If you are gearing up for a three gun competition, picking your handgun caliber is more straightforward than you may think. For concealed carry, there are thousands of articles comparing dozens if not hundreds of different calibers and cartridges with valid arguments for almost all of them; for three gun, there are only a handful of options. If you are just getting started, there is nothing wrong with going with the standard choice, but trying something different can liven up your loadout too.
Whether you are in a competition to win every time, or just to have fun, putting your kit together is important. Although the rules of each competition dictate what you are going to use, especially in three gun. The first thing you need to understand is power factor, let’s see how it affects your choice.
Minor & Major Power Factors
Before most shooting competitions, you will have to shoot through a chronograph to get your actual bullet velocity so you can calculate your power factor. Now, power factor isn’t new to most of you, but if you haven’t seen it before it is a number that represents, you guessed it, the power of your cartridge. It is calculated with your bullet speed (hence the chronograph) and its weight multiplied together, and then divided by one thousand. To keep things fair between shooters, we classify cartridges into two main groups, minor and major power factors.
In three gun, you have to at least meet the minor power factor requirements (125), but you are welcome to use a cartridge in the major power factor group (165+). In some competitions (like USPSA), you can get more points for less accurate shots if you are using a major power factor cartridge compared to a minor one, but that is not the case in three gun. So you do not get any kind of competitive advantage by using a more powerful round that is going to have more recoil and be harder to keep on target.
Since you don’t get an edge for using a cartridge with more recoil, most competitors choose to stay near the 125 minor power factor threshold. Your factory 9mm load just happens to be right above the minor power factor limit, so that is what you will see most shooters run. Still, there could be good reasons to go with another cartridge if you compete in more competitions than three gun.
The Standard 9mm
Of course, 9mm is a rock solid round to use for your handgun in a three gun match. It is what you will see most people running at any given three gun event. Your factory 9mm load from any major manufacturer is a super reliable (and low power factor) cartridge when paired with a quality firearm; this allows you to create an easy shooting pistol that you can rely on when you take the line. Since 9mm is literally everywhere and it is extremely popular for self defense and regular fun on the range, it shouldn’t be surprising that it shows up in three gun.
You also get the advantage of having a higher capacity magazine as compared to larger cartridges in divisions that don’t limit it. Three gun divisions do not usually limit the number of cartridges you can have in a magazine, but they do limit the magazine length to 170 mm (6.7 inches). It is easy to see that you can fit more 9mm in this space than you could .45 ACP or .40 Smith & Wesson. However, if you are buying a handgun for multiple types of competitions, other rule sets will restrict you to a certain number of rounds per magazine.
5 Remington UMC 40 S&W cartridges vs 9mm Stack Height
While factory 9mm loads work well for competition shooting, it may be the most reloaded cartridge in the country. So if you already reload, or if you really want to learn how, you will not have any trouble finding all the information you need to reload some stellar competition cartridges. Plus, the materials to reload are going to be more affordable than most other cartridges.
For three gun competitions, you can use a 9mm in the 2-Gun, Limited, Modified Tactical, Open, Open 2×4, PCC Only, and Tactical Optics divisions. So you can bet that you will be seeing a lot of it. Some common 9mm firearms used in three gun events are the Sig P320 XFive, and the Glock 34 (or 17) if you are looking for suggestions.
The Powerful .40 Smith & Wesson
The .40 Smith & Wesson doesn’t get as much use as 9mm these days in three gun, but it is still a great cartridge to use. If you compete in multiple types of competitions and are looking to push the limits of power factor without jumping all the way to something like .45 ACP, .40 S&W is a great option. Most factory .40 S&W loads sit right on the edge of major power factor; although, that doesn’t make much of a difference in three gun, you either need to pass minor power factor, or are required to use .45 ACP in the heavy division.
If you already carry a .40-caliber duty pistol like a Glock 23, Smith & Wesson M&P40, or SIG P229, using that same platform in competition can make training and competition more cohesive. You’ll already be familiar with the grip, controls, and recoil impulse, which can make a difference when you are under pressure.
Personally, I would say that .40 S&W is the cartridge for you if you compete in multiple types of shooting competitions. It is perfectly legal for three gun since it passes minor power factor, but since it can also pass major and still has good magazine capacity, you can score better with it in other competitions like USPSA. Buying and configuring a race pistol is expensive, so it makes perfect since to use the same one in multiple competitions. If you want to get the most use out of your pistol, try .40 Smith & Wesson.
Since you can pass the major power factor with .40 S&W, you can use it in any division besides Heavy, which requires a .45 ACP. A few solid firearms to try out are the CZ Tactical Sport 2, Glock 22, or the Glock 35 if you prefer the long slide.
The Flexible .38 Super
A high pressure derivative of the .38 ACP (not .380 ACP), the .38 Super often finds its way to the shooting line. With the same deceptive name as a .380 ACP the bullet diameter is 0.355 inches, the same as a 9mm. The difference is the case is a bit longer, holding more powder, and making a quicker cartridge. You can use the exact same bullet, but the 38 super is about 200 to 300 feet-per-second faster than 9mm.
The .38 super is slightly larger than the 9mm in length but not diameter, and the opposite is true for .40 S&W. You can usually fit the same number of cartridges in the allowed 170mm magazine size as you would 9mm, which is about 28 rounds.
Another reason that this cartridge is loved, is that with the right configuration, it can pass the major power factor threshold if you want it to. Many of the factory loads only reach minor power factor, but the +P rounds usually crest the 165 major power factor line. If you want to ensure you hit major every time, you may need to handload them yourself. Although this allows you to use the same gun to compete in a variety of events whether or not they require you to pass the major power factor.
When paired with a compensator, the felt recoil of the 38 super is much less than the .45 ACP or other major cartridges. This is due to the high pressure of the round, allowing the compensator to reduce recoil and muzzle rise, making it easier to stay on target. The pressure and speed of this cartridge also leads to marginally faster cycling firearms, which can add up when hundredths of seconds are the difference between winning and losing.
The 38 super is not as effective if your division doesn’t allow compensators, but it is still a reliable round. You can even try out the “38 super comp” version of the cartridge; this was specifically designed to have a smaller rim and a different extractor groove profile. This version was made to feed more reliably from magazines, and is what most shooters would use if they chose a 38.
Like the .40 S&W, you can use the 38 Super in any division besides Heavy. The bonus is that you can power it down to minor if you want to. Although 38 Super firearms are a bit harder to find. The majority of them are 1911-style pistols. If you have the cash, check try something like the STI 2011.
Expand Your Horizons
Since three gun competitions do not give you much of a reason to try out more powerful cartridges than 9mm, most shooters don’t. If you have never competed before, starting out with a 9mm is certainly a good idea and it is what 9/10 three gun shooters would tell you. Although if you have been shooting a little while and you are on the fence about it, try to expand your horizons a bit.
Variety is the spice of life, and using a new loadout is exciting. Plus, if you compete in more than three gun, a higher power cartridge does actually come with some benefits. Building or buying a serious race gun is expensive, so having something that you can use to compete in a variety of competitions or divisions is ideal. Although, as long as you stay within the rules of the competition, there are no real wrong choices. Most of us are there to have a good time, so be competitive, but remember to have some fun while you’re at it.
