Masculinity

10 Things I Learned At A Run ‘N Gun 5k Race

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There is a whole lot of various training that can be had for firearms usage in the US, and one type that is growing in popularity is simulated exercises of tactical situations using a military rifle and a sidearm involving rapid movement, reloading, and multiple targets. Styled somewhat after today’s military tactics and adding a shotgun makes up the most popular version called 3 Gun. I was able to attend a rifle and pistol only 5k race, shoot, and obstacle course event this past weekend, so here are 10 things I learned while taking part in a Run N Gun 5k.

1. Running is not the same when you’re loaded up.

I had been running a few times a week, fairly slowly, doing some six miles or so at a time. Add in my 28 pounds of rifle, pistol, magazines, water, miscellaneous stuff and belt and chest rig to hold it all, as well as poor terrain with a lot of hills and mud, and my endurance was pretty close to zero. I managed a good jog over level ground, and barely above walking on hills.

This dude hauled 140 lbs of extra ruck weight with him just to be a badass and win the mule award.

Although this event had five shooting stages and a few obstacles, all the rest of the time, with the exception of a little bit of easy cave climbing, was spent moving outdoors. There was 3.5 miles of running that I could have gone much faster on, so there will definitely be much more running, with gear, up hills, and over broken terrain when I train for another one of these.

2. Bring the right footwear

I committed a cardinal sin and strapped on an old pair of sneakers that I had previously left at my dad’s house to fish in, and brought them back home last year. Although I do like my New Balance sneakers, and I had run some on gravel at my gun range, I noticed immediately running on pavement the first time that these guys were flat and dead.

However, the worst was yet to come. After the mudpits and tube-climb before the first stage, I noticed that both sneakers were blowing out and losing their soles. This turned into a full on separation (I shot stage two missing a sole) that had to be corrected with Gorilla Tape before I could continue. Due to the broken terrain, a good set of boots, while they may be heavier, is the right way to go.

Your author’s dead footwear, held together by duct tape and some dread game.

3. The loop sling is outdated

My only real expertise, other than hunting and shooting all my life, is that I teach three position field shooting with a couple organizations. Those use the USGI nylon loop sling, which is what I brought. Although you can do some nastily accurate shooting in field conditions with one, a loop sling does not allow any sort of carrying other than over your shoulder.

Pistol in the baggie was a good, but unneeded, idea for the mud pit. Loop sling is great for 3 position field shooting, but not so much 3 miles of running.

Most everyone at this event was running some form of multiple attachment two or three point sling that allowed your rifle to either hang over your back, or across your front, or both, without hands. Although I was rocking the Vietnam era iron sights with carrying handle (and that was how I carried the rifle, other than port-arms with both hands in front of me), I slung the rifle for carrying it all of twice.

4. So are iron sights

I was running a Colt Law Enforcement Carbine model AR-15, a M4 semi-automatic that has been out of production a few years as it has been replaced by newer models, with the only modification being moving the front sling mount to under the barrel. It has the M4 iron aperture sighting system, and is reasonably accurate.

A few problems arose, the worst of which being that I simply could not find a steel target at 50 yards because it was shaded. I nailed it doing an X drill with one shot right handed standing (I’m right handed and right dominant eyed), got the left handed kneeling in one shot oddly enough, did fine with the right handed kneeling, but lost it left handed standing. I had to shoot multiple times to hit it once, and timed out of the stage.

Irons are classic, rugged, and work well for accurate shooting, but sometimes you want or need a little extra edge.

While I do need much more practice shooting weak handed / weak eyed, most people run optics these days for a good reason. Considering that there was a somewhat ranged stage (300 yards, and at least I DID clear that one), I am not sure that a red dot optic is perfect for this, but it is better than irons. I think a variable power, low magnification, wide eye relief scope might be best.

5. Bring the right stuff

My thinking, after a very small amount of training for this where I realized how awful my shooting was, was to bring a LOT of ammo surmising that I would just shoot until I hit something. Problem is, these stages had 3 minute time limits, and there was simply no way I could shoot that much ammo in three minutes. I went with 120 rounds of 5.56 and ended up shooting about 80 of them. Pistol wise, I had 87 rounds with me and shot 51 or so of them. I did clear both pistol stages.

I brought those with me to the event, and took 7 of the 9 pistol mags with me (used 5), and the three 30 round AR mags, 2 20s, and left the 10 behind. I used 2 30s and 2 20s.

I did bring some water, a pen and notepad I did not use, and a headlight and spare, of which I did not use the latter, but the vast majority of my stuff was ammo.

6. Have the right carrying system

Future articles will get into chest rigs versus plate carriers versus battle belts, but, suffice to say I knew jack and shit about all that, and went with a cheap-ass chest rig off MidwayUSA and the inner belt without the big pad of a battle belt that I cocked up with some mag pouches and a Bianchi holster.

Ghetto as all hell, but the damn things actually gave me no issue at all. I did not need my dump bag, which is a pouch you unroll and drop your empty mags into as our stages were small and we had to run unloaded, which meant you could simply put your empty mag back from whence it came.

This guy chose a chest rig and a couple items on his belt to go mudding in.

I did not care for the chest rig thumping up and down as I ran, but it surely carried everything nicely. My friend had a nice belt system with an H harness suspender setup, so I may go that way in the future.

7. Wear the right clothing

Other than shoes, I almost got this one right. Nothing beats your basic military tactical rip stop pants, but a lot beats the shirt of the same style. Most of the dudes running had an UnderArmor style long sleeve shirt with a t shirt over it, and that is what I should have done.

This guy had good clothing choices, and I think this is where my shoes started to die.

I did start with a hat and a cheapie Walmart synthetic thermal top under the Army field shirt, but I overheated and ditched those fast. The debate was over overheating while running, or getting chilled while waiting to shoot if there was a line. I went for the latter as a concern, but should have gone for the former.

8. Be fast in everything

I ran slow. I shot slow. I got my gear ready slow. My run time was bad, and I did not complete the first two shooting stages in time, with the first one being because of the sights, and the second being because it was tough.

One way that you can see proficiency is being able to do something complicated fast and instinctively. I can do most of the tasks that my company’s car builders do on the line, but I can’t do them fast enough to keep up with the line. Same with this Run N Gun; I was able to DO all the things required, but had not practiced enough to do them within the time allocated.

9. Be humble and learn

This event was great for me; I learned a lot. Part of what I learned is that there are whole levels of this stuff that I do not know and that I can improve upon for the next time. I was woefully unprepared, although I did finish, and had a few moments of respectable performance.

The rope on the left was coiled near the top when I got there. Humbling indeed.

Part of what helped is I did not talk a big game. I joked about my shoes even before they blew up, and I calmly admitted knowing very little about gear carrying systems or the various tactical rifle slings out there. I did get some props coming across the finish line, two handing my rifle, with duct-taped shoes still (barely) functional.

10. These things are a lot of fun

I got to stay at the Park Mammoth Resort’s Rockcastle Shooting Center, which is an old lodge in a side park to Mammoth Cave that was bought and turned into a shooting facility. You can, and I did, walk straight out the lobby door with a bunch of firepower strapped on, and they have good food.

I got to shoot in a fucking cave! One of the pistol stages involved running in an underground dry creek bed and double tapping IDPA targets as you go by. I even one handed gangsta style sideways shot a target since it was right there while in the middle of a tactical reload with my other hand.

Stage 3, the cave.

I had a wonderful time in spite of doing badly at it, and I will do other events of this kind in the future.

Conclusion

Main thing I learned is that this type of shooting requires its own skills (including a LOT of cardio) and its own type of gun and accessories as well as its own gear and clothing selection. I think, if I practice a lot more, upgrade my rifle with some bolt on goodies, and get some damn boots, I shall do much better next time. I’ll be sure to put down what I learn in future articles so you can learn from my mistakes. Until then, be safe.

Read More: 5 Firearms A Man Should Own

97 thoughts on “10 Things I Learned At A Run ‘N Gun 5k Race”

  3. Off topic but this site, plus Roosh’s Twitter page are now blocked by Sky Broadband in the UK

    2. You got an internet connection that doesn’t provide parts of the internet? Sounds like a defective product. You should get your money back.

  4. To better train for such things, consider rucking. If you can make the five miles reasonably easily in 50+lbs of gear (mostly rocks in a backpack, etc.), you can make it with your guns and ammo.
    I’ll come out to defend iron sights by saying they’re the hardest sights to fuck up. Optics break and fall out of alignment substantially more easily than iron sights, and so it’s good to be able to work both.
    Neat experience, though. It might be a fun thing to try.

    1. Train like you’re going to compete. This time of year I often start loading up my external frame pack with a 30 lbs rock in it when I walk the dog in preparation for hiking season.

      1. I got to get up to Alaska and have a beer with you man.

    2. My entire life as trained by my male family members, and passed down to my son and daughter, consists of “Don’t trust your life to a battery”.
      Iron sight shooting was and is mandatory in our family. Period.

      2. They’re pricey, but ACOGs solve that problem by not needing batteries and they are pretty darned near indestructible, too. With you on irons, though; you aren’t trained completely on your rig of choice until you know how to use irons. No school like the old school….
        Your comment about batteries reminds me of some letter or call home from a guy deployed in the sandbox – this was maybe ten years ago. The parents of the soldier in question had asked him if he needed anything. His reply was to send more batteries, since big green hadn’t seen fit to supply enough of them for the grunts to use in their optics and other electronic gear.

    3. Most modern, quality optics are about as durable as any iron-sights. Anyone (not saying you) who actually claims to prefer iron-sights is a romantic.

      2. It’s an essential skill to master, in case you find yourself without any optics.
        But, in all honesty, it’s a damn sight easier to put down a deer at 50 yards with optics than iron. Makes the no-run shots more of a guarantee, and that in turn improves the quality of the meat.

    4. ” iron sights ”
      sights are a social construct.
      Pistols are held sideways.
      And long guns are held at arms length above head.
      I do like the red-dot – but yea – need the iron in place.
      Have been researching the Elcan spectreDR – flip for 2 or 3 power…

    6. a Red Dot or ACOG with backup (preferably fold-down) co-witnessed irons is the tacticool and best way to go. With one caveat: you actually have to fucking practice with the irons before you need them.

    1. Any physical endurance activity with a rifle is automatically awesome.

  6. I love these type of events because they are so functional and most closely replicate quality military training. Need the versatility of cardio, muscular strength/endurance, and marksmanship.

  7. I did not know these sort of events were held. Sounds like good info for civilians to get a simulated military experience. Thanks for this article.

  8. Replace the targets with convicted pedos and terrorists and I would sign up for this in a heartbeat.

  9. You rocked a CAR-15? After this, can you imagine the strain of a WW2 GI with a walnut-stocked M-1 Garand & ammo? Great article

      2. What, the daily 2 cases of beer they get with their bullshit disability claim checks?

        1. I didn’t say they were tougher overall, but you are completely wrong if you think WWII combat vets had loadouts even close to what modern vets had.

        2. John, no disrespect intended, but if you believe that WWII-era soldiers didn’t hump heavy loads, your knowledge of the history of the time needs some work.
          Then as now, troops on extended long-range patrols or operations behind enemy lines carried enormous loads – and that’s in addition to whatever they could sling on the nearest jeep, horse or mule. Study Merrill’s Marauders in the CBI Theater or the legendary patrols of the Long-Range Desert Group and Special Air Service in the Middle East and North African desert – there are plenty of other examples as well.
          Selection for elite units as varied as the British Commandos, Special Operations Executive, U.S. Army Rangers, U.S. Airborne Divisions, and Marine Raiders all employed timed road marches carrying extremely heavy loads as a means of separating the best from the rest. Many of these units had tremendous attrition rates not only in training, but in combat.
          And no stress cards and other politically-correct B.S. – there was a war on, training was tough and sometimes men died in the selection and training process, let alone on the battlefield. We did what was necessary to win the war.
          In other words, the modern grunt didn’t invent carrying outrageously heavy loads over long-distances. His dad, uncle and grandfather had plenty of experience with the same – and they probably b*tched about it just as much.

        3. Of course they had heavy loads at times. However, on average they simply didn’t have the same load out. That’s not an opinion, it’s a verifiable fact. It’s not because they weren’t tougher. Many items such as body armor weren’t supplied on scale like they are now and the risk aversion they have now requires heavier loads.

        1. In the field, for sure. In a town, not as bad.
          I suppose the Garand would be better for both than the Tom would.

        2. Relative is a SEAL & is all about the shorty M14, says you just treat it like an old whore & it loves it.

        3. That’s what my vet uncle says too. Drop it in a mud puddle, whatever. It doesn’t jam or fuck up.

        4. 14.5, maybe?
          I am not readyto deal eith the SCUMBAGS at the atf for a tax stamp yet. I did used to have a 7 inch AR pistol. Wish I still did.

        5. Re: “Thompson would have sucked at most ranges in Euro theatre. Garand was solid”
          Agree that the Garand was solid, but your judgment of the Thompson is off-the-mark. Plenty of GIs in the ETO were issued Thompsons (and later, M3 Grease Guns) and loved ’em – and plenty more wanted one, but weren’t permitted to carry them by their NCOs and officers.
          The whole point of having some of your guys issued SMGs was to make your squad or platoon more-capable of effective CQB/close-to-medium range combat, such as in cities, towns and closed-in terrain – all of which were very common in the ETO. The same with your M1 and M2-carbine guys – best inside 200 yards.
          If your target is outside the lethal envelope of your Thompson or M3 or M1 carbine, you are going to get the guys with Garands and BARs and let them handle it – or call in a fire mission for your crew-served weapons, arty, air power, or whatever.
          And we haven’t even gotten into how ideal SMGs were for irregular forces, such as partisans and resistance members, or how much these weapons were coveted by commandoes and other special operations forces of the time (although the terminology “special operations” and “spec ops” hadn’t yet been invented for the most part).
          A friend of mine was 101st A/B in Vietnam and saw a lot of action as an infantryman. He carried an M16 most of the time, but told me once – years later, of course – that he’d have preferred to carry a Thompson, which he considered a superior weapon for jungle warfare – if he’d been allowed to chose his personal weapon.

        6. Youre preachin to the choir, relative carried Thompson on Tarawa & Saipan. Have the pics, he liked carrying it with a 1911 & only one type of ammo. Claimed after getting bested suddenly in cqb drills he wanted to be ready to dominate before shit went hand to hand.

        7. Carrying mass amounts of .45 in the jungle would blow, a SOG approach of car-15 & a browning hi power seems wise. 5.56 sucks, but it’s easy to carry lots of. AK was perfect for whacking through foilage at close range after being brought out from a rice bin. Speak to many Nam vets, the m16 is usually regarded as pretty reliable.

      2. novelty and a conversation piece would make it worth it. ARs are boring when everyone has the same ballistics whether it is a 800 dollar or 4500

        1. There is ZERO justification for a $4000 AR. Those who use that PUSSY round for long range sniping are total choades, sniping is for 30 cals.

  10. I really want to do this.
    I reckon Schumer won’t allow it in Central Park though…
    May move to friendly State in the coming years.

  12. I freaking love caves. Spelunking is so freaking amazing, it’s hard to keep a boner down when crawling through tight passages. Any men here who haven’t tried it, immediately correct that situation, it’s amazing (caveat: don’t have claustrophobia).
    I’m not going to muck this thread up with a ten page dissertation, so all I have to say is this. Well done sir.

  13. That guy rucking looks like he has Salomon’s on. They last for hundreds of miles.

  15. Legit, I mean none of that gun range training does much good unless you put it to the test in a somewhat real-life scenario. Running, as if for your life, tired, and still having to connect. That is survival. Nice Work.

  16. Gene Hackman (Little Bill) says, a real man stands his ground, no running and hiding, stand, aim and shoot. I’m sort of with him.

    1. How did that end for him? He was at least fighting honorable men, nowadays we’re fighting sand people and jungle bunnies.

  17. Popups on ROK now… are we in 1999 again? WTF don’t abuse your readers with adverts Roosh or you won’t have any.

  18. You could always join the Marine Corps and go through a soul crushing experience to learn these things.

        1. That’s about right. When you look at a fit twenty-five year old female soldier, remember that she is held to PT standards easier than those a 55-year male soldier has to meet.

      2. And that’s why crossfit games let the girls use 65lbs vs 95 and then pretend to be equal.

      3. I used to mountain bike with a group of guys in Vail, Colorado. A few raced as amateurs. I just did it for fun.
        A couple of the guys had professional (sponsored) female mountain bike racers as girlfriends. One raced for “Powerbar.” The girls couldn’t keep us with any of us.
        I can’t even imagine how many of its own rules the Army had to break to graduate 3 women from Ranger School.

  20. Iran’s leader claims feminism is Zionist plot to corrupt country’s women. I see where Roosh gets it from, his dad is based.
    Kidding aside this guy gets my props for saying shit like this…
    “Making women a commodity and an object of gratification in the Western world is most likely among Zionist plots aiming to destroy the society.”
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-khamenei-gender-equality-women-zionist-plot-society-role-islamic-a7641041.html

    1. Just so happens mullah dirka is right. We have ZERO need for WEAK and STUPID women in our military.
      They just pass themselves around anyway. Real dignified.

      1. I think he’s dead right.
        I think it’s interesting that a Muslim leader sees the big picture.

    2. Iranians in general are prone to Western leftism, especially ones that emigrate out. The Ayatallohs in Iran are the reaction to that propensity. Iranian girls in the West are barely better than Kim Kardashian.

  21. Yeah, FUCK football, baseball, and basketball. Thats faggot shit for grandstanders and poseurs who want a pic of them wearing their latest gold plated niggery.
    THIS is a real man’s sport.
    Fuck you, espn.

  22. Looks like painful but fun! I love the ACOG scope even though it is not cheap but offers great options for optics on the rifle. Marines use these.

  26. The 11th thing you learned is that you could get your butt handed to you by a 60 year old grandpa, you jackwagon. And I mean that in the nicest way.

  28. This is badass personified. The ONLY way to test your gear is to run it, and run it hard. So many forums *cough* arfcom *cough* are full of internet commandos who talk a big game but never actually use their gear. They literally masturbate over how much money they spend on rifles, optics, and gear…and it sits in a safe for the rest of it’s life. Good on you for learning the hard, yet correct way of getting gear right! My ankle or back (old injuries) would probably give out doing something like this with my armor and all the other shit on, but it would be fun to see how far I could get. 2 gun is catching on pretty big in places like AZ, and I would love to get it going up here in the PNW.

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