“Diligentia - Vis - Celeritas”
(D.V.C.)
By Patrick E. Kelley, G2G4GG (www.multigunmedia.com)
Hey G2 Guy! Have you gone all BIG Brain on us? What’s up with the weird words dude? Not to worry boys, it’s Latin and it translates to Accuracy - Power - Speed. It is those three things, in balance, that separate practical shooting from all the other shooting sports.
Sounds like good qualities if you are a MMA contender. Yep, sure does, but you had better have all three if you wanna win! Mr. Strong and Slow has a lot of “V” but no “C”. He might be whupped by Mr.“D” who has some “C” (Accurate and Fast), but nobody beats Mr. DVC. He has it all!
A man far smarter than I (I know, I know. There are many) put it this way, "Speed without accuracy is useless, as is accuracy without speed and both together may not suffice without power." That timeless piece of “real world” intel was laid down many years ago by the “Father of Practical Shooting,” Jeff Cooper.
Down with that? Good, here’s why.
Practical Shooting as a sport grew from the tree of combat shooting. The idea was to use the same tools in sport as you would use to defend home and family should the need arise. Large caliber, powerful, battle-worthy firearms were the expected, not the excepted. The founders of Practical Shooting held power as an essential component in practical shooting in balance with speed and accuracy.
Here is where the “He-Man” or “Heavy Metal" division and thus the focus of this article begins. To the best of my knowledge, Pueblo, New Mexico P.D. Captain Eddie Rhodes coined the name “He-Man.” He also proposed the equipment guidelines that called for a return to our founding principles. His idea was to generate healthy competition using heavy caliber, full-power ammunition delivered from basic "patrol car" or "home defense" gear. He-Man is a revisit to our "combat" roots and is not a “retro” or “antique” division. We have divisions for the low-recoil, go-fast guns. And thanks to Captain Rhodes, we now have one for the “Power Tools” of the game: a place where the “V” in D.V.C. holds court!
Based on the current major 3-Gun matches, here is the basic equipment list for the division:
Rifle: Either Optic or Iron sight division. Minimum caliber .308 Winchester (7.62x51). Magazine capacity limited to 20 rounds. Muzzle brake OK with dimensions restricted to 1” O.D. and 3” length.
Pistol: Iron sights only. Minimum caliber .45 ACP. Magazine capacity limited to 10 rounds. No porting or brakes.
Shotgun: Pump Only. Iron sights only. Minimum 12-gauge. 9 rounds in the gun at start. No box magazines or speed loaders, etc. No porting or brakes.
Guns and Gear
Heavy Metal, unlike all the other divisions is not ruled by the AR-15 platform. Major 3-Gun events have been won with FALs, AR-10s and the M1A series of rifles, placing additional truth to the adage “it is the Indian not the arrow.” For me, Springfield Armory’s National Match M1A feels like it was born for this division. Accurate and completely reliable out of the box, sporting a 22" medium weight barrel, match trigger, and excellent sights, expertly assembled and glass bedded to an oversize walnut stock, this rifle rocks! You might find more accuracy within the AR platform, but the M1A was built as a .308 from the ground up and was the original box-fed U.S. battle-tested “war club.” It lives up to this moniker very well indeed.
Of the AR platforms Armalite, DPMS and POF-USA all make .308 rifles that are fully suitable as manufactured. Many competitors, when making the switch to Heavy Metal, are just “super-sizing” their mouse guns, giving them a potential leg up on those cross training to a different platform. As mentioned before, FALs win matches too and it is no wonder. The FAL has proven itself in harm's way all over the world and is the most prolific self-loading .308 military rifle in history. If you just want the best, the crew at DSA would be happy to outfit you, offering several models suitable for the Heavy Metal enthusiast. For the more budget conscience, one could get under way with less initial financial expenditure if you are willing to undertake a do-it-yourself project by assembling your FAL from surplus parts.
Pump it UP!
When it comes to 3Gunning, shooters generally overlook the pump shotgun as a competition tool and I understand why. First, the poor pump lacks the important “geewhiz” factor that the self-loaders have. And for some of the “cool kids” it is better to look good than to shoot good. When you do see them, they are in the hands of the “new guy”…or... in the experienced hands of the “old dude.” Do yourself a favor here and watch out for that old dude, it might be me! Second, the pump is only as reliable as the person operating it, making you a critical component. No matter the internet bull, in human hands they don’t cycle faster than an auto. To do that would mean cycling faster than 0.12 seconds between shots, and that is 500 rounds per minute kids. That ain’t happening! Third, the act of pumping is made even more difficult from awkward positions. Forth, the pump-gun, unlike the auto, transmits more recoil to you! Great to hear G2G, when do we get to the good parts??? Pride me boys, pride. Laying down a wicked fast run that is met with a few hoots of approval is even cooler when the hooters never notice you were shooting a pump. Running a pump-gun at that speed is a unique experience and well worth the effort. That alone is reason enough to play…Heavy Metal, baby! Yea!
While a good number of Heavy Metalists drive Benelli Novas or Remington 870s to podium finishes, my ride of choice is the (now out of production) Winchester 1300 Camp Defender. Sporting a 22" barrel, screw-in chokes, rifle sights, and a one-piece factory magazine tube that holds 7 rounds, this pump gun is ready to play as produced sans the one round of capacity. Browning’s BPS with a few modifications would make a fine choice, although I have not seen many on the circuit. In contrast, Mossberg pump guns are everywhere! Offering a number of guns with 8-round magazine tubes, synthetic stocks and rifle sights, Mossbergs have what it takes.
When selecting a pistol, the Heavy Metal division is the home for the single stack 1911 in .45 ACP. With either 8-round flush fit or slightly extended 10-round magazines, this old yet ever new combat/competition perfected pistol dovetails nicely into the fray. As much as I love that classic machine, when the event calls for 10 rounds-on-board you will generally find a Glock G21 in my holster. My reasons are twofold. First, all passive safeties. Courses of fire require “safety on” or “gun empty” abandonment for transition to long gun. Under the stresses of time management and with an immediate disqualification from the match for a violation of this rule, passive safeties are “automatic.” Pick your flavor here: Glock, Springfield or Smith & Wesson all play the game very well. Second, call it fashion sense but 10 round .45 ACP mags and the 1911 just clash.
Why We Play
Heavy Metal is not for everyone. You have to be willing to put more effort into training than most any other division. The reason for this is “torque and recoil.” No matter the platform or the modifications, .308s produce more torque and recoil for the competitor to deal with than .223s. Same goes for the fixed breech 12-gauge pump-action shotgun vs. the recoil mitigating self-loader in 12- or even 20-gauge. Ammo management is a hurdle to jump too. Remember, you, as a Heavy Metalist, only have 20 rounds per .308 magazine vs. 30, 40 or more for the .223 shooter. This applies to your handgun too, right? Eight to 10 rounds in your .45 ACP of choice vs. 20+ rounds of .40 S&W or 9 mm. I am not selling this very well, am I?
As I stated before Heavy Metal is not a retro or antique division. It is a place that offers a great personal reward for excellence in overcoming equipment challenges not faced by other divisions. It is a place closer to the roots of Practical Shooting. It is a place where you meet the challenge with the tools rather than adjust the tools to meet the challenge. It is a place where accuracy, power and speed are points of pride. The Heavy Metalist must be consistently accurate, as capacity is limited. Power (and we generate much) is intrinsic to our weapons. And to effectively demonstrate speed within this division means you have mastered technique.
Do you have what is takes to compete using the “power tools of practical shooting?” Dust off that pump-gun and load-up that single stack. Get your hands on a fine self-loading .308 and join Club Torque and Recoil. I can tell you first hand that victory is a little sweeter for the Heavy Metalist.
Sadly, I must report that Captain Eddie Rhodes left this earth on March 15, 2010. He was a fierce competitor, a warrior and a man among men. Those who shared the range with him are better for the experience. I know I am.
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