restrictions:
b. All handguns must be .45 ACP or .45 GAP (.44 Magnum is also acceptable).
Pistol magazines may not be loaded with more than ten(10) rounds.
c. Rifles must be .308 or 30.06. Rifle magazines in HM Class shall not be loaded
with more than twenty(20) rounds.
Supporting devices for rifle ARE ALLOWED in He-Man.
He-Man Scope – may have one optical(glass) sight.
He-Man Iron – MAY have a 1X ONLY sight as long as there is only one sighting
plane on the gun. i.e. 1X and backup irons on the top, no offset irons or 1X.
Variable power scopes are NOT allowed in this class.
d. Shotguns in this class must be 12 gauge only, pump action. - Scoring
a. Scoring per stage will be straight time plus penalties.
b. Any cardboard target, designated as a “shoot” target must have either one(1) “A”
or “B” hit OR two(2) hits anywhere inside the scoring perforations on the target
(i.e. minimum 2”D” hits) to avoid a penalty.
c. Example of scoring and penalties on paper targets:
-One “A or B” zone hit = no penalty.
-Two hits in any combination “C or D” = no penalty.
-One “C or D” hit only = 5 second penalty(Failure to neutralize).
-No hits on the target but target was engaged = 10 second penalty(miss).
-Target Not Engaged (TNE) = 10 second penalty for no hits on the target, plus 5
seconds for the TNE procedural for a total of a 15 second penalty. This TNE
penalty in not to be used for premeditated skipping of targets, but for inadvertent
missed targets only. Premeditated/Intentional non-engagements fall under 3c
and 2e.
d. Paper targets used in the match may be IPSC(old style), the new IPSC “Classic”,
SOF, IDPA targets, ½ size targets or anything similar.
e. Designated “No Shoot” targets that are hit will incur a 5 second penalty for each
hit.
f. Steel knock-down targets must fall to score. The targets should fall or indicate
with the following:
Pistol targets – 9mm with factory ammo
Rifle Targets – AR15 type rifle with 5.56NATO or .223 Remington factory ammo.
Shotgun Targets – 12 gauge Shotgun with 3 dram/ 1 1/8 oz load of #6 or #7.5
shot
g. Frangible targets must break to score. (On static targets, one BB hole or chip is
a break. Aerial frangible targets must have a visible piece break off.)
h. Swinging style flash targets must be struck solid enough to cause the hidden
“flash card” to be visible to the RO. RO may call hits.
i. Engaging a frangible, knock-down or swinging style target but not breaking it,
knocking it down or causing the target to react will result in a 10 second penalty
per target. (Exception: missing an aerial frangible target will result in a 5 second
FTN penalty)
j. Failure to engage a frangible (including aerial), knock down or swinging style
target will result in a 15-second penalty.
k. Procedural penalties, 5 seconds, may be assessed for failing to follow
stage procedures. Multiple procedurals may be assessed depending on the
infraction.
l. Failures to engage that are NOT due to forgetfulness or running out of time, but
are rounds sent downrange or not even fired with no real attempt to hit the target
will be assessed a higher, poor sportsmanship FTE penalty. These penalties can
range from 30 seconds upwards, and for severe offenses may even receive a
stage or match DQ.
m. Stage Not Fired (SNF) penalty: Competitor shall receive zero (0) match points for
each such stage.
n. Special scoring rules may be designated for a particular stage. They will be
clearly stated within the stage briefing by the RO’s.
o. RM3-gun reserves the right to impose higher penalties for designated high value
targets.
p. Hitting a non-slug/rifle designated steel target with a slug/rifle round will be
assessed a 30 second penalty as well as a $25 fine.
q. A Maximum Time shall be established for each stage (180 seconds unless
otherwise noted.) Upon failure to complete the stage within the maximum time,
the shooter shall be stopped by the RO and assessed a stage time equal to last
shot fired plus all applicable penalties. (Maximum time plus penalties may be
assessed in certain circumstances.) - Stage Points
a. First Place (lowest total time) for each stage, in each class, will receive 100
points. Second place and below will receive points on a percentage basis of the
100 points from the 1st place time. (We reserve the right to change scoring
method for a specific stage, but the scoring method would be explained in the
stage briefing.)
b. Open, Limited Scope, Limited Iron, He-Man Scoped and He-Man Iron will all be
scored as separate classes.
c. Total Points accumulated for all stages will determine the match placement by
class.
d. Ties will be broken by an undisclosed Tie Breaker Stage designated by the
Match Director.
e. Highest score wins.