In what is looking to be a real blast from the past, a group of individuals are putting together something called Resurgence 3-Gun. It is a 3 gun competition, but the similarity with current 3 gun competitions is where it ends. Unbeknownst to me, the sport of 3 Gun as we know it today, got its origins in the early 1980s with the Soldier of Fortune Magazine competitions that initially started the activity, basing it on realistic fighting conditions, using the three disciplines. The last Soldier of Fortune 3 gun match happened in 2001, and there hasn’t been one since. A number of folks have reinvented the matches, using the same rules as the original match, but there hasn’t been anything put on that level of organization. This “Resurgence 3 gun” match will be from September 21-25 of this year, in Logan, New Mexico, at the Blue Steel Ranch. The emphasis will be on military/LE rifles, military equipment, and physical fitness. It doesn’t seem that this is a Soldier of Fortune magazine officially sanctioned and sponsored event, but instead is taking the spirit of the original competitions as an avenue for competitors who may want something more than today’s 3 gun matches, or for those who want something more from the match.

Personally, I find this opportunity extremely exciting. There as always been this divide in the competition world where do we do these competitions to become an absolute master with firearms, or do we do them to win gunfights. Because you cannot be successful in both. Either you have your C-More sights and high capacity .38 Supers and you win trophies, or you have your endurance and stock guns, and you train for a real world scenario. I mean, this is why we have the split from IPSC to IDPA, because people felt that there wasn’t enough real world application that was supposed to be the backbone of IPSC but ended up not being so.

So we got together a bunch of guys who shot and administered the old SOF matches.

JP ENTERPRISES and COMPETITION DYNAMICS present RESURGENCE, a Tactical 3-Gun Match that captures the full spirit and flavor of the legendary SOF 3-Gun matches.

It’s all authentic, from the original rule set to the semi-surprise stages in open terrain.

This match is being brought to 3-Gunners, law enforcement, and military shooters by SOF 3-Gun veterans.

It’s time to rekindle the spark: the ancestor to all modern 3-Gun events.

RESURGENCE brings that history to life.

Camouflage is encouraged and you will get dirty!

…

You may have heard the “old time 3-gunners” speak of the SOF 3-Gun Tactical Match. These stories stem from the glory days of 3-Gun, from which all modern day 3-gun descended from and is still measured against.

This match is a test of shooting, tactical awareness, movement and weapon manipulation. All the stages are “semi-surprise”, meaning there will be no “walk throughs” and stage procedures and briefing will be done beforehand.

If you are a relatively new 3-Gun shooter, this match is a must-shoot. It will be straight-forward and transparent. “Gaming” is almost impossible.

You do not need “ultra expensive” firearms to shoot this match. An M-14, Mossberg pump, and Browning Hi-Power are perfect.

Too many of the current generation of 3-Gunners have no idea where their sport came from. We are “putting the band back together” to bring you RESURGENCE. It will be epic.

The match staff are experienced “SOF Vets” and vetted match administrators that have been running matches since the year 2000 including the last “SOF” in Raton, NM (2001).

For LE and Military personnel, there will be a certified training seminar put on by our LE Liaison on todays LE issues and tactics.

There will be expert pins and medals for the “Top 50”, and prizes will be handed to the shooters through the “Top 50” until prizes are gone. LE and Military will have separate prizes. There will be a special prize for the “returning SOF Vet”. A sponsor will be offering a cash purse to the winner.

Take a look at the rules. They are identical to the original rules, with almost no changes. The reasoning for this is for you to read through and get familiar with the old rule set. We like it, and the rule set is 100%.

We can guarantee you will get dirty. Holsters and magazine retention systems will be tested. This is not to discourage you, but to expose you on what we had to experience per “SOF” stage rules.

The mandatory shooter meeting will be at specified time per the match schedule. Plan to be there for 1.5-2 hours. Feel free to bring a fold up chair and a note pad. At the shooter meeting stage procedures will be gone over, and this will be a time for Q&A’s.

There will be no stage boxes or buckets to ground firearms. These rulings and stage procedures will be per stage, and the information will be given during the shooter meeting.

Below are a number of pictures from some of the original events that SoF put on in the 1980s.