Is there a limit on magazine capacity for shotguns in open division?

The co-director of a 3-gun I attend said that the most an open shotgun could hold was 10+1

He sighted the rule but I can't seem to find it anywhere on the internet. I was really looking forward to using my MDArms drum in the next competition. If true, I suppose I could still use it and just have one extra round.

Possibly IPSC or IDPA backwards think. Most times, Open class means sky is the limit and no capacity limitations except when it's part of the stage description (i.e. must start from box A with firearm download to ......) If it's some dumbass local ruling be sure to call it as such!

USPSA Multi Gun Rules state that you can start with no more than 10 + 1 in your gun. Keyword being START.......you can START with no mag and 1 round in the chamber and after the buzzer then load your drum by racking the bolt and inserting. Needs to be a really high round count for this to be effective though. You just keep yourself from having to reload later in the string. Now if it is some other type of MAJOR match but not USPSA then watch the rules carefully. Some match rules state you capacity can NEVER be over a certain number. This is what happened to Taran Butler at a major match where his gun would HOLD 9 + 1 but the Tactical class he was shooting in said no more than 9 total in the gun. He got bumped to OPEN and still won the match. Some people are just TOO good!!!!

"This is what happened to Taran Butler at a major match where his gun would HOLD 9 + 1 but the Tactical class he was shooting in said no more than 9 total in the gun. He got bumped to OPEN and still won the match. Some people are just TOO good!!!! "

Ft. Benning 3-Gun '07. Butler was shifted in mid-competition to Open Class and still won that division for the match.

In appendix D1 it states "maximum of 11 rounds loaded".

Which really sucks, people spend 2K on a custom STI race guns, and $$$ on rifles, and shotguns. Putting all kinds of special mods on them for the open division, but no more than 11 rounds? Whats the point? It IS the Open Division, right?

These are the US IPSC Competition Rules Governing Open Division for hangun, rifle, and shotgun.
Handgun: US Open Division Maximum magazine length 170mm, Maximum ammunition capacity None. The max I have seen in a mag is 29 rounds.
Rifle: US Open Division Maximum magazine length None, Maximum ammunition capacity None. The max I have seen is the Beta drum 100 rounds.
Shotgun: US Open Division Magazine length restrictions None, Detachable magazines Yes, Ammunition capacity restrictions Maximum of 11 (max 10 in the tube or magazine +1 in the chamber), Speed loading devices Yes. IPSC overseas has no restriction on capacity for shotgun. Rifle and handgun rules same as USA.

The round count is based on stage design. Long course of fire 32 rounds, medium course of fire 16 rounds, short course of fire 9 rounds. IPSC matches must be designed, constructed and conducted with due consideration to safety. The value of an IPSC match is determined by the quality of the challenge presented in the course design. Courses of fire must be designed primarily to test a competitor’s IPSC shooting skills. Accuracy, Power and Speed are equivalent elements of IPSC shooting. IPSC shooting challenges are diverse. IPSC matches are freestyle. Competitors must be permitted to solve the challenge presented in a freestyle manner, and to shoot targets on an “as and when visible” basis. Courses of fire must not require mandatory reloads nor dictate a shooting position. However, conditions may be created, and barriers or other physical limitations may be constructed, to compel a competitor into shooting positions or stances.

I have a couple of (legal) 30 round pistol mags that work every time, and a 31 that doesn't

The USPSA shotgun mag limit on Open is a leftover of the Klinton-era Dark Time, in the long-long-ago, the before-time. However, since the USPSA President likes the mag limit (and a bunch of the Area Directors think three-gun is scary enough as it is), I do not think it will change until we get some new blood in the organization.

That said, and having been shooting a reliable 10-round stick mag (and 20-round drum fed) shotgun in major competitions since 2002, there are very few stages where the drum has been a deciding factor. Oh, there have been two (that I can remember) stages over the last six years in which my minor skills and major equipment gave me the easy win, but usually stages are carefully set in groups of four or eight targets with enough movement to allow the bottom feeders plenty of time to reload. And, as we have talked about before, some match directors set up stages to screw over mag fed guys by specifying "all rounds loose in a tobacco sack," select-fire drills, or other such foolishness.

Some match directors set up 30-round shotgun stages and tell folks to have fun. I like those guys. Others set up a whole match of eight and ten round shotgun courses. I find those folks worthless as designers.




Alex

I've been politicing for a "true OPEN" shotgun division for some time without much luck. I talked at length with Charles Bond at the Area 6 3 Gun last month and he states he would like to see the change (he has a Saiga 20) but you're right about the others i think. Anyway, we're fixen to go outlaw (IMG) with our 6 matches a year. In fact, we just shot a 2 gun match at a new USPSA club in Flordia and we ran it time plus outlaw. Like the Big 3 - If you don't produce what the customers want - you won't survive for long. See you all at Benning!!!!!

There is the US rules, International rules, and then outlaw rules. Decide which rules you are going to follow and then go for it! USPSA started out with whatever you had you shot and it was either a revolver or single stack. As the equipment evolved i.e. dots, compensators, holsters, hi-caps the playing field became unfair per the single stackers. How can you compete a single stack against a race gun? One way is to set-up single stack friendly stages. Max round count from any one shooting position make it 8 rounds. Simple enough so if you had a 32 round course of fire you set-up 4 different positions to shoot from by setting obstacles which limit the number of targets you can shoot at. You don't dictate how many rounds per position the obstructions do it for you! Or, if you have the backing start a new shooting discipline like the group that started IDPA and set the rules accordingly. Look at what Glock did they had shoots for Glock shooters only. They set the rules only Glocks could compete. If you have the backing, following, sponsorship and money you can do anything you want, you set the rules! Start a new shooting discipline "Shotgun" only; give it a title "ISA" (International Shotgun Association) set the rules: divisions, capacity, minimum gauge, max gauge etc. Remember the movie "Field of Dreams" build it and he will come. The same holds true if you are really determined to shoot the 20 round drum and be legal then put the time and effort into developing a new discipline instead of complaining about an existing one. This is a great forum but there is a lot of complaining instead of constructive criticism. Take all of that energy and put it to work start the "ISA" I'll join and I'll present it to my club president and request that we affiliate and set-up a shooting calendar for the year. I'm sure more clubs would be interested in becoming affiliated and also setting up calendars. I pay 40 dollars a year to belong to USPSA, 15 to 20 dollars for a USPSA affiliated club shoot, and anywhere from 100 to 275 dollars for a National shoot. I do shoot my saiga at club and National competitions. There I had my say and hope nobody holds it against me.